Mr. Forgetmenot

04. different perspectives

June skipped over to me in the corridors and held out a sandwich and packet of crisps, beaming at me. I raised my eyebrow.

"For you."

"I can get my own lunch, June. You don't need to get me anything." I stated blankly.

"I know," she said still smiling, "I just wanted to."

I shook my head, taking the lunch and thanking her. I thought she would've left me at that but she continued to walk with me while munching on an apple. Don't ask me where she got the damn apple from because I'm just as confused.

"June, you don't need to stay with me at lunch. You can hang out with your friends if you want." Her smile wilted a bit.

"Charlee hangs out with you guys for lunch and everyone else thinks I'm a weirdo." She muttered softly.

"Fuck everyone else, June. It's just their loss, isn't it?" I exclaimed pulling her closer to me.

"You're right, Frankie. It is their loss."

+++

The looks I got from everyone when I sat down behind the school building with June holding my hand were a mixture of shock and confusion. All except Harri who had coincidentally found something very interesting on the bottom of his shoe.

I looked closer. Black eye. Ha. Good. He deserved it, the prick.

Charlee gave me an unsure look as if pleading for me to walk away with June with me. The rest of the girls stared at June like they were at a circus and she was the act. It surprised me how different they all acted towards someone else.

Holli shuffled away from where June was - the same Holli that drove three hours to bring Charlee some food when she was ill. Paisley gave a disgusted look, a look that was absent around everyone else. India whispered things into Holli's ear making her giggle and stare at June. And sweet Jourdan, who was as beautiful as she was feisty, I would never expect such an ugly look to come from her as the sneer painted on her face when gazing upon June.

I wanted to scoop June up and take her away from here when I saw the unwelcome glances of everyone. But I didn't.

Ashby gave me an unsure look and I turned my head not wanting any bullshit speech.

Soon chatter turned back to the norm although June still sat there quiet, playing with her sandwich.

I looked at mine and unwrapped it. Tuna and mayonnaise with lots of sweet corn.

"You either did your research or you're a very good guesser. How did you know I was a Pescatarian?" I whispered into her ear. She seemed to jump out of her trance and shrugged her shoulders.

"Hey, you okay, June?" I asked still whispering.

She nodded at me.

"I like to know what they say about me." June whispered back into my ear, turning her head at the girls. Her hot breath so close to me gave me goosebumps and I quickly moved away.

She knew. June knew that her sister's friends spoke about her. I looked at June, who seemed to have forgotten my presence and was now solely focused on the girls' conversation.