𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐖𝐀𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊

|3| That's when I ran away.

Lunch.

The moment when most people meet to eat obviously, but mostly discuss gossip, rumors, and all the things they couldn't say to themselves in class.Because, either they are not in the same classes, or the teacher has blocked them.

It's also a moment when you can see the different groups in the school. Just like in a film, there is the table of "popular" which often includes cheerleaders, athletes, jocks, and people classified as hot, or rich... Somewhere else there are the nerds, the quiet ones, the loners, and otherwise, it remains almost basic. Not all cheerleaders eat at the "popular" table, and some athletes don't either. We are not in the hundred percent cliché apparently, but we are still getting close.

Of course, my wonderful brothers are usually seated with their teammates, and so, they eat at the "popular" table. As footballers, Peter, Noah, and Jason are not the right options for me because I don't want to eat at this table. Cami, on the other hand, is a cheerleader, so she isn't an option either. And Diego, well, he will eat with the people of his year and his teammates on the basketball team, so he isn't my solution either.

To my luck, on D and I's first day, my brothers and I made a deal. We will eat together, just the four of us.

After our last lesson, everyone goes to their locker to put their belongings and be able to go to the cafeteria. I am one of the first to leave the class.

My goal is quite simple: avoid Mr. Lombardi at all costs.

I already informed Peter and Camila that I wouldn't be eating with them, and I told Jason that I would find him in the cafeteria. It's better this way, because he might want to talk to him, and I don't want to face him right now.

I'm not ready.

That's why right now I'm alone in the girl's bathroom. I just need to wait a bit, so that everyone would be sitting and eating, and the guys would already have a table and I would just have to go straight to them.

A few minutes have passed already when I finally decide to go to the cafeteria. I thank the lady who hands me my meal and start looking for my brothers. The more I walk, the more I can feel eyes turn toward me. Do I have something on my face?

My god, they have nothing better to do?

And for my greatest pleasure, I can't find my brothers, so I decided to ask Peter who must know where they are. Which means I have to go to the table, his table. I walk at a pace not at all reassured, I don't want to risk dropping my plate by going too fast. It would be a shame.

I continue, and when I get to the table, I'm ready to ask him where my brothers are, but he interrupts me and introduces me to the whole table. "Everyone, this is Avalon. Don't do anything to her, or I'll give you a piece of my mind, and you'll regret it, understood?" At this, the boys and some girls laugh a little and start to greet me, while other girls give me threatening looks.

Right now, I can't speak, I'm like totally paralyzed. I obviously avoid his gaze, which I feel is fixated on me. I'm not much of a social interaction pro as anyone can tell.

"Ils sont dehors, tu continues tout droit après la porte et tu les trouveras près d'un arbre. Content d'enfin te revoir," a voice behind me speaks, making everyone in front of me open their eyes wide and some even look like they've seen a ghost.

I know that it's addressed to me because first I don't believe that many people speak French here, and besides, I would recognize this voice everywhere. I turn around slowly so as not to drop my tray and smile at his sight.

"Merci, contente de te revoir aussi," I answer and go where he told me I would find them.

I hear whispers about me and apparently about Levi too, since I heard our names. However, I can't really make out what they are saying since I'm going outside, and I'm in a hurry to get away from this table. I finally join my brothers, who obviously did not wait for me to start eating. What can I say, we can't change good habits like that.

"What took you so long pumpkin?" Jason asks me, mouth full.

"Peter introduced me to your little club." This answer seems to have convinced them since they do not push the subject further.

"Whatever, what do you think of this day so far?" Diego asks me, taking a bite of his sandwich while exchanging his dessert with mine.

"I don't really know. It could be better, we could be at home for example. But, I think the school is great, the teachers seem great too, and Peter and Cami are there. And of course, you are there too, so I guess this day is quite good for now. Better than I expected," I say sincerely.

"True, we are here! We're all in this together!" Jason begins, but he is quickly stopped, Noah's hand is on his mouth while Diego and I just throw him pieces of bread and salad.

"Stop right now or you will regret it. Come on, High School Musical? And I was there, thinking that you would be a better man this year," Noah says dramatically, this leads to general laughter.

"This is going to be a great year!" Exclaims Diego, while trying to keep the food in his mouth, which obviously failed.

"Stop talking mouth full, you grubby little boy." I laugh at him while he grins.

"I'm not little, in fact, I'm way taller than you, shrimp." I throw a bit of my salad at him and pout, people look at us weird, but that's not what will stop us from acting like children.

"Stop playing with food, kiddos!" Noah tries to say, imitating Dad's voice.

We all laugh during the entire lunch or talk about completely stupid things that drastically decrease my nervousness. They really know how to ease my anxiety, I recognize I'm lucky to be able to have them all with me this year.

After lunch, we all part ways except for me and Jason since we have the same classes. We are currently laughing like crazy because of a photo he found on his phone where Peter, Camila, and I are completely covered in mud looking fed up after falling into it. We are soon joined by Peter, and to my surprise by him too.

And that's when I ran away.

Well, I tried to, but apparently, Cami had other plans for me. She grabbed my arm without intending to let me go at any time. So right now, I'm shitting myself, this wasn't supposed to happen. He looks at me, I look at him briefly, but soon I look around me to avoid his gaze like I was searching for something.

Probably my courage, which apparently decided to abandon me cowardly this morning.

At least he didn't try to talk to me, maybe he doesn't remember me. That would be great.

Keep dreaming. He is just as embarrassed as you are.

The rest of the day went well, he didn't talk or get close to me at all. I think that after all, this day wasn't as bad as I had imagined. Some of Jay's friends came to talk to me a bit, otherwise, I was in class and the rest of the time I was with Camila, Peter, or Jason.

I just hope now that it will remain like that. Us, ignoring each other and do not try to interact or get involved in the other's life. That's what I need, the past is the past.

But, is it what I truly want?