It was Emily who first came to my rescue. Emily, popular, blond, bright, and generous of time and spirit she stopped by the table where I ate my lunch alone. "Mind if I join you?" I was certain this would turn out to be a prank on the new kid. Might as well get it over with. Take the humiliation with good humor and fade back into the woodwork.
"Sure, have a seat, there are plenty of them." My tone was slightly sarcastic. If Emily noticed she gave no indication.
She sat across from me and popped open the small can of orange juice she purchased from the lunch lady, Miss Mary. I tried to surreptitiously hide my milk behind my lunch box. Emily wordlessly prepared her lunch. I say prepared because it was like watching an artsy film. She removed every item from her tray and proceeded to arrange it neatly in an order I didn't quite understand. Milk to the right, napkin folded below it, plate with one slice of pizza dead center, and in the upper right corner a small cup of what looked like green jell-o with pineapples. I looked down at the sliced turkey on wheat bread I had hastily put together that morning. A brown spotted banana lay in my lunch box, I knew I wouldn't eat it but Mom always got upset if I didn't eat right. Emily studied her food arrangement before smiling at me.
"It's just more pleasant when I pretend I'm in a nice restaurant being served an exquisite lunch by a tall dark waiter with a French accent." Looking serious she lowered her voice and said in a terrible French accent, "Ah m'amselle is everything to your satisfaction?" Then she winked and whispered, "Then he'll say how about a kiss?"
I felt my mouth drop open. This had to be a joke. I quickly looked around the lunchroom. Most of the other students were eating and talking, although there was one table of preppy looking girls that seemed to be studying us curiously.
Following my gaze Emily continued, "Don't mind them. I call them the Prep Patrol. They may stare and sometimes make rude comments but just ignore them and they'll go away."
I hastily began packing up the remains of my lunch. "I don't know what your game is but I don't want to play. Tell your friends I hope that had a good laugh."
Not waiting for a response I strode purposefully past the preps well aware of their eyes following me. I looked sideways at them with what I hoped was an expression of distaste and ran headlong into David. Laughing he grabbed my arm, "Hey slow down there!"
I felt my face grow hot as I mumbled something unintelligible and rushed from the lunchroom. That was the day I met my future fiance and my future maid of honor.
The air had grown cooler and my eyes suddenly felt heavy. Maybe if I closed them for just a few minutes...
She sat across from me and popped open the small can of orange juice she purchased from the lunch lady, Miss Mary. I tried to surreptitiously hide my milk behind my lunch box. Emily wordlessly prepared her lunch. I say prepared because it was like watching an artsy film. She removed every item from her tray and proceeded to arrange it neatly in an order I didn't quite understand. Milk to the right, napkin folded below it, plate with one slice of pizza dead center, and in the upper right corner a small cup of what looked like green jell-o with pineapples. I looked down at the sliced turkey on wheat bread I had hastily put together that morning. A brown spotted banana lay in my lunch box, I knew I wouldn't eat it but Mom always got upset if I didn't eat right. Emily studied her food arrangement before smiling at me.
"It's just more pleasant when I pretend I'm in a nice restaurant being served an exquisite lunch by a tall dark waiter with a French accent." Looking serious she lowered her voice and said in a terrible French accent, "Ah m'amselle is everything to your satisfaction?" Then she winked and whispered, "Then he'll say how about a kiss?"
I felt my mouth drop open. This had to be a joke. I quickly looked around the lunchroom. Most of the other students were eating and talking, although there was one table of preppy looking girls that seemed to be studying us curiously.
Following my gaze Emily continued, "Don't mind them. I call them the Prep Patrol. They may stare and sometimes make rude comments but just ignore them and they'll go away."
I hastily began packing up the remains of my lunch. "I don't know what your game is but I don't want to play. Tell your friends I hope that had a good laugh."
Not waiting for a response I strode purposefully past the preps well aware of their eyes following me. I looked sideways at them with what I hoped was an expression of distaste and ran headlong into David. Laughing he grabbed my arm, "Hey slow down there!"
I felt my face grow hot as I mumbled something unintelligible and rushed from the lunchroom. That was the day I met my future fiance and my future maid of honor.
The air had grown cooler and my eyes suddenly felt heavy. Maybe if I closed them for just a few minutes...
