"Eating elsewhere is not prohibited." That sentence echoed in Portia's head as she stood outside the cafeteria door trying to psych herself up to go inside the lunchroom, but for some reason, she couldn't muster up the courage to do so, and she didn't know why.
She sighed harshly before pushing the doors open and heading straight to the food line. She huffed inwardly, beginning to feel the light sweat accumulate on her lower back. She felt as though everyone was staring at her, and they usually are.
She sat at her table, elated that they had all the food she loved to eat at lunchtime. She pulled back the top of her hot tomato soup, using her spork to mix the soup around, opening up the middle to lower the heat from the inside out.
Two trays knocked against the table in front of her. She looked up from her dish, squinting her eyes,
"These are Julian's. He's carbo-loading." She watched as Langston set down two trays in front of her before walking away,
"See you later, Portia." she nodded, not paying any attention to whatever antic this would be because she wanted to enjoy her unbothered food.
Across the lunchroom at the lunch line stood Kentrell, wondering what he could do or say that sounded remotely genuine so that he could sit over there with her.
Once he gave his lunch card to the teacher who was collecting them, he turned, moving out of line, but he stopped a few feet away,
"why are they doing that to her? Just leave her the fuck alone." He went over to the table where his friends were sitting and placed his tray there, to
"watch this for me." he walked across the room to her lone table, grabbed the two trays, and tossed them into the nearby trash.
"I'm sorry. You don't deserve that." He quickly gave her a chaste kiss on her hand before walking away back to his table.
