Beat The Lunch Line

[Pippi]

((Was kinda stuck here, so sorry if this is of poor quality))

The situation briefly looked as if it would stop being awkward after Brennan finished speaking, as Brenda gave her own words of support to Ali. Brennan nodded as she spoke, mostly concerned with finishing his lunch, but he was also distracted by something else. He too had noticed that the majority of Ali’s conversation had been directed at him. Even now, she seemed to be staring at him, almost as if she was looking into his soul.

Oh golly, I hope she didn’t misinterpret what I was trying to say or something. Or maybe she’s just like that.
...
Did I really just think “Oh golly”?

Brennan was broken off from his thoughts by the sound of a small laugh, and then a sniffling sound. Looking up from his lunch, Brennan was greeted with the site of Ali starting to cry, but still smiling. This was something Brennan hadn’t really been expecting. People had laughed at him before for trying to befriend him, but no-one had started crying before. Brennan wasn’t entirely sure what to say. What if I say something stupid? I really hope she isn’t one of those vengeful types... and since when did I start doubting myself so much?

Brennan cleared his throat, before he started talking. “Hey, it’s okay. I can understand how you feel, really, I can. We’re glad you found us, too.” Brennan wasn’t sure what else to say. Whatever happens, this has certainly been an interesting lunch...

[Casey The Undead*]

Brenda smiled warmly at Ali's tears, sympathy filling her. The girl had gone through more in her life than most did, and Brenda was glad that she was able to work through it. She reached over and gently patted Ali's hand, still smiling. "We're glad you came Ali, we really are. I'm so happy we could become friends."

Still, there was a small issue that Brenda was curious about. Ali seemed to still be favoring Brennan- which wasn't uncommon, for he was a boy who was being nice and paying attention to her, and really wasn't all that bad looking. Brennan, however, was incredibly hard to read- Brenda had no idea if he felt anything more than friendship towards the other girl.

She pursed her lips together, wondering what to do now. She glanced back and forth between the other two at the table, her mind calculating her options. She looked down at her mostly untouched lunch, which was mostly cold and unappetizing now. She thought about how seamlessly Karen had left.

Her mind worked through her solution quickly.

"Oh my gosh, I completely forgot that I was going to meet with my English teacher to talk about that paper! I gotta run! It was great meeting you Ali, we should hang out after school sometime!" She quickly jotted her number down on a piece of scrap paper from her notebook, handing it to Ali. "Call if you wanna meet up!"

She then turned to Brennan. "And as for you O'Brien, keep the lady company, okay?" She threw him a slight wink, waving at both of them before walking out of the lunchroom.

Operation: Hookup was go.

((Brenda Hernandez continued elsewhere))

[The Bearded One*]

Alicia realized that she was still crying when Brenda reached out and took hold of her hand. Brennan was caught a bit off guard by the tears, though Brenda wasn't. They both were continuing to express sympathy and solidarity with her. She wiped away her last tear with her free hand.

Brennan cleared his throat before speaking his words of comfort. I'm pretty sure that he likes me, or at least he's interested in me. I wonder how we can get to know each other better with Brenda hanging around.

Brenda's words were even more positive. She declared that she was glad they were now 'friends'. Is it possible that she actually wants me as a friend? Before, she seemed like she almost wanted me to go away. Now she's offering friendship. She'd be my third, counting Odile and Anna-&-Anthony (they pretty much come as a unit). I really hope so.

Then Brenda stood up and made her excuse to meet with her English teacher. Oh, I guess I was wrong after all. She's making excuses to get away from me again. But before she left, Brenda wrote her phone number on a scrap of paper and gave it to Alicia. "Call me if you wanna meet up," she said gently. No, I guess I was wrong about being wrong. She really does have to see her English teacher, but she also wants to be my friend. A large smile touched Ali's face along with a blush.

