TROUBLE

CHAPTER TEN: MATCH

"Hello chums!" I say slapping my bag on the lunch table.

"Are you going to beat us with bats?" Thaz asks with narrowed eyes.

"Of course not! I was just joking." I say pulling out a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"But after everyone left and I didn't you tried to beat me to death with a bat." Mercury states playing in his macaroni and cheese. His head is propped up with his hand and he looks more bored than usual.

"That's true." I say taking a bite of my sandwich. I feel hands on shoulders and look up to see Ryder.

"Hey! Aren't you ryan's sister?" Thaz asks. She looks busted up. A black eyes and a few bruises scattered along her pretty face. "Yeah." She says giving him a smile.

"What happened to you?" Mercury asks bringing his attention away from his Mac and cheese.

Her eyes widen as if she's shocked he's talking to her. "Oh....umm, a fight. You know...makeup was on sale and some girls got a little too rowdy."

She puts her attention back on me. "So are you coming tonight." I give her a smile. "Yup." She doesn't say anything else, just walks away.

"What was that all about?" Aaron asks taking a big bite of whatever is on his plate.

"A dumb girls sleepover." I shrug taking another bite of my sandwich.

"I want to know what makeup loving psycho did that to her." Hades laughs.

" She was obviously lying." Mercury says returning to his food. "Right Lyric?" Mercury asks raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know. Either way it's nobodies business but her own." I shrug.

Aaron takes another bit of his 'food' and I cringe in disgust. "Aaron what are you eating?!" I look on his plate to see a mush of food. The extravagant colors mixing in with whatever else he added.

"This?" He scoops it up with his spork and shoves it into his mouth.

"Gross dude." Thaz says adjusting his glasses to get a better look at the mess on Aaron's plate. "This! Is the best thing I've ever had."

"What is it?" I ask swallowing my last piece of my sandwich. "It's mashed potatoes, greens, meatloaf, brownie and fruit punch mixed into one! Aren't I a genius?!"

"You're gross." Mercury says sliding his macaroni away. Aaron grabs Mercury's plate of macaroni and scoops it onto his mush, then proceeds to mix it in with what he already has.

"Come on Lyric," He gives me a sneak smile as he scoops up a spoon full of the mush. "Try it."

Hes at my side in a matter of seconds. "Aaron you better not!" I say raising my finger to him. He ignores me grabbing my face and squeezing both of my cheeks with one hand while trying to shove the mush in my mouth with the other. "Mercury! Help me!" I joke as the spoon gets dangerously close to my mouth.

The spoon flies in the air and out of Aaron's hands.

"Thank you mercury!"  I say swinging my arms around him. He doesn't move, just glares at me from the corners of his eyes. "I only did it cause you two were annoying me."

"Sure, I'll believe that." I say gathering my things. The bell rings and I leave before anyone could say much else.

•••

"So where are you going?" Aunt Mika asks pouring herself wine. "Just to a sleepover." I answer.

"Well you know the rules."