The Gray Case

eleven

Lunch time is the moment in which everyone has the chance to say whatever, however. To reunite with friends while chatting and discussing about whatever.

For Alexander, lunch is a little bit different. He is dragged into conversations he isn't particularly interested in and most of the times, has to listen to superficial words that fly in the atmosphere quickly, before he can even process them.

Sofia and Kevin sit next to him and they are surrounded by various other people he doesn't even really know. A girl with short red hair starts talking. Maybe she was doing so already, but Alexander wasn't paying attention.

"I bought a new pair of Valentino shoes, they are so pretty guys, you can't even imagine," she says, in haughty manner.

"When?" Kevin asks, out of the blue, catching Alexander's attention.

"When what?"

"When did we fucking ask?"

Alexander laughs and Kevin does too. He turns to him to do their usual handshake, making the red haired girl roll her eyes, annoyed. She still doesn't lose any of her presumptuousness and keeps talking anyways, as if nothing was ever said.

"As I was saying, I bought this pair of Valentino shoes and they were so expensive, but they were worth it."

Alexander sips a bit of his water, watching her confidently speak about nothing that really matters to anyone, gossiping carelessly about people she doesn't take the chance to personally know and twirling strands of hair around her petite finger. Sofia doesn't join the conversation as she continues eating her salad.

They made up, after their little fight. She can't stay mad at him for too long, she can't not feel loved for too long.

Alexander and Kevin talk and laugh as they are eating, zoning off from everything that is surrounding them. Neither Kevin likes all of that cheap talk.

As Alexander bites into his sandwich and lets his eyes wander around the room, they land on a table in which he recognizes Maya is sitting at. She is sitting beside a girl with dark hair and in front of them is a guy that he can't see in the face as he is turned around.

He looks at her remembering the night before, the questions and the thoughts. The fact that Maya actually listened to him. He is snapped back into reality when Kevin starts talking to him once again and a glimmer of light quickly flashes in his irises, then, everything goes back to normal.

Maya is sitting with Lisa and Marcus. Some other kids sit next to them, but seem to have their own separate group of friends. The clear memory of Alexander eyes is marked in her mind, she can still see the slight fear of the unknown in them, something she has never saw. Not in Alexander, not in the boy they all know.

She isn't actually eating, but is simply playing with the fork: her body is there, but her mind is elsewhere.

"What the hell are you even saying?" Lisa says. Her brows are furrowed and her lips are slightly parted as she glares at Marcus that looks at her with the same eyes.

"That shit was whack, Inception is far superior," he replies.

Lisa laughs sarcastically, crossing her arms on her chest. "Of course, you're right."

"Damn right I am."

"Whatever."

Maya just listens to their conversation, already used to their arguments. They never really agree on anything, but they still manage to be friends. Lisa stands up and leaves for class, leaving Maya and Marcus alone. One in front of the other.