Summer of Discovery

Chapter 5: Ex's and Oh's

Alexander and I enter the college cafeteria deciding to eat before he shows me around campus.

"Is the food here any good?" I ask remembering how high school lunch wasn't always good.

"Hmm.." he ponders, "depends on what you get I suppose." He steps to the side and with his arm gestures for me to go ahead of him.

Tables are places strategically around the cafeteria. Floor to ceiling windows from the wall on my left lets in a lot of natural lighting. In the center of the cafeteria is a round structure containing kitchens separated only by glass.

"It's your turn, by the way." I say reminding him that we were asking questions to get to know one another.

"Favorite....animal?" He asks grabbing a plate of fries and a steak sub.

"Sea turtles." I answer. "Favorite color?" I ask and grab a plate of what looked like fried rice and orange chicken.

"Yellow." He answers. "Favorite...kind of music?"

"Don't have a favorite." I smile. "If it's catchy or has a nice meaning to it I generally like it."

We grab a drink from the refrigerators and walk to the line. We slide our trays down the line until we reach the cashier.

"I'm paying for his as well." I inform the lady at the register.

She examines my plate and Alexander's then calculates the total. "$15.56."

I hand her $16 and she hands back my small change. With a quick thank you, Alexander and I leave the line and find a table.

"So, you're a sophomore this year right?" I ask.

Alexander nods taking a bite out of his sub. We eat our meal in a comfortable silence. A small amount of students are gathered in the cafeteria.

"Not too many people take summer courses, huh." I muse looking at the lack of people.

Alexander shrugs. "The classes are harder during the summer. Since they're an accelerated course. Most people like to enjoy their summer."

His joking tone did not surpass me and I smile. "Speaking of enjoying the summer, what kind of fun can be had here?"

He ponders my question. "Well th-"

"Charlie!" A familiar voice calls to me.

An icy chills sink into my bones. I look up and see Emily making her way towards our table Jesse not too far behind.

"I wasn't sure if we would see you today, I'm so glad we did." Emily practically gushes as she joins our table.

"I didn't expect to see you here." I reply. How long has Jesse been here? "Are you taking a summer course?"

"Oh no, we work at the school store." Emily replies. "Jesse's off today but came to take me to lunch." She nudges Jesse's shoulder and smiles lovingly at him.

I stare at my food, suddenly not hungry anymore. It's going to be hard getting over him if I keep running into him. He said you were his cousin, it would be suspicious if he avoided you.

Zander squeezes my hand bringing me out of my thoughts. I spare him a small smile.

"Does the store pay good?" I ask  trying to make conversation and force myself to eat my lunch.

"Minimum wage." Emily replies, "so it gives me extra money for things that I want."

"Jesse!" A girl calls.

I turn in the direction the voice came from. A girl with golden blond hair and dark brown eyes is walking towards our table. She has a petite but nicely curved body. Her smile is dazzling. I feel Zander stiffen next to me.

"Hi Beth." Jesse greets in a bored tone.

If Beth smiles any wider I'm afraid her face will split open. She looks at each of us, her sights landing on Alexander last.

"Hi Zander." She greets.

"Hello Elizabeth." Zander replies putting an agitated emphasis on her full name.

"Emily." She nods.

Emily nods back but doesn't reply.

"And who might you be?" Elizabeth asks me with an intense glare.

I tense, I didn't like the way this girl was looking at me.

"I'm Ch-"

"This is Charlotte Hale." Zander interrupts and wraps an arm around my shoulder almost protectively. "My girlfriend."

I look down to hide my shock, hoping it would make me seem bashful. I scoot closer to Zander and smile up at him, composing myself to the perfect girlfriend. I should be an actress.

"I prefer to be called Charlie, nice to meet you." I hold out my hand and Elizabeth looks at it with distaste before turning her attention back to Jesse.

"I'm having a party this weekend. You're invited." She breezes.

"Oh a party how fun!" Emily squeals clapping her hands together.

Beth scowls at Emily, but the beautiful tanned saint is grabbing at my hand.

"You guys will come too, right?!"

I look at her flabbergasted and Emily blushes seeming to realize she had no right to invite anyone.

"I mean, if that's okay with you Beth. It will be your party."

Beth looks at Zander who refuses to meet her gaze. "I'd love for you two to come. The more the merrier right?" Her tone sends chills down my spine, her brown eyes so similar to Zander's color but holding none of the warmth that his holds.

"Sure." Zander says after a moment. "Charlie was just asking what kind of fun there was around here, no better fun than one of Beth's house parties. Isn't that right Sanders?" Zander's blank eyes hold Jesse's.

Jesse stares back but says nothing.

"Anyway," Zander sighs, "Charlie and I need to get going. I still have to show her around the medical side of the campus." With that he stands up and is heading towards the trash cans.

I quickly stand up holding my tray and, with a quick nod to everyone, I rush after Zander. We throw out trash away and he grabs my hand in his and begins to lead me out of the cafeteria.

"See you Saturday Zander!" Beth calls.

Zander's grip on my hand tightens and his pushes the door dragging me behind him. He pulls me along the well manicured campus until I think we've gone far enough and am pretty sure the circulation in my fingers are almost completely cut off. I dig my heels into the ground and pull my hand free.

"I think we're out of their sight now." I tell him massaging my hand where his grip had been.

Zander looks down at my hand shocked. "I'm sorry Charlie." He sighs.

I give him a widely smile. "No need to apologize. I was the one that got us into this pretending to date mess."

He looks away rubbing the back of his neck.

"I hope I didn't cause any riff between you and that girl back there. You two seemed...tense." I appease.

He gives me a wiry look. "No, you didn't do anything to us."

"Who is she?" I ask curiously.

He stares blankly in the direction we came from. "Elizabeth Hawthorne....my ex-girlfriend."

The only word that can come out of my mouth is, "oh."