𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 | 𝗍𝗒𝗋𝗎𝗌

04

c y r u s

why had tj asked me to eat lunch with him and why had i agreed? i didn't have time to make friends. who knows how long i'm gonna be here? but something about tj makes me want to sit with him and makes me want to get to know him better. this has never happened before.

i made sure to walk extra slow to the cafeteria so i could somewhat try and think of what i was going to say. i had no idea who his friends were and how they acted. i was envisioning a bunch of buff jocks. but when i walked into the cafeteria and was hopelessly looking for tj, i was shocked.

he had waved at me and i saw the people at his table. two girls and two boys. one of the girls had dark, caramel skin and big curly hair. she was wearing a hoodie that read 'grant basketbal' and she had a suspicious look on her face. the other girl was a fair, asian girl. her hair was styled in a pixie cut and she had clips that were everywhere in her hair. she also had a suspicious look on her face but she also looked like she was filled with fear.

both of the boys had light brown hair and warm smiles on their faces. they also had dimples which was one of my weaknesses. the boy with the blue button down had his arm around the curly haired girl. i supposed they were dating.

i finally arrived at the table and could feel the tension seeping through their pores. i could tell that they were a tight group just by looking at them.

"cyrus, you made it." tj greeted me and patted the seat next to him. i awkwardly sat down next to him and i could feel everyone's eyes on me and for once, i actually cared and was bothered.

"i'm jonah!" one of the dimpled boys said with a bright grin on his face.

"i'm cyrus." i said and then instantly felt stupid. they obviously already they that. "i mean, you guys already know that."

"yeah," the curly haired girl stated. "i'm buffy and this is marty," she gestured to the boy with his arm around her, "and that's andi." she pointed to the girl sitting on the other side of her.

after a few more moments of awkward silence, jonah finally broke it by talking about something that i wasn't listening to. but by the looks on everyone's faces, it was either ridiculously stupid or ridiculously funny. i couldn't tell. but i didn't care. i knew sitting with them would turn out bad. i don't care enough to talk to them and get to know them. that's what i tried to tell myself.

the whole lunch, i just picked at my so called salad and nibbled at my apple. but i could feel tj staring at me. he, too, hadn't talked all lunch.

i finally decided that this wasn't worth the torture. i quickly excused myself and threw away my lunch before bolting out of the cafeteria.

i slowed down once i was out and i found myself standing in front of a dark classroom. the door read 'AV room'. i was intrigued so i turned the knob and flipped the switch. it lit up and showed about a dozen of computers in one room that was marked editing room. there were a few other computers that i assumed were for writing the script.

i walked further in and saw that there were 3 teleprompters and a desk with a green screen behind it. this place seemed somewhat magical. i had always been interested in screenwriting and directing but i never pursued anything in it. i don't stay in one place long enough to join any clubs. i was brought out of my trance by a voice behind me.

"i'm sorry about how awkward that was." tj said from behind me. i could hear the genuine sorrow in his voice. god, i really hope he's not beating himself over that.

"don't worry about it. like i said before i don't really care." i turned around to face him and his eyes fell to my newly formed bruises. i had forgotten all about them. that's why the stares were so much worse today.

"your face." was all tj could muster out. all of a sudden i grew insecure and i turned so he couldn't see my face. no one has ever cared enough to say or ask about anything to do with my bruises. why does he have to care?

"ha thanks." i scoffed out, trying to convince him that i didnt care. because i don't. i shouldn't have go try to convince myself that. but ever since i moved here, i have grown to actually care about the stares and the whispers.

"you know i didn't mean it like that, cy." he stepped forward and his expression softened. that nickname shouldn't get to me but it does and i can tell he knows it. how is it that he can read right through me? i thought i had built a big enough wall that no one would even think about breaking it down.

"you shouldn't have invited me. i think it's pretty obvious that they didn't want me there." i said in a sadder tone then i'd anticipated. tj noticed.

"they were just surprised. andi thinks you're going to bring her to hell." i looked him in the eye after he said that and i could tell he immediately regretted it. "shit i really shouldn't have said that."

"no it's fine. i'm used to it. i'm not the most welcoming." i tried to smile but it seemed impossible.

"how bout tomorrow we sit in here for lunch. i can show you how the teleprompter works and we can make funny videos." tj suggested. the thought made me smile.

"are you apart of the AV club?" i asked. he doesn't seem like he would be interested in this stuff. but then again neither do i.

"there's no club here, it's a choice as an elective. i thought it would be fun and look good on my transcript. and it is fun! on thursday's i have my own segment." he smiled widely. i liked when he smiled. no, cyrus stop!

"what's it called?" i curiously asked. his smile fell and a blush grew upon his cheeks.

"promise you won't make fun of me. i had no say in the name. the school voted for it." he looked extremely embarrassed and he hadn't even told me the name yet.

"i cant make any promises." i smirked. he rolled his deep green eyes.

"it's called 'tea time with tj' and i hate it." he cringed saying the name and i don't blame him for hating it. i could tell that it was picked by some freshman girl. i laughed at how ridiculous it was.

"what do you even talk about?" i laughed again, still trying to not act so surprised.

"the gossip of the school and what's going on in the world of pop culture." once again he cringed and i gave him a fake sympathetic look. "but it's actually fun even if i cringe every time i watch myself on the news."

it was silent for a few moments but it wasn't awkward. i was still trying to process how amazing this room was.

"are we even allowed to eat in here?" i asked breaking the silence. i didn't care if we werent but i didn't want to get tj in trouble.

"i guess we'll find out." tj winked at me. i felt my heart fluttered. oh shit. tj kippen is going to be the death of me.