Page:Jay Little - Maybe—Tomorrow.pdf/47

 web. It looked all silvered with dew hanging there from sky hooks. From the spider Gaylord's gaze fell on a new face seated across the aisle opposite him. He wondered why he had not noticed him before. Obviously he had been there all the time.

Gaylord's heart jumped. He was a handsome boy sitting there behind the desk. And when he smiled deep dimples formed in his cheeks. His hair was neatly plastered down and his clothes were very clean.

Gaylord pushed at his books, knocking a pencil to the floor. He didn't see it fall and was surprised when the boy handed it to him saying, "You dropped this."

"Oh, thanks … I didn't know I dropped it."

"You're welcome."

Gaylord wanted to say something else, but when words wouldn't come, he smiled. He felt the blood creeping into his cheeks and silently cursed himself. There was something warmly companionable about this boy. "I need someone," thought Gaylord desperately. "I need someone and I believe he needs someone too. I'm young, maybe, only seventeen. But I'm older than my years in some things. But there is no one to understand …" Maybe he would understand … maybe …

The gym director waited for them. He stood there, one foot on a folded chair. Instead of looking at them, he seemed to be watching his feet. He was a short, bushy man with green eyes and deep red hair. For a while he watched his foot on the cement floor. Then he looked at them and stood on both feet. "Everybody here? Get yourselves stripped and dressed in a hurry, men," he yelled. "We've got lots to do today." He shifted his stare over the class. Then noticing Gaylord who had just come through the swinging doors, his ugly mouth opened again. "Did ya hear what I said, Le Claire? Get the load outa your butt and today I want you back here on time." His screaming crossed the room.

"Yes, sir." And Gaylord walked to his locker and began undressing.

He wondered if it would ever be possible, in this world, that he would one day hold his face up to his gym teacher and they would 37