The silence at our table was thick and heavy, like a blanket you couldn't shake off. You could hear the clatter of forks and the buzz of conversations all around us, but right at our little circle, it was quiet. Bonnie stared down at her half-eaten sandwich as if it held the secrets of the universe. Caroline's smile was still on her face, but it looked stiff, like it was painted on. I didn't blame Elena for her words. This was the price for messing with someone's feelings and then sitting right in front of them.
Just when I thought the awkwardness would crush me, a welcome distraction arrived. A student council member with a stack of trays stopped by our table. "Here you go," he said, placing two trays of food in front of us.
I saw my chance to do something, anything. I quickly stood up, the chair scraping loudly against the tiled floor. I picked up one tray for myself and the other for Caroline. I held hers out to her.
She looked up at me, and her painted-on smile became real again, wide and pleased. "Thanks, Babe," she said, her voice sweet and loud enough for everyone to hear. She took the tray, her fingers brushing against mine.
The gesture should have felt nice, but it didn't. It felt like a performance.My eyes flicked over to Elena. She was watching us with those big, brown eyes, and for a second, I felt a sharp knife scratching my heart. I couldn't stand to look into those innocent eyes. She turned her head down and started pushing her food around her plate. I felt a heavy unhappiness settle in my chest.
I forced my own smile, feeling my cheeks stretch unnaturally. "It's what I should do," I mumbled, my voice low. The words tasted like ash in my mouth. I sat back down, the padded seat sighing under my weight. I focused on my food—a slice of pizza and a small salad. I kept my head down, using my fork to push the limp lettuce around. I had no intention of starting a conversation. The less I said, the better.
Caroline, seemingly oblivious to the mood, dug into her food with gusto. "I was so hungry," she said between bites of her own pizza. The sound of her chewing was suddenly very loud in my ears.
Elena took one last, small bite of her salad and placed her fork down with a quiet, final click. She wiped her mouth with a napkin. "I'm finished," she announced, her voice flat. "I'll see you later, Bonnie." She didn't look at me or Caroline. She just gathered her book bag, stood up, and walked away, her figure quickly disappearing into the crowd of students.
Bonnie watched her go, then turned her gaze to Caroline and me. Her expression wasn't angry, just disappointed. It was somehow worse. After a long, silent moment, she too stood up. She didn't say a word. She just picked up her tray and walked away, leaving her unfinished sandwich behind.
Now it was just the two of us. The cafeteria noise swirled around our little island of silence. Caroline finished her pizza, seemingly satisfied. She took a sip of her soda. "Well, that was... quiet," she said, shrugging one shoulder.
I just nodded, not looking up from my plate. My pizza was cold and greasy, but I took another bite anyway, just to have something to do.
The bell for the end of lunch rang, a sharp, jarring sound that made me jump. I was grateful for the excuse to move. We dumped our trays and joined the river of students flowing into the hallways. The walk to our next class was completely silent. The squeak of sneakers and the slam of lockers filled the air. Caroline hummed a little tune to herself, apparently happy with how lunch had gone.
I, however, was lost in my thoughts. My mind replayed the look on Elena's face. I had been weak. I knew how Caroline did things, yet I let her drag me right into that situation. I was so worried about causing a scene that I ended up causing a different kind of damage. My knowledge of the future and power beyond humans meant nothing if I couldn't even handle a simple lunch without hurting someone. By not saying no, by just going along with it, I had become the villain in that scene.No,I needed to change this even if it might slightly hurt Caroline feeling I can't become Caroline's tool to do whatever she wants.
The final school bell felt like a release. I hurried to my locker, stuffed my books into my backpack, and headed straight for the parking lot. The afternoon sun was warm on my face but it didn't make my mood better. Now,I just wanted to get to my car and go home to think.
I was almost to my Camaro when a figure stepped out from between two parked cars, blocking my path.
It was Matt Donovan.
He stood with his arms crossed over his chest. His football jersey was smudged with dirt, and his face was set in a hard, angry line. His eyes, which were usually friendly, were narrowed at me.
"I need to talk to you, Smith," he said, his voice low and tight.
I stopped walking. "Okay. What's up, Matt?"
He didn't waste any time. He looked me right in the eye. "Elena is already hurt," he said, his voice rising. "And you are just hurting her more."
I could smell the grass and sweat on him. A few other students nearby slowed down, sensing a confrontation. My mood, already sour, turned downright foul. Who was he to lecture me?
"So what?" I shot back, my tone annoyed. "This is none of your concern."
"You're with Forbes now?" Matt said, stepping closer. "Then stick with that. But if you hurt Elena anymore, it is going to be my concern. So better be with Caroline and don't be a dick anymore. It's my last warning." He jabbed his finger toward my chest, almost touching my expensive shirt.
I moved faster than he could follow. My hand snapped up, and I grabbed his pointing finger, pushing it away from me. "Look," I said, my voice cold as I stared him down. "Me and Elena are just friends, and we're still sorting things out. Whatever is going on with Caroline is my privacy. You don't need to act like a puppy who's too concerned about its owner."
His face flushed a deep red. "Fuck you!" he shouted, his voice cracking with rage. His right hand clenched into a fist and flew toward my face.
To me, it was like watching an ant try to attack. It was so slow. I easily caught his fist in my palm, stopping it dead. The impact made a soft thwack against my skin. His eyes widened in shock.
I didn't even think. My own fist shot out in return. I controlled my strength, pulling the punch so it wouldn't kill him, but it was still enough. My knuckles connected with his jaw with a sickening crack. His head snapped back, and his feet left the ground. He flew sideways, landing hard on the asphalt with a grunt, coughing and spitting out a little blood.
A small crowd had gathered now, watching in stunned silence. From behind them, a girl and a guy with an athletic build pushed their way through. I recognized them instantly—Tyler Lockwood and Vicki Donovan, Matt's sister.
Vicki rushed to Matt's side, trying to help him up. "Matt! Are you okay?"
He shoved her hands away, his eyes burning with hate as he looked at me. "I'll deal with you later," he spat, his words slurred.
I looked down at him, my blood still hot. "Anytime. Anywhere," I said, my voice loud and mocking.
My gaze then shifted to Tyler, who was staring at me with a stupid, challenging look in his eyes. "Do you want some?" I provoked him.
Tyler's body tensed, his fists clenching, ready to charge. But Vicki grabbed his arm tightly. "Tyler, no! Let's go!" she pleaded, her voice frantic. He glared at me for another second but finally let her pull him away, helping a dazed Matt to his feet.
I leaned against the side of my car, the warm metal pressing into my back. I breathed in and out slowly, trying to calm my racing heart and simmering anger. I hated using my strength like that. I didn't want to be that guy. But he had pushed me, and the whole day had been one long, frustrating mess.
With a final, angry sigh, I yanked my car door open, slid inside, and turned the key. The engine roared to life. I slammed my foot on the gas and sped out of the parking lot, leaving the scene of my first real fight in this world behind me.
*****