Eight years old
"Pleeeease, pretty please sit with me?" Rani batted her eyelashes.
"Well...I always sit with Sessile..." I answered uncertainly.
"Exactly! You sit with her EVERY SINGLE DAYYYYY." Rani complained.
We were in the cafeteria at school, and my friend Rani was asking if I could sit with her and her other friends today. Sessile was in the bathroom, and I was supposed to be saving her a spot when Rani cornered me.
"Can Sessile sit with us, too?" I asked hopefully.
Rani shook her head. "There's no space!"
I wish I could argue, but she was right. The tiny tables at school barely fit four people each. I was the fifth person they would be adding, so there would definitely be no space for more.
"I guess I'll ask Sessile if it's okay."
Rani beamed. "Yay! Thanks, Lana!"
I smiled hesitantly and headed towards the girl's bathroom where I found Sessile washing her hands. Once...twice...three times...Sessile hated germs. I tried to pretend I wasn't aware of Rani following me to eavesdrop.
I didn't really want to do this. Ugh, second-grade drama.
"Hey, Lana!" Sessile smiled.
"Hey, Sesame. So...Rani was wondering - I mean, I was wondering if I could maybe sit with Rani and her friends today? It would just be for today," I added quickly.
Sessile's face fell. "Oh. Uh...okay, I guess."
"Thanks, Sessile."
We walked out of the bathroom together and feigned surprise in unison when we saw Rani standing outside, matching her expression, though ours was probably more convincing than hers.
"Oh! Hey, guys, I didn't even know you were in here! I was just about to go to the bathroom!" She said as she followed us the opposite way of her supposed destination as the three of us headed towards the cafeteria again.
As Sessile and I walked in different directions, we winked at each other. (I'd been practicing my wink, and I'd say it's pretty good now! Sessile is a darned natural.) Good, I thought, relieved that Sessile wasn't actually upset, that she knew I wasn't betraying her.
As I squeezed in between Rani and Riley - the giggliest girl in the WORLD, and the most annoying - I took out my lunch.
Rani wrinkled her nose. "Ew, you like sesame bagels? How can anyone choke down those seeds? It's like eating plants."
Inwardly I smiled, and made eye contact with Sessile, who was two tables away, but close enough to overhear Rani's distaste. Outwardly, I matched Sessile's (once again, feigned) gasp of incredulessnes. (Yes, I invented that word, just now.)
"Rani! You don't like SESAME BAGELS? Why, this is a CRIME! This - I'm sorry, Rani, I don't think I can associate with you anymore." I clutched my heart. "Goodbye," I added formally before flouncing off to join Sessile, leaving Rani and her friends staring at me, probably wondering if they should be worried about my sanity.
If there was one thing that Sessile and I knew about Rani, it was her distaste for all things carbs. I knew her mom (the demon) had probably influenced that on her, but the dislike of sesame bagels specifically? That was all Sessile and me.
Some things will remain secret, though.
I sat down, giggling, next to my best friend as we contemplated whose friendship we should ruin next.
