Disclaimer: I own nothing; Twilight belongs to the brilliant Stephenie Meyer.
Lunch came around quickly, perhaps because we had no lessons but I suspected it was more to do with being in Masen's company. He had a light easygoing nature that the freshmen really seemed to respond to. He made it fun, even when we were trudging around looking at the math rooms, in fact he got the boring bits over within an hour and we spent the rest of the morning sat under a tree as Masen regaled us with the legends of former students and how some teachers came by their nicknames. He told us which teachers to respect, which teachers to be wary of and which teachers who more or less gave you a free lesson. While I nodded and agreed like an idiot, keeping up the pretence that I had been here all my years.
We entered the lunchroom and were practically the first to arrive. Masen turned to the freshmen and said, "I'm sure you all don't want us old folk cramping your style."
Tammie and Cammie the twins giggled.
"Of course if you have any problems you can come talk to us. We know high school can be difficult and maybe we can help you out in certain areas. But right now we want to eat and some seniors get a little snooty about freshmen in our area. That's the seven tables at the back. If you stay away from them the cheerleaders won't eat you alive."
The freshmen nodded and went to join the queue. Masen and I joined behind them, picking up a tray each to gather our food. The smell of meat was appetising and I felt the burn at the back of my throat again.
I had stewed meat with mash potato and carrots and red jell-o for dessert. I picked out a bottle of red soda and took my things to the till to pay. I then followed Masen to a table in the corner of the senior area; it was a small table with only two seats.
I sat down across from him and tucked into my food, enjoying it immensely.
"You look like you're enjoying the mystery meat." Masen said, wrinkling his nose.
"Meat's meat." I said with a shrug.
"It could be rabbit for all you know." He observed, taking a bite of his pizza.
I shrugged, "It still be just as tasty. Besides this is beef." I sniffed at it again. "Mixed with a little lamb." And I put another forkful into my mouth along with some of the mash.
"Hello Masen." A girl called snidely from behind me.
Masen looked up, and then looked quickly down at his food. He seemed to shrink several sizes and all evidence of his cheerful demeanour vanished. I looked around to see Amber standing there, the same smirk still on her face, with Beau and Chelsea flanking her like sentinels.
"You're not bugging this poor girl now are you?" She asked with a flick of her hair.
I flashed a look back at Masen to see he had gone bright red. I ground my teeth slightly, how dare she make him feel uncomfortable?
I turned back to the cheerleader and forced a smile, despite the fact I wanted to rip out her throat. What a violent thought! I pushed it away.
"No he's not bugging me." I said lightly. "He's been kind enough to show me around today because I am like new."
"I know you're new." She said, flicking her hand in a dismissive fashion. "But just cause he's showing you around doesn't mean you're doomed to sit with the loser at lunch."
I felt my jaw drop in shock, how could she say such vile things about Masen? Especially with him sitting right there. As far as I was concerned Masen was a sweet funny guy, he was far from being a loser.
"What and sit with the cheer brigade?" I asked sweetly.
"Of course." She said, stretching out her body. "I might even let you join the squads if you're any good."
"Oh my dream come true!" I gasped, clasping my hands together. Then my tone became serious. "No thank you Amber. I'd rather sit over here and be a loser than sacrifice my integrity. Although I think you should know that I don't consider Masen a 'loser'. He's sweet, kind and considerate and is the only person who offered to help me this morning. Now the people I do consider losers are those who make up for their own insecurities by belittling other people." I stated and folded my arms across my chest.
Amber was speechless for a moment while her courtiers stood there gawping like idiots. The silence didn't last long, for Amber soon found her voice.
"You're gonna be so sorry you started anything with me Ronnie." She growled through her teeth.
I sighed in disappointment.
"Is that not a little playground for our age group?" I inquired in a bored voice.
She harrumphed, stamped her foot then stomped away, her flock following obediently behind. They shot death stares over their shoulders but I met each one with a confident smile, I wouldn't let them bring me down.
I turned back to Masen to find him staring at me with a look of admiration and pity.
"You didn't have to do that." He said.
"I hate freaking bullies." I stated, going back to my food.
"You do realise you just committed social suicide for me?" He asked, astounded.
