Apple of My Eye

Awkward Lunch

The bell rings, signifying that it's the end of the class. All of the students poured out of the room, eager to leave the class. Madison heads to the cafeteria to get a small snack. She orders a small strawberry donut and a chocolate milk. She sits at a table and looks around. Nobody seems to be in there except her. She starts eating her food until somebody walks in and sits on the other side of the table. Madison looks up and sees it's Rowan.
"Hello Madison," He says.
"Hi," Madison responds.
"How's your first day of college so far?"
"Boring."
"Ah, I see."
Madison stretches her arms, her shirt lifting up a little.
"Why do you have a scar on your stomach?" Rowan asked.
Madison flushes and quickly pulls her shirt back down. "You weren't supposed to see that."
Rowan still couldn't let go of the question. "What happened?"
Madison slumps in her seat. She can't avoid the question anymore. "Okay so one time when I was 14, I so badly wanted a navel piercing. My parents wouldn't let me, so, just like any other kid that doesn't want to follow rules, I try to give myself one."
"But the scar seemed like.. three centimeters in length! How do you manage that?"
"I used a stapler," Madison said coldly.
Rowan winced. "Oh.. That's gotta hurt.."
"But, now that I'm older, I've gotten a real navel piercing."
"That's good."
And then there was silence. A mourning dove coos in the distance. Rowan becomes the first to break the silence. "My friend is inviting people over to a club.. Do you by any chance want to join?"
"Is this one of your friends that pushed me over?"
"No, I promise. You haven't seen him yet."
"I hope so. Because if so, I'll fucking kill you."
Rowan flinches and moves away a little bit.
"I'm just joking. But seriously, I will be pissed."
Madison finishes her food and puts her tray on the counter. She walks out into the hall with Rowan following.
"So, what do you have now?" Rowan asked.
"History."
"And after that?"
"English."
"Ah." Rowan looks down at his shoes.
"What's wrong?" Madison stops walking and looks at him.
"Today we only had science together."
"There's still tomorrow.. And the club."
"Yeah," Rowan says confidently. "You're right."
"I should be on my way now," Madison tells him.
"Ah alright."
Madison walks close to Rowan and talks real low so only he can hear. "Look, thank you a lot for helping me deal with those boys." For once since the two met, she smiled.
Rowan tugs at his shirt. "Oh, it was no problem..!"
Madison looks left and right to make sure nobody is looking and gives Rowan a big hug before leaving the hallway. Rowan stays where he is, a bunch of new thoughts now flowing in his brain.