The Troublemaker and the Flower

2. Sage

After being saved in the library by an amazingly muscular girl, I expected her to at least talk to me a little bit. I guess my hopes got the best of me because that would never happen. Even in my dreams.

I come to this realization after I walk into my new first class and see her sitting in the very back, glaring at the piece of paper she's writing on. If I had any remaining doubts, they all disappeared when she ignored my smile when I sat down. I don't think that I stick out like a sore thumb, but I made it quite clear that the smile was aimed at her. After all, I'm the only person who is within a ten feet radius of her. A few kids shoot me pitiful glances. They only add to the temptation to run out of this classroom and break down crying.

Supposedly, my best friend from six years ago goes to this school, but I haven't seen him yet. His name is Blake Woods and is the sole opposite of me. He was a social butterfly back in elementary school. The girls and boys flocked to him like paperclips to a magnet. It felt like I was the other end of the magnet. Everyone avoided me. I could even go as far as saying that they didn't know of my very existence.

Clearly, this anti-magnetic field has stayed with me when I sit down at an empty table for lunch and no one seems to have any interest in inviting me to theirs. However, I quickly find out that this lunch table is the property of the one and only muscular girl and her two bodybuilding accomplices.

"Scram, kid," one of the guys says. "Clearly no one's told you that this is my lunch table and not yours. Get with the times, kid. It ain't kindergarten."

The surprise really comes when the girl places her hand on his bicep and tells him to calm down. She turns to me and speaks, "Look, kid, I know you're new, so I'll let it slide for today. You can sit here today, but we're not changing our table, so either deal with us or move. Got it?"

I nod furiously, and her other friend gives me an oddly welcoming smile. He takes a seat next to me and introduces himself as Benjamin. He also adds the important tip to never call him by that and to instead call him Min. I introduce myself to him, and he gives me a wide smile. "I can tell that we're going to be great friends."

After a few thousand nudges by Min, the other guy introduces himself, "I'm Gunther. I wouldn't be introducing myself if Min hadn't been constantly poking me, so don't think of us as friends."

Clearly, the only friendly face here is Min. He whispers to me in reassurance, "Gunther's just jealous that we brought another guy to the table. He's a bit overprotective. Don't worry, though. He'll soon warm up to you."

The girl clears her throat, and we all look at her. "Not you, kid," she says almost immediately. I turn away, though I can still easily hear their conversation. "Gun, you're fuming. Y'okay?" I can hear him grunt. "Fair enough. Min, you seem fine with him being at the table. Gun, what's your opinion on him?"

"He's a little twerp that could easily sit at another table and not eavesdrop on our conversations."

The burning gazes of them all fall onto the back of my head. I continue munching on my granola bar, afraid to turn around. Min saves me, "He's just eating a granola bar, Gunth. What has he ever done to you?"

He quietly murmurs something, but I can't hear it. I get up to throw out my granola bar wrapper, but someone tugs me back into my seat. I turn to see the girl is now sitting next to me with glaring eyes of fire. She speaks, "You can throw out the stupid wrapper later. Sit down. We have to talk to you."

"Pen, is that really a good idea?" Gunther asks warily.

"Yes," she states firmly. "He can sit at the lunch table. He can hang out with Min. You are clearly off limits, and I don't want him being clingy. The terms have already been discussed. If any of us decides to change the terms, we will all have to agree to it, got it?" The other two nod. She turns back to me. "You've heard the rules. Any questions?"

"What's your name?" I ask shyly.

"Aspen. That's beside the point. No questions related to the topic at hand? Alright then, it's settled. Welcome to the table." She doesn't smile, no hint of happiness, no shine or crinkle in her stormy eyes. 

Why?