Episode 3
512 Words
By the time the lunch bell rang, students immediately started leaving their classrooms.
Vanessa stood up and grabbed her bag.
“I’m going to the cafeteria. You coming?”
Tiana looked up from her notebook.
“Sure.”
Before she could stand, Nora walked over.
“Wait. She’s coming with us?”
Vanessa looked at her.
“Yeah. Why?”
Nora glanced at Tiana.
“Nothing. I just thought it was going to be us.”
Vanessa frowned.
“She’s new, Nora. I’m just inviting her to lunch.”
Nora rolled her eyes.
“Whatever.”
Tiana immediately felt uncomfortable.
“It’s fine. I can eat somewhere else.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“No, come on.”
They walked toward the cafeteria together.
Tiana stayed beside Vanessa while Nora walked slightly ahead.
As they entered the cafeteria, Nora suddenly stopped and stepped sideways.
Tiana almost walked straight into her.
She quickly stopped herself.
“Sorry.”
Nora turned around with a small smile.
“Watch where you’re going.”
Tiana stared at her.
“I was.”
Vanessa looked between them.
“Nora, seriously?”
“What?”
“Nothing,” Vanessa said, clearly annoyed.
They found a table and sat down.
Tiana barely touched her food.
She could feel the tension.
After a few minutes, she quietly stood up.
“I’ll just go sit somewhere else.”
Vanessa looked up.
“Tiana—”
But Tiana was already walking away.
She found a small table toward the corner of the cafeteria and sat down with her food.
She wasn’t angry.
She just didn’t want to be somewhere she clearly wasn’t wanted.
A few minutes later, Vanessa appeared beside her.
“Can I sit?”
Tiana shrugged.
Vanessa sat down.
“I’m sorry about Nora.”
“You don’t have to apologize for her.”
“I know, but still.”
Tiana looked down at her food.
“She doesn’t like me.”
“She barely knows you.”
“That didn’t stop her.”
Vanessa sighed.
“That’s just how Nora is sometimes. She can be protective.”
“Protective?”
“Of me.”
Tiana nodded slowly.
“Well, she doesn’t have to worry. I’m not trying to take you away from her.”
Vanessa looked at her.
“I know.”
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Vanessa smiled.
“Actually, I wanted to ask you something.”
“What?”
“There’s a party at my house this weekend.”
Tiana looked surprised.
“A party?”
“Yeah. You should come.”
“Who else is going?”
“Some friends. Dave will be there too.”
Tiana hesitated.
“I don’t know anybody.”
“You know me.”
Vanessa smiled.
“And I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
Tiana finally smiled back.
“I’ll think about it.”
Vanessa stood up.
“Okay. But I’m hoping you’ll come.”
Tiana watched her walk away.
For some reason, she couldn’t stop smiling.
Maybe having Vanessa as a friend wasn’t such a bad thing after all.
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