The blush was due to Brenda's next words to Brennan: "And as for you O'Brian, keep the lady company, okay?" Ali saw her wink at the boy just before leaving the table and then the cafeteria. Does she know that I like Brennan? Have I been too obvious about my interest? Alicia's smile faded somewhat and a queasy feeling started in her stomach. She couldn't be sure if it was the embarrassment or the lousy lunch food she'd just eaten.

Brenda left us alone at the table; maybe she's trying to help us get to know each other better. Okay, how do I do that without scaring him away? I'd better find a lighter subject. She looked down at the remains of her lunch tray and gently pushed it aside, then looked back at Brennan. "I'm sorry to be dominating the conversation. I seem to have driven away our table mates. Um, I have Chemistry next, and then PE. What's your schedule like for the rest of the day?"

[Pippi]

Brennan was glad for Brenda’s words of comfort towards Ali. He wasn’t entirely sure that his had been all that effective. Still, the most important thing was that Ali was okay. She wasn’t crying anymore at least.

Wow, since when have you cared about anyone this much after such a short amount of time?
...
Woah, that thought came out of nowhere!

Brennan really wasn’t sure why that had popped into his head. He’d never really thought about anyone as being more than a friend, apart from his family of course. But now...

His thoughts were interrupted, as they had been so often that day, by Brenda getting up and making some excuse about seeing their English teacher. Brennan was more than a touch suspicious about her sudden departure. Surely her earlier mentioning of their English paper would have made her remember that? Brennan decided to remain silent however, silently pondering Brenda’s ulterior motive, as she gave Ali her phone number. Brenda then turned towards Brennan. Right. Now, what’s this all about?

“And as for you, O’Brian, keep the lady company, okay?” Was that it? Of course I’d keep her company, it’s not like I’d just... oh.

Brenda’s wink confirmed his earlier thoughts. So Ali does like me. Or maybe Brenda thinks I like Ali. Brennan’s face had also gained a red tint. He’d never been in a situation like this before. He wasn’t sure why, but he was suddenly noticing just how attractive Ali was.

A couple of moments of awkward silence ensued, as Brennan stared down at his lunch tray and Ali pushed hers to the side. Ali broke the silence by apologizing for driving Karen and Brenda away, and asking him what his schedule was like. Brennan’s mind was completely clouded, different thoughts whirling through it, but one managed to make itself heard above the rest.

Go on. Answer her. For the first time in your life, take some responsibility.

Brennan looked up, directly at Ali, before speaking. “Hey, I’m more likely to have driven away those two. Karen left as soon as I sat down, remember? And, uh, my schedule? I think I have Physics next, and then, uh... Drama! That’s it.” A couple seconds passed, Brennan trying to think of something to say. “Do you have any interest in drama? Or, y’know, art, music, things like that?”

[The Bearded One*]

There was a long pause before Brennan spoke. Brennan graciously volunteered to take responsibility for driving Karen and Brenda away. Ali appreciated his effort, even though she doubted the truth of his assessment. Then he answered her question: Physics and then Drama. Then he seemed to run out of things to say.

That's just great, Changeling. You have totally killed the conversation now. You're awkward and off-putting when you try to pretend to be a human just like the people around you. You briefly won their interest, but any attempt to relate to them as a human is doomed to fail. If you don't think like a human, you're not a human, and ordinary humans won't be able to relate to you except as a freak, Freak.

Alicia fought off the onset of melancholy for a moment before Brennan brightened again. “Do you have any interest in drama? Or, y’know, art, music, things like that?” He was meeting her eyes again, interested in what she might have to say. I actually have a shot. Many humans want to be broken out of their limited black-and-white world. They want to see how colorful life can be. And I'll bet Brennan is one of those.

Am I interested in 'drama, art, music, or things like that'? He has no idea how important those are to me. How can I explain it to him without freaking him out? Well, he seemed to accept my fairy wings story with only a little shock; the truth shouldn't be nearly as weird as that.

