Chapter 10 — A Table For Four
958 Words
Liana arrived at the cafeteria five minutes late.
She blamed the physiology lecturer.
Sienna blamed Liana’s inability to leave the classroom when a lecture ended.
“Normal people leave when the lecturer says, ‘Class dismissed,’” Sienna complained as they walked in.
“I was writing.”
“You were writing after everyone had left.”
“My notes weren’t complete.”
Sienna sighed dramatically.
“One day, you’re going to marry your notebook.”
Liana gave her a flat look.
“I’ll invite you to the wedding.”
“Thank you.”
They both laughed.
The cafeteria buzzed with conversation. Every table was occupied by students balancing trays, discussing assignments, or arguing over football.
Sienna scanned the room.
“There!”
Near the windows, Ethan and Adrian had already found a table.
Adrian waved both arms like he was directing traffic.
“You’re embarrassing,” Ethan muttered.
“I prefer enthusiastic.”
Liana and Sienna reached the table.
“Sorry we’re late,” Liana said.
“Blame her,” Sienna replied immediately.
“I knew it,” Adrian said. “She looks innocent, but she’s dangerous.”
Liana pulled out a chair.
“You’ve known me for two weeks.”
“And I’ve gathered enough evidence.”
Ethan smiled quietly.
For the first time, sitting together didn’t feel accidental.
It simply felt natural.
The four of them ordered lunch and soon trays covered the table.
Adrian looked at everyone’s food.
“Interesting.”
“What?” Sienna asked.
“You all ordered healthy meals.”
Liana looked at his tray.
“You ordered fries, chicken, and three meat pies.”
“Balance.”
“That’s not balance,” Ethan said.
“It is emotionally.”
Sienna laughed.
“I like him.”
“You’re the first person to ever say that.”
“Don’t encourage him,” Ethan sighed.
For the next half hour, they talked about everything except studying.
Adrian insisted he could beat anyone in table tennis.
Sienna challenged him immediately.
Liana confessed she’d never actually played.
“You’ve never played?” Adrian asked.
She shook her head.
“Today’s your lucky day.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“I said no.”
“You’ll thank me.”
“I won’t.”
Ethan watched them with amusement.
“You’re smiling,” Liana suddenly said.
He looked at her.
“What?”
“You’re smiling.”
“So?”
“I’ve never seen you smile this much.”
Adrian pointed dramatically.
“I’ve been saying this!”
Ethan buried his face in one hand.
“I regret meeting all of you.”
“No, you don’t,” Sienna replied.
He looked around the table.
Then, despite himself, smiled again.
“No,” he admitted quietly. “I don’t.”
⸻
After lunch, Adrian dragged everyone to the student recreation hall.
The table tennis room echoed with laughter and bouncing balls.
“Ladies first,” Adrian announced.
Liana immediately stepped backward.
“I don’t know how.”
“Exactly.”
“That is not encouraging.”
Sienna took the paddle from Adrian.
“I’ll teach her.”
Five minutes later, Liana completely missed the ball.
Adrian collapsed against the wall laughing.
“You swung after it passed!”
“I noticed!”
Ethan couldn’t stop laughing either.
Liana pointed the paddle at him.
“You’re laughing?”
“A little.”
“A little?”
He nodded.
She narrowed her eyes.
“Come here.”
“What?”
“Play me.”
“You’ve never played.”
“Exactly.”
Ethan accepted the paddle.
“I suddenly feel guilty.”
“You should.”
The game lasted less than three minutes.
Liana scored exactly one point.
She celebrated as if she’d won a championship.
“I DID IT!”
Sienna clapped dramatically.
“Our girl!”
Adrian wiped imaginary tears.
“I’m so proud.”
Ethan smiled.
“You’re celebrating one point?”
“It was an excellent point.”
“It was.”
She grinned.
“I’ll retire undefeated.”
“You lost eleven-one.”
“Details.”
The four of them laughed so loudly that other students turned to look.
None of them cared.
⸻
Later that evening, Ethan and Adrian walked back toward the dormitories.
“You’re happier,” Adrian said.
Ethan sighed.
“Not this again.”
“You admitted you like them.”
“I said they’re good people.”
“You especially like one of them.”
Ethan stopped walking.
“Adrian.”
“What?”
“Don’t start creating stories.”
Adrian raised both hands.
“I said nothing.”
“You implied everything.”
Adrian smiled.
“Fine.”
They continued walking.
A few seconds later, Ethan’s phone vibrated.
His father’s name appeared again.
Adrian noticed.
“You’re really not answering?”
Ethan stared at the screen.
Then pressed the side button, silencing the call.
“No.”
“You’re stubborn.”
“I know.”
⸻
That night, Liana sat by her window, watching the lights of Ravencrest glow in the distance.
For once, she wasn’t thinking about lectures.
Or anatomy.
Or the project.
She was thinking about today.
About Sienna laughing.
About Adrian’s ridiculous jokes.
About Ethan smiling without realizing it.
Her phone buzzed.
Ethan: Don’t forget our library session tomorrow. 4 p.m.
Liana smiled before she could stop herself.
She replied:
I won’t.
A second later, another message appeared.
Ethan: And maybe practice table tennis.
She laughed softly.
Never.
She placed her phone beside her and looked out the window once more.
Some friendships arrived loudly.
Others happened so quietly that you only noticed them after they had already become part of your life.
Liana had a feeling this was the second kind.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD