The canteen was a thin building lined with tables and chairs on the far side of campus. From the other side of the door I could hear the hustle and bustle of the 13 other campers. I turned the corner and the room fell quiet, my eyes darted round the room: the boys were on one table, the girls on another, the staff on another and Dan on his own. 'Is it cool to sit with someone that's ignored you for the past hour?' I thought. I opted for no and sat on the girls table next to a girl with brunette hair plaited loosely back. I realised too late that it was Rachel Monte. The temptation of swapping places was so irresistible but I'm no wimp. I pushed my tray further onto the table and sat down. Rachel turned her head away from me and pretended to be in deep conversation with Fat Lizzie. I prodded my lasagne with my fork, it was like jelly. Deciding to skip supper I turned my attention to Rachel's Nose - her left nostril was a great deal larger than her right and at the top it had been split presumably by the surgeon when he removed my nail. Fat Lizzie was opposite me; fooled by the engaging fake deep conversation from next to me. Her plate was empty and it looked shinning clean. Rachel turned to me her eye brows twitching like two caterpillars.
"Still here I see? Where have they put you? In the ASBO and insane room?!" She said menacingly - the whole table sniggered. I shook my head at her pitying how pathetic she was.
"Well; Let me just say: Suzie I'm sorry I ripped your duvet, Leona sorry I spilt nail varnish on your head, Charlotte sorry I accidently on purposely drew a moustache on you but I am truly sorry it hasn't come of yet, Lizzie I am sorry I ate one of your (many) chocolate bars. You were all victims of ACCIDENTS but Rachel - Rachel...Rachel...I could say I'm sorry to you but what happened would have happened anyway when somebody else realised what a bitch you are." I breathed - It sounded like a fog horn in the silence - then I realise the rest of the hall was listening to my confession. The Adam Bleach yelled.
"Go on Rache; chuck your dinner on 'er!"
The rest of the hall (apart from the staff obviously) began to chant stuff along the lines of 'chuck It!' And Rachel always one to oblige - Did chuck it all over my head. I stood up in my place suddenly noticing that fat Lizzie had already eaten my lasagne. I marched to the door.
"I will speak to you tonight Una Malone" Said Miss Turner sternly. Standing in the threshold something beautiful happened. Dan made eye contact with me for the first time. His eyes were hazel and cold but in some ways warm to look at. Nothing could take this moment away from me. Apart from the fact that the lasagne had: slipped off my head, down my neck and into my cashmere jumper- maybe? I ran off to sort off the cashmere crisis but still... He looked directly at me!
