2: Nostalgia

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Chapter 2: Nostalgia.

Listen to Memories by Maroon 5

Sweet is the memory of distant friends! Like the mellow rays of the departing sun, it falls tenderly, yet sadly, on the heart."
- Washington Irving.

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I ACTUALLY SURVIVED the rest of my classes, at least until lunch. Then I just had to get through lunch time. It couldn't possibly be that tough. You just pick your plate, find a table and eat, right?

Wrong!

Apparently, at Oakland High School, that's not how it goes. I stuffed my notes into my locker just before lunch, slammed my locker door shut and headed to the lunch room. I figured out pretty early that they didn't have lunch ladies. It was kind of like a buffet, where there was a lot of food and you just picked what you wanted.

I picked a grilled cheese sandwich, a slice of pizza, some Greek flatbread and a parfait. Yes I eat a lot. Food is literally life. If there wasn't so much delicious beautiful food to eat then I don't think life would be worth living.

I walked to the near end of the cafeteria because all the other tables were filled and I knew better than to ask someone if I could sit with them. I sat down and started off with my grilled cheese sandwich. I nearly moaned as I sank my teeth into it, but that would be totally weird. Finally food! My poor stomach rejoiced. Four hours without food. It wasn't easy buddy but we made it.

As I was saying, I was blissfully enjoying my yummy meal when someone say right beside me. I looked to see who it was and then I saw the annoying, green-eyed guy who had refused to leave me alone. He was unfortunately my partner in biology so he found that as a new excuse to annoy me.

"So partner," he said mischievously.

"What do you want, partner?" I asked with sarcasm lacing my tone.

"You're so sarcastic," he said frowning.

"I speak and breathe sarcasm sweetheart," I smiled but it didn't reach my eyes.

" I think I can tell," he said sounding amused.

"Does that mean you'll leave me alone now?" I asked hopefully.

"Nope," he said popping the p. He's been doing that since Chemistry. And how he has been in three out of four of my classes today is kind of creepy.

I rolled my eyes and continued to eat. I had just my parfait left. I picked up the plastic spoon and scooped it into my mouth. The parfait was so good. Almost as good as the one I had when I went to a luncheon with Father.

"So, Zuri right?" Green eyes said again.

I was just trying to be as sassy and annoying as possible so that he'll get tired of bothering me. But clearly he's not giving up anytime soon.

I picked up my parfait and lunch tray so I could leave the cafeteria. Maybe if I continued being rude he'd give up. I turned around to leave the cafeteria when I bumped right into something or should I say someone.

That's not even the worst of it. My beautiful yummy parfait spilled all over my blazer, white button up and black tie.

You should be grateful it didn't pour on your skirt at least. The stupid voice in my head said.

I nearly wanted to slap whoever that misbegotten son/daughter of a lepers donkey was. Then I looked up and saw a girl with brown hair and deep brown eyes staring at me with her mouth open.

"I'm so so sorry," she said apologetically.

"Whatever," I said and brushed past her. I dumped my tray on the pile pretty loudly and then I just stormed off to the bathroom.

I could just clean up my shirt with a tissue and go on with the rest of my day right?

Once again, wrong!

I got to the bathroom and to my pleasant surprise there was no tissue. In any of the stalls.

I just put down the lid of the toilet, sat down and the tears started to fall. All the pent up sadness of so many weeks and months. I missed my mom, I missed my old friends. I missed all the times that we had together. I missed dancing in the rain, I missed having tea parties with plastic cups and teddies. I missed being able to have heart to heart conversations.

I missed not always having to hear Father said. I missed everything, including myself.
I probably looked like a psychopath right now. Sitting in an empty bathroom. Covered in yoghurt, fruits and nuts, hair all messed up, bloodshot eyes and a red runny nose. The funny fact about my situation was that I couldn't care less about how I looked right now.

I rummaged through my school bag and took out my phone. The time was 1:57pm. Almost 2 o'clock. Just one more hour and I'd be out of here. I opened my gallery and started flipping through my old pictures. Then I stopped at a video.

It was of me and Mom. Two years ago. I remember now. We were trying out how to make cake that day and Mom insisted on filming it so that we could watch it over and over and never forget the recipe. As I watched us throw flour at each other, laughing happy and blissful. A very unfamiliar feeling washed through me. It felt like heat and light passing over extremely cold water. It felt like I was sad but happy. And somehow I liked that feeling. I smiled for absolutely no reason but it felt good. Maybe this is what nostalgia feels like.

I scrolled through other pictures and tons of videos until it was about three o'clock. I picked up my bag and walked out of the toilet. I didn't wash my face or reapply my lip gloss or try to look nice so that when Father saw me he wouldn't ask what was wrong. I didn't try to make my curly hair look presentable. I just walked out of the bathroom, took my laptop out of my locker and went straight out of the hall. I passed through the glass doors and jogged down the stairs. I waved at Gideon and he saw me. He probably wondered what was wrong with me today. I didn't know either.

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Hey everyone!
Hope you liked this chapter. Please vote and comment your thoughts on it. I would really appreciate your thoughts on the chapter. I'll try my best to update regularly. I also think this chapter was a bit short but comment your thoughts.

Diash Quinn

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