After Dark

Fourteen

Ember skips into the cafeteria with Liam and Paige walking beside her. Liam's smile is small but it's better than the tired look he's usually wearing.

"I hope you guys had fun yesterday." Ember begins as they get in line for food. "I'm sorry I kinda ditched you guys for Izzy."

"It's okay." Paige waves her off while grabbing some grapes. "I had fun."

"That's good." Ember grins. "What about you, Liam? Was it fun?"

"Yeah." Liam nods and slowly a smile overtakes his face. "It was really fun."

"Ooh~." Ember hums. "We got a really fun? Does that mean you're warming up to the group and letting loose finally?"

Liam blinks at her. "What?"

Ember puts Monzerella sticks on her plate and then grabs another tray to put them on Liam's plate. "These are good and you need to eat more. Anyways, I asked if you're warming up to the group and letting loose?"

"What's that even mean?" Liam asks confused. Obviously, he knew what those words meant but he didn't understand how it applies to their situation.

"She means that when you first started hanging out with us you were still kinda awkward and quiet. You were shy and it never felt like you were actually having fun. So, now are you coming out of your shell some more and allowing yourself to have fun?" Paige clarifies and grabs an apple.

"Oh." Liam says dumbly. "Um- I mean, I guess so?"

Ember and Paige both smile wide. Ember types her student ID number at the end of the food line. "Good."

Liam types his number in next and then Paige does too. With that they all walk to an empty table a few feet away.

Ember and Liam have cheese sticks on their plate as their main meal while Paige has a chicken sandwich. Then Paige has grapes and an apple. Ember has fries and Liam has rice.

Liam's gotten used to barely eating anything at lunch. That stems from the fact that most of the time when he's not in school, he doesn't eat lunch. His mother will go out for lunch and tell the chef to just give him a snack or something.

"Babes, if you don't eat those cheese sticks I will shove them down your throat." Ember warns from her side of the table. She's sitting in front of Liam and Paige. "I mean it. They're really good and you never really eat."

Liam rolls his eyes. "Fine."

He makes a dramatic show of taking a bite from one of his cheese sticks. However once he tastes it his eyebrows raise. He takes another bite and Ember snickers.

"See? They're good."

Liam nods. "You're right."

"Well of course I am, I'm never wrong." Ember smiles smugly.

They fade into a familiar silence as they eat. By the time Liam finishes his cheese sticks Ember looks like she's had about all of the quiet she can take. She likes to talk so silence isn't her thing.

"Oh yeah." Ember perks up and looks at Liam. "We're going swimming Sunday. Chris told me to invite you."

"Huh?" Liam's eyes widen a little bit.

"You're invited too Paige." Ember says with a smile.

"Swimming at Javi's again?" Paige asks.

"No, the hidden lake." Ember grins.

"What hidden lake?" Liam looks between Paige and Ember in confusion.

"Oh right! So, y'know the trails we were on yesterday through the woods?" Ember asks and Liam nods. "Right well, like there's this hidden one that leads under a fence and into this big clearing with a lake in it. It's like a little valley, I guess, because there's like big walls of rock and dirt on either side and there's trees all over so it's hidden well. It's really cool."