Thread:SibunaSeason34/@comment-4816103-20141109200943/@comment-4816103-20141210005926

Chapter 5!

Chapter 5

Lunch time at Artemis was the same time for everyone. It was a slightly...chaotic hour, but most of the students were enjoying it.

Chance was with Park, watching his friend pig out with amusement, keeping score of how many mini bags of chips he could down before he had to stop; the current "record" of his was thirty, and that was just because lunch had finished before he could eat the thirty-first.

Chance: You hungry there?

Park just grinned at him and continued to eat.

Meanwhile, Clementine was watching the news report on the small television that was placed in the cafeteria, needing something to do while Morishige taught Hannah more Japanese. It was meant to be just a weekly lesson, but sometimes Hannah got a little over-eager and asked for his tutoring on extra days, and her best friend wasn't one to say no. Out of boredom, she needed to find a way to entertain herself. Besides art, she didn't mind catching up on current events; it was a bit of a lonely activity, but at least she wasn't being bothered.

Newsperson: In the Northeast, the coast levels have been rising at an unusual rate. Scientists are still trying to figure out why.

Clementine: That's weird...

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dalton: Ooh, news! What's going on?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">She was so caught off guard at his sudden appearance that she jumped.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Clementine: What? Uh, where did you come from?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dalton: Texas! Austin, to be specific! A whole three hour flight away!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">He answered with an enthusiastic grin.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Clementine: Uh, right...good for you?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dalton: Thanks!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Clementine: Yeah, Whatever. Anyway, apparently there's some stuff going on with the tides, and nobody knows what's going on. It's weird!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dalton: It's cool!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">The upperclassmen frowned at him, unsure what to make of him or how to respond. He was...strange. Not to mention confusing. She decided to go with good, old fashioned sarcasm.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Clementine: Yeah, maybe if you like drowning...

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dalton: But think of the mystery part! It sounds so cool, doesn't it?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Clementine: You seem to think <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">everything <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> is cool.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dalton: I see no reason why I shouldn't! I like to be positive. Is that so wrong?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Was he getting upset? It was hard to tell. Either way, it was time to go; Morishige and Hannah were done with their lesson, so she didn't have to stay here.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Clementine: You know what? Sure. I see your point. Why don't you continue being positive over here, while I go...practice over there?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dalton: Okay!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">With a roll of her eyes, she left the table. Dalton watched her go, smiling.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Morishige saw her coming and got to his feet.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Morishige: Hey, sorry, I was just...

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Clementine: I know, Shige. Come on, let's eat...I need an actual conversation now that I was attacked by Mr. Positive...

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">She glanced back at the table, while her friend just laughed a little and motioned towards the lunch line.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Morishige: Right, come on then.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">On the other side of the room, Kelly was alone. Michelle was off who-knew-where, and everyone else was ignoring her. She watched everyone laughing and talking, while a feeling of depression and loneliness washed over her. Nobody wanted to hang out and joke around with <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">her…

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Kelly: If I killed myself, noone would notice.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Royle happened to be walking by and heard what her roommate said. So she backtracked and said,

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Royle: Oh yeah, because it’s not like it’s more satisfying to live and make people notice you. Nope, you sure got it figured out.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Kelly: You know I wasn’t really being serious, right?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Royle: Maybe I was confused by your oh-so-subtle sense of humor.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">She took a seat at the table and asked,

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Royle: So what’s wrong?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Kelly: Like you care. Don’t you have some sleeping to do or something? Why bother me.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Royle: Excuse me for being under the impression that you actually wanted someone to talk to. You could have made that much more obvious.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Annoyed, Royle got up to leave the table. Kelly sighed and called her back.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Kelly: Alright, sorry. You have a point. But I’d expect even you would have someone to talk to who isn’t me.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Royle: Are you honestly suggesting my social life consists of anything other than simply living with other people? Wow, you must really have an interesting point of view. You’re like a sad version of Dalton.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Kelly managed a little smile, and Royle smirked just a bit.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Kelly: We’re both lonely, huh?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Royle:...I never said I was looking for friends!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Kelly: A little defensive there, huh? Maybe it’s all the coffee.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">She motioned to the cup that was in her roommate’s hand. It was usually always with her, and always being refilled.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Royle: Yeah, whatever.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Royle did secretly agree that she had gotten too angry too fast. Truth is, she did want friends. But she didn’t like admitting it, or admitting any sort of weakness at all. She just wasn’t good at letting go of her pride or telling people how she felt. That’s where the sarcasm came in.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Kelly, on the other hand…

