I was learning new things about myself every day.
Not that I could possibly be stressed or anything, but if there was anything that stressed me out (and there wasn't), it wouldn't be exams and tests. It would be lunching with human girls.
Even as I followed Jasmine, weaving through the crowded hallway and stepping into the fast-filling cafeteria, I felt a growing urge to panic.
I don't like crowds. I don't like human crowds even more. I really don't like human crowds in enclosed spaces. I really, really don't like human crowds in enclosed spaces that demand forced social interaction.
I hate the idea of having an entire table of girls hate me by the end of lunch as much as I detest the idea of having to please an entire table of girls over lunch.
For the record, neither had happened before, but that didn't mean it wouldn't. I was well aware that I wasn't the most exemplary social personality.
So I did what any alpha would do: I sucked it up and acted like I couldn't care less.
The moment we stepped through the sliding doors, the smells hit me—food mixed with less pleasant odors—but I chose to focus on the food.
"You can sit over there," Jasmine said, pointing to a long bench by the windows. "I need to go grab some lunch."
I already had my packed lunch bag in hand, but I shrugged, "I'll come with you. I want to see what they sell anyway."
Jasmine nodded, and we both joined the line. The line went by pretty quickly, and the food selection wasn't too bad. I could actually recognize what they were. Could you blame me for not expecting much?
I was so pleased to see fruit cups at the end of the counter that I picked one up on a whim. Jasmine and I paid, then I let Jasmine lead us to the bench.
Abigail and her girls were already there. How did they get there before us?
"Hi!" Jasmine said.
"Hihi!" Abigail answered cheerily.
The other girls waved and said their hi's too. Hihihi all around.
"Come on, Sam, let's sit here." Jasmine was pretty natural with this.
One of the girls spied my lunch bag and asked, "What do you have for lunch?"
I pulled out some egg sandwiches wrapped in plastic. I'm kind of glad my mum made my lunch today. She packed it prettily, with tomato slices inside.
If it were left to me, lunch would have been peanut butter sandwiches and an apple.
"That looks good," one of the girls said.
How should I respond to this? Why were they staring at my sandwich? Was I expected to offer a bite? Oh, goddess, no! I was the alpha! (And it's my sandwich! MINE.)
I was about to growl at them. But the girls got distracted by newcomers, and I managed to start stuffing the sandwich in my mouth. MINE. OMG. The sandwich was delicious. Happy.
Meanwhile, the new arrivals finished exchanging hi's with everyone and were finally sitting down. Arlene and Elena sat across from me and Jasmine. And two other girls whom I recognized as "those two" joined us too. Like, if anyone asked where "those two" were, they meant very specifically and consistently these two girls.
But stay focused on what matters and notice that none of them had food. (And I wasn't sharing.)
I ate another sandwich quickly, careful not to draw attention to the fact that I had more than one of these babies. (Actually, I had four of these perfect triangles in my paper bag. MINE, ALL MINE.)
"Eh, it's rare to see you at lunch, Samantha, right?" One of those two girls said.
Everyone looked at me. I wolfed down the remainder of my sandwich and nodded, "Yeah."
Should I eat the third sandwich? It's still safe in the bag. I waited for the attention to shift away so I could take it out. There was just the tiniest fraction of awkwardness.
Jasmine decided she should help me at this point, "Yeah," she repeated, "I asked her to join us."
"Oh," Abigail said, "that's cool."
"Yeah." The other girls agreed, chiming in their welcome.
I nodded. I felt quite relieved that nothing awkward actually happened. Also, I figured by now that no one was actually threatening my sandwiches - even if they had asked about it. So I took out the third one. Yum! It was good too.
"Are you still dating the second-year guy?" This question was directed to Arlene.
Arlene nodded, "Yeah, for now I guess."
"How did you start dating him?" Another question… I didn't notice who was talking anymore. I'll just call all of them "Random Girl" because I was busy eating. Jasmine was eating too. Werewolves needed to eat at lunchtime.
"He asked me out, so I just said yes," Arlene answered.
"What if Liam asks you out?" Random Girl asked.
