savior

nine

DAY FIVE; TWENTY SIX DAYS TO GO

Lunch was something. Michael and Ashton invited me to their table again. I happily accepted the offer. The three of us approached the hot dog line, retrieving a large amount of food, each. Ashton seemed to have gotten the most out of all of us. "Sorry, sir," the lunch lady said when he recited his lunch code to her. "It looks like you don't have enough money in your account to pay for normal lunch—and especially not with all of this extra stuff you've got here."

Ashton looked down at all that was on his tray. A frown etched on his face. He started to dispose of everything on his tray, putting the items back where he got them. I put it all back on his tray.

"I'll pay for it," I said to Ashton. I handed the lunch lady the money for everything Ashton wanted. He looked at me, sort of confused.

When everyone was finished in line, we all walked to the table, Michael and Ashton roaming way ahead of me. I was in search for Anna, who I hadn't really talked to in a few days.

She was still with that boy when I saw her. Our eyes locked, and a smile spread across her face. Anna pulled the boy in my direction, making him have to walk really fast to keep up with her. They reached me, and followed me to where I was going.

I stole a seat across from Ashton, who was sitting next to Micheal. Anna and her friend sat next to me.

"Regan, you didn't have to pay for my lunch," Ashton said. He was already digging into the food like he had no care in the world who paid for it. "I could've just stolen a little bit from your tray. I mean, if you didn't mind."

I shrugged. I was only being friendly. We were friends now, apparently, according to Ashton. Friends do nice things for other friends. That's just how it works.

Anna turned to me. "Re, this is Calum," she said, pointing her thumb towards the boy she had been spending so much time with recently. I waved to him. Ashton didn't look up from his tray. Michael seemed to be glaring at him.

That's when I remembered what he said to me the other day. He knew all about Anna's games, and couldn't stand her. Then he proclaimed that I was just like her—after many attempts to convince him that I'm absolutely nothing like her, he let it go. I started to panic as I looked over at everyone.

"Uh, you guys don't mind if they sit with us, do you?" I asked, mainly directing the question towards Michael. Instead of saying anything, he just shrugged, and continued to glare at Calum. I don't think Calum noticed.

But I sure did notice the nervous glances Anna gave to Micheal. I could also feel tension in the air. What is going on that I don't know about?

Ashton looked up from his tray when he was halfway finished with his second hotdog. "So, uh, do you have anything planned after school?" he asked me, sipping from his chocolate milk every few words. He was oblivious to the suspicious look Anna was giving me.

"I'm free," I answered. "As far as I know. Maybe Anna wants to do something after school. She seems to be looking at me as if she does."

Anna swatted my arm. "No! Of course not! But I may need to sneak Re off to the restroom for just a few minutes." She grabbed my arm like she had Calum's earlier, and dragged me off with her to the ladies room, leaving all the others alone at the table. "You've got five seconds to start explaining."

We stood in the ladies restroom alone. Anna stared at her reflection in the mirror, examining her appearance. She was the most vain of the two of us.

"What is there to explain?" I asked, generally confused.

"You're dating and not telling me? I wanted to be the one to set you up!" she said rather loudly. A pout found its way on her lips.

"You think I'm dating? Who?" I questioned. There was no way I was dating someone, and if I was, Anna would be the first person I told. No one has really liked me, other than my clingy ex-boyfriend, so there's no way I could have a boyfriend. Anna would've found out anyways—whether I told her or not—because it was rare I was seen with someone, and having a boy making physical contact with me would be uncommon.

I wasn't ugly, or that uninteresting. I just naturally didn't care much for relationships. Boys were gross, arrogant, and annoying. And they took up too much time to be involved with.

"That one kid! Uh, curly hair, dimply smile. He practically asked you to go out with him this afternoon! What's his name?" she said, still loud, as she snapped her fingers. I was glad there was no one in the bathroom but us.

"You mean Ashton?"

"Yes! Him! Get it, girl! He's cute," she said. I opened my mouth to say something, but she beat me to it. "Maybe we can double date!"

"Double date? Anna, don't you think you're over-exaggerating? We aren't even—" I started, but she cut me off, giggling like a schoolgirl.

Anna released a small little huff. Here we go. Once Anna is determined to do something, there's no stopping her from getting what she wants. That's how she's always been. My stomach began to get a little queasy. I was supposed to save Ashton, not date him. Anna put an arm over my shoulders, pushing me out of the bathroom with her.

"Either you ask him, or I will."