THE GAME

IV

       Sasha came into the lunch hall and went to get her lunch.
Her eyes scanned the hall, looking for Rexy.
Just great! She would have been earlier for lunch if that fool didn't set her up to help Mr Calisso clean up the lab.
She was surely going to lose 70% of her assessment. And if Wayne was not ready to contribute in anyway... He had to contribute.
Hmm... So, he didn't show any signs that he suspected her for stealing his watch. So, that may be covered...
A voice in her head said almost immediately... 'you could steal it again and sell it'.
"Shut up! Don't put me in trouble!" She snapped.
One of the cooks looked at her awkwardly.
She smiled nervously when she realized she said that out loud.
"Sorry... Not you." She said and chuckled.
The lady handed her her tray of order
"Just get going, I see a lot of weird kids everyday." She said.
Sasha took the tray and muttered something under her breath.
She looked round the hall, looking for Rexy.
Then she spotted her on a table a distance away. She was seating with who she recognized as Gwin Fisher, the fat boy that was a food monger and smelled like fish... No wonder his name was Fisher.
She approached the table.
Rexy looked up at her
"Sasha, what took you so long?" She asked sweetly.
Sasha sighed and sat beside Rexy
"Thanks to Heather, I had to help Mr Calisso with the apparatus in the lab." She said with a roll of her eyes.
Rexy got interested.
"Oh, so he complied?" Rexy asked
"I wish he did! He didn't even seem to care about the project.!" Sasha said groaning.
"Oh." Rexy exclaimed.
"I wonder why on Earth Mr Calisso had to pair us... I'm jealous of you right now!" Sasha whined.
Rexy scoffed.
"You think I'm in a better situation here?" She said gesturing towards Gwin as he munched on a hamburger.
"We've not even spoken about the project since we got here! All he cares about is the food he's eating! And I'm not sure he can ever get enough." She added irritated
Sasha's nose scrunched up a bit
"No wonder he's as fat as he is." She commented.
"I'm sure his brain is made of food too." Rexy added impatiently.
Sasha stopped herself from laughing
"He eats like a baby... Look at his mouth, all designed with food crumps... Eww." She said.
"Hey..." Gwin said looking up from his food. "Ladies... You two do know I can hear you right?" He said with a mouthful
"Of course we do!" Rexy said annoyed, squeezing her face funnily.
Gwin went back to his food after a shrug.
"I'm doomed! I'm definitely going to fail Chemistry!" Rexy said in complaint.
"Come on, I know you can reason with Gwin." Sasha said
"I've been trying!" Rexy cried.
Sasha chuckled.
"You've not been serious enough! How do you wanna get him to cooperate with such tiny voice of yours.?" She said
Rexy rose a brow
"... And your point is?"
Sasha rose a finger
"Watch this." She said and turned to Gwin.
"Hey, Gwin... Can you and Rexy talk about the project now? You do know it's 70% percent, don't you.?" She said softly
Gwin looked up at her.
"Why would I want to do that now? Don't you see I'm eating?" He said and went back to his food.
Sasha looked at Rexy and smiled.
"Now, watch this!"
She turned back to Gwin. She spanked the table loudly, startling Gwin.
"HEY GWIN! SUSPEND THAT FOOD YOU'RE EATING, IT'S TIME FOR BUSINESS!!" She said, her voice loathing with authority.
Gwin paused and the chicken in his hand dropped. His eyes were wide in shock as he stared at Sasha.
Sasha went to his own side of the table and began to close the food, leaving just the chips for him. She swept the food to Rexy's side.
When she was done, she went back to her seat.
Rexy chuckled
"And that's how it's done." Sasha announced.
"Thanks for teaching me, Sasha." She said looking at an attentive Gwin opposite her.
"Anytime, Rexy." Sasha welcomed.
"How about you go try it on Heather?" Rexy asked.
Sasha scoffed.
"He's hard himself... I'm sure he won't bulge." She said
"Well, you'll have to go... I'm sure Rexy and I won't want you hearing our own plan for the project!" Gwin said to her not looking at her.
"Of course I know that...!" Sasha said standing with her tray.
"Aww... Look at this serious Gwin." Rexy chuckled.
Sasha rolled her eyes...
"Have you seen him?" She asked.
"Yeah, he's over there." Rexy answered pointing towards Wayne, where he sat alone with his food.
"Ok... Have fun, guys." She said
"You too." Rexy returned.
She left the table and walked towards Wayne's table.
"Listen Wayne, you have to be serious about this'... No no, it's too soft..
'Wayne Heather! We're partners in this and'... Nah, I sound like Principal Rutherford... 'Wayne, I'm sure you heard Mr Calisso say seven percent, but I'm sorry, it's seventy precent!..' Too wierd. 'Hey! Take it from me! If you don't want to comply, you'll...' Now that sounds like a threat."
Sasha mentally slapped her forehead.
Whatever! She'll just flow with whatever happens
She sat down opposite him, trying her best to regulate her heart beat.
She dropped her food on the table and folded her hands.
He wasn't eating.. or maybe he was through because the half plate of spaghetti was abandoned as he busied himself with his phone.
Sasha cleared her throat to announce her arrival although she was sure he knew she was there.
"Go away!" He muttered not looking away from his phone.
"Well, I came to say thanks!" Sasha said sarcastically. Wayne's lips lifted in a small smile.
"Oh that?.. Na, it's nothing, I could do more." He said annoyingly.
Her brows furrowed.
"Wayne Heather... What's your plan for the project?" She asked bossily.
Wayne looked up at her
"Listen, Sassy... You're disturbing!" He said, his voice in a low rasp.
"It's Sasha!" She corrected angrily
"I don't care!" He said.
"Well, I don't care if you care!" She said.
"Then why did you deem it necessary to correct me?" He asked rolling his eyes.
"Don't drift! The project! We need to talk about it!" Sasha snapped impatiently.
"Ok... Start talking! I'm listening.!" He said folding his arms and relaxing in his seat.
Sasha felt a kind of satisfaction... At least she had won his attention.
Wait. That came out wrong.
She mentally rolled her eyes
"I should start talking? You and I are to do the talking here!" She argued
"Very well! We won't be talking at the same time now would we? Start already." He grunted.
"Oh.. ok..." Sasha blurted out. "Well, the project... Errr... What do you suggest would be our base?" She asked nervously.
Wayne looked at her dumbly
" I suggest you start talking." He said.
Sasha's face got red with anger.
"Do you realize how useless you are?" She snapped... That wasn't what she meant..
"... To this project, I mean." She added lowly.
"Listen Sassy... You don't talk to me anyhow you want to and go free, ok? So, I'd advise if you love your pretty face that you either leave me alone or leave me alone." He said threateningly.
Sasha slammed her hands on the table.
"No, you listen to me, Wayward! You may be badass and creepy but I won't fail Chemistry because of your useless pride and stupid arrogance!" She shouted angrily.
Wayne narrowed his eyes at her and leaned forward dangerously
"Don't you dare raise your voice at me." He warned.
"Or what? You'll choke me?" Sasha scoffed loudly and rolled her eyes.
"I'll let you be but you didn't scare me away! I'm not afraid of you! But it'll be a shame to share in the grade you didn't work for!" She stood up and stormed off, leaving her tray on the table.
Wayne looked at her leaving form.
"Hey... Who's gonna clear this up?" He said gesturing at her tray.