The Rooftoppers: SHINE IN THE DARK

Lunch

After everyone wrapped up, we went to lunch. I was walking with Leo. We were still talking about his epic accomplishment at Gym. No, not just epic. It was phenomenal.

We stepped into the cafeteria. It was a pretty basic place. Lots of metal tables and circular chairs. The walls were a pretty pale yellow but the paint was peeling off. Ew.

The kitchen was partly visible, there were chattering chefs who could be heard from behind the countertops, they were singing loudly and out of tune. I joined the queue with Leo behind me and grabbed a metal tray. It was dented inwards. How toxic is the food here? That I want to know.

The line was really long. We moved at a mile per hour. I hope the food is worth it.

When it was finally my turn, I saw the food for the day was just either watery cress salad or hot dogs with soggy vegan sausages. Like what's the point of hot dogs without the sausage? The food actually looked way worse than the garbage I ate in my old school and that's saying something.

It took a long time for me to decide and having starving seniors behind me isn't helping. My eyes darted between the two splats of mush in front of me. They smelt disgusting-like sweaty socks after soccer practice and rotten eggs. I had to make up my mind. I could feel the tension in the air. I bet the lunch lady was on the edge of shoving the cress salad in my face and the seniors would be encouraging it if she dared. But I don't care. I can take as long as I want. After about twenty seconds, I sighed and reluctantly picked up the vegan hot dog along with a red apple and paid for it with some cash.

I went to look for a seat while Leo got his food but the cafeteria was already fully packed so there were not many seats left. And for the seats that aren't taken, people gave me a dirty look up and down and dumped their bag which meant: this seat's taken- just not by you. I waltzed around the room scanning for two spare seats but sadly none were available. Fuck this place.

Leo jogged over to me as I ran outside the cafeteria to eat on the field.

"Oi, Sades, wait for me," he hollered while carrying his tray of vegan hot dog and orange juice.

"Keep up loser," I teased with a half smirk. I ran faster which turned into a slow sprint. Leo groaned as he tried to keep up with my pace. He yelped. He tripped over his own shoelaces and his hot dog came flying over my head. I leaped and caught it in one hand while keeping my tray steady with my other hand. That's skills.

"Whew! Close one. I owe you for that one, Sades," Leo said panting. He ruffled his light hair. Ha, he's embarrassed.

"You owe me a whole pizza with extra pepperoni and triple cheese with stuffed crust and garlic bread after school," I announced with a proud grin.

"What? No way. I'm not paying for that! You can't finish the whole pizza!" He exclaimed with wide eyes. "Plus, you can't do anything about it," He sniffed arrogantly. That's IT. He's not gonna get away with that. I tackled him onto the field, I caught him off guard so he gasped in surprise. I chuckled and said in an eerie voice, "Try me."

"Okay, I surrender! You're on, but no garlic bread," he replied, struggling to free his arms. He gave me the familiar goofy grin.

"Ugh. Fine, deal."

"Deal."

I remembered back when we were in elementary school, Leo used to always pick on me because of my boyish ways and how I never had friends so we were literally mortal enemies back then. But then one day in Gym, he made a bet with his other friends that if I could kick a soccer ball into the net from forty metres, they would stop teasing me. I agreed to the bet and I kicked from a whooping sixty metres worth of distance. I kicked it right in the middle of the net with perfection and Leo was so stunned that he didn't speak for the rest of the class.

That was one of the best days of my life in elementary.

We quickly became friends after that and he seriously wasn't that bad after you knew him well enough. Soon, when we started middle school, his friends ditched him because they thought he had gone 'soft' and 'nice' and being friends with people like me. He stood up for me though so later on, we slowly grew into being best friends.

Since then, we have been inseparable.

                                                                  + + +

Leo and I are strolling around the field looking for a shady place to sit. We found a spot under a bunch of huge bushes and oak trees and we ate our lunch. After a while, we saw Abby, Tilda and Kevin waving at us. Leo waved back. He glanced at me as if to ask me for permission. I moved my head up and down to say yes. Leo beckoned for the trio to come over with his hand. They jogged to where we were sitting with their lunch and sat down on the grass. The five of us sat there chatting and playing twenty questions so we could get to know each other better.

"Sadie, do you have a middle name and if yes, what is it?" 

"Rebecca."

"Leo, what is your favourite colour?"

"Orange."

"Abby, do you have any siblings?"

"Yeah, an older brother in senior and a younger one in seventh grade."

"Tilda, dogs or cats?"

"Cats, obviously! Have you seen my homescreen?!?"

"Kevin, your favourite subject?"

"Algebra 2 and AP Biology."

"Leo, soccer or basketball."

"Oof, that't hard but basketball 'cus it's more similar to volleyball."

                                                             + + +

By the end of lunch, I learnt at least 30 things from each of my new friends. I even learnt a new thing about Leo! He was born on a Tuesday. So random. 

Having a group of friends is new to me but it feels nice- I haven't felt this alive in ages.

We were laughing and smiling under the tickling wind and I couldn't be happier. 

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(1054 words)

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