From where I was sitting I could see that girl, Lai I think Tine had called her, sitting with her friends. I smiled when she laughed and joked with the guys she was with.
When I entered and heard some juniors speaking that way to her I instantly felt bad for her. They had no right to shame her that way just because she didn't look anorexic and so what! I hate those girls that don't look like they've eaten at all. I'm not saying all skinny girls are evil but I've met many that are.
My kid sister isn't a stick figure and I always want her to think she is beautiful and perfect the way she wants to be. From the way Lai had acted when the idiots taunted her, I knew no one had told her anything of the kind or at least not enough for her to believe them.
"Hey Nodt, it's your turn."
I turned to my friends to see Jun, my friend from high school, holding up a glass and waving it. Kit was smiling eagerly next to him nodding at me. I smiled and picked up our glasses and headed over to the bar.
The moment I finished ordering someone approached me. She was pretty cute, skinny and wearing way too much makeup. I smiled politely at her as she said hello.
"Hello, P'Nodt. My name's Plin, are you here alone?" she asked.
I shook my head and pointed back towards my friends.
"Oh, you're here with your friends. Can my friends and I join you guys?" she motioned to two equally done-up girls behind her who gave me a little wave.
"Sorry girls, guys' night out only," I said before paying for my drinks and leaving three clearly disappointed girls behind.
I don't like girls that obviously tried too hard to be pretty and my friends wouldn't be interested either. They've been into each other ever since freshman year but neither will do anything about it.
For a while now, I've been tempted to just tell them to get over themselves and start dating but I won't. They have to figure it out on their own. If one of them pays attention to anyone else the other gets jealous, it's hilarious to watch.
"I'm going to the bathroom," I told my friends as I put the drinks down.
On my way to the bathroom, I passed by Lai's table. She was telling them about some painting she was doing and I smiled.
'So, she's a painter. She must belong to the fine arts department,' I thought as I washed my hands.
I don't know why knowing which faculty she was in made me happy. As I went back to my friends I watched her out of the corner of my eye. Something told me I might be spending some time at the fine arts building.
---
On Monday, I managed to convince my friends to go to the fine arts cafeteria for lunch. They hadn't wanted to, but I promised to help them study if they did. Both of them are notoriously bad at studying so that worked.
I knew there was a reason why I hadn't come to this cafeteria in a long time. The minute the three of us walked in several girls approached us. It was tiring. I know that with my looks I can attract any girl but that doesn't mean I want to.
Jun and Kit were equally as handsome, we were known as the dream team. Jun was tall and muscular like me, his short spiky hair always looked like he had just woken up. Kit was the smaller of the three of us, he would dye his hair different colours every few months.
As they bickered about what to eat, I scanned the room. In the far corner, I could see Lai sitting alone. Her head was down and she seemed to be drawing. Once we got our food I headed over in her direction. Many girls offered us a seat next to them but we ignored them all.
I was about to sit down at the end of her row when I noticed three girls approaching Lai. A bad feeling settled in my stomach. I looked at my friends and they looked like they understood what I was going to do. We headed closer to the group just in time to hear them start.
"Lai! Why are you here all alone? Has Tine finally had enough of you?" one girl taunted whilst the other two giggled like hyenas.
She looked to be the queen bee of the group and the others were just her followers. She was tall, and slim with fake blonde hair. Her eyes looked too blue to not be contacts. All in all, she looked ridiculous.
"I bet Tine is screwing around with some thin, long-legged beauty instead of being with his fat, ugly best friend."
I was about to step in when Lai surprised me and spoke first. Her voice wasn't very strong but she held their gazes.
"If you knew anything about Tine then you would know he doesn't screw around with anyone. Don't insult him!"
The girls laughed but Lai smiled.
"He's always serious when he dates someone. Don't spread lies about him just because he was never interested in you," she said and I heard my friends chuckle.
The sound alerted the girls to our presence and I stepped forward. Lai blushed and looked down whilst the three girls arch their backs a little to push out their chests.
