Young Hearts (A LawRusso Story)

Chapter 6 - The detention

The next Monday I had a bad feeling about going back to school. The dream was still fresh in my mind. Even though I knew it was not real, I was convinced that Johnny and his friends would not be able to resist teasing me about showing up at their karate practice.

Thankfully, I did not see any of them in my first classes, Algebra and World history. I began to think that maybe I would be able get through the whole day, without getting thrown in a dumpster. Then I remember that I sure to see them in Mrs. Park's English class after lunch, and considered faking a headache before then and spend the whole third period at the school nurse.

I did not feel like skipping lunch however, so I hurried through the crowded cafeteria with my head held low. I had been eating by myself the whole of last week, so I got both surprised and a bit anxious when I felt a light tap on my shoulder.

"Hi." A girl's voice said, and I turned my head to see Ali standing next to me.

"Ali." I said a bit relieved. "How are you doing?"

I took a tray and started to help myself to some food. The food was much better here than at my last school, and I ate everything with good apatite.

"Good." Ali smiled and did the same.

"Not too hungry today? I asked her after  eyeing her, very small, plate of mashed potatoes.

"Not really." She answered timidly.

"Here, have some pie. I made it myself." I said and picked the biggest piece of pie and put it on her tray.

"Yeah?" She laughed, but did not remove it.

"How do you like the valley so far? She asked as we kept moving.

"It hasn't been dull." I sighed, truthfully.

"Was Newark dull?" She asked innocently.

"How did you know I was from there?" I asked, not remembering ever telling her that.

"I asked." She answered, her cheeks in a slightly deeper pink than before.

"Oh, really?" I smiled back at her, glad that someone here seemed to care about me. "Are you sitting with anybody?" I asked.

It was a long shot, but it would be nice not to sit alone for once.

"With you, if it's okay?" Ali said with a smile, a bit more confident.

"Sounds great." I returned her smile as we continued past the various kinds of salad and bread.

"I'm sorry about the soccer tryouts." Ali said after a short pause.

She obviously had either seen or heard about what had happened last Monday.

"Well, those are the breaks." I said, not wanting to ruin our good time by moping over that.

"Remember that guy you had trouble with on the beach?" She asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, king karate." I said, trying to sound unbothered. Like I could forget about him.

"Well, he's my ex-boyfriend." Ali said, looking a bit awkward.

"That's good to know." I said, mostly to myself, and gazed the cafeteria over my shoulder.

Now I understood what Ali and Johnny's argument on the beach had been about. She was his ex-girlfriend and I had interfered, that was probably why he had been giving me such a hard time. It felt a bit exaggerated however, it was not like I wanted to be her new boyfriend or anything.

I paid for both our meals, it felt only right since Ali was the only one at the school who had been even remotely nice to me, but I secretly crossed my fingers that Johnny did not see it. The cafeteria was so crowded it was impossible to know if he was in there. I did not have to wonder for long however, as Ali and I were walking past the full tables in search for an empty one, I suddenly tripped over something. A foot had shot out in front of me, and I fell headlong on the hard floor, holding my lunch tray with both hands. A roar of laughter broke out from the table next to us, and it did not take me long to figure out who they were.