Eating alone was boring and humiliating but...who knew that eating with Jade would be exciting and kind of...uncomfortable? I sure didn't. We sat at the table I usually sat at by myself. We both got the same thing to eat: a slice of pizza, chocolate milk, a cupcake, brownie, and a tangerine fruit cup. The only difference was that she had a bottle of Strawberry Hill, which was a pink liquid with alcohol in it. She ate some and took a swig of the Strawberry Hill. I ate some.
"Do you always eat alone?" she asked me. "Yes," I said. I wasn't going to lie to her. I didn't feel like it.
"Oh," she replied sullenly and then went back to eating and taking swigs of her drink. I sighed and pushed my tray away from me. I didn't eat very much. And I sure as hell wasn't gonna start now. Jade peered up at me through her thick hair that had come down in her face.
"You aren't eating," she noticed. She raised an eyebrow. "Why?" I began to feel uncomfortable. I thought that if I told her why she would think I'm stupid and wouldn't want to talk to me anymore. Jade leaned back and silently cursed under her breath. "Not that it's any of my business or anything," she said nervously. I didn't answer so she went back to eating.
After a few minutes of silence between us she said "Would you like to meet my friends? They're really nice." A bright smile lit up her features and I smiled timidly. "Uh...sure." I couldn't upset such a cheerful face. Suddenly, Jade stood up and screamed across the cafeteria "Hey, yo, Red! Come here!" I jumped at the sound of her voice, embarrassed by the curious stares I was receiving.
A boy wearing a plain red T-shirt and washed out jeans came into view. I looked up at him in wonder. He had white teeth, black hair, tall, had the frame of a professional wrestler, and...his muscles were pulsing in his arms.
"Hi," he said, extending his hand. I put my hand in his large one and gently shook, afraid he would tear my arm off. I was scared to death of him. I wondered if this was where Jade got her rough attitude from.
"H-hi," I stammered. He laughed aloud, a sound that was deep like bass.
"This is my friend, Red. Don't ask what his real name is because he won't tell you," Jade explained, snickering like a madwoman.
The guy named Red rolled his eyes and said "My actual name is Sheldon but, please, call me Red." I trembled at the hint of menace in his voice. "Will do," I answered automatically, my voice cracking slightly.
Jade and Red laughed simultaneously. "There's someone else I want you to meet," Jade said. Then there was this girl that she introduced as Twinkie and this other guy that came with her. "Why do you call her Twinkie?" I asked Jade when Twinkie's back was turned. "What do you mean? I mean, look at her. How could we not call her Twinkie?" Jade had smoothly answered.
And I had to admit, I would have wanted to call her Twinkie too because she had the frame of a giant ball. I could not help but laugh silently along with Jade, trying not to attract the attention of Twinkie. "The name's D.J. but you can just call me J. if you'd like," said the guy that had came over with Twinkie. He and she seemed to be boyfriend and girlfriend. Twinkie however did not introduce herself to me. Instead, Jade did it for her. "This is Twinkie. Her hobbies are being a slob and eating like a pig." Twinkie punched Jade lightly on the shoulder. "Ow," Jade muttered. Well, I'd thought she punched her lightly. Twinkie smiled wanly. Her eyes scanned my before making its way to my face.
"So you're...Paige, correct?" Her voice was gruff and tinted with a hard edge that didn't sit very well with me.
Like Red, she frightened me. "Uh, correct." That same unhappy smile appeared on her face.
"Nice to meet you...," her voice trailed off and her eyes scanned me up and down again. For a fraction of a second I wondered if she didn't like me. What if she hated me as much as I did...? My thoughts were interrupted when Jade said "you like my friends? I know they're a bit...rugged but they're alright. Don't you agree?"
Beads of sweat popped out on my forehead and I briskly dabbed at them with my palm. They were all staring at me now. Red, D.J., Twinkie, and Jade. All leaning in to hear my answer. I shuddered to think what they would do If I didn't like them. I was sure they'd hurt me. But not enough to hurt me like my father does. Never.
I put on a thin smile and, with a slight nod of my head, said slowly "They all seem very...nice." I chose my words carefully, aware that Twinkie was eyeing me suspiciously. Jade smiled, satisfied, and went back to eating her food. D.J. and Red talked quietly amongst themselves. Twinkie stared at me. I stared at her. A full minute passed and she switched her gaze and began chatting with D.J.
As soon as lunch was over and her small group of friends dispersed, Jade leaned over to me, food still in her mouth, and whispered "you suck at lying. What was wrong with you back there? It looked like you were gonna suffocate."
I squirmed. "I...I like your friends it's just that...Twinkie is..." I choked and didn't finish.
Jade's eyes narrowed and her mouth formed into a scowl. "I should have known," she muttered, her voice hard. She got up, disposed of her tray, and stomped toward the Exit of the cafeteria, her heels clacking against the floor loudly.
I sat there awkwardly, not knowing what to do. Was I really that awful? What did I do wrong? I thought.
I, too, dumped my tray, and walked out...out to my eighth period class. I guessed that Jade wouldn't be going to her class. She would probably be smoking in the Girls bathroom. She probably doesn't want to talk with me anymore. I guessed that too.