North Star

06 | sister sister

2008

"Eh, Kanani's sister. Howzit!"

I waved at the unknown guy before dragging my plastic lunch tray off the counter and making my way quickly out of the cafeteria. Sitting inside had only lasted about a week before I traded it for the windy outdoors instead.

Kaiser High School sat on a slight slope, so no matter where I sat, I could usually get a good view of something. And while there wasn't as much outdoor seating as I would have liked for there to be—I'd have one less bug bite on the back of my leg—there were plenty of grassy areas for me to sit in. Kaipo even played nice and ate lunch with me sometimes. Since eating inside the cafeteria more closely reflected being a bloody piece of raw steak tossed inside the lion's den, I appreciated him keeping me company as I designated myself as a reject in the outlands.

Kaipo was already sitting at a table near the parking lot with his face buried in his book when I walked over.

"Since when do you do work?" I asked as I slammed my tray onto the concrete table top.

He barely spared me a glance, too busy scrunching his face in studious contention. "Since when do you socialize with anyone other than your sisters?"

Touché. "Ouch."

A quick peek advised he was working on a paper for social studies. That explained the bite. We didn't have it during the same period, but we shared the same teacher who had an easy-going personality but harsh grading practices. Scoring poorly on even one assignment would prove detrimental to our final grade, and Kaipo needed to keep his up for his extracurriculars.

"Truce," I said after a second. I grabbed the juice carton and shook it before opening it and taking a sip. "Isn't that due next week? Why are you working on it now?"

Kaipo answered surprisingly quickly for someone who looked like he was seconds from tearing every single strand of hair out of his scalp.

"It's due on Monday for my class and we have a game and practice this weekend so I need to get it done early," he answered. I should have figured that since he had his sports duffel on the ground next to him.

I eyed the bag like it was a snake hissing at me. "Practice and a game? Disgusting. Why do you even do that shit?"

Kaipo discarded an amused scoff. "Says the girl who willingly stays late almost every other day for band practice."

"Band doesn't require me to risk getting a concussion or smelling like I've walked through a sewer." I made a show of picking at his shirt, one of many that wore a display of permanent grass stains and dirt marks. If it wasn't for the smell, I would have suggested he not even bother washing the damn thing every single day. Once a stain was removed, it was easily replaced the very next time he wore it.

He leaned toward me. "No, you just come play at our halftime shows."

"Oh, you little—"

Kanani found us a few seconds later when she surprised us with a visit. To say she looked disappointed watching us arm wrestle to mess up the other's hair more would have been an understatement. Regardless, she lowered her tray down next to us and quickly began shoveling somen noodles into her mouth.

"Is that what you guys do every lunch?"

Once Kaipo wrangled himself free of my grip, he turned to her with a pained expression. (I had won.)

"It's cute you think I can be around her that much."

If I wasn't so hungry, I might have flicked him again.