Spy School: Prom?

Chapter 7: Lunch

Okay so I have the first 11 chapters all done and will be posting them soon. There are 15 chapters in total.

Academy of Espionage
The Mess
11:00 AM
Saturday
April 1st

Ben's POV:
I walked in with Zoe and I heard a few gasps as people saw me. While I wasn't super popular, I was well known and strangely an idol to some of the younger agents in training. Given that no one had seen me in a week, and before that, almost a month, besides classes, they were clearly surprised to see me out and about. Josh looked over and glared and I didn't know why until I saw Erica sending a worried glance my way. But why? I decided to ignore them and went to get my food. People kept staring.

"I'm not a ghost. And I'm not dead. Y'all can go back to you meals now." The wording suggested a choice but my tone did not. They all went back to their business and I went to sit by my friends.

"... hey guys." I said as I sat next to Mike and Chip.

"Hey Ben. You okay?" Jessica asked.

"I'm not sure yet."

"I'm glad you came to lunch out here today." Jawa said.

"Yeah, me too. We missed you." Chip added.

"All of us did." Zoe finished.

"Thanks guys. Sorry I just stopped coming. I just needed some space."

"It's cool man." Mike replied. "If you don't mind, what's wrong?"

"Yeah, we're really worried about you." Rebecca said.

"It was something to do with Erica, right?" Jawa asked.

My face turned red.

"Maybe. How'd you know?"

"We all did." Zoe answered.

"1) You've always really liked her and wanted to ask her out when Joshua swept in and did." Rebecca said.

"2) Her choosing Joshua over being friends with you had to really hurt." Jessica said with a sympathetic look.

"3) She hasn't stopped looking at you since you walked in." Chip said with a wink.

"4) We're your best friends who know you well." Mike put his hand on my shoulder.

"5) We're all spies. Word travels fast around here." Zoe smiled.

"Oh okay then. Wait a second. She's been looking at me?"

"Yes you doofus." Zoe joked.

I looked over at her and she seemed to be staring off into space at me like she was thinking about something really important and confusing. She waved and I nodded at her as if to say hi before I turned back to my friends. Just looking at her hurt.

"Hello? Ben?" Zoe asked.

"Yeah? Sorry just a little distracted."

"Hurts to look at her?" Mike guessed.

"Yeah. It hurts a lot. I really miss her and even though she's right there, I feel like she's gone. Like she doesn't care about me anymore. I thought we could still be friends but she hates me now and Joshua wants to murder me, so I doubt we will. And that kinda scares me. That a friendship I tried so hard to build just crumbled.

"Because you like her and love seeing her happy but hate seeing her happy without you? Like she doesn't need you or care about you?"

"Well she didn't need me in the first place. She doesn't need anyone. She can take care of herself just fine like we all know. But yeah. I want nothing more than to see her happy. But I just wish I could be the one to make her happy. Instead she's with him and gone."