Still Charmed

33. Life on the Line

December 20, 2019

Chris's POV

I grabbed my lunch and weaved my way through the crowd, finding Sam at our regular lunch table and sitting across from him.

Chris: Was Jason in your English class this morning?

Sam shook his head as I caught Wyatt's eye over Sam's head across the cafeteria. I shook my head causing Wyatt to shrug.

Sam: Why are you so obsessed with Jason this week?

Sam took a bite of his hamburger as he stared at me, waiting for my answer. I shrugged.

Chris: I'm not obsessed.

Sam: Please. At lunch every day this week you've been asking me if I saw Jason that morning. When I say 'no,' you look across the cafeteria, at who I'm assuming is your brother, then shrug it off like you're not obsessed with him.

I stared at Sam, one part surprised that he noticed and one part annoyed that he said something. I sighed and grabbed my burger, picking at the bun.

Chris: It's nothing. It's just something Wyatt and I have been working on.

Sam raised an eyebrow as I took a bite of my burger.

Sam: Well ...?

I looked at him and shrugged.

Chris: Well what?

Sam: Are you going to tell me what you're working on?

I shook my head.

Chris: It's a family thing.

Sam nodded and sighed before grabbing his tray and standing up.

Sam: It's always a "family thing."

Sam stared at me for a few seconds before walking off toward the garbage. I sighed as I watched Sam walk away but my attention was quickly averted to the cafeteria exit where I swear I just saw Jason walk through. I grabbed my tray and speed walked toward the garbage, almost knocking Sam over in the process.

Sam: Whoa, speedy.

I ignored him as I dumped my food, grabbing my burger, because why not. Sam stared at me as I walked away. I signaled Wyatt and pointed toward the exit. Wyatt nodded before saying something to his friends. I quickly left the cafeteria. Jason was toward the end of the hall. I called out to him.

Chris: Jason!

Jason turned his head around, looked at me, and quickly walked in the opposite direction. I raised an eyebrow before jogging, following Jason. I heard Wyatt call my name behind me. I turned around and jogged backwards as Wyatt caught up to me.

Wyatt: Is that Jason?

I nodded and turned back to face the front.

Chris: Yeah. I called to him but he turned away.

Jason turned a corner ahead of us. Wyatt and I jogged to the corner only to find no one there.

Chris: Where'd he go?

I looked around the hallway. Wyatt walked into the hallway, examining it.

Wyatt: He probably went into one of the classrooms.

Wyatt gestured to the dozens of classrooms lining the hallway.

Chris: You mean, a class that is in session? It's Jason's lunch hour right now; why would he go into a class he's not in?