The four girls wrapped up their stuff as quickly they could and swooshed past the boys. They saw Grace leaning against the wall with her eyes shut. She fluttered them when she noticed her friend's gaze at her.
"Only 5 seconds were left."
They covered the distance up to her. Sarah held Grace closer to her body as she linked their hands. Grace grimaced as she disliked Sarah acting like a kid but she didn't shake off her hold from her hands.
The two of them walked ahead of the other three.
They reached the university canteen and they were stunned to see it jam-packed.
Ivy held the strap of her bag, "I don't think we will get a seat for us."
She said as she chewed her chewing gum. Iris nodded at her. Athena kept her lips sealed.
Grace inspected the whole canteen with her eyes and still, she couldn't seem to locate a single vacant place. Every corner where her gaze landed she was welcomed with the sea of a crowd of students.
Sarah pouted her red painted lips, "Girl, I am hungry…. What to do?"
For a while no one spoke, Athena said in an uncaring note, "The only possible thing is that we can have our lunch in the garden or either we wait and waste all of our time and the break will get over and we won't get a chance to eat a small portion of food."
Her words made sense to the girls. They agreed with her idea of eating in the garden of the University.
"So, Me, Ivy and Sarah will go and buy our lunch for today. Athena and Grace can go to the garden or if they want they could wait for us."
Iris looked at Athena and Grace to ask for their opinion. Athena glanced around her and she knew she would rather be anywhere but not the canteen.
A hurried boy collided with Grace and she fell in the embrace of Athena, she held both shoulders of Grace to avoid getting hit.
Sarah was about to yell at the boy but they didn't see him there. That boy had run away after stumbling. He didn't care if he had unintentionally hurt someone in his hustle.
They could see Sarah burning in anger. Iris prevented her from taking any rushed decision.
"Calm down, my tigress."
Iris hugged Sarah's waist and put all her weight on her back. Her idea got successful and Sarah stopped struggling.
Athena felt she needed to talk with Grace alone, she looked at Ivy and she understood her.
Ivy cleared her throat, "Sarah, let it be. Leave that guy. He didn't do it purposely and we don't have much time before our lunch break is over so it would be better if we focus more on filling up our empty stomachs."
Sarah took deep breaths to subside her rage.
"I am good now."
"Fine, I am leaving you but don't scramble," Iris said as she slowly let Sarah out from her grip.
She got satisfied after she saw Sarah standing there and not going on her hunt to find the culprit.
Sarah roamed her eyesight around when she couldn't see Athena and Grace with them, "Where are those two?"
Ivy walked, "They are gone to the garden. It is a better place than this cramped up canteen."
"I never knew that this university had so many students," Sarah grumbled as she got bumped into some more students. Few of them even made it seem like it was her fault, this riled her up but she couldn't give a piece of the brain because Ivy had her wrist tightly in her grasp.
Athena and Grace took watchful steps to the university garden since during this time most of the students rushed and hassled through the corridor. They would not want to get clashed and fall on their butts down on the ground.
The garden was hardly a five-minute walk from the canteen however due to the army of students scattered every corner. The five minutes journey turned into ten minutes.
Grace breathed in the fresh air of the garden. She smiled as she felt the warmth from the sun rays on her skin. She spread out her arms and let the cool breeze pass through her.
Athena lingered behind her. Grace faced her as her mood lifted the moment she stepped into the garden and caught the natural beauty of it.
Grace is a nature lover, she loves to spend her leisure time under the veil of nature. It had always been her haven. Nature had given her the silence she needed whenever she found herself stuck. Even now, observing the beauty of the garden, her worsened temperament turned bright and happy. All the credit goes to Athena since she was the one to suggest the idea of having their meal in the garden.
Grace happily ran to Athena, she hugged her, "Thank you."
Grace knew Athena proposed this idea as she was aware of what Grace needed to cool off her brain and distract her. Syluis has given his best to annoy and get under her skin.
Athena gave Grace soft pats on her back. Grace broke the hug and she leaned back. Athena noticed a few tears dripping from her eyes but instantly Grace wiped them with the back of her hand. However, this act was not ignored by Athena instead she just didn't try to stress Grace again and demand her to grant her answers. She had an inkling feeling about Grace's mood swing. Although she hoped that her guesses were wrong.
"Where should we have our lunch?"
Grace asked as she searched the garden to find a good place. A good place meant avoiding the direct fall of sun rays. They needed to locate a big tree that could provide a large shade.
Athena too, surveyed and her gaze landed on the tall tree standing upright and in its full glory. The tree had green leaves. It had a thick woody trunk. She could see some yellow leaves camouflaging themselves with the green ones.
Grace followed Athena's gaze when she heard no words from her friend.
"Athena as always you have the eye to find the best among the mess. We can doubt ourselves but never on you and your choices."
She appreciated Athena and led her to the same tree.