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Kelly: What does it matter? I drive everyone away anyways. Nobody likes me, so you don’t need to try.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Royle: What’s with all the back and forth? Have I ever at all indicated that I didn’t like you?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Kelly: You’re pretty sarcastic for someone who wants to be nice.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Royle: You’re pretty cynical for someone who doesn’t know me.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Kelly got annoyed again. What were they trying to say? It wasn’t her fault for being depressed, it was her shitty life…and her roommate was in no position to talk to her about judging someone.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Kelly: Like you even know me?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Royle: At least I don’t just assume everyone hates me! And if you don’t think that, you aren’t doing a good job of showing that. Not everything is worth being upset over, and not everyone is going to hurt you somehow. But oh, that wasn’t what you wanted to hear, is it?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Kelly: What’s your problem?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Royle: What’s yours?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">There was a pause, and both girls looked at each other.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Kelly:... So, we might as well eat our lunches now.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Royle just rolled her eyes and took a drink of her coffee. They ate together for the rest of the period, in silence, but not in loneliness.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Meanwhile, Cassandra was reading a book about ghosts in the far corner of the room. It was a book she had read several times already, and would continue to read several more times.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">She was so wrapped up in learning about exorcism that when Marissa came over, she was genuinely caught off guard for once.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Marissa: Hey, that book looks really cool!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Cassandra: ...Yeah.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Marissa then sat down at the table with her. Cassandra didn’t say anything, but she simply returned to her reading.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Marissa: Where did you get it, anyways?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">She sighed and didn’t look up from the text as she replied,

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Cassandra: I don’t remember.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Marissa: ...Oh, that’s okay. Sorry, I just really love the supernatural, I think it’s really cool!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Cassandra: Whatever.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">She got up and left the table, annoyed at the other girl for interrupting her reading. Couldn’t anyone tell that she just wanted to be left alone?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Marissa sighed and watched her go. She was just trying to make friends...it wasn’t her fault Cassandra was such a loner.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">A few minutes later, Lana joined her, carrying a full lunch tray. Today they were serving pizza.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Lana: Hey girl! What’s up?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Marissa: Not much. I was trying to talk to Cassandra, you know, like make friends with her and stuff, but then she was being kind of rude and just walked away…

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Lana rolled her eyes.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Lana: She totally wanted your friendship. Look, moron. Don’t waste time trying to be friends with her if she doesn’t want to be friends back.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Marissa: But she seems so lonely, I feel kind of bad. Besides, she knows a lot about ghosts and stuff, and I like that sort of thing.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Lana: And that’s how you end up working as a fake fortune teller in a cheap carnival.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">With a frown, Marissa said,

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Marissa: I kind of feel bad for her, that’s all.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Lana: I’m sure everyone wants to be friends with someone who pities them!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Marissa: It’s not like that…

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">But her friend laughed and smirked at her.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Lana: I know, idiot. Now are you going to eat or what? I’m starving…

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Around the same time that Marissa and Lana both started having their lunch and changing the conversation from Cassandra to the math test next period, Dalton decided to go and tell Chance and Park about the good news.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dalton: Hi guys!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance looked up from Park, who was working on the twenty-second bag at the moment as well as a slice of cake.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance: Ah, hey Texas. What’s up?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Park was surprised and glanced away from the food.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Park: Hi, freshy! Join us.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance stifled a laugh at how his friend referred to Dalton as the “freshy”. Apparently, Park still hadn’t gotten the memo that Chance was also a freshman, despite being old enough to be a junior.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dalton: Okay!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">He smiled and took a seat.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance: So, what it is, man?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dalton: I just talked to Clementine!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Park got confused a little.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Park: Okay, am I missing something?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance shook his head with amusement.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance: Nope…

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Park: Uh, okay.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dalton: I think I’m in love with her!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">As he said that, Park had gone back to eating and thus nearly choked on his slice of cake. He and his best friend shared confused and worried glances.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Park: What? Where did this come from? Are you okay, dude? Unless she kissed you or something, you should not just be…

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dalton: Why not?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance sighed.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance: Dude, are Jake and I going to need to explain to you all the issues with this situation when we’re home?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dalton: Sure, if it’ll get you two to stop arguing!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance:...Hah, good luck with that one.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Park: What’s going on? Now I know I’m missing something.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance: I’m a freshman like they are. I’ve been held back. We share a room. That’s the whole story.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Park: Oh, okay!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">It was humorous how easily his friend accepted the news.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Park: I’ve almost been held back before too. Grades and stuff, you know?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance: I’ve had different reasons…

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">But he didn’t say any more, nor did he need to because Dalton said,

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dalton: Can one of you just try and talk to her for me at some point? I’d like to know what she thinks of me without scaring her away.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance: Yeah, okay, whatever you say dude…

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dalton: Thanks!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">He grinned and walked away, with the two jocks looking on in amusement and more confusion.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Park: Kid’s in over his head. Is he always like that?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance: Yeah…but that’s what makes him cool.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">The two of them shrugged and Park returned to the eating challenge.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">It was just another average lunch period at Artemis... <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">