Being Put in her Place
Then the bell rings. It seemed like that passed by too quickly. I do not want to get off his lap. The way he squeezes me closer I am guessing that he doesn’t want me to either. Begrudgingly I get up and help him stand. He put his arm around my shoulder while I walked with him and Kevin to the men’s locker room. I leave him at the door. Of course he doesn’t let me go without a kiss. Then I head to Mr. Harman’s office to see what he has for me.
Mr. Harman is shuffling around his office and when he sees me he gives me a half smile. “Hey, Riley, I know I told you that I would have stuff inside for you to do, but I actually have something that I need you to do on the field. Is that going to be ok with you?”
“Yes, I can handle that Mr. Harman. What do you need me to do?”
He hands me a set of gym clothes. “I need you to dress out and run with the class. I have a feeling that someone cut during the second timed run I had them do on Friday and I need to catch them doing it.”
“Who are you looking at?” I ask. Taking the clothes from him.
“I don’t want to tell you. I want you to stay close to the middle and if anyone cuts you let me know. Don’t worry about it on the run. I will ask you when you get back. Now go get changed.”
“Yes, Mr. Harman.” I head to the locker room. Most everyone has cleared out all that is left is Brittney and Rachel. Just my luck.
As soon as I come in I take the locker that I use when I need to store things during class. Mr. Harman gave me the combination at the beginning of the year. I don’t use it all the time but it is always available to me. As soon as I take my shirt off, Brittney has to rear her face. “You must feel pretty good about yourself.”
“What the hell are you talking about Brittney?” I slide the gym shirt on.NôvelDrama.Org: text © owner.
“You got Dylan falling all over you. How do you do it? I mean you are nothing to look at and we all know you don’t put out.” Britteny laughs at her own joke, with Rachel right behind her.
“I don’t know, maybe you should ask Dylan. After all, he picked me. I didn’t coerce him.” I slide my jeans off and quickly slide on the shorts before Brittney has a come back.
“Is that it, do you have some blackmail on him and are making him date you?” Brittney looks at me blankly, but I am seriously trying to figure out if she believes that.
“Wow, you are out there. I do not care to ever blackmail anyone to date me. I actually told Dylan that I didn’t want to date at all. He is the one who insisted. So if you have a problem with it, then you need to take it up with him. I am done with your crap Brittney. He is over you, you need to move on and get a life. Leave mine alone.” I slam the locker closed, holding my shoes in my hand as I head up to the in room office for Mrs. Spader.
When I enter the office I put my shoes back on. “Mrs. Spader, do you have a hair tie? Mr. Harman wants me to run today and he didn’t tell me beforehand. This mane is not running friendly.” I give her a smile.
She reaches into a drawer. “Yeah, I always keep a bunch here just in case. Not very many ask for them though. Is Miss Clark giving you a hard time?”
I smile, “Nothing I can’t handle.” She hands me the hair tie and I give her a thanks as I head back out to go to the field.
When I get out to the field, Dylan meets me on my way to the class. He whispers in my ear, “Those shorts do amazing things to your legs.”
I laugh and whisper back, “Now I know you are horny, no one looks good in gym clothes.”
“That is only half true, you do, no one else does. And I’m horny.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me. Then we hear Mr. Harman’s voice over the class.
“Alright can everyone join me please. He is looking towards us and further on to Brittney and Rachel who were behind me. I gauge their distance and they were probably close enough to hear what he just said. Dylan takes my hand and leads me over to where Kevin is standing. “Now that everyone has decided to join us, I will get us started. There is only one thing that I have for you guys today, you will have free reign of the field when it is completed. I want another timed run. This time Riley is going to run with you and I will log your times. Please do your best. Line up.”
Dylan and Kevin follow me to the line. I look at both of them. “You two need to do your best. I have to stick to the middle. You are being graded, not me. Do not hang back with me, do you understand?”
Kevin and Dylan both give me an ok, although Dylan more grudgingly.
Mr. Harman starts us off. I myself have never been the fastest but I was in the top ten. Granted I haven’t really ran this year but I think I can still do pretty well. However, I followed my instructions and do what Mr. Harman wanted. As soon as we hit the halfway mark, Brittney and Rachel cut through. Of course it was them. They do it behind me hoping that I wont see. But I was waiting for it, it wasn’t hard to not see. I keep on going at the same pace. When I reach the end I take a little breather.
Mr. Harman calls me over. “I know this might put you on the spot and you already have problems with her but was it who I think it is?”
“Her and Rachel both.” I affirm. We are kind of off to the side so none of the other students can hear us. He just gives me a nod and goes back to the students. I go to the grass to sit with Kevin and Dylan. Although Brittney was eyeing heading over.
Of course Dylan is all sweaty and he puts his arm around my shoulder. “Sweaty.”
“So are you. Our fluids will mix.”
“Oh, so gross.” However I lean a little into him to let him know that it is alright.
Brittney comes up to me, “I thought you were faster. I mean, being Mr. Harman’s golden girl, I figured you would have some speed behind you.” She sneers at me.
Kevin jumps up, “Kick dust Brittney, no one wants your skanky ass here. Go find yourself someone else to hang on.” Kevin is almost in her face. I have never seen him so pissed. I wonder why. I mean he never really cared that much about Brittney before.
“Don’t worry Kevin, she will find out soon enough why I wasn’t at the front of the pack.” I give her a smug look of my own. She sneers back but then heads off to Rachel. “Why did you jump on her like that? It’s not like she hasn’t said worse.” I look at Kevin who hasn’t sat down yet.
“Earlier today I heard her telling some guy that Katelyn was a big slut and was doing a bunch of guys. That guy said that he would get some at the next party.”
I laugh, “Awe you are defending her honor. I hate to tell you though, Katelyn will not sleep with anyone at a party ever again. You were the first and last one of those.”
