I slumped down heavily into the hard plastic chair, almost dropping my tray as I did so. It was Tuesday afternoon, and Amber and I were in the cafeteria. The mornings lessons had raced by so quickly, I could barely remember what we had learned.
'I have pins and needles,' Amber was complaining as she slid into the seat opposite me. The cafeteria was a large room, painted an imaginative beige colour. There were around seventy tables in total, all occupied by students, chatting and laughing, while the scrape of (plastic) knives and forks added to the hub of noise. All in all, excusing the drab colour scheme and tasteless food, it was a nice place to be. Surrounded by people from all different walks of life. I know they say 'the loneliest place to be is in a crowd' but that's just ridiculous, I liked being here, as odd as it sounds.
A hand flew in front of my place.
'Earth to Holly!' She sang, not looking in the least bit offended that I had zoned out during her grumbling.
'WHO says that anymore?' I teased, she pointed to herself.
'Moi! So, who were you day dreaming about? Was it Alex? Don't answer 'cause I know you'll only lie. Face it, you think he's hot.' She speared a carrot on her fork, and barely seemed to chew it before swallowing and continuing her little rant.
'It's just so predictable. Girl and guy, their eyes meet across a crowded library-' She began, her eyes looking far away at something just above my shoulder. She was in Amber-land. Where it rains chocolate drops, and the postmen are all male models.
'The library is NEVER crowded,' I corrected her absentmindedly. There was no point in trying to set her straight. She'd tease me about it anyway. It didn't matter, she was just joking around. I hoped.
'Details, details,' She waved off my remark. 'Anyway, shushie. I'm not finished. Their eyes meet; they see each other again after school. Then again in the cafeteria, where the girl trades her cupcake for her best friend's cookie, because she is so nice and her best friend wishes she had gotten a cupcake instead of a cooki-' I bopped her playfully on the head.
'No way, MY cupcake. I think I'll enjoy it too.' Amber pouted, staring down in disgust at her cookie.
'WHY did you buy the cookie if you didn't want it?' I asked, snorting (attractive), at her obvious repulsion at her choice of desert.
'I thought I did, but now your cupcake is calling to me,' She moaned, giving my desert the old hairy eyeball. I snatched it off its napkin, cradling it to my chest, and blobbing my tongue out at her. She scrunched her face up, being all dramatic and Amber-like.
It was at this moment, that a small, blonde haired girl scraped a chair out at our table, she was VERY tanned.
'EMILY!' I yelled, throwing my arms around her while Amber provided us with a chorus of girly screams.
Emily Jenkins was sort of the third member of our party; she had been vacationing in Greece for the last three weeks, visiting some extended family or something. We hadn't meant to loose contact with her, but the cost of phone calls to Greece was very high.
'When did you get back, I thought you were in Greece for a month?' I asked, letting her go and taking in her sun bronzed skin.
'Well, I was but then this whole thing kicked off with my Dad and his brother and now he's not welcome there. But I'm free to visit whenever.' She informed us with a wide smile, she begun to pick apart her sandwich.
'So, how was Greece? And when's your Aunt gonna pop out another kid? What does she have, like twenty now?' Amber quizzed, staring at Emily's tanned skin with envious eyes.