"P'Nodt? What are you doing here? If I knew you were going to eat here I would have waited so I could eat with you," she purred, acting as if we knew each other.
"If we knew you were going to be here we wouldn't have come," Jun smirked and she scowled at him before turning her smile back to me.
"P'Nodt, shall we go and sit over there," she asked as she pointed to some benches outside the Lain area. "That way we can talk without others around."
I put my tray of food down in front of where Lai was sitting, and sat down, completely ignoring the queen bee. Jun sat beside me and Kit placed his food in the space next to Lai, opposite Jun. We watched as he leisurely walked back and around the tables.
"P'Nodt? Didn't you hear me? Sitting out there is better than sitting in here. You might not be able to eat your food if you sit here."
I knew she was referring to Lai so I slowly turned to her.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" I asked as I stood and she blushed backing up. "You're speaking to me as if we know each other. You know my name but I don't know yours, nor do I want to. We came to see Lai, not you."
"You're here to see Lai?" she couldn't quite believe it. "Did Tine tell you to come to see her because she is a loser and doesn't have any other friends?"
This girl was really vile. I clenched my teeth and was about to speak when Jun put a hand on my shoulder and spoke up instead.
"I don't know who this Tine guy is but we don't sit with people just because we are asked to. If we did then wouldn't you be sitting with Nodt over on that table like you wanted."
She looked like she was ready to burst into flames, her face was bright red, even through the layers of makeup she was wearing.
"If we find out that you're still bullying Lai then I'll have to have a word with your teachers. This school is very serious about bullying," Kit said as he continued sitting next to Lai. "My dad is the dean of the university. I know he will take it very seriously if we tell him about you."
The two girls started to pull the queen bee away. All three of us chuckled as we watched them leave. Lai was the only one not laughing. I was worried that I'd upset her.
"Do those girls bother you a lot?" Kit asked.
Lai kept her head down but nodded. Jun reached over and patted her arm forcing her to look up at him. Her face was red and there were tears forming in her eyes. Now I was really worried I had upset her.
"Are you ok?" I asked hurriedly.
She wiped at her eyes and gave us all a weak smile.
"I'm fine, sorry, I …" she started. "No one's done that for me before."
My heart broke a little thinking no one had ever stood up for her.
"What about this Tine guy? They said he's your best friend right?" Kit asked, putting an arm around her shoulders for comfort.
"He is my best friend but it was different. No one would bother me when I was with him and he never saw what they did or said when he wasn't around."
"Didn't you ever tell him?" Jun asked, digging into his food.
Lai shook her head and gave him a wider smile.
"I didn't want to bother him, I'm used to it now so it doesn't bother me."
A part of me thought that she was lying, I believed it did bother her and she was just very good at hiding it. Another part of me thought she was being very brave and strong, just like I hope my little sister will be.
"What are you drawing?" Kit asked after we had watched her draw for a time whilst we ate our food.
"I'm trying to draw Tine, I'm not great at drawing people so I need to practise. Tine has modelled for me but it's still hard."
"Modelled? Like naked?" Jun asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
Lai blushed and a surge of jealousy spread through me like wildfire.
"No! Nothing like that!" She quickly said as she showed us the picture. "It's only his upper body."
My jealousy lowered as I chuckled.
"Jun stop teasing her," I scolded playfully he held up his hands and we all laughed, even Lai joined in. "Oh, by the way, we haven't introduced ourselves yet. My name's Nodt and these two idiots are my best friends Kit and Jun."
They looked cross before laughing again.
"I'm Chailai but everyone calls me Lai," she smiled.
"Chailai? That's pretty what does it mean?" Kit asked and she blushed.
"You just said it, it means pretty."
"Fitting," I mumbled but I think she heard me if the blush was anything to go by.
"Why are you guys really here?" she asked after the laughter had faded.
"We already said," Jun told her. "We came to see you."