Jasmine and I stopped eating at the same time. I stopped to open my cup of fruit. I'm not sure why Jasmine stopped. I looked at her, wondering if she had sensed danger. Then I quickly scanned around us. Nothing.
Arlene shrugged gently, "I don't mind."
"Oh my God! How would you choose?" Random Girl exclaimed.
"Of course she should choose Liam!" Random Girl insisted… She gave some good reason about how Liam was in the same class so they could see each other every day, more popular overall, and… Well, it was very well thought out and persuasive, but I was busy eating the fruit.
Since Liam was mentioned, the topic moved on to his new hair color, and it was unanimous that it was a good change, although there were differing opinions on whether his new hair color made him look cuter or cooler.
I didn't say anything. It's not like I could tell them he had his first shift. I finished the fruit.
More conversations that I didn't follow about people I barely recognized around the school. Upperclassmen and such.
I didn't even know the names of everyone in my homeroom, so most of it flew over my head. I wanted to drink Coke. But I couldn't go, because everyone was still eating so slowly, and I didn't feel like needing to explain that I drink Coke every lunch.
It was none of their business, but I didn't think these girls refrained from other people's business. Not with the way they kept asking Arlene questions.
Q: Why was she wearing gym clothes?
A: Someone vomited on her in the bus on her way to school.
Q: How did she make her eyes look so shiny?
A: She keeps them moisturized with a bottle of eyedrops.
Q: Why wasn't she with her boyfriend?
A: He had something to do first.
Q: Had Liam made any moves on her yet?
A: (Laughs) What did they mean by that?
Now that I was sitting just across the table from her, I noticed the dark purple rings under Arlene's otherwise sparkling eyes. But that was none of my business.
I think the only people uninterested in Arlene's business were myself and those two girls. Those two girls were hugging each other and tickling and laughing. I kept my eyes trained out of the window in front of me. I admit part of me was silently hoping Maria would come and call me away.
This surprised me, because I've always treated my daily walk with Maria past Dino's class as an annoying waste of my time. Well, at least it was never boring.
I sighed a very low and slow one so the other girls didn't notice. It didn't escape Jasmine though, not that she looked happy either. Actually, she looked like something she ate didn't agree with her since Liam was brought up. Weird. Wasn't Liam her pet conversational topic?
I wanted to ask her if she was okay. She shouldn't keep eating if the food tasted off. But I sensed a vampire and sat straighter to look over the bustling tables… Oh, it was just Aladdin. He stood at the entrance to the cafeteria, but didn't make a move to come in. For some reason, the cafeteria was a very vampire-free zone. Was it the smell of fried garlic in the air? Hahahaha
"My boyfriend is here, I got to go," Arlene excused herself.
"Nice chatting with you!" Abigail called to her.
Arlene left, with Elena quickly scrambling up to tail her.
"Why does that girl keep tagging along behind Arlene like that?" Random Girl remarked.
"Yeah, she's being such a third wheel." Random Girl agreed.
"I don't know why Arlene lets her." Random Girl shook her head in disapproval.
I frowned. It seemed the humans also found the way Elena followed Arlene around strange too. But did you know what was really strange?
How did Arlene know that Aladdin was here? He had only stood at the cafeteria doorway over on the other side, and her back was to him. Aladdin must've mind-controlled her, right? Or was I the only one who noticed? Was he calling her out for a snack? Like a vampire snack? Omo
Those two girls untangled themselves from each other.
"We're heading back to class first," one of them said. She grabbed the other girl's hand and all but dragged her away, "Bye bye!"
Abigail and the girls laughed and waved them off. Jasmine made no move to leave, and I was forced to sit there and listen to their chatter for the rest of the hour.
When we finally stood up to clear our trays, Abigail said to me, "It's nice you could join us, Sam. Feel free to sit with us anytime."
I DUN WANNA.
Jasmine answered for me, "Sure, Abigail!"
She gave Abigail a bright smile while never leaving my side.
Jasmine was such a naturally friendly wolf, I could see how it's not just when she's with us wolves, but the other human girls too—their expressions would soften, they would lean in closer… It's easy to let down your guard when you're with her.