In the cafeteria…

“I don’t think that’s the right way” Lucy shared.

“Then do you have a better plan?” Johnny asked.

Lucy shook her head, with nothing else to say we all went back to our meals. It was a surprise that they didn’t argue today. My ears can rest today from the torture.

It was lunch time after hours of long, torturous classes. I felt like my fingers weren’t working properly after all the writing of notes.

To make matters worse, I had left my lunch at home. The old cafeteria had been used as a storage room and now I have no other choice than to eat in the new cafeteria, the one I thought I won’t ever step my foot into.

If I could leave school, I would. Not like I have anything against the chef, is just I keep on recalling that prideful look on their faces when we had that meeting.

Sigh.

So here I was with my friends eating some classy food. Air quote, ‘classy’.

It wasn’t that bad, it really did taste like it came from a professional chef, just that the way Jason and the principal had given us that look, I was expecting more…cu    z I still feel like  if my mom were to buy more quality ingredients she would have done way better, but too much cost so…meh.

As for me, I could only be the judge. I can’t cook to save a dog but I think I can try to cook to save my life though or maybe it’s the selfish in me talking. 

And there was the problem of Lucy’s social media being hacked. She and Johnny had tried fixing it but nothing worked. Lucy was gloomy that she had lost her five million followers on Instagram. She had been crying since the moment she came to school and now here she was eyes puffy and red, absent minded and slowly stirring the red sauce with her chips.

I tried to change the topic to something different so I asked. “How was your date?”

I was thinking this would cheer her up but it didn’t.

 Shrugging her shoulders, she replied “It was okay”

“Hmm, was he not as gentlemanly as he acted as he acted when you guys met?” Johnny asked.   

Lucy frowned. “How do you mean?” 

“Well, maybe he wasn’t the perfect golden boy and he had malicious ideas” 

I smacked his arm. “Why would you say that?” 

He chuckled. Rubbing my arm sweetly. “Calm down mama bear, I was just thinking out loud”

“Well keep your thoughts to yourself” I said, smacking his arm again and he laughed.

I turned to look at lucy who was looking at us with jealousy or was it something else?

“Well, my date was fine, thanks” She said and went back to the stirring. Her blonde hair covering her face, you won’t even be able make out her side profile.

The cafeteria had been rowdy until the door opened and the most prestigious RM students were walking in with Jason and Riley leading them.

Their uniform was well ironed, hair made, looked clean, one could even smell the rich cologne. Then the two people up front who caught the eye of most, then there was Lucy’s brother who stood beside them. The once gloomy Lucy even looked lost as she stared at them   too.

I even heard a student say they were a match made in heaven; that is, Riley and Jason.

I can’t help but question if this happened all the time.

Luckily, I was able to hear someone say this was the first time for them to come into the cafeteria. Even the person who had proposed the idea hadn’t even stepped his leg into it.

Weird.

The RM table was located at the end, it was very noticeable since it looked…really noble. 

One could even see it at first glance so why was Jason still looking around .

His eyes finally noticed something; he lowered his head to say something to Riley. Who turned sharply to look at me with hatred?

Her face was red, she looked like she was about to burst as she and the others made way to their table, while Jason walked towards me.

He strutted like he was in a runway. People had to move their chair to make him pass as they watched him with awe.

To my surprise he pulled out a chair and sat in between me and Lucy.

I frowned and he smirked.

“Hey shortcake”

I don’t know whether to cry or laugh. I just stared. 

Johnny was the first to break the thick fog of silence around our table.

“Um…it looks like you are at the wrong table” The moment he said this, that thick fog of silence was gone. Everyone went back to their chattering.

It was like, Johnny hit the play button on everyone’s brain.

“No, I am not. I am at the very right table” He turned to me, still smirking. “Aren’t you going to introduce me, shortcake”

“Shortcake?” Lucy asked.

Jason turned to her and winked. “Well hello beauty. And yes, I do call her shortcake. Cause she reminds me of strawberry shortcake, small and cute when she is riled up”

I frowned. 

