Playing with Fire

Chapter 3

I glanced to behind her shoulder. Kevin was right behind her, but his gaze wasn’t focused onto his girlfriend. Once in a while, it strayed towards me. Specifically, my legs.

And as if she had eyes behind her head, Noelle’s nostrils flared. She knew.

And she was jealous.

Joy.

“Come at it already!” Noelle was shouting.

I swished my hair, intent to keep her furious for a little more while. I threw the ball, but not at her, no. I threw it to behind her so that it would be Kevin who’d catch it.

Bless his reflexes, he did catch it, and as the ball stayed still inside his fist, the whole mass were alternating their gazes between me, him, and Noelle.

Of course, the old love-triangle would be back. We had made such a huge commotion a few months ago, when me and Kevin broke up, and Noelle unexpectedly took his side because she claimed me to be evil.

Kevin looked genuinely confused as to what to do with the ball, but Mr. Gallagher, bless him, gave him instructions.

“So what are you waiting for? Give it back to her!”

For a moment, there was hesitation. I could see what was happening inside his thick skull. ‘Do I need to give him directly back to Alea? Or do I give it to Noelle so that she can give it to her?’

He chose the first option.

He walked towards me, and as he passed his girlfriend, he gave her a gentle tap on the shoulder, as if assuaging her. He kept his distance, although not quite enough, when he handed the ball back to me.

I smiled at Noelle when I accidentally brushed my hand with his a second more than necessary.

After Kevin went back to his post, Noelle’s face became visibly redder.

“And why don’t you just throw the damn ball? And no funny business this time, Azalea. Throw the ball to the girl, not the guy!” Mr. Gallagher had always been infamous for his short temper and his relatively harsh words for a teacher. I sighed loudly and conceded.

Noelle didn’t look like she was half-hearted when she swung the bat and hit the ball square. I felt the ball swooshed past me, and I thought that if only Noelle hadn’t missed by a few millimeters, I would need to go to Asia to fix my face with plastic surgery.

And then I heard that thump sound, followed by another sound of someone falling.

I turned around as the other students started to collectively scream/shout/cheer. Mr. Gallagher was on the floor, his nose bleeding and his eyes half-open in a confused daze of someone who had just gotten a very bad case of concussion.

-

“So the big guy fainted?” Marcus asked.

“Noelle always religiously follows ever body-combat class in gym; she hits like a boss! I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. Gallagher doesn’t wake up for a few days.”

School was over, and it had been a good day for me. So good, in fact, that I called Marcus to tell him about the little incident. Noelle had been sent to the counselor and apparently had been yelled at. Now she got what she had been craving ever since we got into high school: undivided attention from the whole student body.

“I’ve never heard you this excited before,” Marcus said. “Aren’t you talking about Noelle the bitch? Why the hysteria?”

This kind of direct question that demanded a direct answer shut me up.