Chapter 12 - Dining Hall

Monday morning had arrived, an abnormally sunny day which brought colour into everything.

Cora remained colourless in face, she had spent the day at school elsewhere in her mind. She would occasionally push herself to listen to her teachers and wrote detailed notes but it was proven difficult. Anaya, Wren and Ivan hadn't spoken to her about what had occurred since Saturday night when she messaged them about it. Luckily, they felt uncomfortable by the idea of bringing it up to Cora and accidentally unleashing a frenzy of negative emotions. So they allowed her to wallow in peace, occasionally trying to encourage her to join the conversation but when it failed each time, they were understanding.

"Yeah but the whole point is, you can't go there Ivan." Wren huffed with anger, his mini outburst had captured me from my land of thoughts. The fact I hadn't a clue as to how this had escalated highlighted the fact that I had been oblivious to the entire conversation.

I took small bites every now and then from my sandwich, not really tasting the flavour. My attention was at the large windows that presented a field of trees and student, watching the minimal clouds move as the earth did. Empty due to the sun, I was aware that there were many free tables in the dining hall compared to when they were usually all full. I scanned the room, finding it strange to see it soo quiet. But then I saw him, his brooding self sat at a small table with two friends. He looked as I probably did, disconnected and deep in thought. I saw him nod occasionally, but most importantly, he would pick up his phone from the table from time to time and look at it. As though he was waiting for a message, a slight tension would build in his jaw and he would place it back onto the table.

He hadn't seen me, thankfully, but I had been staring for a oddly long time. His face sparked something in me, a recollection: during the time he had called me out about the flirtatious older customers, he warned me that there would be others. He warned me that there would be others that were more persistent and harsh. Anger built up inside me and placed my sandwich back down into my lunch box.

"I'll be back in a second." I told the group, my eyes stuck onto him as I got up from my seat. As I rose from the table, a couple eyes darted my way, I could feel the stares but that's what high school was like. Everyone watches you. I was used to it. With small strides, I made my way towards his table, it was rather far from my own yet with each step my heart raced faster. He still wasn't looking, yet both his friends had seen my confident walk straight towards their table and nudged him. How could he be soo oblivious?

"Dean, I need to talk to you." I announced before reaching the table. At the mere mention of his name, his eyes shot at mine and I had his attention. His brows scrunched and his eyes transformed into slits but relaxed as his friends looked at him.

"We're off anyway, no need to move." One friend said as he got up. I waited until both left so I could sit down at Dean's table. My breathing slowed as I rested onto the chair and my thoughts were clearer.

"Who are you ?" He asked bitterly. I rolled my eyes and proceeded, ignoring his childish comment referring to his plan that we must act as though we are strangers.

"Yes I know, I broke your rule but I don't have your phone number on me. It's important Dean." I explained, playing with the silver ring on my thumb.

"I'll be the judge of that." He seethed, taking a sip of his water from the bottle.

Placing the drink back down, he nodded in a way that told me I could proceed with what I had to say. He watched me analytically.

"That night when that old man hit on me, you said something. You said things like that would happen again, but that the men would be worse, didn't you ?" I quizzed him with urgency of finding the answer.

"Thats what I said." He shook his head, possibly annoyed due to the absurdity of my random question.

"How did you know that ?" I asked, hoping for a real answer.

"How did I know ? Oh come on Cora its a bar full of horny criminals, they're used to getting what they want especially getting it the wrong way. It doesn't take a fortune teller to predict that you'll end up -" He rambled with fury and at such a speed that made his response seem pre-rehearsed. But he paused, stopped himself from completing the sentence.

"- why are you asking me this anyway?" He looked at me, his dark eyes reeling me in again.

"I'm telling you because it happened last night." I said quietly. His hand that held his phone on the table tensed and he began to observe our surroundings before inching closer towards me whilst sat at the table.

"What are you trying to say Cora ?" He asked, gritting his teeth. His hostile nature was very easily aggravated.

The look in his eyes suggested that he may have thought I was going to blame him. The thought did cross my mind but then, thinking rationally rather than emotionally, I realised he would have no reason to make someone do that to me.

"My dad said he solved the situation and that I wouldn't have to worry. That I don't have to be scared. Do you know anything about this ?" I quizzed, hoping he knew an answer that would bring me peace and prove my father innocent.

"This is the first i've heard of the situation, I know nothing." He shrugged. I couldn't tell what his expression was, it was almost plain.

I bit the inside of my cheek as I pondered as to whether I should tell him about my fear.

"I think my Dad killed him." I announced emotionlessly. This caught his attention, his eyes sparkled with interest and he let out a soft chuckle.

"What ?" I snarled, annoyed by his lack of empathy for my situation. I never expected him to react this way.

