Light in the Darkness (Abandoned)

Chapter 4: Cafeteria Confrontation

Three grueling class periods later and it was now lunchtime. Sophie's discussion with Ms. Welkins still burned brightly in her mind as she trudged into the cafeteria. The midday sun beamed through the full wall window to her right; filling the large room with a crisp and refreshing light. Sophie weaved past multiple tables, making her way to the usual spot that she'd share with Chris. But as she approached the cozy corner table, she noticed something slightly different. Sophie immediately spotted Chris' high ponytail, but two other people were sitting there as well who she couldn't identify from the backs of their heads. "Urgh, I don't have time for more drama..." she thought.

Sophie eventually reached the table, pulled out a chair, and plopped down across from the threesome.

"Okay, Chris. What the heck got into you earl--" Sophie started, but soon cut herself off.

In between Chris and another girl sat Toby, holding a slice of pizza; he hastily took a large bite out of it, the warm cheese pulling into long strands. Toby chewed with his mouth open, eyes closed in bliss. Sophie shifted in her seat uncomfortably as he moaned lightly.

"Why the heck is he here?" Sophie questioned pointedly.

"Oh my gosh Soph, he's that new guy I was telling you about earlier!" Chris gushed. "I just had to let him sit here when he asked! Oh and he really likes pizza."

"As if I couldn't see that for myself..." she mumbled. Sophie then nodded towards the other girl at their table, "And who is that?"

Chris' demeanor suddenly changed. "This is my new friend, Hanna. She knows what help is when she sees it, unlike some people," she sneered.

Hanna nodded along, not saying a word. She adjusted a large pair of black glasses on her small face and returned to hiding behind her curtain of long brown hair. Toby looked inquisitively between the girls as he licked his fingers clean.

Sophie scoffed in disbelief. "You can't be serious."

"I am serious, we became friends a few moments ago!" Chris retorted. Hanna nodded again.

"You lock me in a room, don't apologize for it, then you pull this petty B.S. and think it'll make me feel bad?" Sophie abruptly stood up, knocking over her chair, "Completely unacceptable!"

The back of the chair thumped against the tiled floor, drawing the attention of nearby people. "I thought you'd be more mature than this, Christina. I thought we'd be able to talk this out, but you insist on passing it off as some kind of a joke!"

"Okay, yes I was joking a bit just now with the new friend thing. But earlier I was seriously trying to help you! I didn't know you'd take it so rough," said Chris from her seat.

"It felt like I was going to die in there!" Sophie screeched.

Chris just looked back at her, eyes filled with sympathy; her mouth hung half-open, unable to form a response. Several other people in the cafeteria looked at Sophie as well; all the regular background noise has been replaced with quiet murmurings. "It's like these people never seen an argument before, jeez," she thought.

"Text me when you come to your senses," she hissed at Chris before storming out of the cafeteria.

Everyone watched her leave and eventually the cafeteria resumed its noisy banter. The corner table was awkwardly silent; Chris, Toby, and Hanna all seemed to be deep in their thoughts.

"Um. I've got to go now," Hanna suddenly mumbled as she left the table.

Toby waved her goodbye before turning to Chris. "Hey, could I ask you something?"

She blinked out of her daze, "Wha-- uh, yeah sure."

"Did your friend ever tell you how she developed her nyctophobia?"

Chris gaped at him, "Developed... what?"

Toby chuckled a little. "I mean, why is Sophie so afraid of the dark?"

"Oh! Well, all she's ever told me was it was pitch black when her mom went missing. Maybe that has something to do with it," she shrugged.

Toby hummed in response as he pulled a smartphone-like device out of his pocket and set it on the table. It had a see-through glass screen and a thick metal border.

"Wait, you're not trying to take her side in this are you?!" Chris abruptly questioned.

He sweatdropped, "N-nothing of the sort. I just hope you're successful in mending your friendship."

"You talk funny sometimes," she mumbled.

Suddenly, Toby's device made an aggressive bzzt and a point on the screen flashed red. He quickly snatched it up and stood.

"What is that? If that's a phone, it's the weirdest looking one I've ever seen," Chris tried to take a peek at it in his hands.

"It's nothing," he twisted out of her reach.

"You're nobody with nothing, huh?" she laughed. "That just makes you all the more interesting!"

"Yes, it'd be safer for you if you thought of me that way..." He took another glance at his device, "Goodbye Christina."

Toby exited in the same direction Sophie headed off in, leaving behind an extremely baffled Chris.