She smiled again, glancing into his eyes, but unable to sustain eye contact while she talked lest she blush again. "Well, yeah, I like all kinds of art. And I think music and drama and creative writing count as art too." Her eyes met his intense green ones for only a second before she looked away again. "For the Fair Folk, creative expression is sustenance. That's partly what I meant when I said 'living my life in full color'. I need to be around creative people and to find a way to be creative myself, or I'll die. Maybe not, like, literally, but I'll die in my spirit. And that's the most important part of who I am."

She looked back into Brennan's eyes again. She blinked, but succeeded in holding his gaze. "So, um, the answer is 'yes'." Was that too much? I hope not.

[Pippi]

For a moment, Brennan was worried that his awkward pause had completely killed the conversation, as Ali seemed to be even more melancholy than before.

Oh wow, nice job. That’s gotta be a record: ruining a conversation with the first sentence. Maybe I should just make an excuse like Brenda or Karen and leave...

Brennan was incredibly relieved when he saw Ali smile. He was glad she was still interested in talking to him, but he also felt embarrassed when she glanced at him before looking away. She liked music and drama though, so that was good. It is good, right? I hope it is... I think...

At Ali’s mention of the “Fair Folk”, Brennan blinked in confusion, before remembering her beliefs. Ah, yes. She’s a fairy, isn’t she, or like one? I’ll have to get used to that. Shouldn’t be too hard, though.

As Ali spoke, Brennan felt himself nodding and smiling, as if he was being pulled into Ali’s own world of fairies and colour. When she mentioned how she would die without creativity, though, Brennan felt his jaw drop slightly. He quickly closed his mouth and looked at his tray, feeling slightly embarrassed at himself again.

Seriously, get a grip. Be yourself. Don’t panic.

Brennan looked up seconds before Ali turned to look directly into his eyes. Still feels like she’s staring into my soul. He laughed slightly at Ali’s conclusion. “Haha, yeah, I thought as much.” Brennan paused for a moment to clear his throat with the glass of water on his tray, which was pretty much the tastiest thing he’d had all day.

“Well, I personally love Drama, if you didn’t already know. I’ve enjoyed it ever since I was, uh, 9, I think. Or maybe 10. But whatever, it’s not that important, right? As for art and writing, well, I’ve tried my hand at both, and I think I’m pretty good at art, if I say so myself. Not so good at writing, I can never get any really good ideas for, well, anything, heh. As for music, well, I guess you could say that music is my sustenance. Ever since I was little, I’ve loved classical music. My cousin Jamie helped introduce me to it; he’s part of a classical orchestra. Music really draws me in, and... Oh, god. I’ve been rambling, haven’t I?” Brennan looked back at his tray, his face a deep scarlet.

[The Bearded One*]

Ali's minimalistic conclusion caused Brennan to laugh a bit, bringing a smile to his face. What a nice smile he has. He paused to take a drink, glancing down at his own lunch tray as if wishing it contained something else more appetizing.

Returning his attention to Alicia, he spoke about his ties to drama, art, and especially music. "I guess you could say that music is my sustenance." Ali couldn't repress a large smile when she heard that. He's like me, at least a bit. And he understands what I need. How perfect is this!

Now all I have to do is figure out how to keep him as a friend. I need to get his phone number or something. We need to spend some time away from school getting to know each other. There ain't no way he's coming to my neighborhood, so I'll have to find a way to visit him.

Brennan finished his descriptions with a bit of self-deprecation and a cute blush. Ali grinned still more. Wow, he's totally into me.

Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed,
While I thy amiable cheeks do coy,
And stick musk-roses in thy sleek smooth head,
And kiss thy fair large ears, my gentle joy.

Ali watched him blush for a moment, studying his face. Then she spoke. "I don't know much music besides hip-hop and stuff. I think it would be great if you could... show me the kinds of music that you are into. And I'd love to see what your drama class is doing, if you're willing to share that."

She pulled out her cell phone and said, "we should get together this weekend. My number is 313-555-0125." She looked up at her table mate expectantly.

[Pippi]

Brennan had been very relieved to see Ali smiling when he told her about his love for music. That still didn’t stop the fact that he’d gone rambling on about it, and probably ruined everything.