"Ah, what's a bit of hara-kiri amongst friends?" I said, smiling.
He laughed slightly, but then his face fell. "But seriously, you shouldn't have done that. Amber is gonna make you really unpopular."
"Bah! I didn't come here to win a popularity contest. I came here to learn."
"She has the power to make your life hell." And from Masen's tone I didn't doubt it.
But I laughed it off; there are far worse things in this world than annoyed cheerleaders. I had faced them and survived. There was no way I would feel threatened by an insignificant little girl who will be lost once she reaches the real world and is no longer queen bee.
"I'd like to see her try." I said darkly, knowing with certainty that my body was capable of protecting me from anything a human could throw at it.
Yet Masen still looked worried.
"You don't have to sit with me you know." He mumbled. "It could have just as easily have been Amber in the office this morning."
I gave him a dubious look.
He chuckled, "Ok maybe not Amber, but it could have been someone else who would make you part of the 'in' crowed."
"What? Are you trying to say I'm shallow and mean?" I demanded.
"What? Oh no. No, no. I don't think you're like that." He stammered. "It's just that you're so pretty and have great coordination and you're so graceful when you walk…" He trailed off when I gave him a wary look.
"You got all that from one morning?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.
"Yep. Pathetic aren't I?" He said, laughing at himself.
"Nothing wrong with being observant." I conceded while I worried if it was a good idea to encourage him.
"Thanks." He said, placing his hand on my arm.
I wasn't keen on such casual touching after all he had just said to me. I mean most girls would be flattered right? Having a boy notice so much about you? Especially when the guy was smart and funny and good looking in that tall, gangly, scruffy-haired rocker kind of way. And he obviously had feelings for me otherwise why would he notice so much about me?
I very much wanted to feel something for him, to reciprocate his feelings, but I felt nothing deep down inside. There was no spark. No pull. It was almost as if I couldn't even see him because somebody stood in the way. The person who belonged to me, the person I belonged to, who I would always belong to but he was just a shadow in my memory.
A strong shadow that held its place no matter how hard I tried to look around it, but a shadow never the less. While it remained in my heart there would be no room for anyone else. Therefore I thought it prudent to discourage any thoughts he had that our friendship would blossom into anything more.
To begin with I would have to put a stop to over familiar touching.
All this had gone through my head in a brief second, Masen moved his hand away quickly.
"Sorry." He said. "I crossed a boundary there. I'll try not to do it in future."
"What?" I asked in confusion.
"Don't worry. I'm used to getting knocked back by girls. You didn't have to say all that stuff about some mystery man you're not even sure exists though. I know I'm not a catch for anyone."
I stared at him in amazement. "But I didn't say anything."
"You didn't?" He asked frowning.
"No. But I was thinking it. Not the part about you're not a catch for anyone, because you are handsome, you're just not for me."
"So you really didn't say anything?"
"Nope."
"Could have sworn I heard you." He said, shaking his head. He chuckled, "Hey, maybe I really can read your mind."
"Holy crow! I think you're right." I said, joining in with his laughter.
We fell into amused silence while we finished our food. Once finished we got to our feet to deposit our trays and dump our trash. It was only then, looking around at all the different groups clustered at different tables that something occurred to me.
"So how comes you're only hanging with me today?" I asked.
"Because I want to." He answered with a shrug.
So much for reading my mind, he obviously had no idea where this conversation was going.
"But won't your friends be upset that you've ditched them today?" I asked casually.
He fell silent and looked sheepishly at the floor. Could it really be possible that he had no friends here?
"You do have friends don't you?" I asked right out, not knowing how I could possibly phrase that more tactfully.
"Well, you see about that. I've never really, what you would call, got on with the others in our class. I always hung out with a gang in the year above. Last year I used to sit with them in the senior section, but they've all gone off to college or jobs or whatever. There's just me on my lonesome now." He said, downbeat.
"Not any more." I said with a smile, "I'd like to be your friend if you'd let me."
"Of course I'd like to be your friend. But only friends though because you now I'm already spoken for." His tone was serious, but then he cracked up laughing.
I rolled my eyes.
Don't forget to read and review, all views are welcomed, good or bad, I'd like to know your views and how you think this should go.
Gemma x