The Dreamer Trilogy: Book One

Chapter 26

When Callista2 and I step inside the Cafeteria, it is already crowded with people. Most of whom are sitting and eating, and others still waiting in line to get food. I sigh from disappointment as I see the long line. Callista2 giggles from beside me, and I walk over to stand in the long row of students waiting to be fed. I’m last, and, from the looks of it, no one else will be arriving after us. This means that we will get the worst food that’s left after everyone else. After a while of waiting, our turn finally arrives and I grab a tray from the stack. I hold my metal tray as the Overseer slops down mashed potatoes and a hot dog onto it. They serve the same thing every day? “I might as well starve” I mutter before scanning the room for a few empty seats. I don’t see any, so I just hang back and wait for Callista2. “Can’t find a seat?” She asks, walking up from behind me with her tray. “Nope, do you see any?” I respond, still looking. “There,” she says, pointing to a table in the middle of the room, full of teenage girls. “Those are some of my friends, maybe we can sit with them” She says, smiling. I sigh as I say, “Okay.” Her smile broadens, and we both walk over to the table. “Hi,” Callista2 says, while waving to them. “This is my friend Roger, he wants to sit with us. Is that okay?” She asks, gesturing to me. One of the five girls from the table speaks up. “Yeah, he can sit with us” She smirked before standing up. “Hey, I’m Tiffany.” She says, outstretching her hand to me. I shake it tentatively. “Hi, I’m Roger. Nice to meet you” I say shyly. The rest of the girls at the table just look at me with smiles on their faces. “Well, thank you” Callista2 says, taking a seat. I hesitantly sit down next to her, and also with another friend sitting to my left. “So, how did you guys meet?” One of the black-haired girls at the other end of the table asks. Callista2 and I both exchange looks, and then I speak first. “We’re roommates, actually” I say, and as soon as I finish my sentence, all the people at the table let out a surrounding “Ooooohhhhh” I glance over at Callista2, and notice she’s blushing. “Let’s not talk about that. Instead, let us introduce ourselves. I’m Tiffany, as you already know” Tiffany said, smirking again. I make a mental note in my mind to remember her name. “I’m Leixia4” Another girl with straight, black hair says smiling. I nod to her while returning the smile. “I’m Maddie2” The next girl says, waving and smiling at me, hiding behind her dark brown curly hair. I nod to her as well, and smile, trying to make a good first impression. “I’m Danielle, but my friends call me Dani” The next girl says. My heart kind of skips a beat when I see her. Her silky hair falls down to about her hips, and her smile is crooked, but her straight teeth make up for it. She sits up perfectly, and looks a lot shorter than all the other girls, with a high pitched voice to match her size. I look to the last girl that needs to be introduced, but she just droops her head, obscuring my view of her face. “She’s just shy” Tiffany says, apologizing. “It’s alright” I say, getting ready to devour my food. While I eat, I listen to them talk about the tests and The Room and The Guild. I never knew this, but apparently there are people who want to get out. And I am sitting right next to all 6 of them.