"You've been hiding what your father did for years and now you're projecting your speculations about him being a murderer in the middle of the dining hall. It's quite amusing Cora I must admit." He joked, it wasn't a joke with the intention of making me laugh but instead a joke that brought him laughter. He was laughing at me.

"The only reason the whole school would find out is if you said it any louder." I snapped, lifting myself off the chair. Fury erupted within me and his face itself caused me frustration.

Dean hadn't a single nice bone in his body.

"Wait." He ordered causing me to holt, cross my arms and look at him with detest. Maybe he wanted to mock me more.

"I'll try to find out." He said which caused me to sigh with relief. I gave him a small smile before making my way back towards the table.

As I turned, it was obvious that my friends had been staring because when I turned to look their way, their heads jerked the other direction. I wasn't oblivious to their dislike towards him, and Ivan's hate was almost written on his forehead. I sat back down in my seat and looked at each of them. Ivan wore a confused expression, Wren did too ,yet Anaya held a sneaky smirk.

I flashed them a smile before biting into my half finished sandwich.

"Why ?" Ivan asked bitterly, nudging his head in the direction of Dean.

"It's about work." I covered my mouth, still chewing.

"He doesn't work with you though, does he ?" Ivan persisted. I shook my head and swallowed the remainder of my food.

"No his dad is friends with my boss, so he knows things." I explained. Ivan looked displeased.

"Well your boss must be shady too, watch out Cora." He warned. His eyes trailing towards Dean. I pondered about his comment, anger fuelling within me. But he was right about Richard and I had to keep up my facade.

"I'll be okay Ivan, I can handle myself and I think I proved that on Saturday night." I stated matter-of-factly. He smiled, staring at me.

"Yes you did." He agreed lightly and no longer had any anger on his face.

As the mood was lighter and I felt better, I turned to Anaya with glimmering eyes and a large grin forming on my face.

She squinted her eyes at me, confused yet happy. I think she knew what I was about to ask.

"Did you have fun on Friday ?" I asked her with a teasing tone. I watched as her cheeks turned a soft pink and she inhaled, as though she was composing herself and her thoughts.

"Definitely." She stated and giggled. It was nice, hearing her hearty giggle and watching her muscles form a sweet smile. I couldn't be jealous, I simply couldn't. Her happiness brought me happiness. She was comfortable in life, oblivious to everyone else's issues in the world and did what she loved. Bought what she pleased. Said as she wanted to. I couldn't blame her how she was because that's what her life created, as my own life created me. For a slight moment, my eyes drifted to his and straight back to Anaya's. Darkness and light. Good and bad. He was the sticky black treacle that I ran from and she was the bright supernova that I attempted to reach. Instead my position was in-between. My feet were stuck in my father's mess, my ankles were being tied down by my family and my knees were locked in place by my gruelling job yet, amidst it all, I could feel the light. My fingertips were but inches away from the it, from the freedom and purity. I could feel it in my heart whenever I felt like giving up. I kept going and going. I will keep going.

"Your smile is taking up half your face." Wren mentioned with the same smirk as my own. Her eyes twinkled and she held her hand up to her face and traced the edge of her smile, causing it to grow even more. If that was even possible.

"Stop it." She ordered, darting her eyes at us all an attempting to look somewhat intimidating. Her facade didn't last as she broke into a smile seconds after. She was never good at lying, and that was exactly why her parents knew we weren't sleeping at my house and were instead going to a party that we were too young for at the time. Both of us missed the party that was deemed legendary by those that went.

"Can you tell Jace that I left my jacket in his car after the party, I need it back." Ivan explained, to which Anaya nodded her head.

"You took it home with you Ivan, I helped you put it on before you got out the car." I recalled, his eyes widened as though I had just hold him that ghosts were real or that Santa was actually hidden in the North Pole. The group laughed at Ivan's shock, aware that he was indeed very drunk on Friday.

"I remember I left my shoes at a party once." Wren randomly announced.

Anaya and I turned to each other and made strange expressions, confused yet amused.

Ivan patted his back.

"You sold them for more beer my friend." Ivan sighed, patting Wrens back.

With smiles on our faces, we listened to Ivan explain the time Wren had no money in his wallet and offered to trade in his expensive trainers for more beer. Their stories were always amusing and it was no surprise that Anaya and I hadn't heard half of their stories as we rarely agreed to join them in their rebellious antics. My heart warmed, stopping for a moment to appreciate the happiness found on our table.

Then it happened. In just a single glance, my mood had turned foul as I saw Dean sat on his lonesome with a rather plain expression. It was as though he was hiding his sadness, his hand was still on his phone and his eyes wandered occasionally. He was but an isolated child, yes eighteen meant you were legally an adult, but we were all really just sheltered children hidden in schools, with books in our noses and teachers at our side.

He had no one at his side.