Liquid Sound

(Un)Necessary Tension

Alexis sauntered across the chaotic school cafeteria and took a place at her usual, crowded table, plonking down her rather depressing tray of highly unappetizing school lunch. At her arrival, the table murmured quiet greetings of acknowledgement. Maia saucily draped an arm across Alexis's shoulders. "Hey," Alexis laughed, turning to her hoodie-clad friend.

"I dare you to eat one of those," Maia said, indicating a large, bile colored serving of vegetables.

"Even my dog wouldn't eat those," Alexis responded sarcastically.

"C'mon! Twenty bucks says you won't do it." Alexis rolled her eyes and apprehensively speared a flaccid, watery green bean with her fork. She held it up to the hard light of the cafeteria, examining it in distaste.

"The whole thing; chew and swallow," Maia instructed, obviously taking pleasure in her friend's understandable aversion.

Alexis grimaced and opened her mouth slightly, gingerly removing the bean from the tines of the fork with her teeth, defiantly eyeing Maia. She chewed slowly, disgust temporarily disfiguring her face. She squeezed her eyes shut and swallowed the revolting mouthful. "Pay up," Alexis croaked out.

Maia shrugged and removed her wallet from her backpack, handing Alexis a wrinkled twenty dollar bill. "Worth it." Alexis triumphantly pocketed the cash, and picked up the stiff, grayish slice of cheese pizza and took a small bite. She decided that she liked the green beans better.

"Hey, are you going to the homecoming game tonight?" Lane, one of several guys at the lunch table asked. His girlfriend looked annoyed that he was paying attention to someone other than her. She shot a venomous glare at Alexis, who pretended not to notice. They had never really gotten along.

Alexis incredulously raised an eyebrow. "You know how I feel about sweaty guys playing sports," she remarked. "Not to mention how cold it'll be."

"It's not about the sweaty dudes," interjected Nicholas. Alexis didn't know him very well; he was a grade older than her. He had always been relatively friendly, though. "Barely anyone even watches the game."

Alexis started to shake her head and reply. "She's coming," Maia affirmed. Maia gave her a look that left no room for arguments.

"Fine. I'll go." Maia gave a Cheshire Cat-like smirk, which Alexis responded to with a slightly irritated eye roll. She looked back at Lane, who was grinning excitedly. Alexis could practically picture him with a wagging tail. His girlfriend glowered threateningly at her with piercing blue eyes. The excessive amounts of globby makeup that decorated her petulant face gave her an unsavory and uncanny resemblance to a raccoon.

Lena Matthson strolled by, giving Alexis a sultry, lingering look. "Damn!" Maia whistled low under her breath. "She is totally into you."

Alexis shrugged noncommittally. "Eh. She's not really my type."

Maia snorted. "Yeah, right. Lena's hot as all f*ck. Besides," she continued, "you were totally checking her out."

Alexis shrugged again, idly chiseling the stiff cheese off her slice of cafeteria pizza. "Just because I admire pretty flowers doesn't mean that I want to pick a bouquet," she intoned. Maia rolled her eyes at Alexis's prophetic tone.

Maia paused, working something over in her head. "Oh, I get it," she theorized, "you've already slept with her, haven't you?"

Another shrug. "Maybe."

"I knew it!" Maia exclaimed angrily. She was glaring accusatorially at Alexis. Alexis cringed at Maia's harsh tone. "You should have told me," Maia sniffed, hurt.

"Sorry," Alexis mumbled absently. She had noticed Lewis Scottfreid sauntering past their table. She stared, bemused at how so many girls threw themselves at the obvious f*ckboy. She had never been able to understand what made the characteristics that she found revolting attractive to so many others.

Lewis looked up and caught Alexis's eye. He threw her a wink that he could have only meant to be enticing. Alexis's lip curled upwards in distaste. She scowled and not-so-subtly flipped him off. He was clearly not used to such rejections. His eyes widened as he was caught off guard, but within a fraction of a moment, his typical smug smirk was back in place on his heavily tanned face.

Deciding to ignore the native wildlife, Alexis turned away from Lewis and back to her table. Maia, having witnessed the spectacle, gave Alexis an empathetic look. The lunch bell rang, and the cafeteria was filled with the uproarious clatter of students scraping their barely-touched lunches into the trash. Alexis and the rest of the lunch table followed suit. "So, I'll see you at the game, right?" Lane enthused.

Alexis smiled robotically and nodded. "Yeah. See you at the game." Lane grinned, easily appeased. His girlfriend haughtily ushered him out of the cafeteria, claw-like arm securely hooked into his side. "Who shoved a stick up her ass?" Maia asked as they made their way to their 4th period classes.

Alexis shrugged. "I guess she thinks that I'm going to steal her man meat," She theorized.

Maia scoffed and rolled her eyes incredulously. "As if that would ever happen." Alexis laughed and nodded in affirmation. Reaching her fourth period classroom, Alexis entered, hastily assuring Maia that she would in fact be at the homecoming game that evening.

I hope that you guys enjoyed this new story I cooked up! I will probably post new chapters on a biweekly basis, so keep your eyes peeled for more.
~badwolf2006