Canteen

"What do you want, Alison?" Wayne asked who was sitting next to me, and I looked at the menu before deciding. We've joined David and Franxine in the canteen.

"I'll just have spaghetti and a sandwich," I responded, returning my gaze to Franxine in front of me, David next to her, and Wayne next to me.

"Yours, Franxine?"

"Macaroni and cheese and a sandwich," Franxine replied. I rais my eyebrow because of the peculiar way she stared at me.

"Maybe you can order your own, huh?" Wayne inquired of David, who had chosen to ignore him.

"Alison, are you still refusing to speak to me?"Franxine said to me, pouting. I found it challenging to take a deep breath.

"Can you please speak with me?" When she asked, I fixed my gaze on her.

David and Wayne were ordering our lunch and lining up at the counter, leaving Franxine and me at the table.

When I saw Franxine in tears, I burst out laughing.

"You're such a crybaby," I murmured, forcing her to burst into tears and grab my right hand.

"Alison, because you ignored me yesterday, I thought our friendship was over." She said something that made me giggle.

"Right."

"Since we're okay now, I'd like to ask you a question. How come David hasn't been in the mood for a while?" She inquired.

"I only just greeted you now, and you already want a gossip," I remarked, turning to face David, standing behind Wayne.

I recalled what had happened this morning.

"I'm not sure," I said to Franxine.

"He hasn't talked to me in a long time. Has he been like this for a long time?" she wondered.

"Yes, since I said that he doesn't care if I get hurt," I responded, prompting her eyes to widen and her mouth to open as if she wanted to hear the gossip.

"Tell me the whole story." He stated. I looked at Franxine.

"Just ask him," I suggested.

"He's not in the mood, so how can I ask him?" She inquired, then pouted.

"Just ask Wayne," I added, causing her to look down.

"Also, I can't get a reasonable response from him; all he does is laugh and insult me." She said this as she moved closer in front of me.

"Why did he invite you to eat?" She inquired.

"He said he would treat me." My response.

"Yes, why?" she inquired once again.

"It's his birthday today," I explained.

"Huh? His birthdate is still in December, but it is now February." As a result of what she stated, I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well, then he won't invite me for December," I explained.

"Oh you, maybe there will be something between you and Wayne and make David jealous," she said. I rolled my eyes.

"Don't be a bother, Franxine. He didn't just invite me, but you as well," I explained.

"You know, it's just to appease him to invite me like that." She states.

"We were at the counter, and I already know you're talking about me." We looked up at Wayne, holding a tray of our food, and David, still frowning.

What is the matter with this man? His expression has been glum for some time.

"Hey you, admit it, do you like my best friend?" With my mouth gaping, Franxine inquired. Wayne laughed and began serving Franxine and my lunch while David ate his food.

"How did you come up with that thing, Franxine?" Wayne inquired, sitting next to me and then looking at me.

"I won't deny that Alison is beautiful." He said this while staring at me, causing my cheeks to flush.

"She is also good for academic and independent women." He said, "I rolled my eyes and merely looked at David, who was drinking tea and listening to the conversation.

"A lot of boys, especially fourth-year students, are obsessed with her," Wayne remarked before turning to face Franxine.

"But you know, because Alison is very rude, hurtful, she treats others colder than ice, she only speaks once, she always has menopause, and she is often a dragon with too much temper, so what you say is a little vague." I turned to face Wayne. I turned to face Franxine when I heard her laugh, and my gaze was drawn to David, who was now smiling.

"If she's modest and kind, I might like her. I have a slight crush on her, but it's different because I see her as an old lady in the future," Wayne replied, so I turned to face him. Franxine even stopped laughing.

"What exactly did you say?" Franxine inquired, and Wayne turned to face her.

"What?"

"What you said."

"Which one?"

"You have a crush on her." We stared at David, who had spoken; there was a black air over him now as if he would vanish at any moment if Wayne said something stupid.

"Ahhh, yes, just a little," Wayne responded, then smirked at me, making me cringe. I struggled, but he simply kept eating.

"So you really like her," David continued, prompting me to look up at him.

David had his arms folded as he looked at Wayne.

"Likes are different from crushes." Wayne's point of view.

"If you don't like her, don't crush her."

"Like is the closest thing to love, and a crush is just admiration."

"Well, because you like her, you admire her."

"A crush is simply admiration." "Which of my statements did you not understand?"

When I saw that they were fighting again, I grimaced.

"Well, you shouldn't have said that you admire her instead of saying you have a crush on her."

"What exactly is your problem?"

"You're using the wrong terms, please clarify."

"How about you? Why do you admire Alison so much that you respond like that if I have a crush on her?" Wayne interrupted David, who turned to face me and swallowed.

He rose up and walked away from our table, leaving us silent.

"That newbie is conceited; how did he become your friend?" Wayne inquired, then resumed eating; Franxine and I exchanged glances; she was now silent as well; she took the drinks next to her, drank, and stared at me.

"That man was a jerk a while back. Franxine, did you and him fight?" Franxine placed the drink she was holding down and stared at Wayne.

"That's not my boyfriend." She stated this, then gave me a teasing grin.

"That's Alison's boyfriend."