The Pops, The Nerds, The Outcasts, And The Boy

Elliana, The School's Scientist And Engineer

Everyone in my friend group has something they are really good at. For Sarah, it's math. For Savannah, it's English and for me, it's always been science. There's just something about science that really intrigues me. My house has all my winning science fair projects and I engineered a device that looked like a normal bracelet but really it made load beeping noises to warn a person to take their epilepsy medication if it could sense a seizure coming. It won multiple awards and a patent. But I don't like to brag about it. I walk into the cafeteria with Sarah and Savannah to get some lunch.

"Look," Sarah whispers to me. I turn my head to see "Kam" yelling at the poor lunch lady, Miss Long.
"Carrots are good for you," Miss Long said.
"If carrots make you see better, then that means I won't need glasses!," Kamryn argued. "I went to the optometrist with my little sister Khloe last week and I saw the cutest pair of glasses! I need those so bad! So no, I'm not taking those carrots!"
"Please just take it," Miss Long said.
"Kam already told you no so why push?," "Gia" said.
"Do you not care about a girl's fashion sense?," "Lilli" questioned Miss Long.
"Fine.," Miss Long surrendered. "You don't need to take the carrots if you don't want it."
"Good!," Kamryn said with a sassy tone.
"God," Savannah says. "What is wrong with her?"
"I know right," I said.

I looked at Lilli, Kam, and Gia exit the lunch line and I think about Lilliana. You see, Lilliana Ketchman and I used to be best friends since we were in the third grade. Abby gave us a lot of duets together when we were in like in junior high and we won all of them. We had a connection like no other and we were made for each other. I never thought anything could separate us. Until something did. Or should I say someone? And her name is GiaNina Paolantonio. Lilliana met GiaNina at a dance competition where Gia was dancing for her home studio, Synergy Dance Academy and Lilli was dancing for the ALDC. They immediately clicked and took each other's phone numbers. Lilli now ignored me in favor of GiaNina. And when Lilliana and GiaNina met Kamryn Smith, it only got worse. Now she mostly ignores me but she makes fun of me from time to time. I am grateful to have Sarah and Savannah as my friends, but I sometimes wish I could have Lilliana back.

"You okay?," Sarah asks me. "You're being oddly quiet Elli."
"I'm fine," I say, dismissing Sarah's concerns.
"Are you thinking about Lilli?," Savannah asks me. I nod my head no. "Don't worry about her," Savannah comforts me. "She wasn't meant to be for you Elli and that's okay!"
"Thank you Sav," I meekly respond.
I don't feel hungry anymore. I need some alone time. "Hey you guys, can I go to the library to work on something for English class?," I ask.
"Sure!," Sarah responded. "Don't want to get old Mrs. Lam upset!"
We lightheartedly giggle for a couple seconds.
"See ya!," I cheerfully waved goodbye to my friends.

I glance at Lilli eating with GiaNina and Kamryn while getting up. She seems like she doesn't have a care in the world, eating and chatting and  giggling. But unfortunately, I have all the cares in the world, mostly about the things I shouldn't really care about like my broken friendship with Lilliana Ketchman. As I make myself snug in the library's chair reading my favorite book "The Perks Of Being A Wallflower" by Stephan Chbosky, I wonder, "Could all my caring possibly mend my broken friendship with Lilli?" And if I'm being honest, I really don't know.