The Foundation

ONE

Years later...

"Is it cool if I sit here?"

"Nah, the table's really blowing up right now, but I can put you on the waitlist. Next semester at earliest."

"Oh, alright."

"I'm kidding, sit."

"I'm Jack. What's your name?"

"Demetri, this is Eli, and that's Miguel."

A few girls pass by with expensive backpacks and clothes.

"Dude, don't torture yourself. Those are the rich girls."

"Do you ever talk to them or—"

"Oh, yeah, all the time. We hang out after school. Make out, give each other hand jobs." Demetri cuts in; "Eli here is the homecoming king. Gets laid more than anyone. Isn't that right, Eli?"

"Talk to them? You realize what table you're sitting at, right? You've pretty much signed away all hopes of losing your virginity before college."

"Oh, come on, it can't be that bad. Just because they're hot doesn't mean they're rude."

The kid wearing plaid looks at me like I was crazy, before sighing to himself and concentrating on his food.

"Oh, shit, Yasmine's looking at us. Probably just making fun of me." Eli murmurs softly, his eyes never once leaving his tray. I could tell by the way he spoke so timidly he'd been bullied for a long time.

"I don't think she's making fun of you."

"Trust me, you haven't seen the worst of it." Demetri responded.

I glanced over two tables where all the popular girls were sitting. Sure enough, they were.

"Oh, my God, you guys. You see that guy over there who looks like he went down on a lawnmower? He's literally wearing the ugliest sweater I've ever seen."

"That is so wrong."

I feel my fist clench, but before I do anything rash, I calm myself down.

"Jack, are you okay?"

"Yeah. Just trying to resist the urge to break that bitch's jaw."

"I wouldn't have stopped you. In fact, none of us here would have dared stop you, save a select few. People only tolerate her because she's attractive and rich. If she wasn't, she'd have it worse than Aisha. Anything to get her to stop bitching all the damn time." Eli countered, his eyes finally leaving his tray.

"Speaking of wrong, check out Fug-lisha. She looks like she ate a picnic table." Yasmine crowed, to which the other girls laughed. All but Sam, who looked disgusted by her friend's behavior.

"I don't care if Yasmine is the meanest girl at school. I'd kill all three of you just to get her to spit in my face."

"Yeah, well, if you don't make a move, you're never going to have a shot with her."

"True, but I'll also never suffer a humiliating rejection. I'm at peace with my depression; the last thing I need to be is suicidal."

"Cool it, I got this." the boy says confidently before making his way towards the popular girl's table.

"What are you doing?"

"Striking first."

"Oh, shit, I hope we don't get hit with the shrapnel."

But then he's stopped in his tracks when a chubby kid and a skinnier kid beats him to his spot at the table.

"Hello, Sam. Looking beautiful."