"So tell us… you like Lord of the Rings?"
"I admit it. I've read the books, seen the movies, read the books again, the Silmarillion, and all the lost tales," I said proudly to Marie's friends over lunch. They both groaned.
"Listen Dre, it's not a healthy addiction. Get a real life!" Marie said jokingly.
"Are you kidding? I love my life! Ask me anything and I can answer it," I said.
Marie's friends groaned again.
"Why did you invite her Marie?" Kourtney asked. I bit my lip. I didn't mean to be annoying, but obviously I was doing a good job.
"Hey, Dre's one of my friends too," Marie tried to say, but her other friends drowned her out.
"She's annoying!" The second friend, Anne, spat. I was getting rather upset. I was used to hearing about people calling me names, but they were talking about me like I wasn't even there. I bit my lip and looked apologetically at Marie.
"Would you just leave little girl? You are disturbing the rest of us," Kourtney said.
"Yeah go read your God of the Rings," Anne said. Marie didn't say anything, so I stood up.
"It's Lord of the Rings. I'll see you all later. Or not." I said respectfully, trying to take a dignified exit.
"Maybe you should go visit the little world you worship, and leave this one," Anne said. "Buh Bye."
I thought about forty different insult by the time I had reached the door of the restaurant.
"Um, excuse me ma'am but you need to pay for your food," The lady at the cash register said. I smiled.
"Oh of course. I almost forgot, my friend over there, in the pink shirt? She said she'd cover me," I said pointing to Kourtney.
"Alright, thank you. Have a nice day!"
"Yeah… you too."
I walked outside and began my walk home.
"Dre! Dre wait!" Marie called.
"To late! I'm leaving!" I said, continuing to walk.
"No! Dre, please wait!" She caught my arm, and turned me around. "Dre, they were being horrible, I don't know why I didn't stop them!"
"I do. Marie, you'd rather be with them, than some Lord of the Rings nutcase. And you wanna know something? I don't care. Just go. Leave me in peace," I said, and I began my walk home. I don't remember much about that walk… Just that I stepped into the crosswalk, a car horn blared and…
