Conveniently Inspired

Chapter Four

Skylar always brought a book to lunch. The accompaniment of fictional characters seemed more appealing than real people sometimes. Sure, she longed for actual human connections, but at least the people in books could never hurt her feelings.

Lincoln High's cafeteria was small. Unfitting for its large population. This meant that students typically ate lunch perched on the hallway floors, or if the weather was nice, then outside on the limited picnic benches. Skylar brought her lunch bag wherever she went just so she could claim first dibs at one of the outdoor tables. She liked to avoid the cafeteria because that's where the cliques were, and one glance at them had Skylar's heart lurching with jealousy. Having a large friend group was ideal, but Skylar couldn't even bring herself to talk to a single person, let alone four or five. It was just impossible. So she settled on her own company. It wasn't that bad. She had survived so far, hadn't she?

Skylar popped open her thermos of fried rice, her thumb jabbed in the middle of The Selection, a book she'd read at least three times by now (it was her comfort series), a spoon jammed in her cheeks when the side entrance swung open, and a chorus of voices crescendoed.

"-why not?"

"Summer, you know why." It was no other than Kaden Brooks. "Things are tense at home. I can't deal with a relationship right now."

Unanswered questions and awkward delays stretched between them, and out of everything, the first thing Summer asked was, "It's another girl, isn't it? What's her face- Brie? Brie Owens from chem?"

"Fucking Christ. Did you not just hear a word I said!?" Kaden sighed for the third time in less than three minutes, ruffling his brown hair, which was already pretty disheveled. As if he just got out of bed. He wore a black hoodie with beige khakis, and Skylar wondered how he wasn't sweltering from the heat. Summer was in front of him, wearing a cute black skirt and white polo tee. Skylar was busy admiring her outfit, when Summer lunged and shoved him. Kaden was tall, towering over her with likely double her weight. Summer pushed him again, her anger reaching a peak when he still barely budged.

"Stop, Summer, God, stop-" Kaden resorted to grabbing her wrists when she was relentless. "I don't know what you want from me! I told you like four times this morning, and I've meant it every single time. We're done. Stop calling me. Stop texting me. And for the love of god-" He abruptly let go, causing Summer to sway from the momentum. "-don't fucking touch me again." With that, he pivoted hard and fast, yanking the door open. But not before he caught Skylar's gaze. Their 0.5 seconds of eye contact seemed to anger him even more. As if he was embarrassed that somebody caught his little breakdown. His frown deepened before disappearing into the building.

It was still fairly early into lunch, so it was just Summer and Skylar out on the patio. Summer seemed oblivious to her surroundings. Just trapped in her own sad little bubble, arms slack at the sides, her white polo stained with specks of tears. She used the inside of her elbow to aggressively wipe the streams rolling down her cheeks.

Skylar paused with the spoon halfway to her mouth. Her heart was pounding, but she knew what she had to do. She rummaged inside her backpack for a pack of tissues, and, after a deep inhale, walked over to Summer. Skylar had to lightly tap her shoulder just to get her attention. Summer jerked, like someone electrocuted her.

Blue eyes blinked madly before darting down to the tissues in Skylar's hand. Her lips pursed tightly, but it seemed more to stop the next sob than anything else. There was genuine gratefulness in her eyes. "Thank you" she whispered.

Skylar nodded, and while she already had one tissue in between her fingers, Summer took the whole packet and went back inside. Skylar opened her mouth, but stood helplessly as the door flowed to a shut.