Sofia

White Bows and Golden Boys

I didn't get the chance to make any friends during lunch and drama class yesterday because I was in the office, clearing up my new classes. I spoke to some girls in my classes, but they didn't seem that interested in me. Today will be different though, I slipped on a small floral dress this morning with a tan varsity jacket and white converse. I pulled my hair in a half ponytail, and tied it with a white bow. I avoided the office, not wanting any confrontation from a certain dirty-blonde with a high ego. Now I was in line for lunch with a girl named Tasha I spoke to during 4th period.

"And you don't ever have to have a bathroom pass, the teachers and staff make a huge fuss over holding one, but they don't really care once they see you in the moment." She says, holding out her tray.

"Alright! Thanks!" I say walking away towards a friendly group of girls.

"You can come with me and my friends." Tasha shrugged.

"Thanks, but maybe some other time." I respond and she nods. I'm not the type to sit and eat with a certain group everyday for the rest of my life. I like to talk and meet new people when I have the chance. My stomach suddenly growls loudly and I remember I didn't eat dinner last night because I was babysitting my new neighbor's baby. I spot an empty table at the corner of my eye and begin eating once I sit.

"Where were you this morning, POA Partner?" I hear someone say on my right. Ralph glides to my table with his hands on his backpack straps.

"POA?" I ask him, eyebrows raised.

"Pledge Of Allegiance Partner." He shrugs, slipping into the seat across from me.

"Ah, yes. About that." I say, pushing my tray aside to show I mean business. I clasp my hands together and lay them in front of me. "Unfortunately, I'm resigning from my duties. For Principal Jones has kindly regarded me that only 1 POA leader is necessary." I dramatically sigh. "Looks like you're on your own." I reach back for my soggy fries and stare at him, waiting for a response.

"Hmm...That's highly unlikely since Principal Jones told me himself that he needs 2 people to do both the POA and read the daily announcements." He replies, stealing the fries from my finger, plopping them in his mouth, eyes never leaving mine.

"Wow, I really am that good. We just met and you already want to be spending time with me." I say smiling at him.

"You're proud of yourself aren't you?" He asks in a low voice.

"Hmm... Yeah. I am." I utter, my smile growing bigger.

"Good, you should be." He declares tapping his fingers on the table.

"Wha-"

"Maddon!" A voice yells behind me. I turn back and spot 3 other boys walking towards Ralph. "We sittin here now dawg? Why didn't you say?"

"I wanted you fellas to meet the mastermind who made me sing for the whole damn school yesterday." He says still looking at me. His friends were now sitting on either side of him glancing at me.

"Shit that was you?" A different guy asks.

"The one and only." I assure them. Another one of Ralph's friends that I recognize walks up to the table and plops down next to me.

"I like your bows..."

"Really!? Thanks, my-"

"..My baby sister wears them too" He interrupts, grinning to himself.

I scowl. "Well then your sister has immaculate taste in style, something her brother doesn't have in common, coming from that disgrace of a shirt." I snap back, shooting a disgusted look at the 'flash me a titty' across his chest.

"This?" He asks, glancing down. "It's a joke, relax."

"Oh? Like it's a joke that your ex-girlfriend found out you cheated on her from your lazy effort to hide a shopping coupon?"

"Oh shit.." One of Ralph's friends says under their breath.

"Yo Drew I thought you said the bitch cheated on you." Another says. I snort.

"Oh! You even lied about who broke up with who because you were too much of a puss to man up and tell your own friends you cheated with your girl?" I stretched and emphasized 'your girl,' remembering Liza telling me he would call her 'his girl.'

"The fuck do you think you are?" He growls, snapping his head toward me standing up.

"Drew-" I hear Ralph say. I stand up, leveling myself up against him, crossing my arms. "Drew, leave it be." Ralph says now standing up. He sounds as if he's dealt with this sort of thing before.

"She was the one who got all in other people's business." He says pointing his finger so close up to my face, I could bite his finger off if I tilted my chin just a tad bit higher.

"If it isn't my business why did your ex-girlfriend tell me every single detail about it?" I ask tilting my head sideways. Drew shakes his head, causing his straight brown hair to shadow his eyes. He walks away giving me the finger as he exits the lunchroom.

"THAT WAS THE MOST INTENSE THING I'VE SEEN IN MONTHS!" Ralph's friend yells.

"Goldie, is this Josh, and Eli and Toby. Guys, this is Sofia" Ralph says. I flash a bright smile, take my seat again, and plop some more fries in my mouth.

"I would have punched him." Said Josh confidently, raking his fingers through his brown hair.

"I could have taken the fucker too." Said Toby standing up. "Would've hit him with a right hook, and then jab in the stomach." He begins to hop and prance around our table with his fists in front of his face, occasionally punching into the air in front of him.

"What are you doing?" I laugh, staring at the dancing Toby.

"He's incorrectly demonstrating what he could have done to Drew." Says Eli, now joining Toby, positioning himself in front of him. "I would just launch myself at the tank. Hell I would have jumped right on him. Been wanting to do it for years." Suddenly Eli does just that, wrapping his arms around Toby's middle and crashing them both to the floor. They begin rolling around and hitting each other playfully until Ralph joins in himself.

"YEAH! I've been waiting to do this for 2 years!" He exclaims. The 3 of them brawl to the death, occasional side glances from people in the lunchroom, as if they're used to this. I haven't laughed this hard in what feels like centuries. Toby is screeching like a little girl, trying to get out from under Eli and Ralph, Eli is shouting curses at Ralph, and Ralph is just laughing his ass off.

"I swear to god you two fatties gotta stop eating Wendy's, I can't breathe under this mountain." Toby cries.

"I'll beat both your asses up if you don't- AH! STOP KICKING ME THERE TOBY." Eli yells.

"What'chu laughin at Goldie?" Laughs Ralph getting back up, almost tripping over Josh's torso.

"You." I snicker, running behind Josh for safety. Ralph reaches his arms for me before I scream, "NOT THE DRESS!"