Numbered

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

"I know that Kaytlin might not be worried about her concert, but one thing I can't get my mind off of is the Job Ceremony," Andrew informed us as we headed down to lunch. "It's like every time I think about it," he paused on the stair and shivered dramatically. "A shiver runs through me. What if I become a farmer? I would have no friends."

"First of all, the Job Ceremony isn't for another three days, so there's no point of fretting over it. Secondly, I would still be your friend, even if you were a farmer." Tami punched Andrew in the arm playfully. "Do you have any faith in me?"

We reached the bottom of the stairs and headed toward the lunchroom at the far end of the school. When passing the Science classroom Mr. Hensworth waved genially at us, and Tami waved back, smiling. 

"I'm glad to be out of his class," she murmured under her breath when out of earshot of the gleeful Science teacher. I nodded agreement. Mr. Hensworth taught very little and talked very much. In all, I didn't learn anything in his classroom that I couldn't have figured out on my own.

We entered the lunchroom and joined the queue to get lunch. The room was large and white, with beige pillars reaching up to the domed, windowed celling. Though the lunchroom had the potential of being the messiest room in the school, it was contrarily the cleanest, assuming it was even possible to be cleaner than the hallways. Large, circular tables that could sit up to ten people were placed methodically around the room in order to have as many as possible in the space offered. Tami, Andrew, and I all got our lunches and went to sit at a table with Ralph Lockyard and Katie Shorthump. Andrew continued his earlier conversation with the table.

"You know," he said, rolling his black band around his wrist and gazing at the white 86 meshed into the surface. "Not many doctors are needed in Mytopia. Just because my eight is first doesn't mean that I'm going to get the job. I'm going to be a farmer, I just know it." He pouted and spooned soup into his mouth.

"Just get over it," Tami said, sighing. She looked over at Katie and Ralph. "Are you going to eat those strawberries?" She asked Ralph, smiling sweetly at him. He poked at the strawberries with his fork, thinking for a second.

"No."

"Thanks," Tami plucked them off his plate and dropped them in her mouth, looking at Andrew as he banged his head against the table.

"I can't get it out of my head," he whined. Then a second later: "Here's your chocolate, Kaytlin." He pulled a golden bar out of his pocket and gave it to me, all the while rolling his head around on his tray and moaning. "I can't. I can't. I can't."

"Your head is going into the soup, Andrew," I informed him, opening the bar. He sat up and ran his hand through his blond hair, feeling for soup pieces.

"Gross. Carrot." Andrew said, his hair now sticking up at odd angles like he had been rubbing it against a balloon. I gave him a piece of the chocolate bar.

"Here. Maybe this will cheer you up," I said, then gave a piece to all the others sitting at the table.

Berry Clain came up to me, black eyes glittering.

"Hi, Kaytlin. Can I sit with you?" I grimaced, but before I had time to answer Tami nodded.

"Sure," she said, standing up and moving to the other side of Andrew. "Have my spot."

"Thanks." Berry sat down on my left, putting his tray so close to mine they grazed each other. Tami winked at me and I let out a hiss of air from between my teeth. Berry didn't notice, luckily.  

"Are you excited for the show tonight, Kaytlin? You know, I have a solo in it too." Berry told me.

"Yep. I'm well aware." This is only, like, the fourteenth time you've informed me.

Berry smiled a wide, crooked grin. "You have a solo too."

"Five, actually. Me and Austin Holen. We have five."

"Did you know that Mrs. Stacy said that if Austin was sick, I could take his place in the performance?" Berry said proudly. He stuffed a strawberry into his mouth, and chewed, awaiting my response.

I was a bit confused by that piece of information. Austin Holen and me had been practicing for this show nearly all year, and even if he was sick, Mrs. Stacy would surely have him preform anyways. I mean, wouldn't she? My stomach clenched at the thought of preforming with Austin. I almost wished Berry could take his place, even if he lacked the talent was required for the role.

The bell rang, releasing us from lunch. I silently thanked it as I gathered up my tray and headed for the trash can with Tami.

"He likes you so much," Tami said, scraping her plate into the trash. Suddenly a eager boy approached her and offered to finish cleaning up. Tami obliged, giving him her tray and stacking mine on top. Then we left the lunch room, leaving the poor boy to clean everything alone.

 "I know." I told her severally.

"You should give him a chance. I give everyone a chance, even if it means just letting them clean my plate after lunch." She flung her perfect sheet of black hair over her shoulder and smiled as a different boy waved at her from his locker. I rolled my eyes.

"But with you it's different."

"How?"

I looked Tami up and down, taking in her questioning look, long legs, and skinny waist. "I don't know, it just is."