Soul of Roses

Track Two

I tried to ignore Noah the rest of lunch, but he kept asking questions.

"Do you remember me?" he asked. "I used to sit behind you in Algebra last year."

"No," I said. "I don't." I opened up my bag of chips and took one out of the bag. That's when I noticed that Noah didn't have a lunch.

"You're thinking I must be hungry, huh?" he said. "No, to answer your question. I ate during English."

"I wasn't wondering," I lied.

He laughed for a while. "Would it kill you to try and warm up to people?" he asked. "I'm trying to make an effort to be friends with you and you're totally shutting me out. Why?"

"Maybe because I don't need friends," I said. "Did you ever think maybe I don't want a friend?"

"Don't be silly," he said. "Everyone needs friends. Come on. You must have one."

"I do," I said. "Just one and that's perfect enough for me."

"What's her name?" he asked. I stared at him for a while. "What?" he asked. "I'm curious."

"His name is Will," I said.

"Oh, sorry... I just assumed-"

"You assumed wrong," I said, stuffing a handful of chips into my mouth.

He sighed. "I really don't get why you're being so rude..."

Once I swallowed the chips, I said, "Do you know why people don't like me?" He shook his head innocently. "They think I'm weird, different, and insane. So if you think that will ruin your rep, I suggest you buzz off."

He laughed. "That's why I like you. You're different. Not some cliché girl," he said. "It makes you interesting."

He watched me eat for a while. It was starting to get creepy. I felt very awkward. I sighed and finished the rest of my chips.

"So, what's your story?" he asked. "Like your hobbies and interests and things like that?"

He is genuinely trying to get to know me... I thought.

"Um..." I said. "I like drawing and being by myself."

Noah smiled and said, "Do you have anything with you?" I nodded. "Well, can I see it?"

I stared at the table for a while, thinking if I should show him or not. I figured I might as well. He seemed ok...

I nodded and got out my drawing notebook. It was a black spiral that I drew in during class. Most of the drawings inside were of the different souls that visited me. I slid the notebook over to him and he picked it up.

"Wow..." he said, flipping through the pages. "I can't even draw an orange. These are really cool. Who are they?"

"Random people," I said.

"Are you in art? 'Cause these are top notch," he said. I nodded. He slid the notebook back to me and I put it back into my backpack. "What kind of music do you listen to? You seem to always have ear buds in."

"Alternative and occasionally metal," I said. "Depends on my mood."

"Ooh!" he said. "Do you know Young the Giant?" I nodded. "Really? You're, like, the first person to ever know them."

"They're not my favorite, but they're pretty cool," I said.

He kept smiling ear to ear. I don't even know why, but something made me want to at least try to become friends... Maybe.

"What's your number?" he asked. "I'll put you in my phone." My eyes widened. "What?" he asked. "Is that bad?"

I shook my head. "No one's ever asked for my number before..." I said. I got my phone out of my sweatshirt pocket and opened up my contacts.