P.E. in the morning presented both a challenge and a solution.

On one hand, the most exhausting activity of the day was completed first, so Evan didn’t have to worry about running later in the hot afternoon sun. On the other hand, he was doomed to return to his next periods sweaty and slightly sore.

He also did not recall signing up for a morning period, so he figured this must be a last minute administrative decision. Might as well make the best of it. He sighed, taking a longing glance at himself in the warped bathroom mirror. He mentally prepared himself as he walked out of the bathroom, and onto the court, where he was directed by the assistant coach to run three laps.

As expected.

Luckily, running laps gave him mind time. More time to dig through his thoughts.

If he didn’t have his ‘mind time’, he’d lose his wits entirely. Sure, he could walk or jog with a clan of friends, like most of his classmates chose to do. Or he could rush through the laps as fast as possible and sit with himself, on the bleachers, for a while. Which is exactly what he did once he finished his three laps.

He sat, feeling the cold seep into his hot skin. Here, Evan could sway with the cool morning wind like a dying tree branch and wait for time to fly away. Eventually, the wind will blow his sweat dry. Eventually, a state of peace will seep in. Eventually –

A whistle blew in his ear. Evan jumped off the bleachers.

“Line up everyone! We don’t have all day, and those calories won’t burn themselves!” The coach bellowed, pointing to the yellow line on the court.

Great. He knew already what was coming, even though it was day one. P.E. teachers truly didn’t relent, especially after a long summer of sitting around and munching on cheeseburgers and smoothies.

Burpees. Push-ups. Jumping jacks. He forgot the names of all the other exercises… They did ten of each, without pause, until everyone was choking on their own breaths.

When in a great deal of pain, Evan found time goes by quicker. So, among the rows of sweaty teenagers and grunts of pain, he found a strange solace in the freezing arms of the fall morning.

-----

He needed to get all the supplies inside before the bell rang. A slight panic rose within him. He took the cart, filled with various shapes of balls, and rolled it forward. He found one basketball ball in the grass. Another two next to the basket. Another on the side of the bleachers. He had five minutes –

He came upon the edge of the field, where a group of boys were still kicking around a soccer ball, even though it was almost time to leave.

“Hey!” No one even turned to him. His voice sounded too quiet. He tried again.

“Can I have the ball?”

To his dismay, upon requesting for the ball, one of the boys kicked to him. The ball skidded past his feet before he could block it. Sighing, he meant to turn away to run after it, only to be called back.

A blonde walked towards him, still wearing his green formal school outfit and ID for some unknown reason; He probably forgot a change of clothes. Either way, he seemed friendly enough, even though Evan mildly backed away when he came closer.

The blonde waved to him with amicable green eyes. This boy apparently knew him. From where, he did not know –he always remembered the first time he met anyone.

But who is he? Who is he? He knew him. Where is he from? Who is he-

Evan slapped his wrist again before he began to feel sick. Either way, a simple solution was in his sights.

All he had to do was sneak a peek at his ID-card around his neck. Simple.

He breathed, exactly five deep breaths in and out, and walked around the cart which separated the both of them.

His eyes wandered to his chest. Ja-

Jason? That name didn’t feel correct. It must have been something else, because it didn’t fit blondie’s face.

“Jason?” He spewed out quickly.

Blondie laughed, his bright teeth flashing in the sun as he turned to him. “You have never called me that, Evan. Finally had a change of heart?”

He knew it was wrong. His heart sank to his feet.

“I-I just- “

“No worries man.” Jason patted his shoulder, causing Evan to stiffen. He hoped the other didn’t notice.

“It’s been a long summer, sorry.” He mumbled out another string of sentences, ones that made Jason frown in sympathy.

“I can see the exhaustion in your face. Man, you have got to rest at least once in a while! Stop killing yourself! After all these years I cannot believe you…”

His sentences blurred together, until Evan saw nothing but Jason’s mouth.

Then bell rang, and Evan released a breath he didn’t even know he’d been holding. Jason and his posse made way past him, jogging back to the gym.

He’d almost had a heart attack listening to Jason, or whatever his name was, talk.

Despite the experience of interacting with others in school, it was obvious contemplation was more of his style. Because talking can lead to jeering. Jeering can lead to teasing. Teasing means bad things happen. And he feared not the bad things that happened, but having to anticipate them happening. The wait was far more torturous than the thing itself.

He was staring at Jason’s back, at his green shirt as it shrunk away, as him and his group ran away from the field, when it finally hit him. The nickname Jade.  Jason was always wearing green.

It was when he remembered Jade’s name, or nickname rather, that his chest began to knot up. How could he forget where he first met him, or even where his friend came from, on the first day of school?

Stuck with a lingering feeling that he’s forgotten his world, his reality, and who was around him, Evan hurried back to the gym. He really didn’t need to be alone any more than he already was.