Wish I Was Better

VII

'Expect the unexpected' had quickly taken over my life.

I should've expected Viv to send Rowan to the library, I should've expected her to want to return the cassette and now, I should've expected her to come back and sit with my friends.

My friends were technically her friends too, but we'd been giving each other space and never really joined back at each other's tables. I guess Vivienne thought that'd we'd been avoiding each other for long enough and shoved our tables together - which, by the way, is what I found my usual lunch table like.

I plonked myself down in between Darius and Jake, somehow sitting opposite Brody.

An elbow nudged me gently. I looked up just in time to hear Darius' gentle whisper.

"I'm so happy for you."

Needless to say, I had to resist the overwhelming urge to bang my head on the table. What did they think I did now?

I took a bite out of my apple, quietly observing the table around me. Darius, Kagami and Rowan were in deep conversation, and all three of them were laughing like monkeys. Jake and Aaron were quietly arguing about what sounded like soccer positions. Brody was... doing the same thing as me.

I nudged his foot with mine. He lifted his gaze off of Darius to give me a small smile, before his expression evened out again.

"What's up?"

"Nothing. What's up with you?"

"I'm eating." He pointed at his barely-nibbled but almost completely picked apart sandwich.

I raised my eyebrows. "Right," I said, extending the 'igh' long enough to be sarcastic.

"You were doing the same thing as me." He pointed out in defence.

"Touché," was my only reply.

Meanwhile, Darius had procured seven water bottles, filled their caps with water and was downing them like shots, while Kagami bristled in annoyance and Rowan giggled.

I watched in silent amusement as Darius accidentally dropped the lid in his mouth and proceeded to choke on it until Kagami smacked his back painfully hard.

"I'm alive." He reassured, holding a hand up to prove it.

Kagami clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes at her boyfriend. They were probably the cutest couple I'd ever seen, and maybe the longest lasting too. They were polar opposites, but they could be eerily similar too. It was fun hanging out with them. Back when I actually used to hang out more often.

"Urgh. I have English Lit next." Aaron complained, his voice scandalously loud.

"Same." Kagami said.

Jake smiled pitifully at Aaron. "It's not that hard. You just need to understand some stuff."

Aaron narrowed his eyes at Jake. "Says the one who skips school at least once every two weeks. I don't take advice from you, heathen."

Jake gasped in mock hurt, but didn't reply.

Rowan smiled at Aaron. "It's fine. Just go over the textbook content if you're really struggling."

Aaron looked like he'd glare at her, but instead he banged his head loudly on the table.

"You're naturally smart. Everything comes to you easily. There is literally no subject you find difficult, Rowan."

She automatically opened her mouth to protest. "I'm not! Even you guys know that I never revise. It's just luck."

"Luck doesn't last that long, child." Aaron replied.