“Good, she shouldn’t. I didn’t really think that she would; it was just the way they were talking about her.”
Dylan looks up at Kevin. “Do you like her dude?”
Kevin sits down. “Not that it makes any difference, but I always have. I fucked it up so bad that there is no way she would be with me again. I tried talking to her about it, but she basically shut me down.”
“She’s hurt and scared. Maybe give it some time.” I suggest. “Or just be her friend for now.”
“That’s what I am doing. I don’t want to rush anything. Let her know I am here, that is all I am doing at the moment.”
Mr. Harman voices out again. “Miss Clark and Miss Davis, can I see you for a minute please?” He calls them over. I can tell he is going to keep it discreet but it doesn’t change the fact that I know what is happening. Then I see her point at me and know she is trying to say that I lied. Then Mr. Harman shakes his head and heads over to me.
As soon as he and both girls are in front of me he asks. “Miss Clark and Miss Davis say that you have some grudge against them and that is why you said they cut, could you please tell us all what happened on the trail and before class as well, maybe it will help with the case.”
I smile at him, I know he is putting them in their place and clearing me as well. “Before class you asked me to run with the class and stay in the middle of the pack, because you knew there was at least one student who was cutting the trail. You didn’t tell me which one, you simply said to watch out and then to report at the end of the run. About half way through the run, Brittney and Rachel cut through the trail they were behind me and thought I wouldn’t see them. Honestly they were pretty loud about it. I would have had to be deaf to miss it. When I got back you asked who I saw cutting. I told you. End of story.”
Brittney glared at me. Then Mr. Harman turned to her with a grimace on his face. “Do you know why I am inclined to believe her? Let’s start with the fact that every other timed run your time was at least two minutes slower. She states that you were behind her, yet you got to the finish line at least two minutes before her. I already knew you were cutting the track, I just wanted a second voice to add to it. So now you two and I are going to run the track together to get your actual time. Riley will time it.” Then his voice rose. “Just so the whole class knows. I had everyone run the track today to catch you two cheating. So their run today was on you.” Now most of the class is glaring at Brittney and Rachel. They know there isn’t a damn thing they can say about it to Mr. Harman. Mr. Harman turns back to me, giving me the stop watch. “Watch the class Riley. Miss Clark, Miss Davis get to the start line.”
We all watch as they line up. I call out go and they are off. Dylan leans over. “You should say that the stopwatch stopped working and make her run it again.” I laugh. Kevin joins in.
Dylan kisses me in front of the class. Kevin laughs and puts on a gruff voice, “P. D. A.’s Mr. Matthews.”
Dylan puts on a serious face, “With this girl for the rest of my life.” He is looking me right in the eyes when he says it. I swear I just got wet. I don’t give a crap who the hell you are, if a guy says he wants to show you affection for the rest of their life you get mushy.
“You are the sweetest I swear.” I lean further into him, sweat and all.
After a little time Mr. Harman and the girls return, when they cross the finish line I click the stopwatch. Mr. Harman comes and takes it from me. Then logs their time. He turns to the girls. Waves the stopwatch at them. “This proves it even more. Your time is two minutes longer than the first time. Don’t forget girls, detention after school.”
Mr. Harman is pissed. I am sure they gave him crap along the run. He obviously isn’t hearing any of it. He turns back to us. “Hands Mr. Matthews. I gave you the whole run.” He smirks at Dylan.
As Dylan slides his hand off me he returns Mr. Harman’s smile, “Yes sir.” Then he looks at me. “I think he is starting to like me.”
I laugh and say, “Or it was for my benefit.”
He looks indignant, but I know it is an act. “Don’t burst my bubble.”
When he sees that my smile isn’t going anywhere he smiles back at me. “Well, at least he likes you. Maybe I can get into his good graces.”
“It’s not that hard. I am sure that he likes you. Anyway, I am going to change since I am no longer needed. I will see you after class.” I stand up dusting off my bottom. He looks at me a little shocked.
“You don’t want to spend time with me now?”
“Oh, I do. But if I spend any more time looking into those eyes I am going to attack you. I really don’t want Mr. Harman to see that. He will put me in detention and then we will miss our movie later.” I give him a coy smile, but he just rolls his eyes at me.
“Like Mr. Harman would ever give you detention.”
I lean close and whisper in his ear, “If Mr. Harman saw what I want to do to you, he most certainly would. I don’t think he would have a choice in the matter. I think it would be a bit beyond PDA.” I can hear him suck in his breath.
“You know just the right things to say.” He stands up next to me. “Alright so I will meet you after school then we can discuss how the evening will go.”
I can tell I have put new thoughts into his brain and he is not thinking about the movies any more. He has gone beyond that. I noticed someone off to my side. I turn and there is Brittney. I think she is scowling at me but I really don’t care enough about her to even acknowledge it.
“Dylan, I need to talk to you for a minute.” She is trying to sound seductive or something but I can hear the contempt in her voice.
Dylan looks at her as if acknowledging her for the first time. “I don’t think we really have anything to discuss. I am busy at the moment.”
She glares at me like it is my fault. I roll my eyes at her. “Go ahead, talk to her. I was going to change anyway. I will catch you later for our date.” I emphasize the word date, just to make sure she knows that I have fully committed to Dylan. She is old news and she needs to know that.
I turn on my heels and head to the locker room. At least I know that by changing now I don’t have to do it with Brittney and Rachel in there giving me shit. I turn the clothes into Mrs. Spader and return her hair tie (she told me to keep it though, said it’s less hassle). Then I head to the parking lot to meet with Dylan later. I know that Mr. Harman has started to dismiss the class because girls started entering the locker room just as I was finishing up with Mrs. Spader.