The Unseen

Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

The lunch line was full when Rashal and I walked into the lunchroom. Ever since the incident with The Wolf yesterday, we returned to being best friends like nothing had ever really happened. I saw that happen in movies all the time, but I had never really expected to experience it in real life. Movie best friends would always have a major first fight, but then afterwards they made up like nothing was ever wrong. It seemed strange to me that things could be mended so quickly.

I guess things could be simpler than I assumed they were.

Instantly, I searched for Hunter and I spotted him with Quinn, standing near the open door to the lunchroom. Neither of them were talking. They weren't laughing, or smiling. Hunter must have still been shaken up from last night. As for Quinn, perhaps he was just concerned for Hunter. As I stood there, staring at them, I realized that I didn't know how Quinn became popular, since he was kind of like me. I had to admit it; weird. Out of place. He was his own person, I supposed, like he didn't fit into any stereotype school group.

Well, at least he had the looks, unlike me.

I guess being Hunter's best friend helped too, although me being Rashal's best friend didn't help my popularity. There it was again; my natural bad luck.

Rashal and I finally got our trays of food, and we were just about to turn around and head to our usual table, when Rashal's other buddies called out to her. She looked at me once, then back her friends. I gestured for her to go, faking a smile that I hoped she wouldn't see through.

She didn't, and so, with a toss of her blond hair, she went over and sat with them. They all giggled and laughed, waving around their manicured hands like they thought they were just so important, without paying me any mind at all. It was hard to believe that Rashal actually enjoyed their company. She was the girly type, with make-up, hair, and nails always done, but she wasn't fake. At least around me. She knew who she was; she was confident, determined, although easily frightened of danger. That didn't make her a fake like all those other girls who went with the flow. I was actually proud to call Rashal my best friend, because she wasn't afraid to be an individual and she didn't depend on what other people said about her, even though she did like the attention. That's where she differed from me. Obviously, I had a problem with depending on what other people, namely Hunter, thought about me. That could slow a person down in life.

I let my lips slide into a grimace now, and slowly made my way to an empty table.  I guess this would be another friendless day for me. I couldn't really blame Rashal, since she had other friends to attend to, no matter how fake they were. Even though we were best friends, it didn't mean I was her only friend.

But would it honestly kill her if she invited me over too?

I picked at my roll, ignoring the butter that lay on my plate, suddenly lacking any appetite. Deciding it was better to force myself to eat, I was just about to take a bite when the sound of a chair scarping along the floor made me glance up quickly.

Hunter. And Quinn.

Quinn wasn't smiling, but Hunter was-slightly. It was making me dizzy. Oh, please don't let me have a vision! Just once - just once I hoped to have a casual conversation without rushing off and leaving him puzzled. How much more could a guy take of that?

"Hey," Hunter said, his warm eyes smiling. His lips were lifted slightly, and it definitely wasn't his normal grin. Even though he wasn't aware of it, I knew the reason that he was a little down today. One doesn't go back to normal a day after being attacked by The Wolf. As I stood there, for a moment, it looked like he actually cared about me behind that perfect smile, but it was mostly my imagination playing with my head.