Back to the Present

As I walked through the school's winding hallways, I had to admit it really lived up to its reputation.

Marble, sandstone, and other fancy-looking building materials I couldn't recognize lined the walls and floor, polished sparkly clean. I couldn't help but experience a sense of awe at its beauty. The architecture, the way the light filtered through the place, and the lacquered wood under my fingertips were all so remarkable. It was like an ivy league school masquerading as a high school. In a way, it was: the population of this world was about a fifth of Earth's, and individual students got a lot more attention on average.

It couldn't compare to the dingy halls of my public Philadelphia middle school, filled to the brim with gum and chalk. This place seemed so clean and pristine in comparison, with an aura of dignity to it. Why did the enrichment program send me of all people here, anyway?

I couldn't help but feel a little annoyed at being sent to some rich kid school on some level, but then again, there weren't a lot of opportunities back home. Still, it made me feel like a lab rat who'd been set up for a vivisection table rather than a student getting a shot at economic mobility.

I idly revisited my first day, remembering the boy who had spotted me and pulled me over to his table. Rostam was also one of those "third-rate" kids. Kids whose parents worked countless hours and scrimped and saved to get them into this school. He'd warned me about the old money types here, and I couldn't help but feel slightly sorry for the guy.

Whatever. I'd managed to survive in the harsh streets of the worst of the worst neighborhoods, the kind where you got shot if you stuck your head out of the window at the wrong time. Everyone expected the flimsy technology keeping us safe to fail on any given day, after which we'd all be eaten by extradimensional monsters.

I could survive here. No biggy. Yup.

A nervous gulp escaped my lips as I walked down the hall, heading to the cafeteria. It was just my luck that I'd end up sticking out like a sore thumb in a place like this. It was all too obvious I didn't belong here, only making things worse. I was a bit more on the scrawny side, and I didn't look like any of the other guys in my grade — from how I carried myself to how I spoke. Nothing had happened in my other classes before lunch, but I couldn't shake the feeling of having a target firmly painted on my back now.

Still, I had to get some lunch. The cafeteria was a vast, open room with long tables opposite the entrance. A serving was set up along the back wall, and a few food carts and drinks kiosks were set up in the center. Other kids were milling about and chatting, and a few were sitting down like they were planning on staying there for a while. This was basically my only decent meal of the day. I couldn't skip it.

My stomach rumbled, and I felt my hunger as I walked forward. I might as well get it over with.

As I got closer and closer, I got more and more nervous. A few people shot me a few looks, but I could tell they were more curious than anything. They didn't give me the same disgusted look that the girls from my class had given me earlier. Nobody seemed to be paying extra attention to me, but my paranoia was getting the best of me.

Don't be stupid, I told myself. No one is going to attack you.

I stood in the line a bit, fidgeting impatiently as I waited. When it was finally my turn, I stepped up to the serving station, looking around uneasily. My heart thumped loudly in my chest, and I could barely hear the guy behind the counter when he spoke.

"What can I get you?" he asked, glaring at me impatiently. He was a giant of a man and had a strong, muscular build.

"Uh, I'll have the beef, erm what's it called," I asked, taking a breath to calm myself down.

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Ah right.

"I'll have the beef wellington set... please!"

The server blinked in surprise and returned to the back, putting my order in. I tapped a screen and punched in my meal plan information before joining the line, waiting to get my food. The line moved forward, and I stood, shifting uneasily from side to side. Several of the kids were looking at me now.

I could tell that my demeanor probably made me stand out like a sore thumb. This was going to be a long lunch.

An athletic, pretty girl with brown skin, long, cinnamon-colored hair, and light, spectacled blue eyes stood next to me, wearing a white blouse with a red tartan skirt and black heels. She was looking at me curiously, with a giant, wolfish smile on her face. I got slow, sideways glances from her, but she didn't say a word. I finally looked at her, but she didn't seem like she was going to say anything, so I was at a loss for words for a moment. I looked away, staring blankly at the wall across from the food as I waited for my order.

"I'm Ranjika," she said after a few seconds, breaking the awkward silence.

I smiled weakly.

"I'm Ikazuchi. Uhm, nice to meet you, I guess?" I replied.

She flashed me a sly smile, "Oh, I know who you are. You raised one hell of a ruckus stepping on Carrie's toes like that, you know. Word's gotten out that you're on her permanent shitlist. You realize her dad and brother are notoriously overprotective of her, right?"

I flushed bright red. I guessed my new school reputation was already set in stone.

"No, don't worry about it. I'm just teasing," Ranjika said, her grin still wide.

I huffed with embarrassment, feeling blood rush into my ears.

"So, what made you do it?" the girl suddenly said, her voice softer than I expected. She smiled at me, her eyes twinkling with something like amusement. "The detriments were obviously much greater than the gain. Let's face it, too. She's a sweetheart but Natasha isn't the type guys usually fawn over at a distance."

I felt a lump form in my throat and couldn't think what to say. I stared at Ranjika for a moment, unsure and somewhat taken aback. Something about her made me feel like she could see right through me like she knew all of my secrets even though we had just met.

"Truth be told, I don't understand why I did it myself. I just...felt like I had to help her out even if my instincts were screaming at me not to. It's like something came over me, and I felt compelled to do it. I don't understand it myself," I finally managed to say, looking away from her gaze.

Ranjika gave me an understanding smile and nodded slowly. "It's funny how the heart works like that, sometimes," she said thoughtfully.

"Huh?" I replied, looking at her quizzically.

She laughed and shrugged, "You'll figure it out in time. Now, I'd love to gossip some more," she said, giving me a mischievous look. "But my order's here. Yours should also be out in a minute."

I watched as she walked off to get her food. I was still a bit thrown by her. She had a charming and charismatic aura, and it seemed like there was some meaning behind those questions that I hadn't wrapped my head around yet. My stomach rumbled a bit, and as if on cue, my food was suddenly dropped in front of me on a tray.

"Your lunch," the musclebound server said, his voice full of amusement for some reason. He walked off quickly, giving me a sideways look.

I gulped and quickly walked through the line, getting some side dishes, some seltzer water, and some condiments. Then, I headed to the seating area, looking for a place to sit.

I walked over to a table at the center before placing my food tray down.

No one was sitting there, so I took a seat, set my food down, and looked around uneasily. I looked around again and saw a few people looking over at me. I was struck by how uncomfortable it was here. Although the room was starting to fill up, people seemed to avoid my table like the plague. It was the end of my first month at school, and I was already a social pariah. This was a place where kids with silver spoons in their mouths all knew each other.

Oh well.

I already knew that this would be an awkward, lonely lunch. I stretched for a second before I unwrapped my fork and knife. Then, I grabbed my food and dug in, feeling relief wash over me. The beef was soft, tender, and juicy, and the sauce was incredibly delicious. I could tell the meat had been marinated in something. On top of that, the bread was perfectly fluffy. This was a feast that I could never afford to eat back home. I was grateful for these little wins and creature comforts, at the very least. It was enough to keep me going.

I was snapped out of my reverie as a tray landed dramatically on my left. Then, I jolted again as another one landed on my right. And then another and another around the table.

I looked up and saw a group of four girls and one guy at my table, all looking down at me with beaming grins.

Ranjika was in the middle of the group, her eyes twinkling in amusement as everyone fanned out and took their seats. The three other girls smiled at me like a pack of wolves out on a hunt while the guy gave me a look that seemed to know precisely how flustered I felt.

"Hey there Ikki!" Ranjika chirped. "We just thought we'd join you for lunch!"