And that's when she felt the cold water all over herself. The other kids all began laughing at her. She couldn't take it. She got up and ran from the room as fast as she could, tears springing to her eyes.
She barely heard Isabella's call after her, "Morgan, wait!" She got up and ran after the younger girl.
She caught her in the hall, breathing hard. She knelt down by the miserable girl. "Go away!" Morgan groaned. "I hate you. I hate all of you!"
Isabelle stared at the younger girl in shock. "Please say you don't mean that!"
"Why not?!" Morgan demanded.
Isabella stared down at the ground. "I didn't know they were going to do that to you. And honestly? Most of the people from Total Drama had boys. There are only three other girls who hang out at that table, but none of them like me. You're the first one to really talk to me. It's kind of nice to be girly without the boys making disgusting fart jokes ever time I say something.
Morgan laughed. "Boys still do that?! I thought they matured a little when they reached kindergarten."
Isabella laughed with her. "You kidding? Do they ever mature?!"
They both collapsed to the ground, laughing. Sure, Alejandro may have humiliated her in front of the entire school, and made everyone laugh at her, but something great came out of it. Her first friendship. (as corny as that sounds).
"You ready to go back inside?" Isabelle asked after a moment. Seeing her younger friend's hesitation, she added, "I know this doesn't excuse it, but I think Alejandro wasn't lying about you joining our table. I think he just wanted to get you back for the shoe incident."
Morgan flushed. "I did get him pretty well," She admitted.
She sighed, outstretching her hand so that Isabelle could help her up. "I suppose all's fair in love and war."
They walked back into the cafeteria with their heads held high. Nobody dared say a word.
Noah was driving the kind police officer insane. He'd dealt with frantic parents before, but this guy took the term frantic to a new level.
"Sir, it'll be alright," he tried to reassure. But Noah would not be reassured.
"I'll let you say that when we find her."
The officer nodded. "Is there anybody who'd take her without your permission? Like a friend, or a familymember."
"Well, the second one describes half of Izzy's family," Noah thought, but refrained from saying so. Aloud, he responded, "There's one guy I can think of. But he's in jail."
The officer frowned. "Who?"
"Duncan."
The green haired delinquent sighed. "I'm guessing your here because you think I did it."
Noah shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. You tell me. You've taken her before, without either Izzy's or my permission.
Duncan rolled his eyes. "I had permission. Izzy clearly told me to buy her cottoncandy."
Noah stared at him like he was crazy. "You fed a baby cottoncandy?!"
Another eye-roll. "No, you idiot. I just told Izzy I would so that I could take her out."
Noah frowned. "What did you want with Morgan?"
Duncan sighed. "I'm a twenty-seven year old man whose always in and out of jail. I love kids. They're just so cute when they're so tiny and chubby."
Noah couldn't tell if he was joking or not. Either Duncan was a huge baby fanatic, or he really wanted one of his own. Weird.
He glanced over at the officer. "It's not him," he told the man. "But I would like to request a visit with Duncan when I get my daughter back."
The man frowned. "I'm sure I can arrange something."
Noah smiled. "You do that."
"Is there anyone else you can think of?"
Noah sighed. "No. Not really."
"What about her school?" Duncan chimed in.
Noah disagreed. "I don't think so. She was expelled two months ago."
Duncan broke into hysterical laughter. "That's my girl!" He cried.
Noah glared harshly at him. "I used to think it was Izzy who gave her her criminal delinquent attitude, but now I'm starting to guess it was you."
Duncan put a hand to his heart. "Aw, thanks. You're too kind."
Noah rolled his eyes. "We can leave now," he told the officer.
The officer just smiled. He'd been thinking the same thing.