Lucas ✔️

Nine

The school day could nearly have been called uneventful if it wasn't for the two gorgeous specimens taking up a whole table in the cafeteria. I nearly had called it uneventful, just as I was walking through the doors to the cafeteria when I saw them. Cole nudged me forward and Janie sent me a knowing look, raising her eyebrows to show appreciation for their fine forms.

"They're the new kids I was talking about the other day," she muttered lowly, eyeing them off. "Dreamy, huh?" I nodded as a silent reply, dreamy for sure. 

They were the two I had seen outside the bar - the two who looked like they were made from marble and dipped in gold. One of them was the girl who had laughed at my embarrassing fake phone call scenario. My cheeks flushed bright red as my eyes made contact with hers before I looked away quickly. I took a deep breath as I followed Janie and Cole to the line to wait for food. I hoped it wasn't something gross, like meatloaf. 

Someone opened the door to the oval letting a pack of ghouls, or spawns as Lucas called them, into the cafeteria. There was already a few of them inside but this bloke just let a whole heap more in and I mentally groaned as I saw a few of them floating my way.

I grabbed my tray and picked a sandwich, opting out of the sludgy looking chili the lady was handing out with a frown. I paid, following Cole and Janie to a seat. They both hesitated, unsure of where to sit, and it dawned on me that they probably hadn't sat together without me in a while. 

With just the two of them, it would have been a bit awkward, seeing as they both liked each other but wouldn't admit it. I could just imagine them both sitting there, eating silently, before splitting off. Cole would have sat with his soccer friends and Janie would have sat with her other set of friends from art class. I rolled my eyes and stepped in front of them to browse for a free table, taking charge as I usually did with these two. You could say I was the glue that kept this trio together.

There weren't a lot of spots available and as a ghoul settled onto my shoulder and one in my hair, I made eye contact with someone. They raised an eyebrow in question, spinning a fork on the table as they eyed us standing there. My decision made, I walked over there with determination, stopping in front of their table with a confused Cole and a nervous Janie following closely behind. The cafeteria grew silent, everyone pausing to watch as I cleared my throat lightly. 

Dad, are you worried about me yet?

"Are these seats taken?" I asked, my voice coming out quieter than I wanted it to. The guy looked up from his phone, making brief eye contact with the girl at the table, before looking at me. He looked me up and down and shrugged, moving one seat over to make room for us.

"Go ahead," the girl said, dropping the fork she was spinning and gesturing to the empty chairs as she brushed the bangs of her short hair aside. 

I sat down stiffly, Janie following suit and Cole looking a bit unsure before he also sat down. It was silent, way too silent, and the sudden social pressure to talk made me regret choosing to sit at the same table as these two good-looking people. I know why I did it and it was a stupid thought. I just wondered... if they knew Lucas. I mean, I had seen them at the same bar as Lucas and there's not normally this many new people in town at once.

I shook my head and unwrapped my sandwich, taking a quick bite as Janie tried to open hers. She was so nervous though, obviously shy because they were so good looking. It was true, they really were. Cole sighed and reached over, grabbing Janie's sandwich and unwrapping it for her before placing it back on her tray. Her face lit up in a bright blush, her blond hair falling in front of her face as she looked down.

I swallowed and took another bite, trying not to look at the two sitting down the table. A few extra ghouls cane to join us, sitting on my legs and hanging from my hair as I struggled to not pay attention to the curious look the buzz-cut female was sending my way.

"So, Lilith, how's your first day back been?" Cole asked, shovelling some of the god-awful chili concoction into his mouth. 

I grimaced, trying to forget how horribly behind I was in every single class and how Mr. Carter, the maths teacher, had practically told me I was a lost cause. Cole raised his eyebrows at my face and shook his head as he chewed.

"Well, I am pretty far behind," I admitted, biting my lip and placing my suddenly unappetising sandwich down. Cole let out a loud guffaw, drawing himself a grossed-out glare from the gorgeous female who was listening in to our conversation without even trying to hide it.

"What did you expect, babe? You've had over two months off!" He said, scooping another spoonful of chili into his mouth. He pointed his spoon at me as he chewed, before speaking with his mouth full. "What's your worst subject, so far?" He asked. I shrugged, looking at Janie slightly as she watched Cole eat, her nose scrunched up at his appalling table manners.

"Probably maths, but I haven't even been to science, so that could be pretty bad too." 

"Hey, I can help with science, but I'm not the best at maths, and we both know Cole is useless. Maybe we should find you a tutor?" Janie chimed in before taking a bite of her own sandwich. I nodded my head, silently dreading the thought of having to be tutored. 

"You any good at maths?" Cole asked, and I looked up with wide eyes as he addressed the girl with a buzz-cut sitting just down from him. She smiled slightly, agonisingly slow, and she briefly met my eyes before looking at Cole.

"I sure am," she purred sultrily back to Cole, earning a small huff and crossed arms from Janie next to me. "I can help you out if you want." She added on, turning to look at me. The guy sitting across from her perked up, looking up from his phone.

"Do we get paid?" He asked, smiling at me and looking between us. She turned to him and glowered.

"You weren't invited, Shax," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Plus, it's unpaid." Shax looked unimpressed again and rolled his eyes, slouching back to look at his phone again.

"Well, then I'm not doing it, Amy, and you can't make me," he said, looking at her with narrowed eyes. 

"I wasn't asking you to, dickhead," she spat, turning to look at me again, flashing a wide smile. "So?" She asked, tilting her head slightly. 

No, don't do it, my mind screamed, but I found myself nodding my head and shrugging.

"Sure, I have nothing to lose," I said with a small smile. "Thanks." 

Cole looked pleased with himself as he finished off his last bit of chili and Janie grabbed my leg tightly, looking at me with worried eyes. I shook my head at her and gave her a small smile, gesturing that it was okay. The bell rang, and I looked down at my half-eaten sandwich as people began to leave the cafeteria.

"I'll meet you after class," Amy said as she got up and sauntered out, Shax close on her heels. I widened my eyes and looked at Janie as she looked at me with a similar expression.

"I didn't realise tutoring was starting today," I mumbled at her under my breath. Janie laughed at me loudly and Cole stood up flashing me a big grin.

"Face it, girl, you need all the help you can get," he said with an over-acted wink and a smirk.