Torch of Will

Chapter Four - A Grudge

Lunchtime was different than usual. What's the usual? Well, ask anybody; I'm sure they would be happy to tell the (not so) wondrous misadventures of the creepy sophomore who went around asking people where they lived and if they liked Korean singers.

Okay, for the record, it's not what it sounds like. I'm just really bad at meeting new people and starting a conversation.

"C'mon, Ry!" Bonnie tried to cheer me up. "You can do it this time!" I sighed.

"Yeah, 67th time's the charm..." I grumbled.

"You did well with me!"

I snorted. "You're a part of me. The fact that I can actually have arguments with you is breathtaking." She puffed her cheeks but didn't say a word. "Exactly." Still, at her defeated expression, I tried to reassure her. "It's fine...I'm okay with being alone."

"Doesn't mean I like it..."

I poked at the unknown creature that was burnt to the stake. Cafeteria food was sucky as always, but what could we do? At least they cook. Looking around, I examined the groups formed in the cafeteria.

The first table I saw consisted of the rich and popular kids. I remember one day I tried to talk to them. I butchered the first impression and was promptly kicked out. Even weeks later, I saw that the seat that I sat in remained vacant that whole time. Anyone who sat at that table got extra chairs to avoid that spot.

So, yeah. That was the last time I tried to talk to them; I wanted my pride intact.

Then, there were the jocks. I couldn't talk to them; they spoke in the language of sports, something I had no affiliation with. Also, they smelled of socks and sweat. I couldn't open my mouth without choking around those six-foot athletes.

Then, there were the nerds. At first, I thought, 'Hey, I'm sort of a nerd! Maybe I could fit in there!' Yeah, turns out, they had a...bit of an ego. And by a bit, I mean that it was so high that if they tried to get down from it, they would die from the fall. I didn't like looking down at people; it made me feel disgusting. So, I avoided them as well.

Usually, I would sit down at the common table, the row of high school kids that believed in the term, 'strength in numbers'. They stayed hidden within each other while being in plain sight at the same time. Sure, there were friendly people and those that were above-average, but to find them, I had to swim through the masses, so why bother? My seat was gone; some time ago, when I started trying to talk to the other tables, they thought that I would bring an end to their safe haven.

So here I am, eating what I thought was a chicken at an abandoned table. God, I really wanted someone to talk to...and probably food that's edible....holy crap this was the most stereotypical school I've ever seen.

I sighed as I saw out of the corner of my eye, one of the jocks pointed at me and sneered. Great...I watched too many high school dramas to not know what was going to happen next.

"Hey, Freak-Lover!"

'I knew it...' I grit my teeth. "Hey."

"The hell were you doing with that goat, huh?" I narrowed my eyes.

"That goat has a name." He laughed.

"Aww, you gave it a pet name!" His group of jerks guffawed with him. Ugh...they were so stereotypical... "Whatcha name him? Billy? Gruff? Lambert?"

"His name is Asriel, you ass." His snobbish smile faded and he went up in my face.

"Oh, would you look at that. The wimp's got balls! Probably the same ones that defended those freaks, right?" I clenched my fist until my knuckles turned white.