Misinterpreting Fate (Book 2)

19. Lunchroom Drama

Chapter 19: Lunchroom Drama

Sam

Shawn was sitting at our lunch table the next day when I went to sit down. He was the only one there, so I placed my stuff in my usual spot with one chair in between us, making him look up at me.

"Hi," he said. "I hope it's okay that I sit here again."

I shrugged, sliding into my seat. "It's not me you have to convince." I didn't say anything to any of my friends yesterday. They didn't even know that I had talked to Shawn yesterday. I knew when they got here, they would have at least something to say about him being here.

"Sam."

I looked behind me, my slice of pizza halfway to my mouth, to see Ryan standing there, three feet away from the table.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

I gestured with the food in my hand. "Eating lunch?"

"No, sitting with him."

"Oh, yeah. We're good. We talked everything out. You can sit." I purposely pointed to the seat between Shawn and me. Granted, it was where Ryan normally sat, but getting him to sit next to Shawn might help Shawn's mission a little bit.

Except Ryan chose to sit on my other side, even further away from Shawn. I didn't comment. It wasn't my place to make Ryan sit in his normal seat, not when he obviously didn't want to.

The girls came a minute later. Jaime immediately took the seat Ryan usually sat in. I had the slightest suspicion it was to put a barrier between Shawn and me, but I wasn't about to ask. Courtney had a different approach to the situation and walked right over to Shawn, arms crossed and her angry face on and everything.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

He sighed. "Guys, I did explain everything to Sam. I'm sorry that I was such an asshole. It was uncalled for and I feel extremely guilty, especially for what I said about Sam. I hope you guys can forgive me the way Sam did."

"No," Courtney said. "I don't care if Sam says he forgives you or whatever. Sam will forgive anyone who asks him to, because he's a nice person. But you don't deserve to sit here anymore, Shawn, because you hurt him, and he didn't deserve that. So leave."

Shawn didn't argue, just slowly stood up, grabbed his stuff, and walked away. The whole table was quiet for a few minutes while Courtney settled herself into a chair and began eating like nothing had happened.

Eventually Jaime broke the silence. "Did you really talk to him, Sam?"

I nodded. "He said he was sorry and explained himself a bit. We kind of came to a compromise. We're okay now."

She gave me a look that meant she didn't believe me, but didn't say anything. Instead, it was Courtney who voiced her disbelief. "What kind of compromise could possibly excuse the fact that he's a homophobic asshole?"

I shook my head. "That's not my place to say. He told me some pretty personal things that he wanted me to keep a secret. Ultimately, he didn't mean anything that he said and I believe that he is honestly guilty about it."

Courtney sighed dramatically. "Why are you such a good kid? I don't get you. I need details, Sam! This isn't fun without the gossip!"

I shrugged, not really surprised at her reaction. "Sorry." I also wasn't really sorry. I told Shawn I wouldn't tell anyone, so I wouldn't. That means not even telling my best friends.

"What does he have over you?" Ryan blurted out. "It has to be something. Why else would you forgive him, Sam? He's not forcing you to, like... I don't know... suck his dick, or something, is he?"

My mouth fell open in shock. "Of course not! Are you nuts? Why would you even think that?"

"He has to have something. I know Shawn, Sam, better than the rest of you. I know how he thinks. What did he tell you?"

"Nothing."

I hated lying, but at this point, I didn't know who to believe. What if Ryan was right and Shawn had just told me some story that he knew I would fall for? Or had Shawn actually told me the truth? I just wasn't sure why he would lie about that in the first place. It's not like our little group of friends were popular or anything. We were basically the outcasts that didn't fit in anywhere else. Why would Shawn be so desperate that he had to make up a story to come back after basically getting thrown out in the first place?

I stood up, no longer wanting to sit here if they were just going to ask questions I couldn't answer. It's not like I was hungry anymore anyway. "I'm headed to the art room," I told them.

Then I turn to walk out of the cafeteria, only to walk straight into Grant.

My books fell to the floor and I quickly bent over to grab them, hoping he would just leave. But, as luck would have it, he seemed to be in a particularly aggressive mood today.

He grabbed the collar of my shirt, pulling me to my feet. "You better watch where you're going, fag," he hissed in my face.

The next thing I knew, Ryan was standing next to me, throwing a punch at Grant's face. It all happened so fast that I didn't have a chance to stop Ryan before it was too late.

Grant let go of me and I crumbled to the ground. Grant was holding his eye with one hand, screaming out curse words. Ryan looked ready to keep punching him, had a teacher not come running over. She sent all three of us to the principal's office without even bothering to figure out what had happened.

We had to sit outside the principal's office for a few minutes before we could see him. There were only three chairs and Grant claimed the one closest to the door, so Ryan sat down in the middle seat, not wanting me to be right next to him. I was grateful, but at the same time, I didn't need to be treated so delicately.

Ryan put his arm on the back of my chair, but I didn't mind. I actually found myself leaning on his shoulder, craving his comfort right now. I've never been sent here before, so I was extremely nervous. Ryan had been through this before, so he knew what was coming. I just really hoped he wasn't going to get suspended again, because then he might not be allowed back into this school.