Why I Can't Rule The World

No. 7

"We must reach
out our hand in
friendship and dignity
both to those who would befriend us
and those who would be
our enemy."
--Arthur Ashe

<<<<<<<<<<

    That Monday, the day of our first detention, Alivia and I followed behind the lunch crowd at a distance. Jimmy, Marcus, and Hayden were all ahead, catching up with others in our lunch group. Whenever they're around, I don't let Alivia help me; they'd just make fun of her.

    Since they didn't seem to care about me much anymore, I gratefully allowed her to carry my backpack for me. Our pace was slow, neither of us wanting to run to the office for our punishment. She hadn't said a word since we left the art room.

    On top of that, she wouldn't even look at me. I didn't make an effort to make her open up, I was nervous about what she would say. Was she mad at me for getting us detention? Or did she just not know what to say to me?

    Eventually, we made it to the office in an uneasy silence. I hurried and grabbed my lunch from the cafeteria while she dragged our bags into Mr. Wimble's office.

    No one came up to talk to me while I waited in line. I received a few glances from people, but not much other than that.

    When I made it back to the office, Alivia was sitting in one of the chairs beside the windows in the presence of Mr. Wimble. He watched me while I sat down next to her. I balanced my tray on my knees and started to eat.

    "Listen, I don't want to sit here and babysit you guys, alright? I'm gonna go to the cafeteria for lunch duty. Just don't do anything stupid while I'm gone, okay?" he instructed, getting up to leave.

    "Yes sir," I said.

    Then he left, shutting the pair of us in silence.

    I was halfway done with my pulled pork sandwich (featuring a soggy bun and meat that may or may not be pork), when Alivia finally said something.

    "Tin Tin, can I ask you something?" She sounded timid, maybe even nervous.

    I swallowed and turned toward her. Finally her gaze met mine.

    "Sure, anything," I replied softly. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she put down her apple and prepared to ask her question.

    "Are you... Are you ashamed to be around me?" she blurted, wringing her hands.

    I opened my mouth and then immediately shut it, breaking our stare and replacing it with my lunch tray instead. While I'm trying to protect her from her former bullies, she thinks I'm ashamed to be around her. I'm not, I was no better than her. I didn't believe that... Did I?

    "Because you never let me even talk to you when you're with them, you know? And I get it if you think I'm poor or whatever, but I thought we were friends—"

    "I'm not ashamed of you Alivia," I interrupt her. She nodded, seeming relieved. "My friends just like to make fun of people and I don't want you involved in that. I don't even know if they're my friends anymore."

    "Oh," she said, smiling a little as I gazed back at her. "Well, thanks, I guess."

    "You've already done a lot for me, so I suppose this is me trying to return the favor," I reasoned, shrugging and taking a swig of Dr. Pepper.

    "You don't have to pay me back. I'd go through everything again if I had to," she replied. "Us being friends is enough."

    I felt heat rise in my cheeks. A grin that I'm sure made me look like an idiot formed on my mouth. She'd do it again if she had to.