Naturals

Dinner Comotions

“Rory, it’s dinnertime, we have to be down in the dining hall in ten minutes!” Susan calls.

            I exhale loudly because I am on my last problem for homework, and I really just want to get it over with.

            “Just give me five minutes, and I’ll be ready,” I yell, as I jot down the answer to the last problem, and stuff my already heavy binder into my bright yellow backpack.  I then straighten out my uniform, brush my hair, and make my way to the door, where Susan is waiting for me.

            She is checking her watch intently, and tapping her foot when I approach, obviously concerned about us making it to dinner on time.

            “Finally, your ready,” Susan huffs impatiently.

            “It only took me two minutes,” I argue jokingly.

            Susan just rolls her eyes at me, and gestures for us to make our way down the dorm room hall, and to the dining room.

            When we finally get to the Dining Hall I stop dead in my tracks.  In front of me lies what I find to be the most beautiful room I have seen today.  Four long mahogany tables stretch across the hall, covered in dishes, full of fresh food.  Kids sit at the tables, already inhaling the food that lies in front of them.  The whole scene reminded me of Hogwarts, but more organized, and formal.

           “Come on, let’s go and sit down,” Susan urges, as she leads me to a table where we sit right across from Luke, and the rest of the lunch crew.

              I look around and realize that all of the tables have a different symbol on it.  The table that we are sitting at has a wave engraved into the wood, indicating this is where the waters, and frosts should sit.  I look away disgusted, at how the school was encouraging all of the different people with natural abilities to be split up.

               “Rory, Rory!” Susan calls as she snaps me out of my trance.

             “Are you okay?” she asks for what seems like the billionth time today.

             “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.  I just feel a little jet lagged,” I lie as I begin to chew on my fillet mignon that is so delicious, I could eat it everyday.

             I look across the table to see Luke staring sheepishly at Susan. 

             “Umm… Luke?” I ask, not sure if he is mentally in this world right now.

              “Oh, yeah,” he says as he snaps his head to face me.

               “What are you staring at?” I ask questionably as I nod my head towards Susan slyly.

               “Nothing…” Luke mumbles defensively.

            As I return back to my delicious dinner, I feel a tap on my shoulder, causing me to almost choke on my steak.  I turn my head around quickly to see Jack.

             “Oh my god, Jack, you scared the crap out of me,” I say annoyed that he had snuck up on me like that.

           “Sorry, I just wanted to talk to you,” Jack mumbles shyly as he brushes his hair back, and I can’t help but notice how similar he looked to Finn at that exact moment. 

            By this time everyone at our table was staring at Jack and me, and I start to wonder when the last time was that a person from another type of natural ability was at the water/frost table.

            “Oh, it’s fine, I was just scared for a moment,” I assured Jack, feeling instantly bad for making him feel sorry.

               Jack seems to compose himself after I say this, and goes back to being his usual cheeky self. 

              “So what did you want to talk to me about?” I ask curiously.

              “Umm… I just wanted to ask if you were going to the Luna Café tomorrow, it is the regular hang-out for all of the students here,” Jack replies quickly.

            I then turn to Susan, to ask if she was going as well, I don’t want to go if Susan wasn’t because she is basically my only friend here.

              “Susan, are you going to the Café tomorrow?” I ask her, pleading that she will say yes.

          “Oh, well I wasn’t planning to but I guess I can go with you if you’d like,” Susan answers shrugging. 

                  “Well then I guess I am going,” I say as I turn back to face Jack.

                 “Great, I’ll see you there,” Jack says as he smiles widely.

                 “Jack, get your butt back over here!” a familiar voice calls from across the room.  It’s Finn, and he is looking at me like he is warning me to stay far away from Jack, and the rest of the Fires.

                 I quickly look away from Finn, and back at Jack, who now looks nervous.

               “I have to go, see you at the Café,” Jack says quickly before he turns around and heads back to the Fire’s dinner table.

                Was the division of naturals at this school really so awful that I couldn’t even talk to one without having such a commotion? I sigh, and go back to eating my fillet mignon, although it doesn’t seem as good as it was before.

              The rest of the dinner passes smoothly, although I do seem to notice Luke acting weirdly the whole time.

             On my way back to the dorm room I feel so tired that I fall asleep right as my head hits my pillow.