Rhapsody High: The Tale of Super Zero

Chapter 31: Hanged by a Thread

As soon as Renata opened the cafeteria door, the table near her turned quiet. Suddenly almost the whole room turned quiet. Everybody gave her a sympathetic glance, while others gave her a pity looked. She braced herself, put her head up, and walked herself to the food counter.

I am here to grab my lunch, she thought. I have nothing to do with the rest of the people here.

As she got closer to the counter, the whispers got louder. Adriana, one of the girls who clearly used to admire Nathaniel and used to sent him love letters in his locker, was standing near the counter queue line with her friends. She stared at Renata condescendingly.

"She got dump." Renata could hear her whispered followed by little laughters by her friends.

Renata took the food tray and grab some salad while giving a smile to the canteen lady. "Thank you." Renata said. The canteen lady replied her smile sympathetically.

She grabbed some yoghurt and orange juice next. When she was about to take her tray somebody stepped in front of her and took it. "Wait... that's mi.." She stopped.

Ruben is standing in front of her and holding her tray. What is he trying to do? She wondered.

"Do you want anything else?" He asked, rather politely than he usually does in public.

"I'm... o.. okay..." Renata stuttered for a bit. She didn't know why she has to feel so nervous and starstruck being in public with her ex-boyfriend, it's just Ruben. Her Ruben.

The whole room went quiet again, she thought everybody was looking at Ruben and her, but it is now Nathaniel turned to walk in. He stopped walking after looking at Renata and Ruben walking side by side. He seemed to hesitate on what he should do, everybody is already staring at him and Renata. Back and forth, back and forth. Everybody waited to see what happened to the popular couple in Rhapsody.

For some reason, Renata suddenly held Ruben's arm. She is too scared to see how Ruben would react, but wanted to avoid everybody looking at her too. Holding his arm and feeling his presence made her feel safe, protected, she didn't care what others would say. She only cared about Ruben.

Ruben was staring at Nathaniel and Nathaniel stared back at him for a split second. Nathaniel was about to say something, but decided to turn around to the table filled with basketball team and sit with them. As soon as he left the 'crime scene', cafeteria crowds went back to their own lunch business.

Renata is still holding on to Ruben's arm. "Do you mind eating with me and Brenda?" He asked, politely.

Brenda? Really? She thought. She could feel her heart sunk.

"You're still holding my arm by the way," Ruben added again, grinning this time.

"Sorry." Renata removed her grasp awkwardly.

"You don't have to stop." He said, smiling. His genuine sincere smile. When did he changed? She thought.

He carried her tray to the table where Brenda is. She looked ordinary, the way she usually looked. She didn't seem to try to dress up or anything after all the attention she got during the ball.

"Hi!" Brenda cheerfully waved. "We figured you feel uncomfortable with the gossip and everything."

"Yeah, Brenda thought you wouldn't want to eat alone." Ruben added. Turned out, it wasn't Ruben's idea to take her tray. It was Brenda. Renata wished she didn't get her hopes up.