christmas eve

t h r e e

"Why is everything locked?" I whispered to myself, shaking my head as I looked around the cafeteria. My hands were propped up on my hips. I was frustrated.

The door to the kitchens was closed too.

The cafeteria was a large room with high walls and huge windows. I had always adored this place. It was so different from the one in my high school, and there was so much more space and comfort.

During the lunch break, my friends and I would come here and eat together if there was time. One of the tables had somehow become ours over time. It was one that stood near the doors we had just walked into.

I looked over at it and smiled softly.

If only they were here.

I could imagine that it would have been so much fun to be here alone with them. We would have rummaged through the halls, told each other scary stories in the night, and might've even drunk the night away... As if that wasn't something we always did.

But it would've been even more fun because there would be no one that could stop us. Some teachers, like Mrs. Quinn, would be very pissed if they found us intoxicated.

It had only really happened to me once, but I had heard some horror stories from other classmates. They had even involved

some parents. I would've thought that they wouldn't care because we were all over eighteen, but that wasn't the case.

A smirk blossomed on my lips.

My friend Neela had been so timid when she had told me about the talk, she had with her parents afterward.

And only two days later, she had already drunk again. Maybe she hadn't learned her lesson after all...

"What are you smirking about?"

My head snapped to the side, to Cade, who was watching me. He was leaning against the wall next to the kitchen. His hair looked disheveled.

I shook my head and turned towards him again. He had been waiting. "It's nothing."

He tilted his head and looked down at me. Our eyes met for a brief second before he turned. "I can't pick this lock," he told me.

He pulled at the door handle, but nothing moved. "They replaced the old one with this advanced one after they had noticed someone had been stealing food."

I snorted. "Was it you?"

A silent second passed, and then he looked over at me with lifted brows. "Do you really think so lowly of me?"

I stayed silent and fought a smile.

He sighed and shook his head, turning away from me again. "At least I wasn't the one that got caught," he murmured.

Laughter erupted from me. I hadn't thought that he would admit this. It didn't seem like he cared what others said or thought about him, and that was clearly showing. I didn't know why, but I liked that.

He wouldn't be one of those guys that lied about everything to keep their reputation upright.

"So what are we going to do?" I asked, crossing my arms. I was starting to get cold. Maybe I should have put on a hoodie under my jacket before leaving my room. But, now it was too late.

Cade looked around. His eyes stayed stuck on the small window on the kitchen wall, right next to where the food was given out. "I bet you could get through," he muttered, turning to look at me.

My eyes widened. "What?"

"I can't open the blinds where the lunch ladies give out the food. But I bet I could open the window."