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Time flew by quickly, and class was more engaging than usual for Lisa. She focused intently on the teacher, asking questions whenever she felt lost, determined to shake off the remnants of her past life. By the time lunch rolled around, she found herself heading to the cafeteria alone. She had no real friends at school, only acquaintances. The shadows of her past loomed large; after everything that had happened, she felt a sense of caution when it came to forming connections. Her previous experiences with her classmates had left scars—no one had sympathized with her then, even when she was innocent.
Feeling a pang of loneliness, Lisa texted Jade, suggesting they meet for lunch. The response came back swiftly: Jade didn't feel like going out. As Lisa entered the bustling cafeteria, she spotted Jade laughing animatedly with a group of girls. A dull ache formed in her chest. So that's what Jade meant—she didn't want to go out with Lisa, not that she didn't want to go out at all. Lisa swallowed her disappointment. No one likes being ditched.
Searching for a place to sit, she noticed a familiar face at the end of the hall. With a small resolve, she approached the table.
"Hey," Lisa said, trying to sound cheerful.
"Hey," the girl responded, her eyes still on her food, clearly shy.
"If you don't mind, can I join you?" Lisa asked, the question hanging in the air like a tentative bridge.
The girl finally looked up, surprised. "I don't mind. It's your choice."
"Okay," Lisa replied as she sat down, noting how the girl was picking nervously at her food. They had never spoken before, but Lisa remembered that this girl had never insulted or mocked her. Instead, Cassie Blake had always watched her with an expression of pity, an unwanted but familiar gaze.
Lisa decided to break the ice. "You might not recognize me," she began, aiming for lightness.
The girl nodded slowly.
"I'm Lisa Powers, your classmate," Lisa continued, gauging her reaction.
"I know who you are," Cassie replied, her voice softening with a slight smile.
With that confirmation, Lisa opted for honesty. "Can I ask something? I hope you won't reject me, but I'd like us to be friends. I like you, and I hope you won't say no."
Cassie chuckled, her initial reserve slipping. "I didn't know you were such a straightforward person. Even if I wanted to reject you, could I?"
"If that's a question, then your answer should be that you can't reject me, because now it's not an option," Lisa said playfully, her smile widening.
Cassie laughed, her nerves easing. "I think I like you already. If someone were to eavesdrop on our conversation, they'd think you were trying to court me without considering my opinion."
Lisa couldn't help but laugh. "You're funny."
"And you're bold. Let's exchange numbers, friend," Cassie suggested, a hint of excitement in her voice.
"I thought you'd never ask," Lisa winked. They exchanged numbers and chatted effortlessly, as if a long-lost bond had been reformed. For the first time in a long while, Lisa felt genuinely happy at school.
They continued their lunch together, discussing everything from school gossip to their favorite music. Cassie mentioned a friend, a guy who would be resuming school the next day, and she hoped Lisa wouldn't mind him joining them for lunch.
"Why would I mind?" Lisa assured her. "Any friend of yours is definitely my friend. The more, the merrier."
After lunch, they returned to class together. Lisa told Cassie to meet her at the parking lot after school, offering to drive her home. Cassie happily agreed, visibly excited.
As they walked back to class, Lisa caught sight of Lucas again. Her heart raced, an involuntary response she could not control. She quickly turned her gaze away, but not without a sense of unease. What was it about him that evoked such strong emotions?
"Lisa, are you even listening to me?" Cassie's voice broke through her thoughts.
"Oh, sorry. I got carried away. What were you saying?" Lisa asked, shaking off the distraction.
"Well, forget about it," Cassie said, hesitating before adding, "Do you know him?"
"Do I know who?" Lisa feigned ignorance, though the tension in her chest told a different story.
"Lucas," Cassie clarified, her tone casual but with an underlying curiosity. "The school's Golden Boy."
"Why would I want to know him? He's not important enough for me to care," Lisa replied coldly, the words coming out sharper than she intended.
"Are you sure?" Cassie pressed, her brows furrowing slightly in concern.
Lisa nodded firmly. "Why do you ask?"
"Because if I remember correctly, you used to be one of his fan girls. Maybe I was wrong," Cassie said with a teasing smile.
"You're dead wrong," Lisa snapped, anger flaring at the memory of her former infatuation. "I could never like someone like him. Only blockheads would, and I'm not one of them." She wanted to add more, to explain the twisted history they shared, but that was a story for another time. "Let's hurry to class," she added, eager to change the subject as they entered the classroom, her heart still racing from the encounter.
Meanwhile, Cassie had been sitting in the cafeteria when she noticed Lisa heading her way. To her surprise, Lisa asked to be her friend. As they spoke, Cassie found herself liking Lisa more than she anticipated. She hadn't known that Lisa had such a sweet side, hidden beneath the layers of her past.
As they walked back to class, Cassie noticed the way Lisa looked at Lucas, a complicated mix of disgust and something deeper. It was confusing. Cassie had always thought Lisa adored Lucas, but now she seemed to despise him. The contrast intrigued her. She couldn't wait to tell Jason about her new friend. She was excited to finally have a girlfriend to share things with and was already looking forward to girls' nights out.
On the other side of the school, Lucas had just finished lunch and was heading back to class with his buddy Derek when he saw Lisa with a different girl. His gaze locked onto Lisa, but she quickly looked away, her expression unreadable. Lucas felt an odd sensation twist in his gut as he caught a glimpse of the disgust in her eyes. Why did her reaction matter to him?
"Hey, Lucas, what are you staring at so intently?" Derek nudged him, breaking his concentration.
Lucas continued looking at Lisa but replied, "Do you notice anything strange about her? Never mind, it's nothing important."
"Are you sure? Because the way you're looking at her makes it seem like she's important to you," Derek teased.
Lucas scoffed, his heart racing for reasons he couldn't comprehend. "You know how I feel about girls. I'm not interested in her. She's not my type, anyway."
Derek laughed. "So you have a type now, and she's it, right?"
When Derek said that, it hit Lucas right in the heart. Was she his type? What was he even thinking? "Whatever. I won't drive you home if you keep talking about her," Lucas warned, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.
"Come on, man, it's not that serious," Derek called after him, but Lucas had already turned away, his mind swirling with confusion and intrigue, unaware of the emotional storm brewing around him.
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