To the cafeteria again. Alone.

It wasn’t like the girls and I spent every minute we were in school glued to each other, but at the very least we always ate lunch together. It caught me off guard when they said they’d eat with Lena and Amanda that day.

I was at a loss for a moment. If I was alone, there was no reason to go to the cafeteria. I could just eat at my desk in the classroom. It wasn’t empty, but there were fewer people.

I sat down, brought out my lunch box and looked inside. Divided by compartments were some left-over sliced beef from last night, some mixed salad and some fruit. The other people in the classroom were in their own groups, also busy eating and talking, so they didn’t pay attention to me, which was good. Still, this felt… wrong.

I was changing, wasn’t I? If so, why did I choose to be alone here? Mila, Grace and Sarah weren’t the only people I could talk to anymore. I could get along well enough with others, I knew that. But old insecurities don’t go away just like that. It was the same stopping point as always.

‘The others are probably busy. I shouldn’t bother them.’

I bit my lip, closed the lid on my lunch box and carried it from the classroom to the cafeteria. Even if the others were busy, I felt like this was a step I had to take. Just one step.

Once there, I looked around. No empty tables, yet available seats. The same story as always.

…

Well, I was at the cafeteria already. I had to find a place to sit or walk away without even trying. Swallowing, I started making my way towards an available seat, one where three other people were having a lively conversation.

Just… think about it like you do at work, Oliver. Smile politely, be formal, ask with a soft tone of voice. That seems to work.

“Excuse me?” I spoke with a small smile. The three guys turned to me with curiosity. They were all seniors. “Would it be a problem if I sat here?”

The guys shared a quick look for confirmation before one of them answered. “Of course not. Go ahead.”

My smile widened and I gave them a little nod. “Thanks.”

I was about to sit down when I heard his voice.

“Yo! Oliver! Come over here, man!” Thomas called from three tables over.

“Ah!” I hadn’t seen him. I turned to the three guys with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I didn’t see my friend there. But thanks again.”

“Sure, man. No problem.”

I felt my hands shake, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as it used to be. I don’t know if this was for better or worse, but I went over to Thomas’ table nonetheless. When I got there, I saw the two other girls sitting across from him.

“Thank God you’re here, man. I need backup,” Thomas told me.

“Backup?” I asked, sitting next to him and nodding a greeting towards Alice and Noelle. Thomas was friends with nearly the entire school, so seeing him with them wasn’t that weird. Still.

“I’m getting bullied here. The basketball team is in danger, Oliver.”

“W-What? N-No! That’s not it at all!” Noelle quickly interjected.

“Don’t be a baby, Thomas.” Alice said. “I’m just telling you that the basketball club will be getting a budget reduction starting next month. The club has fewer players this year, right?”

“Well, yeah, we got about ten less people than last year, but…”

“That’s ten less people’s worth of equipment the club needs. And that money can go to other clubs who struggle to get what they need.”

“Come on, Alice…”

“The balls are in good enough condition and the gym doesn’t need repairs. If you guys don’t make it to the national tournament this year, it might get reduced again, you know? The school can’t give you money for transportation and lodging in other towns if you’re not gonna use it.”

“Ruthless!” Thomas groaned and lightly punched the table with his fist. “Our president is ruthless!”

“Her policies appeal to the frugal person in me, so I agree with her,” I told him. “You can make do with what you have.”

“Right?” Alice chuckled. “At least someone understands.”

“It’s always difficult to give the news to club captains,” Noelle said, frowning. “Whenever we tell them about budget cuts, they take it out on us.”

“The ones who get the angriest are the ones who misuse the money, so I don’t feel bad about it,” Alice said.

“Do you really have that much control over how much money the clubs get?” I asked her.

“Hmm. Yes and no,” Alice said. “We check the amount of money each club uses, analyze it and make suggestions on how to distribute the school’s club budget. The final decision lies with the principal, and he can make any changes he wants.”

“That said, Alice’s proposals are so thorough that the principal implements them as they are,” Noelle said, smiling proudly.

“I think it’s more that going over them is more trouble than it’s worth for him,” Alice clarified.

I grimaced. “Being the president sounds tough.”

Alice smiled. “It’s good training. Getting used to dealing with this sort of work will help me in the future.”

“...I see.” I smiled. “Yes, that’s a good way to look at it.” I could learn to think a bit more like that, too.

“Now, abruptly changing the topic,” Thomas said. “How come I still haven’t met the cat, Oliver?”

“Hm?”

Noelle’s eyes brightened. “You haven’t met Cake, Thomas?”

“I haven’t even been to this guy’s house yet,” he said, pointing his thumb at me. “And I’ve invited him over to my place twice already. Can you believe him?”

“You never said you wanted to meet Cake,” I defended myself. “Also, aren’t you a dog person?”

“So are you, and now you have a cat sleeping on your chest at night.”

Alice and Noelle began giggling.

“She sleeps on your chest?” Alice asked.

“When I wake up, she’s there,” I answered with a sigh. “Some nights she sleeps with me, some nights with Isabelle. Now she’s getting into the habit of watching TV with my mom.” I grimaced. “Sorry to say that the bed you bought her is kind of going to waste. She doesn’t want to sleep there.”

“That’s fine, that’s fine!” Noelle laughed. She had a warm soft laugh with a slight high pitch. It was cute. “I bet she’ll start growing a bit more distant when she gets older.”

“You think?” I asked. “The way things are going, I’m worried she’ll turn out spoiled. Isabelle looks at her and she just melts and gives her everything.”

Alice laughed. “I bet it makes you look like the bad guy when you say no.”

“Pretty much, yes.”

“Huh. So you’re the strict kind of parent,” Thomas said, giving me a look-over. “You don’t look it, but I think it makes sense.”

“What do looks have to do with it?”

“You look like the type to baby-talk to animals.”

“Really?” Noelle blinked. “I think Oliver can look pretty intimidating at times.”

I gaped at her, my chest feeling cold. “D-Do I really?”

“N-No! Wait! I meant imposing! Imposing!” she corrected, her face reddening deeply.

“I agree,” Alice said with a grin. “Which is impressive for someone so short.”

I winced.

“Ouch. Hit a man where it hurts, prez,” Thomas said. “You’re not earning yourself any votes for your next term, you know?”

“Please, I’m just joking. I’m sure there are plenty of girls who like short guys.”

I felt a completely different kind of chill, and my sixth sense triggered with it.

Alice knew. I was sure by now that she was the girl Grace had first told me about. Alice was close friends with them. There was a big chance that they had told her. Call me paranoid, but I was sure. Alice knew I was dating her three friends.

But if she did, she didn’t mind it.

Interesting.

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