Cafeteria*

Lysander opened one of the double swinging doors for me like a gentleman and urged me to go first.

Bright florescent light strips ran across the ceiling and handmade posters were on the walls advertising school events. There were rows of long tables with plastic chairs spaced along with them. Shoes squeaked on the floor. Dishes clattered and clanged in the kitchen. There was a line full of jostling teens carrying metal trays.

Lysander dragged me along as he fell in line and got bright-colored trays for us. The students in the cafeteria were gawking as if Lysander and I were trapeze artists in a circus.

When it was finally our turn, a grumpy lunch staff wearing a white apron and hairnet asked, "What is your order?"

Lysander leaned on the stainless steel counter coolly and asked me instead, "What do you want, Cassandra?"

I was taken aback when he said that.

He's putting me in the spotlight in front of all these annoying people.

I shifted from one foot to the other, trying to make up my mind. I was pressured by the feel of people pressing in on us in the crowded lines. If I stall for time telling him off, these hungry students behind us would poke their forks at me in anger.

"You're paying, right?" I looked daggers at Lysander before scanning the menu board listing the items and prices.

"Of course." Lysander grinned good-naturedly. "You order my lunch. Recommend me something good to eat."

I recited all of my favorite food in this cafeteria and I don't care if he's going to eat them or not. I might not get another opportunity such as this. At least, Lysander was paying for all of them.

"One large French fries, one box of pizza and one serving of tacos and lasagna-- " I enumerated slowly. "--and, um, two glasses of iced tea and two servings of pudding, that's all."

The drool worthy-smell of greasy pizza wafted from Lysander's tray while a ladle of lasagna slopped unto the plate. Steam rose off the chicken strips and the pasta was drenched in tomato sauce and grease.

Next, came the fries and the tacos. Then, the pudding and the iced tea. Lysander handed the bill to the staff and I accepted the change and placed it in his hoodie pockets to help him since he's the one holding the heavy tray.

The jocks were pushing and shoving and goofing off. The student scholars were reading books and studying while eating. There was also a lot of talking, shouting, squealing, and laughing around us, and high school students were sitting, lounging, and grouping into cliques.

This is what I hate school cafeterias. I don't know where I belong even in this kind of setting. If you eat alone in the cafeteria, you get bullied and humiliated for fun.

Been there, done that.

I'd rather not.

Lysander put the trays carefully on the table and the chairs scraped the floor as we sat next to each other.

My bathroom scale said 'salad' but my stomach said 'more calories'. Plus, I was in a bad mood today so I need to cheer myself up by eating something I loved.

"You look so happy, Cassandra," Lysander observed, his lips curling upwards as he picked up a fork and ate the lasagna.

I already shoved a mouthful of his pasta so I chewed for a long time and swallowed before answering.

"Free food," I said shortly as if that explains everything. I dipped the fries on mustard and mayonnaise, leaving my fingers slick and the tray covered with salt granules. The pasta burned my tongue but I didn't regret it. Everything was delicious.

Lysander was staring at my face for too long as he ate and it left me disconcerted.

Was he in love with me or something?

Lysander decided to answer my question when he picked up a rough paper napkin from the tray and dabbed it in my mouth without warning. "There's a blob of mayonnaise on the corner..."

"Yeah, thanks." I avoided his eyes and covered my face with my hair so that he can't see me blushing like an idiot.

I checked my hair if there was food sticking out in those strands. It always happened because I have very long hair and I wasn't paying attention.

The doors in the cafeteria banged open and shut loudly. All of a sudden, the whole room fell silent.

I tore into my bacon sandwich, which I had brought from home so that my mom who prepared it would not feel bad. I looked up from my food and spat it out when I saw Gabriel again with Lauren, along with two other boys and girls.

They are heading towards us.