Sort of applies.
I've never been good with girls. Throughout school I was the epitome of the shy geek with a better taste for shitty indie bands and computer games than for nubile, hormone-energised young fillies off the local estate.

It got worse as I got older, but there was one time when there was a little chink in my socially-inept armour, and someone, fortunately saw through it.

X was a lovely girl from the next estate. She went to the same school as me, and was in a different form, so we didn't really know each other until later on in school. We often chatted a lot at break time, gave each other fleeting glances in the classroom and other such innocent behaviour. I liked her a lot, but was too crap as a communicator to do something about it. She was popular, friendly and quite pretty too - so what would she want with a bungling loon like me?

I was known then for being the school boffin - not totally amazing with grades but hard working and a bit of a teacher's pet. Obviously, because of this, I was a target for the school thuggery legion, and despite my frame (I'm a big lad - not fat, just stocky), I often took a few punches for my scholarly nature. I look on this now and just accept that it's the way of the world, but then it was hard, especially in the polarising environment of the school corridor.

One day, I was pushed about a bit by the main school troglodyte, and cracked my head on the wall. I fell on the floor, head in hands, whilst the rest of the school shuffled past, not wanting to get involved.

Until I heard a friendly voice - "Scentless, you OK?". It was X. She helped me up, brushed me down (A female! Touching me! Call Roy Castle!), and flashed me a smile.

"Don't worry, they're only jealous of you. I think you're great.". Then, with no-one looking, she gave me a peck on the cheek.

Well, wow. This was a whole new world. Most girls I knew were uber-geeks like me fearful of the opposite sex or horny page 3 wannabees who doted on the very kinds of nutters that liked to give me a bit of a pasting.

But this, this was different. It was completely innocent puppy love stuff but it was the first time I felt like I would be able to talk to a girl I actually liked.

That was a Thursday. Friday, we had lunch sat together in the canteen, then said bye to each other after school, and skipped off home for the weekend. I could feel something blossoming, and it wasn't just the thing tucked into my BHS Y-fronts.

Strange as it may seem, I couldn't wait for school to come round. As far as I was concerned from then on, X WAS school. Despite this I didn't tell anyone about her during the regular Saturday night cider-swilling in the park - but I was really excited about what might happen between us.

So, Monday came, and I literally ran to school. As I arrived, there seemed to be a general sense of sadness and anger - but being one of the social underclass in school, I couldn't seem to find out what was going on, apart from we'd find out in assembly that morning.

Assembly came round, and in front of the year, the Head told us that there'd be a sad accident on Saturday, and unfortunately X had died.

She'd been hit by a speeding car on a main road near her house. The Head didn't go into too much detail but it was clear that it wasn't pleasant. X was an intelligent, lovely girl with her whole life ahead of her, and some idiot in a chavmobile had killed her.

I never saw her dead body, but I did see the coffin in the hearse whilst I was doing my paper-round a few days later, her parents in the car behind. I was gutted. Not for me - I'm not that selfish - but for X. She didn't comply with the idiotic social hierarchy in school, and she always saw the good in people - something I've always respected in a person since.

I often look back at that time and think 'what if' - not because I'm a shallow bastard, but because X was so great and deserved better.

Sorry for the lack of funny. I've never told anyone this, because no-one really knew what had happened for that brief time between X and me, but I felt here was my chance to get it off my chest.
(scentless_apprentice takes two bottles into the shower!, Wed 5 Mar 2008, 13:20, 7 replies)

No length joke?
Sorry, trying to lighten the mood...

That's pretty awful. How were you afterwards?
( TY&GN, Wed 5 Mar 2008, 13:27, closed)

*click*
I'm not usually emotional, but your story bought tears to my eyes. It's terrible when something like that happens.
(Grey_Ghost has yet to decide on a sig on, Wed 5 Mar 2008, 13:50, closed)

What a beautiful story.
Thanks for sharing.
(Northern Lovely, Wed 5 Mar 2008, 13:51, closed)

every cloud...
you could still have shagged her - security at those funeral parlours is pish. probably a bit late now.
( spimf ™ is whoever you want him to be, Wed 5 Mar 2008, 14:14, closed)

Well told story
Big Click.

How has life turned out for you now - Hope its all fun and fluff!
( KISS.ME.WHERE.I.POO Signed the sex offenders register on, Wed 5 Mar 2008, 14:45, closed)

that is touching
love spimf's response though:

it's "probably" too late to shag her
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 5 Mar 2008, 15:49, closed)

Great Story
You see? Troglogyte's have a reason to exist if for nothing other than setting the stage for X to come and say those words to you.

Sorry for your loss. I'd give you a hug, but...well, screw it:

Hug.

Citadel
( Citadel Because the world needs less morons, Wed 5 Mar 2008, 21:46, closed)