I took a deep audible breath before I put my attention back to the pile of food that no longer looked very appetizing. When I got here at the cafeteria, I know I was hungry. Now I am not so sure. Maybe, not anymore. I mean who would even have the appetite to eat when half of the school student body is watching you? Or maybe more than half?

Why didn’t I thought of just buying food and finding another place to eat? Somewhere far from the crowd’s eyes? Anywhere other than this fancy cafeteria that is full of hungry but obviously judgmental kids who are here to have lunch but ended up gawking at me!

When two girls walked past my table deliberately staring at me, I gave up. I picked up my barely touched spaghetti and was about to stand up when a tray of food was suddenly placed on my table, followed by a girl taking her seat right across from me.

I blinked twice. Am I imagining things? Is someone really willing to share a table with me?

“Ahm…” I started. Damn it! How do you even start a conversation with a complete stranger hoping to not shoo her away?

But to my surprise, instead of being weirded out, she beamed at me.

“Hello! Were you going?” she started in her bubbly voice. “Without eating?” she added while looking at my food.

“Ahm no, I was just---“

“Then sit down.” To my surprise, she held my arm and urged me to go back to my seat. “There! Now get eating. We only have…” she checked her wristwatch “Half an hour before the next class starts.” She smiled again before taking a bite of the greens that she has on her plate.

“Why…are you eating with me?” after a few minutes of just staring at her eating, I finally dared to ask.

“Why not?” she asked, genuine curiosity written all over her face. “Oh, you mean the fire thingy?”

I nodded. Where was this girl when my face was all over the news?

“Yeah, I’ve heard of it.” She said frivolously.

“And you are not… bothered?” I pressed, looking at her carefully. I’m trying to figure out if she is actually being nice or if I am being duped.

Yeah, I know. Trust issues, I have that.

“Why would I? If anything, I find it amazing.” She answered. “But do not get me wrong! I didn’t mean your parents dying was amazing! Oh no, that was horrible!” she immediately added. “What I mean was it’s amazing that you survived and you are coping well. Not all of us can do the same. You were really brave. Like Harry Potter, the boy who lived!”

I smiled bitterly. If only was as great as Harry Potter’s. But I am well aware of how horrible that night was. The night I would do anything to forget.

“I’m sorry. I’ve upset you, didn’t I? I’m being too insensitive.” The girl said, bringing my thoughts back to the present.

“Oh no! I’m… I’m fine.” I answered. I know I’m not. But I will be. “Thank you. For not,” I looked around us. Most of the students are still looking at us. The look of surprise now written on their faces. I know. Even I am surprised. “Being like them.” I finished.

“Like them? You mean being all judgy?”

I nodded.

“Eeww. Who would even believe you could kill your parents?” she said frowning. “I mean look at you! You’re all skinny, I can even imagine you exerting all your energy picking up that fork of yours. Only foolish people would believe a frail girl like you could do such a crime.”

I almost laughed at her statement.

“You know you’re talking about almost the whole student body, right?”

“Bummer, right? Being surrounded by foolish people,” she answered shaking her head.

At that, I ended up laughing out loud, ignoring the stares of the people around me.

“I’m Charlene, by the way. Cha for short!” she said, extending her hand towards me.

“Emersyn. Nice to meet you.”

And we beamed at each other. It appears I just gained a new nice but awfully funny friend. This day isn’t that bad after all.

***

They call this detention? School for the rich people is really a different level, then.

Back at my previous high school, you are asked to clean or attend to the school gardens as punishment for any misdeeds.

Here you are asked to stay in a room quietly, either read a book, write or do pretty much anything you want to kill time(without, of course creating noise) for a couple of hours as punishment. These rich kids have this easy.

And if it would always be like today, I being punished alone, I’d probably pick being in detention anytime, instead of being surrounded by the other students who love staring and whispering about me. Peace and quiet for me, thank you very much!

I was busy doodling on my notebook when we heard a knock on the door at the front of the room. The teacher who was sitting in front, apparently guarding me, walked to answer the door. I could hear the faint voice of the student who was at the door but I cannot hear it enough to understand it, hence, I ignored them and continued doodling.

I only lifted my head again from my notebook when I heard the teacher calling my name.

“I need to step out for a bit. Stay here and behave.” He warned.

“Yes, sir.” I eagerly answered. Great! Now I have the room all to myself!

I do not know how long I had been busy with my notebook but I jumped when the door at the back, just behind me, opened with a bang. My eyes flew to the guy who was now inside the room, meeting my stares. Were those gray eyes?

For a moment, we stood there staring at each other. I was busy studying him as well so I did not mind him staring back. This is the first time I’ve ever seen such disconcertingly clear gray eyes. Actually, I just haven’t seen gray eyes before. And in an angelic face, even more so.

His school uniform was slightly crumpled, his hair slightly disheveled, but it failed to hide the perfect face he possesses and his perfect physique.

Okay, where is this going? Why am I suddenly complimenting his looks? He’s a stranger, for God’s sake!

We both got distracted when we heard swift but heavy footsteps going closer to the open door. He immediately closed the door behind him and flicked the light switch beside the door frame.

Feeling a bit freaked out due to the sudden darkness enveloping me, I tried to shout at him.

“Hey, why---“ I gasped when the disturbingly gorgeous young man suddenly pulled me by the arm, and shoved me at the door, my back leaning at the door leaf. “What are you---“

My eyes opened wide when he placed his hand over my mouth, preventing me from making any noise.

Leaning closer to my face, I met his disconcerting yet enchanting pair of gray eyes.

“Shhhh…” he whispered in his low deep voice.

What the hell is happening?!