blind-sided

chapter two

LUNCH TODAY WAS MEATLOAF. No thank you. The cafeteria, otherwise known as the commons, beheld such a strong and retched mystery meat smell that I thought I was going to be sick. My stomach churned and I steered away from that part of the lunchline that fed you poison. Instead, I ventured off to the salad bar and made myself something I could eat. A fruit bowl. Grabbing a fork, I went and paid for my food and made my way over to Monica's table.

She was surrounded by our other friends who were Harry, Yvette, and Oscar. They were laughing about something when I walked up but I wasn't really in the mood to know what it was. My mind was still in a whirlwind over what had happened this morning.

Two of the things that I had listed off were now false. I no longer have not talked to Jamie in six years and now he was in a class with me. I think Monica could tell something was racking my brain because she threw a piece of bread at face.

"Hey, everything alright?" She asked and gestured for me to sit down next to her.

"Yeah, just a weird day," I murmured and stabbed a strawberry, plopping it into my mouth. The subject still irritating enough that I decided to take it out on my food. And then, I bit down on my cheek.

I glared at Harry as he laughed when I yelped in pain. I had terrible pain tolerance. One time, I had a sliver but I screamed and kicked at my dad whenever he got close to me with the tweezers. Long story short: my hand got infected and I had to go to the doctor's to get the sliver removed and the injury cleaned. True story.

I didn't hesitate to throw a carrot from Monica's plate of food at him, just to get him to shut up.

"Hey! Throw your own food!" She snapped and gave me a small slap on my arm.

"He started it!" I jabbed, knowing that Monica wouldn't even eat her carrots anyway. I shot Harry another glare before plopping another strawberry into my mouth.

Yvette started talking about some big breakup drama that was going on between some kids in our class, but I was back in my brain, stuck in my own little thinking world when Monica suddenly gasped and clasped her hands together.

"I almost forgot to tell you guys! Ginny invited me to her party!" She said with excitement and everyone stopped what they were doing.

Apparently I had been so surprised by the news that the strawberry got stuck in my throat. I started to cough horrendously and quickly grabbed Harry's water, opening it and taking a couple of swigs, trying to wash it down.

"You mean Ginny Ginny? As in Ginny Andrews?" I coughed out as the water worked its magic and saved me.

"Did you just choke?" Oscar snickered and Yvette punched his arm.

"Hey!" He groaned and mumbled what sounded like 'it was funny' under his breath.

Ginny Andrews was notorious for having the wildest parties in our school. Stuff happened there. If you walked in as a virgin you most likely weren't walking out as one. People always got drunk to the point of puking their guts out. But the thing was, not anybody could just go to Ginny's parties. They were reserved for people like her. The "popular" kids. The stuck-up, ridiculously rich kind that belittled everyone else in this school. That's why we were all so shocked because none of us were involved with that crowd.

"How?" Yvette asked and Monica smirked at us.

"Well, she was talking about it in class today, and as you guys know I sit by her. Anyway, she forgot to do her literature packet, so I saw my opportunity and swooped in. I let her use my answers and in return she invited me."

"So, you cheated," Yvette didn't look too amused. She was the stricter one in our group about grades and such. Monica rolled her eyes and smashed her meatloaf with her fork.