Shadows In Durango

Chapter 10

*****Sofia's POV*****

The morning sun peeked through my cracked blinds, dragging me from a restless sleep. I groaned, the familiar ache of exhaustion settling in my bones.

Another day of school, another day of navigating the complex social web that I had yet to untangle. I forced myself out of bed and into my little routine, each step bringing me closer to the part of the day I dreaded most: lunch.

I arrived early, giving myself time to find my Physics class and thankful to find neither Vincent or his side clones in my class today - it was mostly filled with what others would refer to as 'nerds'.

The time flew by, before the bell rang and the hallways of the school were buzzing with chatter and laughter as I made my way to the cafeteria.

I tried to blend into the crowd, hoping to go unnoticed which so far I had seemed pretty successful at. The thought of buying lunch for Vincent again made my stomach churn. It had become a daily task that filled me with dread, a reminder of my precarious position here.

As I joined the lunch queue, the usual sense of apprehension settled over me as I debated over the different choices today.

The line moved slowly, and I stared at the back of the student in front of me, trying to mentally prepare myself for the encounter with Vincent and his crew - whether it would bring me more ridicule or praise. Suddenly, a familiar scent flooded my senses, a mix of fresh pine and something subtly sweet. I looked up, my heart skipping a beat as I found Daryl standing beside me with a playful grin on his face. "Hey there, Sofia. Fancy seeing you here," he said, his tone light and teasing.

I blinked in surprise, momentarily thrown off balance. "Oh, hey, Daryl. Didn't expect to see you here," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

What a dumb thing to say?! I didn't expect to see him here? In the lunch line? Ugh!

He chuckled, a sound that seemed to chase away some of the tension coiled within me. "Thought I'd join the common folk for a change," he said with a wink. "Plus, I figured you could use some company for lunch today." He offers, as I furrow my brows.

I furrowed my brows, both flattered and confused by his sudden interest. "Really? You want to have lunch with me?"

he said, his eyes

piqued, I tilted

slightly as the line shuffled forward. "How about you don't buy Vincent's lunch

at first. "What? I can't do that. He'll be furious - I would never live it down." I shake my head

shrugged nonchalantly with a sigh before continuing. "Let him be furious. It's not fair to you to be his personal lunch fetcher every

in my

calm down. I'll take the hit for it. I'll grab him a sandwich

Vincent was terrifying, but Daryl's

I'll tell him the private lunch deliveries are over. He needs to treat you with respect this

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of no return.

can be a jerk, but he's

some of my fears. "Okay," I said, my voice barely above a

reassuring squeeze before letting go. "That's the spirit. Now, let's get something

and relief. Daryl ordered his lunch and then pointed to a ham and cheese sandwich for Vincent. "That'll do," he said with a wink in my direction which caused for me to

off dramatically. "Positive," he

lunchtime chaos, but I felt a sense of calm settling over me knowing that for the first time, I wasn't sitting alone. Daryl's presence was a comforting buffer against the anxiety that usually

to me with a serious expression. "I'll take the sandwich to Vincent. You stay here and enjoy the last of your lunch. If he has a problem with it, he'll have to deal with me." I nodded, my gratitude evident in my eyes. "Thank you, Daryl.

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grin returning. "Now, eat

made his way out of the canteen in search of his friend as I watched his back disappear with