Blackthorn Academy - 1 - In progress

11 - Big buff man

The silver dishes were being passed down the tables, with sides of salads to sides of sautéed prawns. Sausages of various sizes and slabs of meat were piled onto students plates.

William ate quickly, going back for seconds, not wanting the food to be taken away. His first plate had a massive, golden-brown turkey leg sitting proudly in the centre, glistening with savoury juices and crisped skin. Surrounding it were mounds of buttery mashed potatoes, topped with a generous ladle of rich, brown gravy that was cascading down the sides. A large slice of the honey-glazed ham nestled on top of the fluffy Yorkshire pudding, its edges crisp. A steaming dinner roll was on the side, warm and soft, with a pool of cranberry sauce placed on the side. 

Shoving massive fork-fulls in his mouth at once, swallowing in massive gulps. The food was just so good, he thought, as he hoped that every meal at Blackthorn Academy would be that good.

Maybe this place won't be as bad as I thought, William reflected. Until he heard giggling and laughter a few seats down the Emberflame table.

He scowled bitterly, wishing he was laughing along with them.  Still scowling, he shoved more food on his plate and continued eating.

William watched as the group burst into laughter again, their faces lighting up with joy as they shared what must've been a joke. The sound of their laughter left a bitter taste in his mouth. He wasn't part of whatever had sparked their amusement, and the feeling of being left out gnawed at him. A knot of jealousy tightened in his chest, his thoughts swirling with a mix of irritation and envy. He ate more food, trying to mask the pang of envy, but inside, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was on the outside looking in, excluded from the moment of camaraderie that they were enjoying.

A few seats down, the group were laughing at Liams' dislike for brussels sprouts. Rory, who was next to him had bits of the cooked sprouts on her fork, waving it in his face, laughing.

Liam, who positively hated brussel sprouts, was grimacing, and trying to lean as far back away from the fork without falling of the bench.

"Get it away, gettita way, gettitaway!" He whined, then leaned so far back he fell off. More laughter erupted from the group, even Florence was giggling.

After a bit more of teasing Liam with the brussel sprouts, Rory eventually ate them and continued seperating her salads on her plate, colour sorting them. Once satisfied they were in the correct colours, she started eating them, chewing each salad item separately.

"Oh my days, those things are feral. They're like little cabbages!" Liam exclaimed, who had forced Finley to swap places with him in attempt to avoid any more brussel sprouts.

Rory listened to the other's conversations, occasionally adding something. She still had a few bits of salad on her plate, but she was full. She bounced her leg up and down, itchy to move. 

As the main conversation died down, Rory had an impulsive thought.

"If animals could talk, which like breed would be the most annoying?" She blurted out, not really thinking before she spoke.

"Thats very random." Selene pointed out, and Rory blushed.

"Probably a cat though, I feel like they'd get annoyed too easily." She finished, grinning.

"I have a cat back home. Mika." Florence said sadly. She missed her grey cat more than she thought she would, the cat was like her best friend.

"I'm allergic to cats. It's rather horrid." Oliver said, shuddering slightly.

"I got bitten by a cat once." Liam said bluntly, and Rory smirked.

"Crikey, were you really that annoying?" She teased and he rolled his grey eyes.

Finley started cracking his knuckles, turning slightly left to crack his back, then turning the other way.

His eye caught William's, and smiled at the pudgy boy, feeling slightly bad that he had forgotten about him for the second time. William slightly smiled back, then turned to his food and continued eating.

Finley listened in on the argument Liam and Rory were having about salads.

"Seriously, Liam, cheese in a salad is a culinary disaster. It's like someone dropped pineapple on pizza. Just no."

"Oh, come on, Rory! Pineapple is the best topping. It's like a sweet and savoury flavour explosion. You can't just dismiss it because it's not what you're used to."

"Dismiss it? Pineapple on pizza is like putting onions in a salad. It's a crime against good taste!"

"That's an exaggeration, no one puts onion in a salad. No one even eats salads. Pineapple is like the ultimate flavour combo—just like peanut butter and jelly. It's all about balance, man!"

"Excuse you, I eat salads. Oh and peanut butter and jelly sounds bloody wrong. And balance? You know what's balanced? Cheese. Pineapple is like adding a whole other party to a dinner that's already perfect."

"Yeah, well, that's because you're stuck in your boring little forest of lettuce. Pineapple on pizza is like discovering a new favourite band—it's actually so good!"

"Actually so good, or just confusing and weird? Next thing you know, people will be putting chocolate chips on pizza and calling it gourmet."

"Well, at least chocolate chips wouldn't be as weird as pickles. Now that's a topping no one should ever have to endure!"

"Crikey, pickles are flippin' terrifying. But pineapple? I'll stick to my classic toppings, thanks."

"Fine, more pineapple for me!" Liam grabbed a slice, then shoved a big bite in his mouth, exaggerating its taste. 

Rory rolled her eyes at him rather aggressively.

He copied her, and Rory snorted.

"Very lady-like." Selene commentated, laughing at them both. 

"I'm actually a big buff man, not a lady." Rory stared Selene dead in the eyes, trying her hardest to not laugh.

"Yeah, and I'm the president." Finley joined in, snickering at Rory's remark.

"Alright then everyone, the worlds gonna end with that one in charge." Luke said in response to Finley, who then pretended to be offended.

"Drama queen right there," Oliver pointed his thumb at Finley's act, laughing.

The group continued chatting as dessert arrived, then got cleared up once again by the people who delivered it in the first place.

William had probably eaten the same portion as half the table.