The Institution

Chapter 1: Continued...

Whoever came up with the architectural blueprints for Commons did a terrible job indeed. The interior is very strange and I couldn't help but wonder if they had designed it with the sole intention of confusing the student body by building it to resemble a labyrinth. Disregarding this, I followed Arthur and his buddies down the staircase and into the food court below. It is set up buffet style, and there are stations where you can make your own sandwich or order a custom burrito or quesadilla. A pungent odor of melted butter and roasted cabbage lingered in the air.

I made to hide behind one of the thicker football players but Arthur turned around just then to speak to him and he unfortunately spotted me. I shrank back a little at the expression on his face. He stared at me, and I stared back. Eventually I broke the silence.

"Fancy seeing you here," I said as casually as I could.

"Ethan, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm getting food. What the hell are you doing here?"

"Have you been following me?" asked Arthur suspiciously. His eyes roamed over the bookstore bag that was slug over my wrist and the Grumpy Cat poster in my arms. I shook my head in denial and he looked dubious.

The football player spoke up then. "Who're you?" he asked rudely. His voice was deep and gravelly, and it was only now that I realized just how tall he was. I had to bend my neck all the way back to make eye contact.

"I'm Ethan," I said politely, holding out my hand. "I'm Arthur's roommate."

The football player crushed my fingers when he shook and I winced. Arthur shot me a glare before striding away to the burrito station. I didn't want to be left alone with the troll-like football player so I scurried away to the salad bar.

After meticulously filling my plate to the brim with lettuce and an even number of cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives and dousing it in Italian dressing, I carried my dinner to the cash register, where Arthur's football player friends were already paying for their food. I waited in line behind them.

"Meal plan?" the woman working the register deadpanned.

"Yes please," I said, and she swiped my student ID card. I looked around for Arthur and spotted him scouting for tables. I hurried after him. He saw me coming and pursed his lips.

"Why are you following me?" Arthur asked when I had approached.

I smiled timidly. "I was hoping I could sit with you."

"Well, you thought wrong," he said.

"Please?" I asked, not wanting to beg but my voice came out sounding a little pathetic.

"No!" he spat, and this time several people seated in the vicinity turned around to see what the commotion was. He lowered his voice. "I'm not your friend, Ethan," he said. "Now leave me alone!"

My heart sank a little when he sat down with his teammates a few tables away. Dejected, I dragged my feet to a table behind theirs and lowered myself into a chair. I dropped my bag and my Grumpy Cat poster on the floor and picked at my wilting salad. Suddenly I didn't have much of an appetite anymore.

I heard laughter then and couldn't stop myself from looking over at Arthur's table. The football team were rolling around in their seats in mirth- one of the players had apparently just told a rather dirty joke. Arthur was laughing so hard that he almost choked on a bite of his burrito. I found myself wishing suddenly that I had friends too. I watched their antics for a while, at least until one of the players leaned over to Arthur and said in a carrying whisper, "Arthur, your roommate's a creep."