High School Royale

5〛Lunch Period

Raymond Kross - 12:00PM
——————————

It wasn't until after the announcement had been made that Soren finally responded.

Rowan, I believe you. Please stay safe, I mean it. Don't come to me if it isn't. Your safety is still number 1. Please don't go to lunch in the cafeteria. I'm not going and taking that risk. You shouldn't either.

If it's safe to do so, my room is 2241 in the social studies hall.

Please, please be safe.

If anything happens, I love you.

He was above the ceiling tiles of the kitchen, having stockpiled cans of food into the ceiling between rounds of looting from other students beneath them. The whole time, Raymond continued dropping chips from the ceiling, letting new groups of people pick them up each time.

As he dusted off his hands, about to make the journey back to the social studies rafters where Rowan had stayed, a commotion rang outside–the sound of a small explosion.

"What the hell?" Raymond gasped, turning his head.

The announcement must've begun attracting people to the cafeteria, yet he hadn't heard anything from the food being delivered. Raymond sprinted through the tight spaces, squeezing between insulation and pipes.

By now, the noise in the halls beneath him had grown; people were rushing in masses to the cafeteria. However, Raymond wasn't hungry. He and Raymond had eaten a quick meal of toasted frozen dinner rolls with canned beans and sausages.

By the time he reached the social studies hall again, it was six after twelve, and Rowan was laying there waiting for him. He had a large bag of ice plopped on his ankles, and he got up with a stumble. "Did you hear the announcement?"

"Yeah, and Soren responded."

"What? Really? What'd he say?"

Raymond fumbled with his phone, opening the app and showing him.

"That's right here!" Rowan said.

"Yeah, so we're in luck."

"But what about the lunch period? Don't we need food?"

"The shooters are probably gonna be targeting the cafeteria! That's what makes these lunches so dangerous: It's a magnet for the top killers so far."

"We can't live off kitchen rations forever, not when more and more is being taken!"

"I know, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. Come on, let's go."

Meanwhile, Raymond was muttering under his breath, his fingers pointing past the tiles over the classrooms. "That was room 2235... Room 2239... 2241... I think it should be down there," he said, leading Rowan down a turn.

They stopped over a patch of tiles within a wooden frame, and Raymond took a breath. "This should be the one."

Rowan nodded, approaching one of the tiles and lifting it with his fingers. A shocked gasp came from underneath, before a deep male voice hushed it, running up to the opening.

"Rowan!"

"Soren!" he leaped from the hole, and Soren caught him in mid-air, pulling him into a hug.

"Dude, I'm so glad you're okay!"

Raymond stuck the landing, steadying himself with his hands. Soren was tall with well-styled brown hair. He had dark green eyes, a sharp chin, and thick, bushy eyebrows; it was easy to see how he could be so well known–however, he and Rowan bore quite a resemblance to each other.