Without Jesse

(19) tree memories

✨Talia✨

~Lunch~

*Saturday*

Its official. Saturdays are my favourite day, we get to wear whatever clothes we want (within reason) and we get to leave school grounds, as long as we are over 15 and have teachers acceptance.

Plus, the food was the best on Saturdays... and extra dessert.

"Sooooo.... math, health and bloody english homework! Taaaalllly! You know how much I love you?" Sandy heaved her books onto the table, making my soup spill on it.

"Yes?" I sad warily as I mopped up the spilled soup. She clung to my arm,

"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease help me! I don't know what to do for the... everything." She finished with puppy dog eyes and I rolled my own at her. I pointed at Sam,

"We can both do it together, with Sam's help." I replied when I finished mopping up. She grinned and took my bread and started to munch on it,

"Hey Tally.... why are Tara and Chloe waving you over?" Sandy eyed the 2 very enthusiastic girls like they were aliens from Mars.

"I don't know..." I said quietly, when I didn't walk over they stood up in unison. They must have practised that, no one is so in sync. I thought amused.

"Uh oh... what have we summoned?" Sandy murmured, I snorted trying to smother my laugh. When they reached our table Chloe plopped down next to me and Tara sat on the table leaning in to look me dead in the eye.

What was this? An interrogation? I smiled weakly at Chloe and said calmly,

"Hey Chloe, what's up?" She smiled at me and patted my hand before replying,

"The real question Tally is, how are you? I... couldn't help but overhear your convo with Ms. Slype... the one about why you chose to do your art piece with angels and demons." I stared at her angry and shocked,

How in the hooey did she hear that conversation? She was on the other side of the room! I just continued to stare at Chloe while Tara gave her a slight nod. Sandy peered at me warily but didn't say anything,

"So... you didn't answer Ms. Slype. Why?" I felt my bottled up anger wake up. Sandy reached out and squeezed my hand under the table, I can't lose control and show them my weakness.

"Oh... just... personal reasons."  replied but made she 'personal' was relevant in my answer. Tara tutted and reached out to pat my other shoulder, I flinched away.

Tara and Chloe both looked at each other, tiny light bulbs were going off in their heads, I knew it. Tara whispered to me,

"Could we talk to you in private?" I widened my eyes and shook my head, what was going on?

"Please Tally! I just... we didn't actually come over here to harass you," Chloe began, really? It sure didn't feel like it, I thought annoyed, " It's just that I needed help with my assignment and didn't want to admit I was wrong."

Oh, I thought. "Oh." I breathed, shocked, Sandy blew out a breath and I felt my own breath heave out of me.

"Yeah sure. What did you need-" I started, but Chloe jumped in, 

"Could you just! Come over to our table to discuss it... I don't want people to pry." She gave a pointed look at Sandy, wow. Rude. Sandy snorted annoyed but waved at me, saying it was fine.

"Okay." I muttered and followed the 2 girls over to their table,

"Hey gals so this is the famous Talia Loke!" Chloe announced to her group, I nodded at a few of them, not really wanting to sit down. They had other ideas, Chloe yanked my into the seat next to her and Tara sat on the other side.