Salvia High School

Chapter 15: Dinner Time

As their drinks were served the small group all enjoyed one another's company. Zander was careful to sneak some of the snacks from out of his pocket and onto the table, wary of any eyes who could see him breaking their 'no outside food' policy. As conversation began he used their noise to hide the constant crunching of the wrapper as he chowed down on some of his forbidden food.

"What do you think of it here?" Alex looked across the table to Kaila.

"It's really pretty. Everyone seems so formal here."

"I would expect that from one of the best restaurants in the city. Not just anyone can come to eat here. You've got to have money if you want to dine because their prices are ridiculously expensive." Mallix looked over.

"And you're paying for all of us?!" Kaila looked big eyed at Nina who was sipping away at her ice tea.

"Yup. That was the deal. Besides it's nothing." She casually brushed off taking another sip of her drink. Kaila was silently impressed.

"So...what's with your guys's nicknames?" Kaila asked the table.

They all smiled thinking back to when they first emerged. "Its a short story. When we were all kids everyone found it difficult to say mine and Zander's name. So to solve that we just started saying Z and M. After a while though it became a habit and we started calling Lain and Nina it too."

"Alexander on the other hand thinks it's unnecessary." Nina laughed pointing at him. It was rare to hear the group using his full name.

The boy sulked in his seat as he crossed his arms glaring at her. "I do think it's unnecessary N. It doesn't sound right just going around saying A. It works for you guys but I just like how Alex sounds."

She threw her hands up accepting his explanation.

"And for you I think Kay works perfectly fine. In retrospect I probably should've asked you first if it was alright." Lain looked down besides her.

"I don't mind it. That's usually what people used anyways."

"Then lucky guess I suppose." Lain laughed.

As conversation continued to strike the group got to know more about Kaila. After some careful questions they were able to find out that Kaila had been expelled for skipping more than half of the school year at her past schools. Each one for the same reason—her parents business.

The small girl never gave away too many details and didn't always answer their entire questions. Just brushing it off as her shyness nobody gave it a second thought.

"What about friends from those other schools? Do you still talk to them?" Zander asked pulling out the last of his snacks from his pocket.

"No. Usually my friendships don't last very long." Her eyes stared down at the table hoping to finally break that curse.

"Why not?" Nina asked further.

"Mainly they just weren't the best of people." She shrugged before mumbling under her breathe, "they also never actually cared abou-".

"Well I hope we turn out better than those friends." Mallix laughed with everyone else unknowingly cutting the small girl out of her previous train of thought.

"You guys have already been so much better than them." She assured them with a sweet smile.

"Aw thanks Kay." Nina blew a kiss her way. Playfully Kaila reached out for it and held it tightly in her grip.

It wasn't much longer before their meals had arrived. Two waiters approached them each with three meals on their large trays. Carefully setting the hot dishes in front of the friends the waiters left leaving them to their dinner.

"This looks delicious!" Kaila squealed never having seen such well made plates before. There was a variety of color and textures at the table. Everyone had a dish completely different from anyone else's.

Grabbing her fork Kaila was about to dig right into her steak before she felt a light tap on her shoulder. "You've got to use your manners here. Here let me." Lain pulled Kaila's plate closer to get and sliced the meat into small slivers. "Now you can eat it." She pushed it back not noticing the blush on Kaila's face.

As soon as the small girl happily started eating her savory food Mallix leaned into Lain's side, "I saw that."

She turned smiling wide at him. "I couldn't help it." She quietly told him.

He rolled his eyes lovingly at her as he prepped his own plate to eat. All the while the couple were blinded to Nina who sat across from them with a grin on her face. Alex, Zander, and Kaila all got into their own topic of conversation while the other three silently ate enjoying the background noise.

Their peaceful silence was rudely interrupted when they all heard the loud rumble of a burp from the other half of the table. All looking up at him, Zander held his stomach with a satisfied look on his face. "What? It was good." He smiled.

Alex slapped his arm, "don't burp so loud here. Well get kicked out because of you."

"It is a natural human body function Alex! If I have to burp then I'm going to let it out!"

"But this isn't the place for that!"

The two of them started bickering once again making everyone else groan and focus back to their meals. Thankfully for the group they were debating quietly over Zander's incident not causing a scene.

"I'm done." Kaila happily announced as she placed her fork down looking at her empty plate.

"Nice work there cutie." Lain peaked over briefly.

"What about those?" Mallix asked leaning over Lain and pointing to a small bowl hidden behind Kaila's plate. When his girlfriend looked that direction she could see the bowl filled with the different vegetables that came with the meal.

"Kaila eat those." She pulled the bowl out from hiding and set it down in front of her.

"I'm full. Besides I don't like those." She whined going to move them back to their hiding spot before Lain snatched them from her hands.

"They're good for you. Eat half of it and then you can be done." She ordered before turning away.

Kaila wanted to protest but the thought of arguing with the one person she trusted the most made her feel sick. Lifting her fork up slowly Kaila stabbed a small piece of broccoli and put it in her mouth.

It squished and rained down its nasty taste in her mouth. Chewing it slowly she agonizingly swallowed it before chugging a mouthful of her drink. Continuing with this process she listened to Lain and finished half of the bowl.

Tapping the girls shoulder Kaila proudly showed off her work. "Good job!" She praised pulling Kaila into a side hug.

The small girl felt conflicted. It wasn't everyday your friend was praising you for finishing half a bowl of steamed vegetables. But at the same time the acknowledgement felt nice.

Kaila pulled out of the hug with a hot face keeping close to Lain's side. She sat quietly while everyone else finished their meals. Luckily the boys argument hadn't lasted very long and soon Alex had finished his plate too.

As the final three continued eating their waiter reappeared, this time with the check. Nina scooped it off the table placing one of her credit cards inside and handed it back to him. While they waited for him to return they had all finished their food.

"Have a nice night." The waiter waved them goodbye as he began to clean up their mess.

Once downstairs everyone let the chilly night breeze lead them back outside. "Oh wait!" Nina yelped stoping the group and waved them back over to the entrance. "Let's take a picture!" She squealed pulling out her phone.

Everyone squeezed into the frame while she was also trying to capture the restaurant behind them. Counting down from three they all posed as the flash came on snapping this moment. "Perfect!"

As they snapped a few more carefree pictures their limo had returned to pick them up. They all climbed back inside enjoying their party ride back to the house.
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Let me know what you think. Thanks Lexx signing off