These Hallway Exchanges

Seven

February 17

At lunch, Alia sat at her usual table with her friends Violet and Dina. On most days, Alex would sit next to her, but today he was absent. He told her this morning he was leaving to visit his grandmother who was in the hospital.

Alia sighed and pushed her school's spaghetti around her tray. She didn't have an appetite today. Hadn't had much of one for a few weeks, refusing her usual seconds at dinner since James had confessed to her.

Dina slammed her tray onto her table after returning from the lunch line, making Alia and Violet jump in their seats. The force knocked over her carton of milk. Sitting on her knees in the chair, Dina stared at Alia with a determined expression.

Alia looked away. Dina's staring was beginning to make her feel naked. Like she could see right through her. "What in the hell is wrong with you lately?"

Violet pinched the bridge of her nose and muttered, "Way to be subtle, Di."

She ignored her friend and continued staring at Alia. "Well? You gonna answer, or pretend you didn't hear me?"

"There's nothing wrong, guys. I'm just feeling tired."

"Bull shit!" Violet and Dina said together. Dina was louder and accusing while Violet's voice was flat like she was stating an obvious fact. The two bore down on Alia with eyes that told her to confess what was really going on.

"Is it because Alex isn't here?" Dina all but screamed. People briefly glanced over at their table.

Before Alia could answer, Violet, cut in, "No, that's not why. She's been like this for over a month now. The only reason I didn't say anything sooner is 'cause Alex was hovering like a damn fly."

As Violet was about to stab a cube pear, Dina grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her violently. The fork with the pear on it splashed into the juice and left to large drops on the table. While shaking her, Dina yelled, "Oh shit, you're right! What if she's dying! Or moving! Or both!" She talked about Alia like she wasn't sitting across from them watching the whole thing.

"Get the hell off, psycho!" Violet swatted Dina's hands away. She glared at the woman in front of her. "What the hell! You could've said it like a normal human being instead of giving me whiplash!" She yelled while rubbing her neck.

"B-b-b-but--" Dina stammered while pointing at Alia like she would disappear into thin air.

"Um, guys?" The two snapped to Alia, their previous squabble forgotten as they remembered the very reason it started.

"Spill." It was Violet who spoke, her eyes drilling a hole through Alia as she continued rubbing her sore neck.

"You know that guy I've been tutoring after school?"

"Yeah, for like, five months, right?" Dina said, her milk carton in her hand. "Somethin' happen to him?"

Alia took a bite of the pasta on her tray, muffling her high pitched, "Sort of,"

Violet narrowed her eyes at her friend from across the table. "What do you mean, 'sort of'? Did something happen to him or not?"

She took a swig of chocolate milk before answering, "Yes?"

"I feel like you're leaving out something very crucial to this whole thing. Explain to us the entire thing. And hurry up, before lunch is over." Violet tried to rush her, even adding two snaps of her fingers for effect.

As if on cue, the bell rang and lunch was over. Violet and Dina groaned at their luck. Alia stood with her tray, still full of her lunch. As she began to walk away, Dina called after her, "We're coming over tonight, and you're telling us everything!"