Formidable // Sally Face (2)

T h r e e

The cafeteria was rather noisy. This wasn't unusual for Bologna Day, as most kids spent more time talking than they did eating (understandably so). Violet could hardly hear herself think over the buzz of chatter in the air. 

"Damn, I'm starving," Larry complained, grimacing down at his bologna sandwich.

"I told you to start packing on Bologna Day," Ash replied. "It comes on the same day every week, Larry."

"Better yet, why don't they just stop serving this shit?"

Violet looked down at her own sandwich, which she had yet to even touch. Some sort of juice from the meat was leaking through the bread, causing a pink puddle to form beneath it. The lettuce was wilted and browning on the edges. The only somewhat-presentable food on her tray was her apple. Even then, it was bruised in multiple places and a bit squishy. 

"Do you guys ever wonder what this crap is made out of?" Came Sal's voice from beside her. He pinched the corner of his sandwich with his index finger and thumb and held it up, watching the meat juice drip onto his paper plate with a look of disgust.

Ash shrugged. "Probably just a bunch of unwanted animal parts."

"If by 'unwanted animal parts', you mean just their assholes, then I agree," Larry remarked. "That's exactly what it smells like."

"Ugh, Larry!"

"Come on, man, that's sick."

"It's true and you know it!"

"On the topic of smells," Todd interjected, "I've noticed that the meat smells different each week."

Sal drummed his fingers on the cheek of his prosthetic. "Do you think they make them with different stuff every time?"

Violet tuned out of the conversation and poked at the bologna on her sandwich. Truth be told, she'd never tasted one of them before. She hadn't even so much as touched one since her first day at Nockfell High School. Larry and Sal would occasionally take bites of them as dares or when one of them lost a bet. Other than that, Chug and Travis were the only people she knew who actually ate them. 

With a grimace on her face, she picked up the sandwich in a similar fashion that Sal had earlier. The bologna juice dampened her fingertips, nearly causing her to gag. She slowly leaned forward and inhaled through her nose. The smell was rancid, yes, but there was something more to it. Something...sweet.

The entire group turned to Violet when her sandwich fell onto her plate with a slap! Her eyes were wide with terror and the color had drained from her complexion.

"You good, little dude?" Larry questioned with a frown.

She looked up, her eyes meeting everyone's concerned expressions. Even Chug stopped eating. This was stupid. It was just her "PTSD" or whatever Dr. Olson called it. Apparently, smelling her parents at random times was a symptom. Why did she have to do this for the first time right now? She quickly shook herself of the anxiety coming over her and forced a small smile onto her face.

"Yeah, I'm alright. You were right about the smell," she told him.

"Are you sure?" Ash urged. "You look upset."

"I'm not. Just hungry, that's all." That was a lie. Not only did she know it, but so did Sal. She could feel his doubtful gaze burning into the side of her head.

Chug popped the last bite of his sandwich into his mouth and belched. "You guys are crazy. I love Bologna Day."

"We know you do, Chug," Maple soothed, placing a hand on his shoulder.