Beneath the Surface

chapter 10 : mocks

At Cafeteria...

As Sarah sat down to her meal—plain rice, fried chicken, sautéed vegetables, and juice, a satisfying spread compared to her usual fare of fried banana and water.

Yra, Tash, and Glaiza approached Sarah's table, their teasing tones laced with playful banter. Upon seeing her food, they teased Sarah about suddenly getting rich.

Yra, noticing Sarah's meal of rice, fried chicken, sautéed vegetables, and juice, raised an eyebrow teasingly. "Wow, Sarah, going all out today? Looks like someone's dining like royalty!"

Tash grinned mischievously, nudging Glaiza. "Yeah, what's the occasion? Did you hit the jackpot or something?"

Sarah chuckled softly, accustomed to their good-natured ribbing. "Just treating myself a bit today, you know."

Glaiza playfully exaggerated surprise. "Treating yourself to actual food instead of just a piece of fried banana and water? You're moving up in the world!"

Sarah joined in the laughter, despite the light-hearted teasing. "Hey, a girl's gotta eat," she quipped, taking a sip of her juice. "But seriously, it's a privilege for rats to have a proper meal once in a while."

Yra nodded, her expression fond. "Well, enjoy it while it lasts, Sarah. You never know when you'll be back to that fried banana and water diet!"

They shared a laugh, the teasing easing creating tension.

At a nearby table, Tristan sat with his friends Carl and Errol, enjoying their conversation when they overheard Yra, Tash, and Glaiza teasing Sarah about her meal. The words caught Tristan's attention, but he remained focused on his friends, trying not to intrude on Sarah's privacy.

Carl nudged Tristan discreetly, raising an eyebrow in Sarah's direction. "Looks like Sarah's the subject of some  banter over there."

Errol smirked knowingly, glancing over at Sarah briefly before returning his attention to the conversation. "Yeah, but she seems unfazed. Tough cookie, that one."

Tristan nodded quietly, a flicker of admiration in his eyes as he observed Sarah continuing to eat with composure. He respected her ability to handle herself with dignity, even in the face of teasing.

"Let's not make it more awkward," Tristan murmured, gesturing subtly for his friends to keep their focus. "She's just having a meal."

They nodded in agreement, the moment passing without further comment. Tristan turned back to his friends, but his thoughts lingered briefly on Sarah—impressed by her resilience amidst the casual mockery.

As Tristan turned his gaze towards Sarah's table, he noticed that she was no longer there. The spot where she had been quietly eating her meal was now empty, the remnants of her food left behind. He felt a pang of curiosity, wondering where she had gone so abruptly.

Carl, noticing Tristan's interest, leaned in slightly. "She left pretty quickly. Wonder if she was bothered by the teasing?"

Tristan shook his head slightly, unsure. "Maybe she just finished and had somewhere to be."

Errol glanced around the cafeteria casually. "Should we go after her? Make sure she's okay?"

Tristan hesitated for a moment, contemplating. "No, let's give her some space. She's probably fine."

They resumed their conversation, but Tristan couldn't shake the image of Sarah leaving so abruptly. He hoped she wasn't too affected by their friends' teasing and silently wished he had spoken up to defend her.