Reality is Elusive

Reality is Elusive (5)

By the time lunch time rolled around, I was starving. I had gone without breakfast because I was too busy being force fed my medication. Let’s just say that any hopes I had of not letting my parents know I was getting worse went out the window when I randomly had the urge to jump from the top of the staircase to the ground. Let’s just say that it was a good thing my father had woke me up instead of my mother because there is no way she would have had the reflexes to catch me.

I entered the cafeteria for the first time, since yesterday I had opted out of being stared at by a bunch of strangers and eaten outside. The cafeteria was just on large room with a bunch of large round tables surrounded by chairs, and a self serve line at the very back wall. I followed thee tantalizing smell of food and made my way to the serving line. It happened so gradually that I barely noticed, but while waiting in line, my fingers began to tap against my leg, and I my gaze shifted to the numerous people already seated and eating. Each time a saw something that was even mildly interesting, I focused on it for a few seconds before being distracted by something else.

It was one of those distractions (a freshman who already had a full on beard) that was holding my attention when it was finally my turn to put food on my plate. I vaguely loaded it with whatever was there, and then stood scanning the cafeteria for a place to sit. To the side of the room, in line with the centre was a round table that was completely unoccupied, even though every other table had at least someone on it, probably waiting for the rest of their friends.

With a shrug, I made my way over and took the seat with its back against the wall, which helped make me feel slightly more at ease, especially as it seemed nearly everyone in the cafeteria was suddenly staring at me. No wait, they were, well, except for that once kid with earplugs in the very corner. Nope, now he was staring.

Slightly disconcerted, I moved my attention to my lunch, seeing what was on my plate for the first time. A sandwich, a carton of milk and a green apple.

My heart seemed to stop beating, and I know my breathing definitely did.  With a shaking hand I picked up the apple and cupped it in my two hands, staring at it as I felt my frame of mind take a dip for the worse.

Jennifer loved green apples. I was more of a red apple person, it was one of the few things that made us different to each other.

Vaguely, a sensed someone come stand next to me, and talk to me. They sounded worried, urgent. It was their hand on my shoulder that snapped me out of my silent contemplation over that damned apple. I looked up into Hailey’s frantic face and furrowed my eyebrows, trying to concentrate on what she was saying.

“Seriously Gen, you can’t sit here! This is…oh no” She whimpered. I followed her terrified gaze and my eyes landed on a group of five boys, more importantly, the guy leading them straight towards us with a furious expression on his devastatingly handsome face.

Hayden.

Hailey stood frozen next to me and her silence left me free to look back down at the green apple now sitting in a tight grip in my right hand. I didn’t lift my gaze when I felt him standing dangerously right next to me, dangerously close. I didn’t even think that it was a really good the wall was to my back or he probably would have stood there to seem even more intimidating.

“What is it with you and always trying to steal my seat?” Hayden’s deep and annoyed voice grumbled.

I didn’t bother to try to sensor my thoughts but mumbled in a voice to low for anyone to here, “What is it with you and being so emotionally attached to chairs?”

Hailey tried to defend me, but her voice came out small, obviously frightened. “Please Hayden, she didn’t know.”  I looked up just in time to see Hailey take a faltering step back and look at me with apology and worry written across her face.

I had to tilt my head back far enough that it was extremely uncomfortable, just so I could look into the dark chocolaty brown eyes that seemed intent to harm me in some way. Unconcerned, I looked away from Hayden and took note of the other four guys standing just a step behind them. Each one was looking at me like I was insane. I couldn’t help the slight smile that slipped onto my face at how close to the truth they really were. The small tilt of my lips however, dropped when I noticed the lunch tray of the man standing on the right of Hayden. He was looking at me like I was crazy too, but there was something else in his gaze as well, curiosity I think.

My eyes stayed trained on the red apple on the man’s tray, and my grip on my apple tightened. Everyone seemed to be waiting for something, and when I slowly stood up, they seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief.

Standing directly in front of the boy on Hayden’s right, I asked in a hopeful voice, “Do you like green apples?”

He looked at me strangely for a moment before hesitantly muttering, “Sure, I guess.”

“Great, then you won’t mind trading will you?” I stated cheerfully, before grabbing his red apple and dropping the green one on his tray like it was a hot potato. I happily took a bite of my new, crunchy red apple, determined to put any thought of green ones out of my mind, and resumed my seat.

The boy looked slightly bewildered, like he wasn’t sure what just happened, and everyone else was looking at me like they were extremely worried.

Why were they worried?

A mad growl to my direct left caught my attention, and then I remembered the reason this group of boys were even here in the first place. My eyes widened in a natural reflex to seem innocent and I turned my head to the right and up. Hayden looked livid.

“Get out of my seat!” He snarled.

Blinking up at him, a cheekily replied, “I’m pretty comfortable here though.” His eye’s flashed with confusion before he took on a mischievous look. With a smirk, he didn’t even need to move any closer to hold me by the waist and pick me clean of my chair with incredible ease.

I was dumped unceremoniously onto the ground, but not before my shirt rode up slightly, and his finger just grazed the side of my stomach. He retracted his hand like he had been burned, and I didn’t get a look at his face before he slipped into the seat I had previously occupied.

The boy who gave me the apple helped me up, and he gave me a wary smile before introducing himself as Tom. I grinned up at him and took the seat on the right of Hayden, much to everyone’s surprise.

“I hope you don’t mind Tom, but I think I will be joining you guys for lunch.” I grinned and took a big bite out of my apple.