Okay. It’s okay. Lift your head up, it’ll be fine.
...
... Wait. She’s still smiling?

Well. This was a pleasant surprise. Slowly, the blush faded from Brennan’s face, as Ali suggested he show her what music he was into, and what he was currently doing in drama. Brennan was now grinning as well. This is, literally, perfect. So glad I sat here. One thing about that was pestering Brennan’s mind, though, and that was how they’d be able to contact each other. He was about to speak, when Ali pulled out her phone.

Oh, wow! Heh, maybe she is actually a mind reading fairy thingy... And she’s suggesting we get together at the weekend? Perfect. Just make sure you stay focused, calm and collected.

Brennan pulled up his bag and started rifling through it, while speaking to Ali. “That sounds great! Hold on a sec, just need to find my phone...” Of course, it would be at the bottom of his bag, although he wasn’t too surprised. Brennan’s phone was ancient, and he only used it to call his friends. After a few seconds, which seemed like hours to Brennan, he pulled the phone from his bag. “S-sorry ‘bout that. Okay, so my number’s 313-555-1466” Brennan was glad he’d remembered the number. Having to spend even longer searching for the number on his phone would definitely have ruined everything.

[The Bearded One*]

Brennan took a few moments to dig through his bookbag and retrieve his phone. When he finally told Ali his phone number, he looked embarrassed that it was taking so long. Alicia found this kind of cute. She took a second to just watch his face and absorb the contours of his cheeks, the way his hair fell around his ears, the gentle arc of his light eyebrows, and the brilliant intensity of his eyes.

Ali forced herself to look away from him in order to type his phone number into her phone and add him to her 'contacts' list. She briefly considered making some kind of note under his name, or attaching a picture, but decided that she could do that when she got to know him better. There's still the chance that I've misjudged him. I guess we'll find out this weekend.

I guess we could meet at the mall. Isn't that where the white kids hang out? Ali opened her mouth to ask where Brennan wanted to get together with her when the school bell rang signaling five minutes before the next class. She closed her mouth again with a frown. Talk about crappy timing!

When she looked back at Brennan, her frown melted away and she smiled at him apologetically. "I guess I should go," she said. "My chem class is almost at the other end of the building. And don't forget to call me, okay?" She stood up, stuffed her copy of A Midsummer Night's Dream back into her bag, and grabbed her lunch tray. "See you around." I hope.

She took her lunch tray to the trash can near the exit, dumped the trash into the can, and put the tray on the cart next to the trash. She glanced back toward the table she'd been sitting at to get one more look at Brennan, but the crush of other students heading for the exits blocked her view. Sighing, she readjusted her bag and headed off toward her chemistry class.

((Alicia White continued elsewhere))

[Pippi]

As Ali put the number into her phone, and Brennan did the same, he found himself reflecting on all that had happened that lunch. He’d certainly not expected to find himself exchanging numbers with someone he’d only just met. But hey, not that I’m complaining. Maybe I should have suggested somewhere we could meet. Problem is, I don’t exactly know where...

Brennan finished inserting the number, and looked up to see Ali starting to speak. And there she goes with that mind reading act again! So... Wait, that’s the bell? Well darn. Sod’s Law strikes again.

Brennan was slightly annoyed, and he could see that Ali felt the same. However, when he saw Ali smile, he couldn’t help but do the same.

“And don’t forget to call me, okay?” Brennan’s smile turned into a grin. “Yep, sure thing! See you!” he responded as Ali got up to leave. Brennan watched her dump her lunch stuff near the door, and tried to wave her goodbye, but she was quickly swallowed up by the sea of students heading for the doors. Sighing slightly, Brennan put his phone back in his bag, before heading to where Ali had been a couple of seconds before to deposit his tray. Heading through the lunch hall doors, Brennan found that he still had a grin on his face. He normally enjoyed Physics, but he had a feeling that his mind would be more focused on the upcoming weekend than any experiments.

((Brennan O’Brian continued elsewhere))