lover boy & dollar store girl ♬ matt sturniolo

III

CHAPTER III
[ dollar store girl ]
♬

     when matt saw minnie again, it was at lunch.
     typically matt would collect his brothers and head to mcdonald's or some other place with food that is not good for growing boys during their shared lunch period, because the three are not very fond of spending their free time in the cafeteria. but today chris was making up a test for his chemistry class, and nick saw an opportunity waiting to be seized.

     "are you sure you're okay with it?" nick pushed, leaning against the locker adjacent to matt's. he knew the answer but still wanted to make sure- nick wasn't very used to leaving his brothers behind. "i won't go if you want me to stay, i'm serious!"

     "fucking- yes, nick! yes, it's fine, just go!" matt rolled his eyes, laughing at nick's insistence. all he got was a genuine thank you smile before nick scurried off to meet his close friend mikayla for lunchtime, disappearing into the sea of kids headed for the cafeteria.

     matt decided he'd just grab some crap snack out of the vending machine and sit outside while he waited out the bell. he let the swarm sweep him into the lunch room, where he beelined for the machines and pulled out some cash. he got a flimsy pack of cheez-its, a honey bun, and a snapple iced tea; the boy looked at the food and huffed in annoyance, wishing he had just gone to mcdonald's by himself.
     sticking by his choice, matt wandered out of the cafeteria doors onto the little quad behind the school. there were picnic tables scattered across the grass and lots of big oak trees to sit beneath. it was warm outside, that kind of warm that's breezy yet takes all the chill from your skin. this is the kind of weather matt liked best; warm late september days that you can wear your jacket and not sweat your brains out. the boy found a nice little dry spot beneath a tree and took a seat, ripping open the honey bun and taking a bite.

minnie caught him with icing flakes sugaring the corners of his mouth.

"hey," she said, startling the boy, making his shoulders jump at the sudden greeting. "sorry, i didn't mean to sneak up on you!"

"no, no, it's okay! it's fine," matt blushed. he offered a soft smile, to which minnie gestured to the corners of her mouth with her fingers, pretending to wipe away something invisible. the boy's face flushed firetruck red as he rushed to swipe the sugar away. "thanks."

"sure. so, what are you doing under my tree?"

"your tree?"

"this is where i eat lunch every day."

matt scooted over and patted the ground beside him. "my brothers are busy today. i figured i'd come sit outside."

the girl found her place next to him and dug through her backpack, pulling out a little tin lunchbox that looked like something someone would've used in the 60s; it was covered in black and white comic strip depictions of snoopy. the box shot sparks off in matt's stomach. he hasn't seen a lunchbox like that in real life. he adored it. and the fact that it was hers... well, that made it all the better.

"don't make fun of my lunchbox. i know it's dorky, but i love snoopy. no regrets." minnie warned, shooting him daggers.

"i would never!" matt raised his arms in defense, "i think it's cute."

     minnie tried to ignore the way her throat closed up when he said that. "so... your, uh, your brothers are busy for lunch today?" the girl stuttered.