"Hi Braelin, how are you this morning?" Logan softly asks as I eat my breakfast at a corner table with his breakfast on a tray in his hands. "Do you mind if I join you?"
Nodding once with a wide eyes at him as he sits down across from me, and he smiles while settling himself in his seat.
He takes in the food on my tray, asking curiously; "Not that hungry?"
"This is more than I normally eat for breakfast. My mama did not always have the money to purchase a lot of food for us," I answer with a flat tone and expression as I continue to eat. "But since I am hungry, and Xavier said it does not cost anything, I figured I should eat something."
His face morphs from playful to shocked in a heartbeat; "I am sorry, I was not trying to be disrespectful to you or your mom. I forget that there are people who have harder lives than I have or had."
"I understand, but it is frustrating when people constantly comment on my eating habits without knowing anything about my life, or what people might be going through," I answer, surprised I have not stuttered once this entire conversation.
"I know, and you are right. I really should be more mindful of how I think and act with others," he answers with a thoughtful expression.
Humming at him, not really caring if he is or not, but I will not tell him this because I do not want to be rude.
"How old are you, and what grade are you in?" he asks, scooping a spoonful of oatmeal with blueberries into his mouth.
I am shocked that Xavier did not tell his friends this information last night.
"I am sixteen, and in the eleventh grade," I softly admit with pink tinted cheeks before taking a bite of the bagel. "Xavier said the three of you are seventeen, and in the eleventh grade."
Logan nods with a closed mouth smile because he has another mouthful of food. After swallowing his bite, he replies; "Yeah, what he said is correct. Wow, did you start school early, or did you skip a grade?"
"I skipped a grade," I shyly admit with a furious blush covering my entire body. "I was supposed to skip two grades, but mama and I decided together that I only skip one grade."
"Damn dude, you must be super smart," Logan states, and his voice sounds impressed.
"I do not think this, and I am no smarter than anyone else," I quickly defend myself.
"I do not think that you think that about yourself," Logan quickly assures me. "I just think that it is awesome that you are really smart. I am wondering what you are interested in?"
"Interested in? Do you mean like my hobbies?" I quietly as for clarification before taking a sip of my drink, and he nods in confirmation. "Um, I like reading, writing, and drawing when I can. What about you?"
Logan smiles at me; "You have fun hobbies. What genre of books do you like? My interests are skateboarding, hanging with my friends, playing soccer and baseball, anime, and music."
"Wow, you have a wide varitey of hobbies," I smile, a little jealous that he has been able to afford all of those hobbies, and that he could have that many.
"Yeah, I guess I do," he mumbles, looking pensive as he eats. "Where is your dad?"
"I do not know, and I do not care," I mumble, anger bubbling inside my entire body at the thought of my sperm donor. "He left mama while she was pregnant with me. I have never seen him, so I could walk past the bastard on the street, and never know this."
"Hey, I did not mean to upset you by asking about him," Logan rushes out with a sullen expression.
Shrugging my shoulders as I stuff my anger back down into the pit of my stomach, so I can try to be normal; "Do not be sorry. He is not your fault. He is a piece of shit, and not worth anyone's time. I am sorry for snapping at you. My anger is toward him, and not you."
"Hey, no worries, dude," he shrugs, giving me a bright white toothy smile. "Plenty of people sadly have horrible, or none-exsistant parents."
"That is true," I mumble, finishing my food the same time he does.
"What are you doing today?" he asks as we gather our trash to throw away before leaving the cafe. "If you are not busy, you are welcome to hang with Shay, Xavier, and me in mine and Shay's dorm. We are gonna spend the day playing video games, watching television, and eating junk food in preparation of the school year starting."
"Um, I do not know how to play video games, nor any money to put in on food," I mumble, feeling weird about this, like I am not a 'typical' teenager.
"We can teach you how to play, and do not worry about putting in on the food," he states with a small smile.
Biting my lower lip harshly, debating with myself on what to do, no matter which way I decide, I look lame; "Okay. I won't eat or play though, and I will just be there with you guys."
He frowns at me, but does not say anything, and I have a feeling that they will not let either happen.
"Come on, we are on food duty, so we have to head to the grocery store," he grins, and I feel like he is trying to lighten the mood.
"Okay," I murmur with a small nod as we head toward the student parking lot.
I wonder what kind of car he has, and what color it is? I am gonna guess that he has a red vehicle, and he has some type of sports car, perhaps a Ford Mustang. Logan leads me to his vehicle, and I am close to right. His vehicle is red with a white racing stripe up the middle, and he has a two door, Ford Mustang.
