The Colors In Her Voice

☆Chapter 08☆

It felt good and refreshing while walking in the same surroundings, at the same time everyday but with different vibes coiling around me. 

A smile took its place on my face and there was a discreet jump in my step. I looked around to see people minding their own businesses. They didn't even pass me a second glance and sent an evil smirk with a vicious glint in my direction. For the first time in my life, I wasn't squirming in discomfort.

I made my way toward the school cafeteria with my skateboard scraping behind me. When I opened the doors, I half expected my peers to throw insults and impudent stares my way but that wasn't the case.

Sighing in relief, I took a few tentative steps when I realized that everyone was uninterested in me and walked to my favourite table hidden in the corner. 

As I was passing by Bethany's table, I couldn't spot her. Just when I had taken a seat, I saw a shadow looming over me. Looking up, I saw Mason standing there with a huge grin lighting up his whole face.

"Hey there," he said and took a seat across from me. Through my peripheral vision, I could see people looking at us with their stupefied expressions but I didn't pay much heed to them. Although a few minutes later, they went back to eating their lunches while laughing and talking with their pals.

"Hi, Mason." I beamed and raised my eyebrows at him. "So... you aren't sitting with your... clique?" I asked him with uncertainty. 

I don't know what made me say "clique" because I have never seen Mason with one particular group or a person. He is always with different people and does not have bad blood with anybody except for Dylan, I guess. 

Maybe he does and I am just unaware of it. 'Who knows?' Now that I think about it, I've never seen him in the cafeteria either, which answers everyone's bewildered faces.

"Well, you know," he said, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. I thought that he was going to elaborate his statement but he didn't so I just nodded my head.

I was rummaging through my bag for my lunch box when I heard a voice beside me. "Hey, Rach." I looked up to see Bethany standing beside me with a tray in her hand. She smiled as soon as I saw her.

"Hello, Bethany," I said, returning her expression.

"Mason." Her smile dropped and was replaced with an indifferent look.

"Bethany." Mason sighed and averted his eyes on the food in front of him. My eyes looked like two tiny balls, taking turns to look at them both.

I peeked around her to see her infamous table bustling with life. "What brings you here, Bethany?" I asked her sheepishly, trying to diffuse the tension.

"You do know that you can call me Beth, right?" She told me and I stared at her with an awkward smile. A few seconds later, I turned my attention toward Mason to see him looking at me with amusement. Bethany just brushed off my look with a laugh.

"Sure... um, Beth."

"You betcha." She clicked her fingers in my direction after putting the tray down on my table. "So, to answer your question, I was wondering if you could sit with us at our table?" She asked, pointing to the "larger than life" group behind her at the table.

Gulping anxiously, I looked at her table the third time today and everyone seemed too comfortable with each other to invite a plus one or maybe two. "Beth, I don't think th-"

"Of course it is a good idea. I really want to introduce you to my friends. They'd love you." If the onlookers didn't know us well, they would probably assume that we are both dating and she wants me to meet her best friends for their approval and stuff. Or I think that I was just imagining a lot of inane things lately.