Love In Actuality

19: Aaron

Okay, so lunch was not going so well. So far, I had received death glares

from both Lindsey and Chelsea, and Brianna looked like she was torn between

whether to use a gun or a knife to kill me. The only kind face around was Laila,

who had switched tables to come sit by Kyree without an invitation from anybody.

It was a brave move, even for her. Obviously, Kyree and I’s relationship had

made Lai feel the need to stick up for her- a choice I respected one hundred

percent. 

Somebody kicked me under the table, hard. I looked up and caught my

darling sister mimicking Lindsey’s facial expression. God. Who was I,

Conversation Man, ready to step in and stop awkward silences? That was just solikely. Anything that came out of my mouth was going to make matters worse.

With Populars, you were either best friends or worst enemies. I, at the moment,

was teetering very close to the worst enemies line. My friends had a knack for

pushing people over that line. “This food is so disgusting,” I said, pointing with my

fork to the brown mess that resembled the inside of a grasshopper. 

And then came the under-the-breath, vague diss from Brianna. “Better

than some things at this table.” I shot glares at people while they chewed and

tried to hide their smiles. Ree’s face hardened, making it the first time I had ever

seen her truly mad. I made a mental note to never have that face directed

towards me- it was scary. The sclera of her eyes seemed to darken along with

the rest of her features, as if somebody had walked by and shaded her face with

a piece of graphite. And then, all at once, she evened out. 

“Sorry, could you say that again?” Ree said it so politely and innocently

that they were laughing at her when she delivered the next line: “I’m not fluent in

the language of psychotic-whore yet.”

Oh, yes. That’s the girl I wanted to be my girlfriend.