Chapter 13

THE LUNCH BELL rang and the hallway filled with students. Gossip took over the silence that previously remained. After I grabbed my lunch I raced against sophomores and seniors to the lunchroom. For the big school we have, the cafeteria is fairly small, so everyone wants to get there before anyone else does. Get some good tables.

            Sadly for me, I ended up at the back of the line. After waiting for over 10 minutes I left the line, I was so hungry I just HAD to eat. Maybe someone I know already has a table I wondered. But when I finally got to the tables THEY WERE ALL FULL!! But then I noticed one table in the far back was completely deserted, except for one person. It was a girl! And actually, I think she’s new!

            I skipped over to her, “This could be a new friend.” I said to myself and smiled. I got to the table and placed my bag right next to her’s.

“Huh?!” She said, shocked.

“Oh, sorry if I startled you. Just, you were sitting by yourself and, well, is this seat taken?”

She seemed to smile back, but she was really shy so it was more like a half-smile. “No, you can sit there.”

            After talking for a while, I found out that her name was Macy Young. She just transferred because her dad got a new job in the area. It turns out that she wasn’t well-known at her old school either so she was sort of a loner there too.

“Aww! Well I’m here!” I said cheerfully. “My name is Aika by the way!”

“Aika? That’s such a cool name! My name is so… unoriginal.” Macy slouched in her chair. And then Mason came along.

“Oh, Macy! So you met Aika?”

“Mason? You know her?” I stood up fast. When and where did these two meet? I have most of my classes with Mason and I never noticed him talking to her before, until now.

“Well actually, I met her this morning. She seemed lonely yesterday so I talked to her today. I promised I would sit with her at lunch today.”

            The three of us talked the 30 minutes of lunch away. Soon it was already 11:55,  only 15 more minutes to go. Me and Macy had a lot of interests and weaknesses in school. Her and Mason were more alike in the career field though. She also wanted to get a job that had something to do with electronics. But something the 3 of us had in common was music: It didn’t matter what kind, we talked about ALL the music! Michael went on about his k-pop songs, I listed all the songs I liked on the American hip hop charts, and Macy showed us the contents of her iPod. Lots of Asian songs. Yup, she was just like us!

            And right before I thought things couldn’t get worse, the worst came along.

“Hello all.” Kevin said, smiling his easy-to-tell fake smiles.

“Oh h-hi.” Mason said and looked down at the floor. He probably couldn’t tell, but he was getting kind of pink in the face. (laughs)

“Oh, who a-are y-you?” Macy asked nervously.

“Justin Hue. I think I have homeroom with you, miss, do I not?” He took her hand like a proper gentlemen would. Wow, what was with him all of a sudden? Is he trying to act more like Justin so he could sell it better? I guess, but he didn’t seem like the person to get deeply into character like that just to be taken away at the end of the show.

“Oh y-yeah, we do have h-homeroom together.” Her face flushed red.

“Are you embarrassed, miss?” He gave her a glance from the side.

     Mason seemed to be down. Was it because he wasn’t being hit on by ‘Justin’? Then he got up and began to walk away.

“M-Mason! Where are you going?” I stood up at started to walk towards him.

“Oh, just getting to class. We got 10 more minutes, you should start packing up too.” And he left.

            I looked back at the flirtatious boy, he took his hand and held Macy’s face in the palm of it. It made me feel disgusted on the inside. She had no idea what kind of boy was really acting like such a sweetie.

I couldn’t watch any longer, plus it looked like Macy was uncomfortable. “Ok, that’s enough Romeo.”

“Romeo, now?” He smiled at me, this time It was real though.

“Tsk,” I pulled him away from his shirt’s back collar. “Come on. I’m sorry to leave you like this Macy!
 I called back as I dragged Kevin away.

“No, no! It’s alright! You and Mason talked to me anyway, that made me really happy!”  And that was the last thing I heard and saw from her before I turned the corner.

            I took him into a hallway with less people (actually, not many at all. Only a few opening their lockers). I pressed him against a wall, which was interesting to me because I didn’t think I had the strength to do that.

“Ouch. You’re getting stronger there.” He said. I smiled because I felt proud. “But not quite.” He took his hand and squeezed my wrist.

“OOOW OUCH!!” I released my grip on him. He chuckled. “Ok look. I’ll admit you’re acting has gotten better. I almost didn’t recognize you at lunch today!” I looked away for a brief moment.

“What? Is there something wrong?” He asked, backing down from the wall.

“No. I’m just, thinking.” It was obvious that this guy was pretty manipulative; was he born like this? “Kev-- uh, Justin… You’re just too confusing to figure out!!” I flailed my arms.

He chuckled. “Ha, you’re pretty funny.” And he smiled, but this was a totally different smile. It wasn’t fake, it wasn’t a joke, but it was true. He meant it this time.

“Wow…” I stared at him in awe.

“What now?”

“Ah, well… I’m sorry, haha, but I just can’t take you seriously when you smile like that! Haha, hahaha!!” I began to laugh so hard, my eyes teared up.

“I, I don’t get what’s so funny.” He stood there, embarrassed. It felt really, good? Standing with him. Laughing with (or at) him. It was never like this with Justin, he would hardly talk to me so I never really got to have these “cute” moments with him.

     Later that day I found out the fangirls were watching from behind a corner, and behind another corner was Diane and Mason.