I tried to sneak into class while Mrs. Arsement was writing on the assignments for the day on the chalkboard, but someone put their foot out making me trip and drop all of my books onto the ground.
"Mr. Barn, what do you think you're doing?"
I freeze, turning around to face the teacher, a stern look on her face. "Sorry Mrs. Arsement, I dropped all of my books trying to get to class and I had to pick everything up."
Mrs. Arsement lifted her chin and pointed her slender finger in the direction of the 'trouble desk'. "Go sit there for now, I'll have to write up another detention slip with a call home this time."
I groan and kneel down to pick up my scattered books, again, while all the other kids laugh quietly. My face burns with shame as I walk to the back of the room and sit down, waiting for the worst phone call of my life.
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Once class was over, and the absolute worst call home ever, it was time for lunch. Since I have no friends to sit with I decide to go outside and eat lunch by the big oak tree. Before I get there though someone knocks into me, causing to fall down and drop my lunch bag.
"Oh I'm so- oh, it's you. Vik right? We really have got to stop meeting like this."
I look up to see Lachlan standing there, slight concern written on his face as his friends stood behind him, smirking.
"Uh, yeah, I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." I looked at the ground, watching as I scuffed the bottom of my floral Doc Martens against the concrete.
"It's fine dude, honestly, you don't know how many people run into me on a daily basis." Lachlan smiled down at me, his crystal blue eyes shining. "Hey, would you mind if I sit with you?"
I looked at his two friends behind him, watching how they looked at me as if I was a piece of meat, their eyes scanning me up and down, lingering on my skirt. Lachlan must have noticed that I was uncomfortable with his friends because he motioned for them to leave. They huffed before turning and walking inside.
Once they were gone I looked back at Lachlan, his eyes hopeful. "I mean I guess you can, I was just going to sit under the big oak tree while I ate."
Lachlan nodded, leaning down and picking up my lunch bag, brushing it off and handing it to me before turning around and going the direction of the big oak. I paused. Is this a prank? There's no way he can actually want to sit with me. Shaking my head, I followed behind.
When I got to the tree Lachlan was already sitting down, leaning against the big trunk, eyes shut and mouth slightly open. I sit down next to him, opening my bag and pulling out the sandwich I had made myself before school.
We don't talk as we sit, my quiet chewing and the slight whistle of the wind the only things that are heard.
Lachlan sat up. "So Vik, let's play a game."
I glanced to my side so I was looking at Lachlan, "What kinda game do you have in mind?"
Lachlan looked like he was thinking. "How about we play twenty questions? I want to get to know you better. All I know so far is that your name is Vik and you look hella good in a skirt."
That's the second compliment he's given me today, what is going on? I nodded, placing my sandwich bag back in my lunch bag, dusting my hands off. "Okay then, I'll start. Why'd you want to sit with me today?"
Curiosity shown on his face. "What do you mean?"
I rolled my eyes, stretching my legs out and laying down. "You're the popular guy, everyone likes you, girls throw themselves at you, you get good grades. You've never even talked to me before today, and now all the sudden you wanna sit with me at lunch? You're complimenting me? It doesn't add up."
He turned his head to the side, thinking. "So just because I'm the popular guy that means I can't talk to people? It'd be nice to have someone who's not just friends with me for my popularity, who doesn't throw themselves at me. I've never even seen you before today so how was I supposed to talk to you?"
I stared at the grass, slightly hurt. "Lachlan, I've been in your class since we were in third grade. I tried talking to you when we first met because I wanted to be your friend, but you said I was a nerd and broke my glasses. I ended up going home crying and getting yelled at by my father for letting someone break my glasses when I knew that we couldn't afford to get them fixed. I walked around school for two years with tape covering them to keep them together just so I could see. So don't try to use the excuse that you don't know who I am."
I felt a finger under my chin as Lachlan pulled my head up so I was looking at him. "Vik I'm really sorry. I promise I'm not that kid anymore."
