Forsaking Lilly

Chapter Nineteen

I walked to lunch more agitated than I'd ever been in my entire life. So, maybe I was naturally hot-headed, but this didn't make no damn sense.

After grabbing myself a platter of ,greasy, deep-fried tacos, I went over to where I saw Corrie eating all alone. I guessed that the guys weren't here yet, but I wasn't really all that upset that they weren't around. As usual, eyes were on my back, but this was starting to become an irritating sensation that I was getting used to.

" Hey," I said as I plopped down into the seat across from her. Corrie looked up at me, her blue eyes gleaming.

" Hey, Cal," she chirped, a gentle smile on her lips. I noticed that she didn't have any food in front of her, and her hands twittled along the table-top. " How was your-"

" Horrible," I grumbled before she could even get around to finishing. I picked at the tacos and nibbled pieces of it off, finding that my appetite wasn't all that great. It was funny to me because, never in my life had I ever been able to turn down food.

Maybe it's the funeral getting to me, my mind inquired, or maybe it's that bitch.

Just so that I could see, I gave a brief look over my shoulder and found Eadie glowering at me, the rest of her group chattering amongst themselves. Her eyes were piercing, the expression on her face meant to intimidate me.

" What's going down with you two?" I looked over at Corrie, who played with her french braid,idly. Her eyes were full of curiosity, the corners of her mouth turned up in an amused smile.

" She's just being a bitch." I shrugged carelessly, taking another pitiful bite out of the taco. I didn't want to waste my breath talking about her anymore. In fact, I even found the fact that she had bothered me demeaning.

Corrie chuckled, her laughter loud and bubbly.  " That's not anything new,Calla. She's like that with anyone she sees around Cooper, she was even like that with me." She twisted the braid around her hand and tapped an index finger against her lips. " Although, she's far more malicious with you."

I snorted out quick laughter at that. " Yeah, tell me about it. We got in a shove war back in theatre." Corrie made a tsking noise that made us both laugh. It was kind of ridiculous that she still hung on to him, actually, it was very desperate. " So what all happened between them to make her still want him so much?"

Corrie looked at me, something flashing across her eyes. Her face drew up in what looked like hurt, and she squeezed tightly on her braid. " Well-"

" Hi baby," Mark said, laying a kiss on her cheek. Forgetting all about what we were talking about, she returned his kiss and then began talking to him about some test she'd taken in Government.

" Hey, Calla," Cooper said, sliding in next to me. With him, came a nice scent of cologne that smelled kind of spicy. He beamed at me, pushing his salad away from himself. I frowned, my finger-pointing at the soon to be wasted food.

" Aren't you gonna eat that," I asked as I wiped my hands on a napkin. He gave me his flashy grin and sat up straight, flexing his muscles at me.

" I think I'm strong enough to go without salad for right now." When he saw me roll my eyes, he tried a new approach. " Besides, I want to know if you're alright." His eyebrows drew close in concern, his whole face beginning to appear a lot more worried than I figured he would be.

In a way, that made me a little uncomfortable. I wasn't ready to be like...that with him, I didn't see myself like that with him. Cooper and I needed to be friends, to keep down confusion and to keep uncomfortable situations like this at bay. I fiddled with my food nervously, my eyes looking down at the table. " I'm alright, just didn't feel that well. Eat your salad."