I trailed after Kyle like a lost puppy, but he didn't seem to care—or maybe he was just pretending not to. He walked with this detached, almost lazy confidence, hands stuffed in his pockets, his gaze always just past me. But every so often, his jaw tightened, or he'd glance over his shoulder like he was checking to make sure I hadn't disappeared. He hardly spoke, and when I did, he'd shrug me off with a grunt or a one-word answer. I don't think he has any friends. Not that he seemed to mind.
"The cafeteria is that way," he spoke pointing down the hall. His eyes darted past me like he was eager to escape.
The hallway buzzed with life—students weaving through the crowd, laughter spilling from small groups by their lockers, and the metallic clang of a door slamming shut. I'd been trailing after Kyle so long I hadn't even noticed it was lunch break. Honestly, I needed it. Moving from class to class, introducing myself over and over, had left me drained. And I was starving.
"Aren't you coming?" I asked, glancing at him.
Kyle hesitated, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Nah, I'm good," he mumbled, not quite meeting my eyes. Then he turned on his heel and walked away without another word.
That was weird but also none of my business. Well, I guess I'm back to being on my own. I followed the crowd, weaving through the sea of students heading in the same direction. A few people threw me sneaky glances while others openly stared, their expressions a mix of curiosity and judgment, which was weird considering today was my first day. The endless introductions in every class didn't help. I was drained, but at least food was in sight.
The cafeteria had an upscale vibe—clean, modern, and surprisingly cozy, which made me wonder what was underneath. After all, clean carpets usually have dusk underneath. Long wooden tables filled the space, with students scattered in small groups, chatting or quietly eating. The food looked good—nothing gourmet, but better than you'd expect for a school lunch.
The chatter was a constant hum, broken only by the occasional burst of laughter. The smell of warm bread and rich coffee lingered in the air. It was easy to forget this was just a school cafeteria—until Rose's voice sliced through the noise, with an excited squeal.
My stomach dropped. Of course, it was Rose. I spotted her at a table, surrounded by what I assumed were her friends, waving wildly as if her life depended on me joining her.
I didn't want to. Every fiber of my being wanted to turn around and eat in the hallway or something, but her obnoxious enthusiasm—and the stares from everyone else—left me with little choice. Reluctantly, I headed over, hoping that sitting down would make everyone lose interest in me.
"So, guys, this is my new friend Lyra!" Rose exclaimed as I took a seat next to her, practically bouncing in her seat as she gestured for everyone to look at me.
"Friend might be a stretch," I muttered under my breath, but Rose either didn't hear or didn't care.
I had no idea who was sitting next to me, except for Rose. I wanted to stay clear of the popular crowd, yet I found myself smack in the middle of the cafeteria with the IT table, and while most tables were packed, this one only had seven people— now eight, including me. Time to put on my big girl pants and get the hell out of here.
"I'm Lyra, and it's nice to meet you all," I said after an awkward smile; I don't know if it looked awkward, but it felt that way, forcing my cheeks to stretch both ways.
"Excuse my friend," a girl said gently pushing Rose. "We don't get new students very often. I'm Amy," she was pretty, with soft features framed by a round face, short brown hair, and big brown doe eyes.
"And this is my boyfriend, Adrian." Amy leaned her head on the shoulder of a blonde guy with piercing blue eyes and a jawline straight out of a magazine. He gave me a polite nod, and I managed a small smile back.
"Run while you still can", another girl said dramatically, voice light as she smiled. She had the nicest nose I'd ever seen and bright green eyes that sparkled with mischief. Her long strawberry-blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders. "Riley." She said with a smile.
"I wish someone had given me that advice," another voice added. I turned my head to see a boy with black hair and dark eyes who looked like they couldn't care less. He had a more rugged, wild look. "And I'm Blake."
"Oh, we've met," his voice was calm, but his eyes... they weren't. I turned only to see none other than Jayden. It made sense that Jayden was popular. From his wavy brown hair to his striking eyes, he had that effortless charm that drew people in. But there was something else—a quiet intensity like he carried secrets as heavy as mine. It was... unsettling.
"This morning," I said holding his gaze. There was a flicker of something there—recognition, maybe? Or suspicion? Whatever it was, it was gone in an instant.
Jayden's eyes lingered on me for a beat longer than necessary. It wasn't quite curiosity—it was sharper, like he was trying to figure me out. I looked away first, suddenly feeling like I was on trial. I was getting death glares from the girl next to him, so I redirected my attention to my food, and I was once again reminded that I hadn't eaten that day.
"Made any friends yet?" Riley asked.
"Nope," I said having a feeling that Kyle wouldn't like me talking about him very much.
"Now you're just hurting my feelings," Rose said with a fake baby voice and a pout.
I couldn't help smiling as I unpacked the lunch I had made and took a big bite of my sandwich; I was starving to the point that I completely forgot I was surrounded by people I didn't know; for a second, it was just me and my food.
"Somebody missed breakfast," the girl sitting next to Jayden sneered, her eyes flicking to my lunch like I was some kind of circus act. She let out a sharp, mocking laugh before adding, "You're going to choke, honey—though that might be the most exciting thing you've ever done."
"Stop bitching, Andy," Riley said immediately clearly annoyed.
Andy scoffed, flipping her hair. "I'm sure you know all about bitching since you are one."
"Why the fuck are you even here? Last I check, Jayden doesn't need your assistance if it's not in the bed," Riley said, enraged. "And quite frankly nobody likes you."
"That's..... true" Blake smirked and Rose and Amy giggled.
She gave Blake the middle finger before continuing "I guess it's true—pigs from the same mud always stick together," Andy spat, her glare shifting between me and Riley like we were the filth she was talking about. Her lip curled, disgust practically dripping from her words.
"Did you come up with that all by yourself?" I said, keeping my voice flat. Andy's glare could've burned through steel, but out of the corner of my eye, I caught Jayden smirking. It wasn't much, but it felt like a small victory for some reason.
"I'm going to fucking kill you," Andy screamed, Iike it was the easiest thing to do in the world, even if she was joking or not, I won't go around throwing that word so carelessly; she doesn't understand that killing doesn't bring you joy.
The little smile I had withered away. The screams, the smell of blood, and the bodies came rushing back. I was there again in whatever pack that we raided, surrounded by death. So many people promised to end me, but none ever succeeded.
"That's enough," Jayden commanded. The atmosphere changed. Andy seemed generally terrified but I was too in my head to care. Jayden's brow furrowed as he glanced at me. "You okay?" he asked,
I nodded quickly, forcing a tight smile.
"Fine."
He didn't look convinced, but he let it go. Still, his eyes lingered for a second longer. I have to get out of here "It was truly nice meeting you all." I turned to look at Andy. "Well... except you." I did my million-dollar smile before getting up, taking the remainder of my lunch, and leaving.
I felt sick to my stomach; I somehow ended up in the bathroom in one of the stalls doing my breathing exercises; I did five of them before calming down. By the time I knew it, lunch break was over, and I missed class. I've never skipped class before, but this is what teenagers normally do, and I am trying to be normal, so this is fine.
The day came to an end and I was more than happy to go home. Talk about the longest first day ever.