Chapter Twenty-Six: Lunch Table Problems
732 Words
Lunch period arrived faster than expected.
Elara sat with Sydney beneath the shade of a large tree near the courtyard.
For once, life felt normal.
No monsters.
No hunters.
No wolves trying to kill her.
No siblings threatening people.
Just lunch.
And Sydney.
"...and then she seriously said she forgot her homework."
Sydney looked horrified.
"For the fourth time."
Elara laughed.
"That's impressive."
"That's criminal."
"It kind of is."
Both girls laughed.
Then suddenly—
A shadow appeared over the table.
Sydney looked up.
Then immediately sat straighter.
"Oh."
Elara turned.
Jace Ryder stood there.
One hand in his pocket.
That familiar lazy smile on his face.
Silver eyes shining with amusement.
Elara's heart did something weird.
Something she chose to ignore.
"Hey."
"Hey," she replied.
Jace pointed toward the empty seat.
"Can I sit here with you girls?"
Sydney nearly launched herself across the table.
"YES."
Both of them looked at her.
Sydney cleared her throat.
Then smiled politely.
"I mean... yes."
Jace didn't sit.
He wasn't even looking at Sydney.
His eyes stayed on Elara.
Waiting.
Only waiting for her answer.
Sydney immediately noticed.
Unfortunately.
Elara noticed too.
Which somehow made her nervous.
"Sure."
A smile appeared on Jace's face.
"Cool."
Then he sat beside her.
Sydney watched the entire exchange.
Slowly.
Suspiciously.
Very suspiciously.
For the first few minutes, all three of them talked.
School.
Teachers.
Assignments.
The usual.
Then somehow—
Without anybody realizing it—
The conversation became mostly Jace and Elara.
Sydney tried joining.
Several times.
She failed.
Several times.
"Remember when you kicked me in front of the entire class?"
Jace asked.
Elara smiled.
"Which time?"
Jace looked offended.
"There's more than one?"
"There were several."
Sydney laughed.
Jace pointed dramatically.
"You see this?"
He looked at Sydney.
"She's proud of it."
"I am."
"You broke my dignity."
"You had dignity?"
Jace gasped.
Sydney nearly choked on her drink.
Elara laughed so hard she had to wipe tears from her eyes.
Jace pointed again.
"See? Bully."
"You deserve it."
"That's hurtful."
"That's honest."
Jace pressed a hand against his chest.
"Wounded."
"Not yet."
Sydney watched them.
Then watched them some more.
Then sighed.
Nobody noticed.
At all.
A few students nearby were already staring.
Mostly because nobody had ever seen Jace laugh this much.
Or smile this much.
Or willingly sit still for this long.
It was weird.
Very weird.
Eventually the lunch bell rang.
Students began standing.
Gathering bags.
Heading toward class.
Jace stood too.
Then looked at Elara.
"I should go."
"Unfortunately."
He grinned.
"See you around, Blue-Black."
Elara smiled automatically.
"See you around, Silver Eyes."
Jace laughed.
Then winked.
A very confident wink.
Elara immediately pointed at him.
"Stop that."
"No."
"Seriously."
"Never."
They both laughed.
Then Jace turned.
Walking away.
Sydney watched him leave.
Elara watched him leave too.
A little longer than she probably should have.
Halfway across the courtyard—
Jace glanced back.
Their eyes met.
He gave her a playful salute.
Then immediately stumbled over absolutely nothing.
"Oh my God."
Elara burst out laughing.
Jace recovered before falling.
Shook his head.
Then pointed at her accusingly.
She laughed harder.
A smile spread across his face.
Then he finally disappeared into the crowd.
Elara's smile remained.
Long after he was gone.
"Elara."
"Hm?"
"Elara."
"Yeah, yeah."
Still staring.
Still smiling.
Still completely distracted.
Sydney folded her arms.
"You two are weird."
That got Elara's attention.
"What?"
"You and Jace."
"We're friends."
Sydney looked unconvinced.
"Sure."
"We are."
"Okay."
Elara narrowed her eyes.
"What does that mean?"
Sydney shrugged.
"It means if Jace Ryder offered to be my friend, I'd probably say yes too."
Elara blinked.
"What?"
Sydney laughed.
"I'm saying he's ridiculously handsome."
"Oh."
"And nice when he wants to be."
"Oh."
"And rich."
"Oh."
"And every girl in school likes him."
Elara stared.
Sydney stared back.
Then a grin spread across Sydney's face.
A dangerous grin.
"Oh."
Elara frowned.
"What?"
Sydney leaned forward.
Slowly.
Suspiciously.
"Do you like him?"
Elara immediately choked.
"What?!"
Sydney burst out laughing.
Meanwhile, across the courtyard—
Jace walked toward his next class.
A faint smile still on his face.
Completely unaware that several boys had been watching him and Elara together.
Completely unaware that Sydney had figured out more than either of them.
And completely unaware that a very unfamiliar feeling had begun settling in his chest.
Something suspiciously close to happiness.
- Writer
