Just One Bite

Chapter 3: James' POV

The fifth vehicle that drove through the main gates was a red, rattling Volkswagen Beetle, belonging to the one and only Rebekah Thorley. It was like every student that owned a vintage model had some sacred bond between them, all parking together in the top right corner of the car park. To put it simply, Rebekah was the only other girl from the group, excluding Louise, that I genuinely liked. She was the most laid back person I have ever met. There was nothing that could surprise her. She's rather shy around us, but that first day we all sat together at lunch, and Jack tried to wind her up, she put him back in his place without so much as flinching, while most girls would break under the idiot's constant rain of crude comments and personal questions.

It was pretty clear there and then that this girl took no crap from anyone; and I took an instant like to her.

You wouldn't believe that she and Jack now actually work together. Olivia too.

Oh yes. Olivia Hemmings. Class and sophistication radiates off this girl and her little light blue Fiat 500 that always finds its spot right in the centre of the car park. Her sweeping blonde hair bounces off her back and shoulders as she joins Rebekah at their usual table in the far corner of the canteen, sky blue eyes sparkling against her coral coloured clothing and designer jewellery. She's sugar and spice, and everything nice; not a vicious bone in her body. It's rather amusing seeing such elegance sitting next to a girl pretty much of polar opposite: shoulder-length red hair, bouncing with natural waves that had most probably been dried by the wind, freckled skin and dazzling green eyes. Olivia's naturally small like Louise, just a little bit bigger, while Rebekah's one of the tallest with an hour glass figure most girls would probably kill for, defined by her tight-waist skater dresses, tights, ankle boots and cardigans.

"... he hot-boxed his grandmother's bathroom and now he's not allowed to go out after eight for three weeks until he can prove he's not doing anymore drugs," Jack laughs as he and Chris Bennett sit down with their lunch, in mid conversation.

"Dumbass," Chris comments with a smirk.

After taking a bite out of his baguette, Jack pulls out his phone and starts scrolling through his messages but his eyes occasionally flicker to me. "What's up?" He asks.  

I just shrug in response, my eyes never breaking away from my fingers as they swiftly count the money I had just made behind the Art Department's building. I stop at £150 and then tuck it safely in the inner pocket of my rucksack alongside the last of the weed.

"Where's your lunch?"

"My father ate it last night," I grumble, leaning back in my chair.

Chris gives me a stupid look. "Then why don't you just buy some food?"

"You both know why I'm trying to save this money," I argue, shuffling around in my seat in a pathetic attempt to stop my stomach from growling. Of course it didn't work and was loud enough for Jack to hear it from across the table.

"Jesus Christ, James, it's three quid for a meal here!" Jack scolds, "Go and buy something. There'll be no point in saving for university if you're gonna just starve to death!"

I roll my eyes. "I'm going food shopping tonight, anyway," I reply, my attention returning to my phone on the table.

"Shouldn't your dad be doing that today?" Chris asks with his mouth full.

"I gave him fifty pounds this morning to go shopping..." 

"That's not much for a food shop," Jack comments, giving me a look as if I were stupid.

"It's a safety net," I explain, "He'll probably just spend it all on booze again. I kept the other £200; he was too hungover to even notice."

"Dick," Jack comments. I smile back.