I was a Mistake

Sit With Me

Sophomore Year- Fall

"Please, Edith, sit with me!" Noah followed me through the cafeteria, begging. I shook my head. I knew where he would sit and that sounded terrible. Most of his friends were loud, obnoxious, and perverted. They were kind to me, but it usually led to them flirting and making me uncomfortable. I'd rather sit with my own person.

"Jolie can come, too! Jake thinks she's cute, you know. I don't like when you're not with me. Please!" I put a finger over my mouth, trying to tell him he needed to be quiet.

Jolie was my best girl friend. She was beautiful and smart, but the craziest person I knew. She wasn't afraid to dress funny or say things that could get her in trouble and she insisted on calling me Bitty. We were polar opposites and she said that's why we were awesome friends. We met when a girl picked on me in the bathroom last year. She stomped right up to her and pushed her against the wall, saying to leave me alone. I envied her brazen attitude.

Noah was still my best friend, but our freshman year, he was the only freshman on the varsity football team. This had brought him a huge amount of popularity. He tried to include me, but I could see the leering looks his friends gave me. Friends that were older, louder, more fun, and able to hold a conversation. I didn't want to intrude, so I spent my school days with Jolie. And I wasn't going to ruin Noah's friendships, even if he seemed to have no idea why I'd want to keep my distance.

I put my lunch tray across from Jolie and smiled at her. She looked up from the book she was reading. "Bitty, my babe," she shouted. Jolie beamed at me and threw her long, pin-straight, blonde hair behind her shoulder. "Have I got a story to tell you!"

Before she could tell me her, likely very interesting, story, her shoulders fell. "Your jock is coming this way. That means his stupid fan club is too." I turned and sure enough, Noah had his lunch tray and was coming to sit with us, obviously abandoning the table full of his friends. My heart pounded in my chest. He was too handsome. I tried not to glare behind him at Nicole, one of my plastic bullies.

"If you guys won't come to me, I'll come to you!" Noah looked proud of himself like he'd solved a big puzzle. He sat beside me at the end of the table. That left no room for Nicole to sit by him. She huffed, her arms crossing over her push-up bra-clad chest.

"Noah," Nicole yowled, sounding like a child that didn't get dessert. "You didn't leave any room for me, baby!" Her voice was high pitched and whiny. Noah flinched and backed up when she put a perfectly manicured finger on his arm. She was in the grade above us and insisted on following Noah around the school whenever she could. I'd even seen her try to follow him into the bathroom once.

Noah looked at her sheepishly and then made eye contact with me. "Well, Nicole, I kind of came over to be here with Eden and Jolie."

Nicole huffed and sat on the other side of me. She glared at me and shoved my shoulder. Noah didn't know she was mean to me. He'd do something about it if he did. But Nicole wanted Noah so bad that she'd tear me down so that I'd keep my distance from her man. It never really worked, Noah was mine and my best friend. I'd never let her get to me.

Noah had lost himself in a silly argument with Jolie about Unicorns or Narwhals: Which is Better. He didn't notice the glare his groupie was sending me. I ignored her and listened to my best friends bicker.

"You're pathetic, thinking he's ever going to love you." Nicole was too close to me, whispering in my ear. I tensed at her sudden nearness but allowed myself to relax. Nicole might be a nuisance, but she wasn't exactly what I'd call a threat. I considered swatting her like a fly.

"I'll bet he's only here because he thinks you need a friend. Before long, he'll be with me and he won't have any time to spend with you."

I glared at her. I didn't mind if Noah dated. He'd been on a few dates with some girls and he always came back really happy. I was glad he was happy, I really was, but Nicole made my skin crawl. She was fake with artificial tan and hair. She was mean and selfish and considered Noah a prize. I didn't like her and Noah certainly never had anything nice to say about her.