10 At The Cafeteria

It was lunch time.

The bell had rung ten minutes ago, but our arts teacher still thought it wise to keep talking about the dimensions of painting. Her reluctance to let us go made me wonder why I had picked the extra course.

To boost my GP? For what? It's not like I would be doing anything with a certificate. I didn't think our school was in any way affiliated with the Ivy League schools.

If it was, then I would have taken all these more seriously since it would be an escape route out of this hellhole. I would become a new person out there.

Still, I was planning to speak to my mother about letting me go to a college far away from here. Would they let me? Well, they should, my father especially, since that act would push me out of their lives without much fuss.

"Maya, didn't you get my question? Where is your mind?" My arts teacher questioned, and I swallowed my saliva a bit, bowing down my head as I apologized to the middle aged woman. She was a werewolf, but was from one of our colonies.

"That's okay." She muttered, before waving us off. "You can now go for your lunch time. Remember your assignments. You are turning them in on Monday." She stated, before walking gallantry out of the class. I have always admired her walking posture.

"Maya, let's go to the cafeteria." That was Naomi, stupefying me again. What exactly had gotten into her today? Why had she chosen today to stick me as glue?

I wanted to turn down her invitation but for the fact that sitting with someone, eating and discussing girly stuff looked more appealing than staying alone as usual. I might as well embrace the change.

If only I knew what would be hitting me this afternoon, I wouldn't have taken up her offer. I would have hung my head low and walked to the terrace behind the school's building which had served as my eating space for the past year, keeping me hidden from all sorts of atrocities that might have happened in the cafeteria.

But Naomi had given me hope, and I had succumbed. Who wouldn't want to snuck up the little hope when hopeless?

"Okay, that's cool." I said, putting my note into my bag.

"Great, let's go. I heard they cooked up a fountain today." Naomi mentioned, causing me to chuckle and feel good about our movements together to the cafeteria.

"Yeah, right." I muttered, knowing that she could hear me.

Even though she hasn't shifted yet, her hearing senses were already getting developed just like the others, synonymous to normal traits of a werewolf before they shifted. And about the food at the cafeteria, I didn't think there would be any difference from the other days. There was no special event today. Or was there? I wondered, shrugging my shoulders.

None of it was my concern, since I wasn't even invited to meetings because of my wolflessness. I always stayed at home, waiting for my mother to come back and fill me in with pack news. The others never bothered.

The cafeteria was jam packed as usual, students with trays scurrying around to get food. Ahead of me, just at the far left were the triplets and their friends.

Claire wasn't among the group and then I remembered that the idiot hadn't returned to class that morning. I wanted to ask Naomi about it, but I was afraid that the others might hear me. I didn't know the right octave to keep my voice and talk so that the others wouldn't be able to hear our conversations.

So, I turned away from them, using my hand to push my hair further to cover the side of my face so that they wouldn't see me. I was also contemplating on asking Naomi to join me at the terrace to eat. Fear was already consuming me.

"Maya, are you okay?" Naomi asked me, tapping me lightly on the arm, bringing me back to the consciousness that my head was bowed low, and I was shuffling my feet.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I muttered, wishing that I could mindlink her and tell her to bring my food outside, and that I couldn't eat here. On second thought, I decided to do so. The cafeteria was camped with lots of students, talking and whispering so I doubt that my own words would be noticed.

"Can we go outside to eat?" I asked Naomi out aloud, a bit nervous when she furrowed her eyebrows at me, probably wondering why I wanted to eat outside.

"Why? You don't like the cafeteria?" She questioned the same time I saw my siblings take seats close to the triplets table.

I was sure that Lilian was crushing on Adam, seeing the way she was gaping at him. I also knew that she only had the audacity to sit with Lent because Claire wasn't there.

Claire was damn possessive of Adam even though one time Adam had purposefully made out with a girl in front of her to show her that he belonged to no one. Bunch of idiots.

"Maya…what is it? Why are you looking at them? You want them to notice you?" Noami inquired. I could hear the slight edge in her voice. She must have been wondering that I was wishing to be among the group. God forbid. I mused, whilst shaking my head to her questions.

But she said nothing to me in return, rather she quickened her pace to the queue that was set before us.

Had I managed to irritate my new friend? I wondered, quickening my steps too, not wanting to be left behind.