Core Four: Freshman Year

Lunch Bunch

"You! I don't know you, but you look familiar," Kiana said from across the lunch table. 

"I'm Lex! I'm in your English class!" I said the words with too much enthusiasm and felt my pale face flush red.  Not only was I sitting at a table with other kids at lunch (versus just myself), but I was actually talking to girls.  Yes, real life females had sat with Elijah and I.  Kiana, whom I was talking to, had flowing brown and blonde hair.  Her strong, tall body made her look like an Olympian.

"Oh, I remember you!  You didn't read any novels from the summer reading list, like Elijah," Kiana said with a laugh. Before I could reply, another boy ran up to our table.  

"Kiana, come and sit with us," he charmingly said to her. The boy was about my height, with muscles and a commanding voice.  Kiana's eyes widened in surprise by his sudden appearance.

"Keoni, I'm sitting with new friends for now.  Maybe tomorrow I will join you," Kiana's voice sounded doubtful.  My eyes glanced to Elijah's face.  He was glaring, downright angry, at Keoni.  I was certain I saw jealousy in his eyes. He must have feelings for Keoni, I reasoned, but then I looked again and saw him giving Keoni a side eye like no other.  The hate was real.

"Well, the seat is there.  I will just stop by your house tonight so we can catch up," Keoni suggested as he twirled a hand in Kiana's long hair. 

"I don't live in Keauhou anymore. I moved down south," Kiana quipped.  Her voice sounded stressed.

Keauhou was a community on a bay.  There was a hotel next to it, but also houses.  I figured she probably lived in the houses.

"Oh, well in that case, you've given me the challenge of finding your new home. Challenge accepted," Keoni confidently said as he walked away. He turned his head around and glared at both Elijah and I.   His actions and words left me with a creepy feeling.  Judging by the look on Kiana's face, I could tell she felt the same.

"How do you know that weirdo?" The girl with crazy, curly hair sitting next to Kiana said.  

"My family and his family were always close.  We might even be cousins through a relatives bloodline," Kiana explained.  In Hawaii, many local people were related to one another.  Kiana's cocoa skin made her a local.  I'm a haole, or white foreigner, so I didn't have to worry about being related to anyone here.

 "He doesn't know what happened, and I'm sure not tell him.  He would tell the whole school!" Kiana said frustratingly. 

"What did happen?" I asked.  It wasn't the right time, nor my business.  I don't have much experience with friendships, and my social awkwardness was showing.  Elijah was shaking his head at me like I had asked the worst possible question. I felt like he knew more than I did about Kiana's situation.

"I will tell you one day, but chances are you'll find out from big mouth Keoni sooner than later. Or maybe the newspaper."  My graceless question slipped into oblivion.  Kiana had a way of smoothing over situations to bring out the best in everyone.  

"So, what is the plan to get you two caught up on summer reading? " Kiana asked.

Thoughts of going to Kiana or Elijah's homes whipped through my head, except I lived next door to Kona High.  My parents coffee farm was right above the school.  "Do you want to come to my house tomorrow?  We can just walk there after school." 

"Oh, you live close to here?" The girl with crazy, curly hair asked.  She had been quiet up until this moment.  Her black hair ran down her back, and made her look like a Polynesian princess.  

"Yeah. Just right up the hill." Of course, I pointed awkwardly.  I was not used to talking to this many people at once. "I don't think I've met you yet.  I'm Lexi," and then I stuck out my hand to shake her hand.  I don't always know how to approach my peers.

"I'm Jasmine," she stuck out her petite hand and placed it in mine.  I was surprised that she had a strong grip.

"Nice to meet you!" I said excitedly with almost too much enthusiasm.  "Do you want to come to my house tomorrow too?" It didn't feel right to leave Jasmine out.

"I will ask my parents tonight.  I live in the Pines area, and there's no one that could pick me up," Jasmine explained.  The Pines were a subdivision right above Kona, just before Holualoa, and nearly twenty miles away from Kona High.

"Makes sense," I replied with a shoulder shrug.

"Hey are you going to eat that?" Elijah asked me.  He had wiped his cafeteria tray clean.  His eyes were locked on my kalua pork.  Kalua pork was is supposed to be made by slow roasting a whole pig in an underground oven, or imu.  However, the cafeteria kalua pork was watery and flavorless.

"Nah, you have it," I replied and shoved the tray his way. I watched him slurp up my food like a vacuum. Elijah's gaunt face looked like he had missed many meals during the summer.  Suddenly I remembered I had snacks in my backpack.  It was a couple of bags of chips.  I tossed those toward Elijah, too.  "Here, I won't eat these.  My mom likes to buy them, but I'm not a chip fan." Elijah's face lit up like a Christmas tree.  

"Thanks, man!" Elijah said as she scooped up the chip bags.  Kiana shot me a smile. I could tell she approved of helping Elijah out.  It was no skin off my back, since my diet consisted of oatmeal and beef.  I flexed my arm a bit to feel the positive effects of the food.

"You know, I kind of remember you from last year," Elijah said in between bites.  

"Oh, well what do you remember?" I asked.

"You were thin, tall and very quiet.  You didn't talk to anyone." 

"Well, people can change," I thought of how good it felt to belong at the lunch table, even if it was with new friends.