I've never looked forward to the schools lunch. Not a fan of under cooked chicken and slop they claim is chili, but today it was the only thing I was looking forward to.
"Park!" A voice screamed down the hall, and before I could even turn a body rams into my back causing me to nearly face plant on the linoleum tile floors. Balancing myself I turn to glare at whoever pushed me. Not a surprise that it's Wes. Rolling my shoulders I turn to face the idiot I call my best friend. "First, you could've got my attention like a normal person. Second, since when do you call me Park?" irritation and confusion tangoing across my features.
Smiling at my expression he flings an arm around my shoulders and starts bounding towards the lunchroom. Towards her. "Well first, since when was I ever normal," he laughs "And second, Imani caught me after class and told me to meet her and her friends under the oak tree. She called you Park, so I said hey why not call him Park too."
Because it's her nickname for me.
Rolling my eyes at his reasoning I nod and let him drag me to lunch. It's a mystery how we even became friends, we're total opposites. While he's rude and brash, I'm friendly and charming. He's extremely built and I'm more lean, mostly due to our differences in sports. Wes is a starter on the Briarwood football team causing him to not only be bulky but also insanely popular. Meanwhile I'm a proud member of the Briarwood swim team causing my lean build and lessening my popularity. No idea why our swim team has been state champions 10 years in a row while the football team hasn't been to state for 12 years, but I digress. Even with our differences, we've been attached at the hip since 6th grade. Wouldn't trade him for anyone.
"Get your lard arm off of me," I chuckle shoving the baby calf he calls an arm off my shoulder. Laughing at my comment he nudges my shoulder with his own before his face twisted with confusion. "So, care to tell me why we're sitting with Ani, Blake and the others?" Stopping in my tracks I stare at him in shock. When he notices I'm not longer at his side he looks at me in confusion and boredom.
"What did you just call her?" I stutter out. The boredom morphs into even more confusion at my sudden pause and question. "Who Ani? She always gets called that and didn't seem to have a problem with it when I called her that earlier." The shock still hasn't left my face as I continue walking over to the lunch room. How is he already so comfortable with her? Feeling him studying me I make my face devoid of emotion and avoid all eye contact with him. He can read me like and book; I don't want him knowing of my pathetic crush.
"Wait a minute." Shit. "Do you like her Parker?"
Well looks like any secrecy is out the window. I'm a terrible liar and even worse when I'm lying to Wes, but can't blame me for trying. "No it's just I don't know her that well and it'd be weird to randomly call her a nickname." Laughing lightly he smirks at me nodding his head. He didn't believe me for a second but I'm glad he dropped it. Making our way through the lunch line several people moved out the way simply because they noticed Wes, and when Wes is noticed I am too.
Who's that cutie with Wes?
Has he always be there?
Isn't that his best friend? I think his name is Parker.
Nice to know my peers of 6 years finally realized I'm not just a fan of Wes. Grabbing the only edible thing in the lunch line I shield my burger and fries from Wes' thieving hands. When he notices what I have a smack his hand as he continuously reaches for a fry causing a grumble to pass through his mouth. After we pay we make our way to the doors outside when our path is blocked by two blonde cheerleaders.
"Hey Wes. Hey Parker." She giggles twirling her curls around her finger. Practiced pout on her lips making them fuller than they are. It's clear Wes isn't interested in her which is already strange but I won't interrogate him on it. Yet.
"Bye Kelsey and... Gretchen?" It was clear he got the second girls name wrong from the hurt look that passed across her face. With that we continued our trek outside.
"So what made you ignore Kelsey?" Shrugging his shoulders he mumbled something about her not being his type. A totally lie. Just as I was about to call him out for it, a little brown hand snatched one of my fries. Turning to glare at the thief I came face to face with Imani and immediately my glare softened.
"Hey Park. Hey Wes. Come on they're all waiting over there." She beamed at us before jogging back over to the oak tree. Looking at Wes he smirked at me from her nickname of mine and walked over to the tree.
"So quick run through. You already know Blake so I'll skip her. The girl with the black skirt is Liza, the tan boy with the headphones is Chandler, and the other ginger is Blake's brother Ryder." At the sound of each of their names they each looked up a greeted us with a smile. "Oh! And guys this is Wesley and Parker."
Laughing at how Wes reacted to his first name I wave at the diverse group of friends. Liza is clearly mixed with Indian and something else causing her to have rich brown skin, a thick mane of curls, and deep brown eyes. Blake and Ryder seem to be something other than plain American but I'm not able to tell their origin. Each of them have curly red hair and are coated with freckles. Blake's hair was much thicker than Ryder's but the resemblance between them was startling. Finally Chandler gives off an Italian vibe with dark brown hair tied off into a bun and is clearly uninterested in the topic at hand. None of them were strictly one race and they all seemed to embrace their backgrounds and each other's.
Settling down onto the faded green grass under the tree I was sucked into the world of Imani's friends.
"So this is the guy you said has been staring at you right Ani?"
YOU ARE READING
Park and Ani
Fiksi Remaja"Imani what's going on with you?" Frustration and hurt coursing through me. She turns and smiles at me tears in her eyes. "That's the golden question isn't it Park." Imani Walker was known as the girl with the contagious smile and boisterous laugh...
