The school bell rang, its familiar chime echoing through the corridors. Students around me began to stir, packing up their things in a symphony of rustling papers and zipping bags. I followed suit, sliding my books into my backpack.
As I stood up, I caught Catherine's eye. She gave me a friendly wave and I returned the gesture. We made our way to the cafeteria, navigating through the bustling crowd of students.
As we entered the cafeteria, Catherine and I scanned the room for a place to sit. We finally settled on a spot in the corner of the room, somewhat removed from the busiest areas.
I started unpacking my lunch from the cafeteria – a neatly arranged selection of a sandwich, fruit, and a small salad. Catherine, on the other hand, pulled out a lunchbox from home, revealing a homemade sardines meal that looked delicious.
Catherine noticed I was gawking and picked pieces of her food with her spoon, "We can share if you want." She offered but I shook my head.
"Thanks but I'll pass, I don't really like fish."
"You don't? But they're so good and nutritious!"
"I know I know, spare me your 20 slides presentation, and it's not like I don't like the taste, I actually think it's delicious but, I don't like thorns and bone in it. I fear it will be stuck in my throat."
Catherine laughed, "Really I didn't expect that, don't worry the likelihood of that is quite low."
"I'd rather not take the chance." I replied as we began to eat,
"But I wish I had homemade meals prepared for me," I mused, poking at my food. "It's not like I need it, and it would only be bothersome for the staff to prepare it every morning, so..."
Catherine listened intently, then nodded in understanding. "No, I get it. When someone prepares lunch for you, it's their way of showing they care. Homemade meals have that... special touch of home, you know?"
"Yeah," I smiled faintly, "Home." I echoed
Catherine finished a bite of her meal and then stood up. "I'm going to head to the restroom. Can you wait for me here?"
"Sure, no problem," I replied, watching her leave.
Left alone at the table, I took another bite of my sandwich. Home..I scoffed, my home is no where near here. My home wasn't perfect but it was still home for me, sometimes I still think it's a dream, and I'll wake up any second and come back. But when I look at Catherine, the splitting image of the main character, I realize this is real and this is my reality now.
I sighed.
Suddenly, Seliana and the other girl approached my table. They looked furious almost.
"Aurelia, we need to talk," Seliana said, her tone serious.
I set down my sandwich, oh brother…
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Confrontation—a thing I don't necessarily do well. With the right people. If it is with the wrong people, let's say a bunch of petty sixteen-year-olds then yeah, I'd say I can handle myself pretty well.
Like right now, in a far-end corner of the cafeteria, Seliana and the other one towered before me.
None of us spoke for a while until the other one spoke for what I'd assumed to be the first time in history, "Aurelia," she said, "did we...Did we do something wrong?"
I shrugged, "I don't know, did you?" I titled my head.
"I—"
"No." Seliana cut her off, "We didn't. We were perfectly nice to you and you just..tore us off from your life."
"Oh." I breathe a chuckle, "Ooh, I see okay, then let's just rip off the bandage off and say I don't want to be friends with you."
The two of them stepped backward slightly, "What?" Seliana fumbled, "You really…you're really going to ditch us? F-For what? For her? For your aunt?"
I looked up to ponder before looking towards them and nodding, "Yeah pretty much."
The other girl gasped as Seliana's jaw tightened, "Well, if you don't have any more to say then." I turned to walk away but then a hand yanked my arm backward.
"You-!" Seliana exclaimed, "I can make your life a living hell for this. How dare you!"
"How dare I? Come on Seliana we both know we weren't really friends, you were just using me because of my reputation, weren't you?"
"No Aurelia, I don't even know what you're talking about!"
I huffed, "Forget this, I won't argue with someone beyond reasoning." I yanked my arm out of her grasp and walked away easily. My steps fastened for each seconds until I turned a right to a different hallway.
I released a long sigh as I leaned against the wall.
'Make my life a living hell' she says, I scoffed.
"What's she going to do, organize a boycott against me in the cafeteria?" I mumbled to myself, rolling my eyes. The idea was almost laughable. After all, in this scripted world of high school dramas, such threats seemed more petty than perilous.
"Aurelia?"
"What?" I snapped. Before promptly shutting my stupid mouth.
Luke Kaiser, the male lead standing right in front of me. Oh goody gumdrop, this is just what I need right now.
I plastered on a smile, "I mean..what do you want?" The tone could be better but an improvement from my previous statement nonetheless.
The guy stared at me, probably wondering why he's even bothered to open his mouth to me. After a while he spoke, "Are you alright? You seem…" He looked down at me, "..shaken."
It's only now I noticed my trembling hands, I hid them behind my back, "I'm fine." I mumbled. "Just fine." I looked around, finding no students around us, that was good, Seliana is nowhere near by. It's a pretty secluded place after all, a staircase down to some rooms like computer lab and auditorium. Which speaking of..
"What are you doing here?" Leave it to me to cut to the chase.
"Oh, I um," He stammered, he clung to the hem of shirt, "..nothing?" He winced.
I almost did too before a faint sounds caught my attention, humming, an acapella melody with guitar stringing along to the beat of a drum.
I tilted my head before suddenly moving down the staircase, I heard Luke's footstep close behind. I followed the melody, until I reached a room. It was the auditorium and there was a band on stage. Playing what appeared to be an original melody, upbeat and cheery.
"Huh," I said, "I always knew there was a music club but I honestly didn't think they're this good."
"Why would you think that?" Luke asked.
"Well, people don't really take them seriously. I mean the most we've ever hear them play was just at some events. But," I turned towards the band, the melody gradually slowing down to a softer tune, "it's nice, you think so too, right?"
"Oh uh, I don't know.."
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"No I meant…" He sighed, he stared off at them playing to their heart content, "They're good, really good."
The look in his eyes, it's almost the same as a kid looking out the window to see their friends playing and wishing to be with them soon.
I smiled, and this time it was genuine, "You want to play, don't you?"
"W-What? No I can't-"
"Why can't you?"
"I..my dad..I..I just can't."
I searched through his expression, as if I looked hard enough it may give me a straight answer. Eventually I just nodded, "Okay." I finally said, "Can't force you to do something you don't want."
I turned my back from him, stepping away and approaching the staircase and left. Not like I have any inspiring words to say really. Not when I'm in the same position as him. Parents, they all share a part in a child's decision, don't they?