Chapter 8

Picnic at Lunch

Nikki is right where she told me would be.

She has a blanket spread out on the grass and I can't help but love how careless she is about it. She's basically having her own little picnic during lunch and she looks good doing it.

"Hey," I wave as I walk toward her.

She lifts her head, her bright smile spreading across her face. "Hey! How are you?"

"I'm good."

"Come, sit." She makes room for me, crossing her legs as she takes a bit from her sandwich. "I was wondering if you were going to come find me today."

The blanket is soft underneath my legs. "Ugh, I did not want to spend my lunch being harassed by Zaid. Being with you is one hell of an upgrade.”

Her eyes widen. "Did he spend lunch with you?”

I look away, wondering if I should tell her about what happened with him

yesterday. About the scars he has and how much guilt he hoards in his eyes. I choose to go for a lighter retelling of events.

I nod, running my hands down my face. "Unfortunately, and then it took me the rest of the day to get rid of him."

She pretends to shudder. "Zaid scares me."

I frown. "Scares you? He's a annoying and a bit intense, but I don't know if I would say he's scary."

Nikki swallows the bite in her mouth. "I don't know. He was in juvie last year, he's

a super senior and there's enough rumors about him being spread around the school that I wonder if all of them have some part of truth in them."

"Is one of them that he slept with Mr. Admas' wife?"

choking on

"Sorry," I mutter.

school was buzzing about that. Who told you?" She frowns, wiping the

"Zaid."

"He told you himself?"

"Yeah."

She shrugs, lifting an eyebrow as she

"Why?"

doesn't usually talk about that stuff to anyone. He's honestly kind of quiet. He usually sulks in

and I clear my throat, my voice

like that, but I guess you could say things got worse when his

the catastrophic consequences of losing

enough to make anyone go crazy.

her eyebrows twitching as if she wants to

entire world at arms length," I try to smile at the end of my sentence, but all I feel is the pull of the tears that build up

sorry. I didn't meant that he—It's just, I've known him

smile trembles as I turn to her, "It's okay. It's better that

didn't mean to sound insensitive," She chews

"It's okay, truly. I know mean

She snorts at that.

talk about death like it couldn't

paints a cross on her heart with her fingers and I laugh at

this weekend?" She opens up a bag of chips, offering

one.

shake my head. "No,

Saturday. You should come with

have never been the party kind, much

girl.

If we're not having a good time, we can leave early and you can stay over at my house.

than having

"Fine."

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