The Silence Between Us

A New Challenge

Chapter 3:

I sat down at the table where Mae's friends were and was barely able to form the word hello in my mouth when she started to introduce me.

"Everyone this is Louisa," she said, her hand waving around in the air. "Farthest to your left is Clara," she paused, waiting for her to say hello so I could get a chance to hear her voice. "To the right of her is Noah and farthest right is Finn."

I nodded, smiling, "It's nice to meet you all."

Some of the names that she said I remembered from my classes. I recognized the girl Clara as the girl who sits in the front of my precalculus class and is wicked smart. I've heard that she was a little bit of a nerd, but that was probably just because she just straight A's and acted like it was easy. Noah was in my second period with Cora, chemistry class, and he was the one who told me about my ruined books. I felt the heat rise to my face in shame. He probably thought I was so stupid.

I sat down in the seat I knew was in front of me while Mae sat down next to me and continued chatting away, "Alex also is in our group, but I think he's still in line getting food or something. It sure is taking him a long time."

I stood up fast, realizing my mistake, "I totally forgot to get food." I said with a sigh. The line would probably be super long but there was nothing I could do about it now. This girl needed to eat. "I'll be right back." I picked up my walking stick and headed out towards the sea of students swarming the cafeteria.

The food in the cafeteria wasn't half bad, which was why everyone preferred to buy lunch instead of pack their own. For cheap food that tasted great, why waste the time and energy making lunch at home when there was homework to do? Unfortunately, that made the lines into the cafeteria extremely long everyone rushed to the cafeteria immediately after their fourth periods so that they wouldn't have to wait a long time. Which means that I, being incredibly late to the party, was going to wait in line forever.

Not to mention my clothes were still wet and I was standing there uncomfortably while the entire school stared. It wasn't a great situation to be in, but it was necessary so that I could get food. I didn't want to starve during my last day at this school.

I thought I was about halfway through the line and to the food when I smelled the perfume. Just as my day started turning around for the better, she had to show up. Typical Cora.

"I thought I smelled loser and would you look at that, here you are." Cora sneered, and I thought in my head that out of all the things she could've said, she picked the lamest insult.

I looked at her, and suddenly I couldn't contain myself. I burst into laughter at her stupid insult. Either I was too tired from being picked on the entire day that I finally just lost it, or it really was as stupid as it sounded. So, instead of being hurt, I felt the ends of my lips curl into a smile. "Is that the best you could come up with?" I smiled innocently, "Because after all of the pranks you have been pulling on me today, I thought you would at least be less pathetic when facing me head on." I shrugged, suddenly feeling like a badass as I turned away from her, "But I guess the bitch has lost her mojo."

"What did you say?" Cora came closer to me and I could feel her breath on my cheek.

It must have been talking to that girl Mae that inspired me to act so boldly, because never in the past two years have I ever stood up to Cora Burton and her followers. Maybe it was because I knew I had a place to go back to after this instead of eating my lunch alone in a random spot in the school. Maybe it was because someone had finally approached me and offered me kindness, which hasn't happened since middle school. Or maybe it was because it was my last day, and I didn't give a shit about what happened when I left. But whatever it was, it was too late to give up now.