As Told By Nerdy

Chapter 22 - The Popular Table

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Chapter 22 – The Popular Table

The loud chatters and thrilled exclamations among the throng of ravenous adolescents greeted us as we entered the cafeteria.

As was customary, the diverse casts of youth assembled in clusters, ready to wage a war, or more specifically, a food fight if territories were crossed.

The jocks huddled in the leftmost corner in silent contemplation—perhaps formulating a new game play since the baseball team pretty much sucked last season. The band members tuned their respective instruments, filling the air with the occasional honk and the thrumming of drumsticks against the edge of the tables, earning them the discernible wicked glares from the a knot of seven— four boys and three girls—each in complete black wardrobe.

On the rearmost spot, opposite the posse of musicians, the geeks convened with unobtrusive mumbles over home works and books. But mostly, they would be caught gawping, watching everyone else they deemed remarkable enough for their wild-eyed astonishment.

Soon enough, the cheery conversations hushed down into a hum of streaming murmurs and mutterings. Eyes started to dart on us, especially Becky as she headed quite boldly to the table in the middle of the hall where Matt and the rest of the popular kids sat, still seemingly amused with themselves, oblivious of the glum ambiance that took over the whole room in a matter of seconds.

Only a few people were familiar to me. Charrie Bolton sat leaning close to a brown-haired boy with high cheek bones and large teeth, each one, the size of big chicklets. Her two other friends, Miranda the red head and the dark skinned Keisha sat with two other boys.

I don’t recognize the others though it wouldn’t be hard to tell their status through the cheerleader uniforms and the varsity jackets.

Matt sat on the rightmost end of the long table, appearing to wallow in his thoughts, slouching on his seat, chin resting on his hand. Mike Sullivan sat two arm lengths away, sniggering with the rest of the football team as Leigh Murough, my former best friend sat contentedly beside him.

Leigh’s buoyant gaze finally fell on us with a bright smile trailing on her lips. “Matt, here she comes.”

Matt shuffled from his lazy slump to his feet in a breeze as if doused with cold water and darted across the hall to lead Becky to a seat beside him. Eyeing surreptitiously at Leon who appeared rather impassive more than intimidated, Matt gestured for us to sit on the available seats next to him.

My feet solidified on the ground and if it wasn’t for Leon’s gentle tug against my hand, I wouldn’t be able to stagger my way through the crowd. Feeling dozens of pairs of eyes boring into my skull again, I slumped on the bench halfheartedly and watched Leon disappear along the horde of students to get something to eat, though I feverishly doubted I could hold anything down.

Becky sat rather heedlessly in front of me, staring as Matt’s immense hand enveloped hers almost automatically. She threw me a trilled smile.

Mike leaned from the other end of the slab while playing with a bendy straw. “So Captain, you’ve got some new… interesting friends,” he snorted in a peevish manner that irritated me. “Won’t you introduce them to us?”

Mike Sullivan had a husky built, even brawnier than Matt though not necessarily muscular. I’d say he possessed a more pronounced bone structure, evident on his limbs, torso and even his strong jaws. Secretly, I wondered who would win if he and Matt ended up in brawl.

Letting out an exasperated grunt, Matt shuffled uneasily and glugged the last of his fruit smoothie until the straw made a loud gurgling sound against the empty paper cup.