A friend
743 Words
I stand as close as i dare to the boy sitting at the table. "Hello..." I stand there for a few seconds before he finally notices me. "Hi...can I help you?" "Yes... I would like to sit here." He studies me for a moment and I study him right back. He has brown hair that can probably be described as being casual surfer and soft brown doe eyes. He does not seem particularly tall or muscled, just your average high school teen with good skin. "Sure, go ahead" he says. I have probably passed the invisible checklist he had.
"Thanks " I reply and promptly place myself on the side furthest from the maelstrom going on in the middle of the large space. I take out my salad and start munching away my nose already in my current book before the first bite.
I may seem rude but in my opinion, this doe eyed boy looks like someone who needed a little space at the moment, judging from the hand in his hair pose he had when I disturbed him. I could give him that, if he wanted company he would have sat with some friends. We sit in silence the whole of lunch and wen the bell rang I put away my things and left for class. The boy was already gone but that was OK, I hardly notice things when I'm reading.
The rest of the day was uneventful and I breathed a sigh of relief when I reached my bedroom. All that skulking is giving me a headache. Since it was the first day at school we didn't get any homework and I gratefully settled on the couch in my room to read. The rest of the week went by and I settled comfortably in my new routine with none the wiser. The boy with doe eyes would sit silently at our lunch table and we would exist in comfortable silence.We would exchange greetings and then mind our own business, i could see the questions burning in his eyes when i take my seat but he respected the fact that i didn't want to talk yet.
Unfortunately this could not continue, I knew that I needed to socialize a little or risk becoming a total hermit. Thus I endeavored to get to know my only possible friend. I decided to ambush him at the table with a food offering of home baked cookies. I wait till he seats himself and then make my move.
"Hello..." I start, his head whips up and he stares at me a little bewildered. "Hi..." He says uncertainly. "So...what's your name?" "Simon. And yours?" "It's Melody... Sorry I didn't introduce myself before." " Its OK, I wasn't up to talking any way. I haven't seen you around before this year started and I have been here like forever. I'm guessing your new?" "Yes, but please don't mention it. I work very hard to stay under the radar." "Haha yea, I noticed that. Don't worry I'll keep my mouth shut. So, why the sudden urge to speak after a month of silence?" I look him straight in those doe eyes "I figured it would be good for my mental health to actually speak to someone my age and maybe have an acquaintance. " "Wow, what a speech. Well I don't know about all the rest but a friend would be nice." "Great. So what now?" " What do ya mean?" I lift up my shoulders. "What do friends do? I'm kinda new to all of this stuff." He gives me a weird look but then chuckles. "We can hang out someplace, I guess. What do you usually do? Scratch that, I think I know. Hmm what about we do something together like you go bowling with me?"
I take a moment to think about it, i don't really like public places but maybe that should change. "Uhmm alright sure. When would you suggest?" He takes a bite out of his sandwich that i only notice now. "How about Friday. Till then we can get to know each other by talking." " OK but I want to read at least half of lunch. And your gonna have to meet my parents before i go anywhere with you. It's a house rule. "He chuckles. "I can respect that.It's a deal." With that we both fell silent and I promptly gave him the cookie bribe and got to reading.
- Writer
