𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐫 ||𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐠𝐨 𝐏𝐝 (𝐔𝐩𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝)

Chapter 9

Making my way to the cafeteria, I was surrounded by other students, desperately trying to rush to the growing queue. Personally, I didn't mind school lunches, some were better than others, but they certainly weren't as bad as everyone made them out to be.

Nevertheless, I hadn't voluntary bought a meal from school in around two years. I tend to skip over lunch, and the odd breakfast too sometimes. But usually, I have some money on me for a nutritious snack during the day. As long as it keeps me going, and provides me with enough energy, then I have no issue.

Eventually, after squeezing myself through the slim gaps in between the never-ending groups of people, I found myself in the corner of the cafeteria, and luckily for me, right next to where Robyn was seated.

"Heyy Hails, everything good?" she asks as I take the seat opposite her.

I looked up, suddenly realising I hadn't done such a great job at hiding my distress. But regardless of the adventures I had swept through momentarily before, I decided not to mention the situation with the cupboard, as well as choosing to forget the fact that I had skipped class. "Yeah, just a rough day I guess" I instead replied with, attempting to skip past her concern.

"So, are we walking home or have you got something on after sch-" My voice was cut off, as the familiar red-headed boy came slumping down beside my best friend.

"Robyn, I think you may have failed to mention just how annoying the teachers are here" Will laughed, bitterness seeping through his words towards the end - something had clearly irritated him.

Robyn looked up from her chicken salad, raising a questionable eyebrow at him as she drank from her bottle of water. "I thought that was common knowledge at any school you moved to." she scoffed, playfully rolling her eyes.

Will was quiet for a second, a second too long for my liking. There was a sudden tension, and I could feel it instantly.

I looked up from where my attention had previously been on my hands and shot a quick glance over at him.

"Is that Jay?" Robyn asked, although it sounded more like a statement rather then a question.

"Course it is." Will scoffed, standing up - at this point I'd lost interest and hadn't bothered to look to my right.

That was until I recognised who he was talking to, the voice of the other teenager attracting my attention instantaneously.

"Will! I already told you, and get your hands off me." He snapped, pulling Will's hand off his upper arm.

"Hey Jay" Robyn's voice broke the two boys apart. She was looking at him with familiarity, and that was when it dawned on me.

Jay... The name of Will's brother who she hadn't seen since her early childhood, and the same person who had dragged me into the closet with him. My brain was all over the place and once I had heard the recognisable name, I connected the dots, and remembered Jay introducing himself to Mrs Preston.

I couldn't remember his name back then - I certainly could now.

"Hey Robyn, good to see you." Jay replied casually, trying his best to seize some of his anger towards his brother away from her.

"You too, Will c'mon sit down, you're making a scene." Her voice firm, surprising all three of us.

After letting out a slight disgusted grunt directed towards Jay, Will sank back down into his seat, but not before pointing at the chair opposite him and telling his brother to join us.

Jay seemed reluctant to sit down at first, but eventually disregarded his hesitance when he took the seat beside me.

I glanced to my left, looking outside of the cafeteria, and focusing my attention on anything else.