At Lunch

My school doesn't have a caffeteria. But, all the places to eat on Campus are in the Student Union building. This is actually a good thing, because it means that I can grab my food and take it to the downstairs couches where many of the nerds hang out, including my vague circle of friends and acquaintances.

I take a seat next to Ethan, the DM in my campaign, and my friend since Middle School.

"Have you settled on a place next to campus yet?" He asks me.

"Not yet. No." I admit. "I've been looking at a few places, but I'm not in a rush."

Ethan just looks at me with the look he gives when he's seen through my bullshit. I've been talking about moving out for awhile, but I'm struggling to muster the energy to actually deal with all the problems associated with having my own place.

I take a few bites of my sandwich, but notice in the corner of my eye a familiar person sitting on the a couch nearby. She's alone, or at least I think she's a she. I'm not too literate on gender studies issues, but something gives me the impression that she (they?) don't identify as female entirely. It's this person who frequently sits near us during normal lunch hours, but doesn't seem to have too many friends. The reason I can't even properly tell their gender is because of their slight androgynous frame and short hair. I normally feel pretty sorry for them whenever I see them. They never seem to have any food with them, and that doesn't strike me as being by choice. One time, I even saw them scavenging around in the trash bin for something to eat when no one is looking.

The extent of my interactions with them have been pretty sparse. Every few days, I bring over part of my food and give them some. They're not normally very talkative, so I get a thank you but that's about it. Looking at them today, scrunched up in a hoodie looking quite hungry, I contemplate walking over with the other half of my Subway sandwich.

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