The Inceptive Flame⎪✓

❨43❩

♀︎

Searching the cafeteria, I'm disappointed when my friends are nowhere in sight. They promised to be here on time, my stomach has been growling the entire day and at this moment I can't justify waiting for them. Shrugging my shoulders, I get in line by the food and grab my own tray, piling food on top and grabbing a water afterwards. 

The lovely lunch lady greets me with her ever so present scowl, I've ignored her for the most part of this semester. Her attitude wasn't worth my time, but I'm still fucking tired of looking at her face that's drowning in wrinkles. She glares at my plate of food, the disdain on her face is almost humorous to me. 

"Hello Gretha, how are we feeling this fine Wednesday?" Her scowl deepens when I smile at her. 

"Just as I thought you and I were done talking to each other," She mutters in anger. "Well if you have to know, I'm feeling relieved that you have finals soon and that you'll be out of my hair forever."

Time really has gone by too quickly. Between visiting my dad at the hospital and keeping up with my studies, it has been near impossible to keep track of time. We're only a little over a week away from graduation. Dani and Relly have been studying intensely for the last week, but they managed to visit my dad once and were shocked by the progress he's made. He almost seems healthy again, the doctors checked him and the cancer is still there. Doctor Wilson told me that this is the calm before the storm, but I refuse believe him. My dad is too healthy to die. 

Smirking at her frustrated face, "You'll never get rid of me, I will always be entering your mind. Even when you retire and sit in a nursing home, Dakota Moore will occasionally pop up and annoy you."

"You aren't worth my time," She spits. I really don't know why her annoyance is so funny to me, but I do know that her calling me fat that one time ruined the possibility of me ever being nice to her. It's too much fun and too easy to rile her up. 

A sudden hand on the small of my back sends shivers down my spine, "Love, come eat with me. Or else the other students in this line will probably attack you from stalling them."

"You didn't take my words to heart then?" She suddenly asks Elijah. "I warned you about burning your hands on this one."

I can't help but laugh at her, she is a miserable person. Trying to meddle in teenagers' love life because she has nothing else to care about, if anything is pathetic; this one wins. Grabbing my plate, the laugh is still erupting from me, "You sad little piece of shit."

"I didn't take your words into consideration, no," He starts confidently. "You aren't a credible source, and quite frankly, you bullying high schoolers shows just how impolite you are. Dakota didn't start anything at the time, she isn't the type to start unnecessary shit, but she will bite if you treat her in a disrespectful manner, which you did. Now, if you'll excuse us."

Giving one last smirk to Gretha, Elijah guides me to the table I usually sit at. Both of us sit down and he smiles at me, "Why didn't you wait for your friends? We both know you alone with Gretha is a horrible combination."

Smiling at him, "I'm hungry, they promised to be here immediately."

Dani and Relly throw themselves into the seats in front of us, their frantic eyes humor me slightly. And when they spot who is sitting next to me, their expressions turn suggestive. I roll my eyes at their antics. 

"Well hello there," Dani says in a drawl. "Nice to see you again, it surely has been a while since the party at Tyler's and that one time at my house."

"Yeah," Relly pipes in, leaning her head against her hand. "We've just now heard about you, but ever since she told us she hasn't shut up. So you must really be someone to her, huh?" 

Elijah delivers his charming smile, his one dimple showing, "I'm glad to hear that. I've heard a lot about you guys, too. Only good things, of course."

Dani erupts in laughter, "I definitely don't believe that! Appreciate the effort though."

Relly leans closer, her eyes serious, "Not to burst this little bubble, but I'm seriously freaking out about finals. Like, we have a week to complete them and I'm literally dying over here."

Brock sits down next to Dani, smirking at her before turning his attention to Relly, "We're in the same boat, without the fact that you and Dani decided to aim for an insane college and feel actual pressure from the finals."

He does the whole cool bromance handshake thing with Elijah and looks at Dani again. Those two are inseparable and I don't know how they will cope without each other when all of us leave for college. 

Looking at Elijah, his eyes are already on me. He is searching my face, before his arm lands comfortably around my waist. The small signs of affection in public always get to me, as a small blush suddenly roams my cheeks. He winks at me and tunes in to Relly and Dani's discussion on whether or not Mr. Tristy got some this weekend. 

"By the way, Dakota," Brock says in his scarily deep voice. "What's up with you and Mr. T? He mentioned something about an unfortunate encounter, but haven't the two of you had multiple of those?"

All eyes on me as my mind goes back to the more than awkward conversation in front of the restroom. He hasn't looked at me twice since then and I'm glad! The awkwardness and tension is so obvious you could cut it with a knife, so him staying away and minding his own business is a way better strategy than him and I having to talk. 

Tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear, "I said some things to him."

Relly chuckles, "Yeah, Kota. Nothing new there, the question is what really threw him off this time?"

"Uhm," I start. "I guess teachers don't appreciate their students commenting on bowel movements and such."

The whole table erupts in laughter and I have to explain the entire scenario to them, knowing the whole story their laughter intensifies and I can't stop myself from joining them. This is most definitely what I will miss the most when high school is over, my group of friends is what I can't live without, but in this exact aspect I have no choice. 

Deciding to live in the moment, I ignore the negative thoughts and enjoy the way Elijah is holding me while I have the best people in my life around me. It doesn't get any better than this.