Being Single

Chapter 3

"Hi Ben", I said as I casually sat beside him in the cafeteria during lunch. "Um...hi?", he replied uncertainly. The poor boy was probably confused, considering we never talked to each other. "I'm really sorry for ruining your jersey that day", I said.

"It's cool", he said, surprised, "It was a month ago. Don't sweat it dude!"

"I know you've forgiven me, but I still feel guilty. So...", I said as I handed him a package, "I've bought a Manchester United jersey for you."

Ben's eyes widened with shock. "Thanks so much dude!", he exclaimed. I cleared my throat unnecessarily and said slowly,"I was wondering.....if we could hang out, you know, try to get to know each other more."

"Yeah sure!", he responded,"Why don't you come over to my house today after school?"

"Ok!", I said enthusiastically. This was way easier than I had thought. I glanced at Xavier and winked at him while he gave me a thumbs up.

I think I'm finally going to have a boyfriend!

# # #

After watching "Goal", "Goal 2" and "Goal 3", I was ready to kick a football myself, and I had a very good idea at whose head I was going to kick at. It did not help that the person sitting beside me was blabbering on and on about how he was going to be a famous football player in the future.

I was beginning to regret hanging out with Ben at his house.

He was all football this and football that. Did he even care about anything else? Of course not, considering the dead goldfish in his room which he did not even care to throw out. He could have at least given it to the skinny, almost-starving cat lying under his bed.

I really should not have wasted my pocket money on that stupid jersey for Ben. I tuned out his football gossip. Ben as my boyfriend was a big NO. After all, I was not really a big football fan.

I sighed. Finding a boyfriend was difficult than I had thought.

Sorry, Ben.