lisp [e. kaspbrak]

two

start song— american idiot by green day

lunch was the rowdiest time of the day. four grades, 1200 kids all chattering for 41 minutes. kole skipped out on the cuisine quite often. her growling stomach had no say. she wasn't going to waste money on food if she could potentially die from it.

she stomped down the hall to get to her lunch spot, which was located under the old weeping willow tree. she longed for the safe soundings of it's leaves and smell of the bark.

her book bag hung loosely off her left shoulder, leaving it to sway with her strides. kole almost made it out the front doors without an interruption. almost.

"mrs. elenski, what have i told you about derry highs dress code?" the preppy voice of the vise principal, mrs. carraway, rang through the girl's ears. kole rolled her eyes before turning around. her shirt came above her belly button, showing off the skin of her stomach. the shorts that hung from her hips didn't cover much either, though kole did tie a flannel around her waist.

"have i told you how much i don't care?" kole sighed, placing all of her weight onto her left leg. kole knew she better clean up her act. she didn't want to be sent away to a new school, again. but the smart one liners rolled off her tongue as though it was her first language.

"do not talk to me that way young lady."

"i'm just being honest."

"tomorrow i expect you to be dressed appropriately, and take that ring out of your nose!" the middle aged woman huffed before strutting away. kole fixed her septum ring before flipping the woman off, though she was long gone.

kole pushed past the metal doors, before her sneakers danced around the green grass of the soccer field. the weeping willow was calling out for her. though, she noticed someone sitting underneath it already.

the closer she walked, the more she recognized the figure. eddie sat under the leaves starring down at his sketch book, which was set neatly in his lap. his posture was straight, as he gazed out toward the amber lit trees.

"what are you doing here?" kole sighed, dropping her book bag onto the grass in front of the boy.

"i wanted to work on our project," eddie murmured, picking up an apple slice from his lunch pale. he anxiously picked at the fruits skin.

"that defeats the purpose of the project," she grumbled, sitting in front of eddie. she notices how his over grown hair was starting to curl. the sun bleached strains blinded her from his eyes. she found herself wondering what comfort his eyes brought.

"what do you mean?" he asked, running the hand that hadn't touched the apple through his brown hair.

"the assignment was to find a way to draw your partner without them noticing," kole explained, stealing an apple slice from eddie.

"oh..." eddie started to pack up his things, before standing from the grass. he delicately brushed off his jeans, and straighten out his shirt. kole let him walk away before speaking up.

"where are you going?"

"back inside?"

"why?" kole took her spot back as she leaned up against the trunk. feeling the bark scratch at her bare skin. the scraps lingered comfort to her. she smiled at the feeling of home. kole tossed a small stick up towards the bellowing branches.

"because i thought you wanted me to?"

"i didn't say that."

the boy walked back, this time sitting beside kole and not across from her. he grabbed his lunch pale back out of his book bag. offering some of the snacks to kole. he noticed her empty hands as she walked over to her. her stomach was screaming for attention, and he noticed.

"why did you want me to stay?" eddie spoke up after a while of silence. looking at the blonde. the way her shoulders slumped as she sat as though she wanted to just disappear.

"been through some stuff, and wanted someone to talk to."

"sounds like you need a therapist," kole nudged the boy's shoulder and rolled her eyes.

"i don't need a therapist, i need friends."