LELA TRUDGED OUT OF HER ADVISORY CLASS TO LUNCH, NOT SURE WHAT TO DO. ON ONE HAND, SHE COULD EAT LUNCH ALONE AND AVOID ALL OF HER FRIENDS. ON THE OTHER, SHE COULD FACE THE MUSIC AND ACTUALLY HAVE A NORMAL CONVERSATION WITH JAY. WELL, SHE WASN'T NO ANIME PROTAGONIST, SHE COULD ACTUALLY FACE JAY AGAIN.
LELA BROUGHT HER SOGGY, MOLDY, MUSHY, GUSHY, STANKY, WANKY, PANKY SCHOOL LUNCH OVER TO THE SPOT HER AND HER FRIENDS ATE AT. SHE WINCED, THINKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT SHE'D SEE HER BABY CAKES, CORN FLAKES, TUBBA WUBBA, HUBBA BUBBA SOON. BUT WHEN SHE GOT THERE, JAY WAS NOWHERE TO BE SEEN.
LELA FELT DISAPPOINTED AND RELIEVED ALL AT ONCE, A FEELING THAT SEEMED TO BE COMMON THAT DAY. SHE SMILED SLIGHTLY AND SAT DOWN NEXT TO LIZZIE.
"JAY ISN'T HERE YET, BUT THEY'RE COMING." LELA FROZE, OF COURSE LIZZIE WAS ABLE TO TELL THAT LELA'S MIND WAS STILL ON THAT MORNING.
"UGHHH, JUST TALK TO THEM!" TYLER SQUAWKED, SOUNDING LIKE AS HIGH-PITCHED AS ALVIN FROM ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS. "IT WASN'T EVEN THAT BIG OF A DEAL!" ESTELLE NODDED IN AGREEMENT.
"YEAH, I'M SURE YOU WON'T EVEN HAVE TO BRING IT UP. JUST HAVE A NORMAL CONVERSATION WITH THEM. YOU'RE BEING DRAMATIC, BRO." LELA SIGHED AND NODDED.
"YOU'RE RIGHT I'LL TALK TO THEM WHEN THEY GET HERE." THE TRIO PRACTICALLY CHEERED AT THIS NEWS. THEIR OTHER FRIENDS BEGAN TO ARRIVE, CAMBELL, MIKKY, PEYTON, EMMA, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, JAY. LELA FROZE UP A LITTLE AS JAY WALKED OVER BUT MUSTERED A SMILE ANYWAY. SHE GRINNED WITH ALL HER TEETH, LIKE SOME KIND OF ANGLER FISH. JAY GAVE A SMIRK BACK AND SAT DOWN.
"heyyy." LELA GREETED, IN THE QUIETEST TONE HER LOUD ASS HAD EVER USED.
"'sup?" JAY RESPONDED AT THE SAME VOLUME. LIZZIE SMILED DEVIOUSLY AND TOOK A LONG SIP OF HER KICKSTART. THE REST OF THE GROUP FOLLOWED SIMILAR SMUG BEHAVIOR, THIS WAS GONNA BE GOOD...
