Lunch Bussin'

At lunch, Ari and I walked into the cafeteria during lunch as she showed me a funny post she had saved on social media. Today wasn't pizza day, so she waited for me. Chatters buzzed throughout the room. Even though Riverview had a large student body, most people sat with the same groups, in the same spot, all five days of the week. My phone rang for the umpteenth time today, making me curse under my breath. Why can't she take a hint?

"Are you going to pick that up?" Ari asked as we waited in line to buy our food. The line seems to be pretty slow now, thanks to the guys at the counter who can't even decide what they want to eat.

"Nah, I don't think so." I sighed as I switched the phone off. "I don't know if I'm ready to face her again after last night, and I wish she would just let me be."

She looked at me with concern in her eyes. I told her what happened between my mom and me last night. I had to because she saw her hand mark on my cheek when she came to pick me from the diner.

"You can always stay at my place. We can have a sleepover and binge-watch vampire diaries." She squealed, excitement bubbling in her features. She is a big fan of Damon. I chuckled as I shook my head. "We can invite Ashton too."

She pulled out her phone to text him. Ashton is our other friend. He was the one who introduced me to Arianna on my first day of school since they were close friends. I was having a hard time locating my class when Ashton offered to help me out. Sadly, he doesn't go to our school anymore.

Ashton was gay, and after he drunkenly kissed another guy at a school party, things went downhill pretty fast for him. The kids started bullying him, and the teachers made him feel a bit less of a human. Ari and I tried to be there for him as his friends, especially me since I was once a victim of bullying. He had to transfer schools after he couldn't take it anymore.

The line started moving a bit faster. Thank God they finally made a decision. A hand came around my shoulders, making me jump out of my skin. I let out a shriek, catching the attention of many in the cafeteria.

"Relax, it's me." I caught a bit of an accent in his voice, but I can't place it.

I spun around to see the person that nearly killed me with a heart attack. Gabe shoved his hand into the pocket of his leather jacket and raked the other through his hair. He greeted Ari, who stood there with her jaw on the floor. I rolled my eyes at her. She can be overly dramatic at times. I can't blame her though, Gabe is pretty cute. He turned to Ari, asking her. "Is she always this jumpy?"

Ari shook her head in a dramatic effect as she answered him, but I wasn't paying attention to them.

My attention was on the boy that entered the cafeteria, his headphones in his ears. Aiden. He carried himself with such confidence that would put most men in shame. He looked around lazily before his emerald green eyes found mine, and he raised a brow in acknowledgment. We stared at each other for a long minute before he rolled his eyes and walked away.

Still very rude, I see.

"Yo, girlfriend!" Ari said, waving her hand dramatically in my face. I blinked before looking at her. She raised her brows at me in question.

"I'm sorry. You were saying?" I asked as I looked between the two.

"Gabe invited us to sit with him for lunch. What do you think?" I looked between the two, trying to make a decision. I wasn't all too comfortable with strangers. But I guess it's okay to come out of my comfort zone every once in a while.

"I don't see why not." I turned to Gabe as I said. "We'll just buy our food and join you."

He nodded with a smile before walking away. It's our turn to buy food now. We got our food quickly, and Ari quickly paid, knowing I'll throw a fuss about her paying for my food. She pulled me aside to allow other students to buy their food.

"Why did you do that, Thea?" She asked. I looked at her in confusion, making her roll her eyes. "Why did you agree to sit with him?"

"Wasn't that the reason you asked me?" She facepalmed, slightly shaking her head.

"I asked you because I didn't want to be the one to say no to such a hot guy with a British accent." So it was British. I rolled my eyes at this.

"So I'm the one that can say no to hot guys with a British accent, right?"

"That's beside the point." I raised my brow at her. "Okay, okay. I need a boyfriend, and you don't want one. Anyways, Gabe is Aiden's brother, and you know how I feel about that Aiden guy."

"Gabe told me Aiden was his friend. How is he his brother?" I asked in confusion. Ari shook her head before patting mine tenderly.

"You're such a clueless human." I swatted her hand away from my head, glaring playfully at her. "I don't know why he told you that. I've been in this school since I was a sophomore, so I'm pretty sure they're brothers. Maybe he hates his nerves as much as I do."

Damn! Have I been living under the rock or something? How come I know nothing about everything. "Why do you even hate the guy?"

She looked at me with disbelief written all over her face. "Have you met the guy? He's bad news. The rudest human being to ever walk our planet." I laughed at that. It's only Ari that can say something like that. "The reason you haven't seen him since you started coming here is cause he was serving his term in juvie, but I'm sure you should have heard about him."

"Sadly, I haven't." I looked towards Gabe's table to see him beckoning us over. I smiled at him before looking back at Ari. "You'll have to tolerate him. He'll be around us a lot now that he's my partner for the group project."

She sighed. " I guess you're right about that. Well, let's go. The food is getting cold." We made our way to their table.

"I was beginning to think you guys will turn down my offer," Gabe said as we sat down.

"We were considering it," Ari said. I looked at her in shock. Is she seriously trying to flirt with him right now? I shook my head before looking away. I could feel someone looking at me. I raised my head to see Aiden boring holes in my head, assessing me with his head bent.

He still had his headphones plugged to his ears. Looking at him now, I noticed the resemblance between him and Gabe is vague, but it was there. They shared the same nose, but Gabe's eyes were brown, and his hair was cut in a short blowout with tapered sides. Aiden was more muscular, a tad bit bigger than Gabe. Gabe has an accent, but I wasn't too sure about Aiden. The two or three occasions I've heard him speak weren't the best times to detect his accent.

"Ms. Athena Brown! You are needed in the principal's office." The school's intercom went off, silencing the loud chatters in the room.. "Ms. Brown! Your attention is needed in the principal's office."

Ari looked at me in question, making me shrug my shoulders at her. I have no idea why the principal will be calling me, especially at lunch.

"I'll be right back." I excused myself from the table.

"You want me to come with you?" Gabe asked. I shook my head, telling him I could go alone.

I walked out of the cafeteria as I made my way to the principal's office. I raked my brain to see if I did something that could warrant such a call. I got to the reception in no time.

"Excuse me, Ma'am," I said to the lady behind the counter. She looked up at me, giving me a warm smile that relieved my nerves a little bit.

"What can I do for you, dear?"

"I'm Athena Brown. There was an announce---"

"Ohh, right. The principal would like to see you. Go on to his office." I thanked her before going to the office. I knocked before hearing a small 'come in. I took a deep breath, calming my nerves before opening the door.

"Hello, Ma'am. The receptionist asked me to come to your office. I'm Athena Brown." I said, noticing the couple sitting in front of her desk. I couldn't see their face as they had their back to me.

"Ahh, Athena. Sit down, please." She said as she pointed to the seat between the couple. I was not comfortable sitting between two people I wasn't familiar with, but I didn't want to come off as rude.

I made to sit on the chair, and that was when I saw her.

She came looking for me here. Again.