Dude! We had only met twice, how did it turn to that?

I cleared my throat. “Well, these are my friends, Lucy and Johnny” He nodded after I said that.

I felt like he wasn’t paying much attention to what I said and I couldn’t help but frown.

He was the one who asked for an introduction and now he seems like he was ignoring me.

Rude!

He turned to me again, that damned smirk on his pink lips. “I came with a purpose, I wanted to ask, can I have your phone number…Ruby?”

My phone number?!

Huh? 

‘Can I get your number? No

Can I get your name? No

Boy, I don’t want no scrubs’

Awkward…

We turned to Johnny who was holding the phone that the song ‘no scrubs’ was playing from.

My cheeks reddened. The table was filled with an uncomfortable silence that we don’t know even know how to break.

Grrr. The bell rang. I guess this was the perfect moment to say.

Saved by the bell!

Jason gave Johnny a death glare before walking out.

Guess he was upset.

I shook my head, picked up my bag.

“Well, that was…awkward” Lucy said looking at Johnny with suspicious eyes.

Johnny chuckled. “I swear it was just a coincidence, I didn’t expect someone to call me at that moment. Maybe it was fate” He shrugged nonchalantly.

I smiled. He probably did that on purpose, his ringtone was an anime song.

We were about to leave the cafeteria when I remembered something.

Rushing out of the cafeteria leaving the others confuse, I arrived outside where I saw Jason leaning against the wall, right leg propped up, his eyes directly looking up at the sun.

He looked so peaceful and calm. Until he spoke and I felt irritated again.

“I knew you couldn’t resist me” he said.

I forced myself to smile.

“I wanted to thank you. I forgot to before for…helping me and my family with the supermarket, I really do appreciate. Thanks”

He turned to me. Running a hand through his hair.

“Okay, I will accept your thanks if…you give me your number” He said handing me his phone.

“What if I say no?” 

“Then I would keep on pestering you until you do, and trust me I am very insistent”

That I have noticed. I said to myself, rolling my eyes.

I grumbled as I typed in my phone number saving it as Ruby.

He took the phone, typed something and showed me. “See, shortcake suit you better. Now I accept that thank you”

He gave me a salute before walking off.

I shook my head and turned to leave.

I wasn’t concentrating on the path, my mind only coming back to reality when I felt the cold slimy thing rolling down my stomach towards my skirt.

I looked down at the smoothie which had ruined my white uniform inner.

Looking up at the girl who was holding her bag in an uncaring manner, her hair in a dark hairband. Her harsh red lipstick making her look like a professional seductress.

“Oops, my hand slipped” She said.

Riley stood before me; her eyes filled with contempt.

I gave her a sweet smile, walking off my body hitting hers. I made sure that the stained spot on my uniform touched hers, even though it was a small dot.

Before I could successfully leave, she grabbed my hand.

Her eyes filled with hatred, when she spoke, she reminded me of a snake spitting out venom. 

“Stay. Away. From. Jason”

I removed my hands from hers and walked towards the hall of NS where I saw Lucy and Johnny waiting for me.

Lucy looked at me with surprise. “What happened to you?”

I looked at the ugly milky stain on my once spotless shirt. I have an OCD for cleanliness, seeing this made me feel more irritated.

I replied Lucy. “Let’s just say, a mother hen laying her claim happened”

✯✯✯✯
H҈e҈y҈ l҈o҈v҈e҈l҈i҈e҈s҈😍

𝚂𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚞𝚙𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎!!

𝙼𝚢 𝚜𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍𝚞𝚕𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚜𝚘 𝚝𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝. 𝙼𝚢 𝚎𝚡𝚊𝚖𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎, 𝚒 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚋𝚞𝚜𝚢. 𝙸 𝚊𝚖 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚜𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚢. 𝚂𝚒𝚐𝚑!

𝙰𝚗𝚢𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜, 𝚒 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚐𝚞𝚢𝚜 𝚎𝚗𝚓𝚘𝚢𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛.

𝙿𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚍𝚘 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝. 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚘 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑.

☺︎︎Love ya'all☹︎