Drake returned to his seat after bumping my shoulder with a friendly smile, and after I got over my startlement, I grinned. Taking his place beside me, Riff indicated a boy with dark brown hair that was almost black who had soulful brown eyes, “that’s Benny. His partner is Jazlyn.” A girl with long mahogany hair in loose ringlets smiled, her jade green eyes sparkling with mischief.
“if you ever seek to prank anyone, I am at your service,” Jazlyn grinned, and my lips curled into a broad smile. Benny rolled his eyes, albeit he grinned, and Jazlyn indicated him with her thumb while laughing. “Benny is too, although he’s also your alibi. See, I pull off the prank while Benny organizes our innocence.” I couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped my lips, although I tried.
“Our last pair,” Riff chuckled with a shake of his head at the troublesome duo, “is Flik and Mara.” Flik gave me a slight wave, his eyes were black while his hair was a sandy blond. His lips curled into a friendly grin before he looked at his partner, a young girl with curly brown hair and gentle brown eyes. “And there you have our show choir. Here I’ve been, tragically surrounded by these paired off losers, all alone.” Riff laughed when they began catcalling him and promising many pranks as retribution for his statement.
Through all this, Zach sat beside me with a half-grin. With a chuckle, he nudged my shoulder with his once the show choir brought up tales of past faux pas as examples of why Riff was the real loser of the group. “How are you feeling?” He asked, and I chuckled wryly.
“Like I stumbled into an alternate universe or something,” I mumbled, and he laughed. “No one has ever cared about me before, nor how I feel or what I think. I’ve always been the poor kid, the one everyone looks down on and mistreats because who will speak in defense of the penniless orphan?” I sighed, still trying to adjust to the idea that this town wouldn’t be like the others. I was part of a group, I had friends, and was so far out of my depth that it wasn’t even the slightest bit funny. What does one do with friends? Do you have to walk them? My lips curled into a slight smirk at that thought, and I rolled my eyes. This group made me think of a pack of puppies. Squabbling and flopping over each other while they playfully fought.
“What’s so funny?” Zach asked with amusement shining in his eyes.
“Don’t hate me,” I sighed with a frown, flinching when everyone at the table stopped talking to look at me. “But uh, you guys remind me of a bunch of puppies.” They blinked, glanced at each other, and in the next second, each student burst out laughing. Moments later, tears of laughter streamed down their cheeks while they appeared unable to stop expressing their mirth. Rolling my eyes, I ate the cookie from Dare’s mom and packed the rest of the food I was responsible for ingesting.
“You do not know how well you hit that nail on the head,” Zach chuckled under his breath. I barely kept myself from reacting, pretending I didn’t hear what I doubt I was supposed to.
“Well, in all fairness,” Riff chuckled, “I told you to consider me a puppy nipping at your heels.”
“Oh!” I gasped, “That reminds me. Um, Riff, I have plans this weekend.” When he quirked his brow, I tilted my head to indicate Zach. “Zach agreed to um, let me sketch him on Saturday or Sunday. He hasn’t decided yet.” Glancing at Zach, Riff had an unreadable expression that left me feeling Zach was in trouble.
“Ah, Angel, it doesn’t have to be only us, Riff and the gang can come along too. Hey! Perhaps you can sketch all of us,” Zach offered with an easy smile, and my cheeks burned once his words sank in.
“I-I I mean I’ve sketched groups before b-but never when they know about it,” I stammered, and he shook his head with a grin.
“Not as a group, silly. We can hang out in our favorite spot in the forest, and you sketch whoever you want when the urge strikes. That can be our weekend haunt, and your running project,” Zach corrected with a gentle smile.
I lacked the courage to glance at anyone’s expressions before I murmured, “I would like that.”
“Then it’s a plan,” Rebel decreed with a chuckle. “Bar any other plans, or presence requirements, for the weekends we meet at our spot and hang out. While we do us, Angel will enjoy indulging in her artist desires, and none of us will know who her chosen model is for the moment. I like this.”
“Yeah!” Mara agreed with a sweet smile, “when we get to see her sketchbook, it’ll be like looking at a journal of our adventures.” Ducking my head, my cheeks heated while the group excitedly murmured their agreement. However, my soul was content. I could only imagine how at peace I might feel at this spot they hang out in, able to sketch as much as I desired.
Towards the end of lunch, Claire asked to see my schedule. Everyone in our choir looked at it too, and I ducked my head again, wondering if I would get teased for being a nerd since I had honors classes. “Damn girl,” Ethan chuckled, “you make me feel like a slacker. I only have normal classes. Damn.”
“I don’t even want to know how much homework you have,” Rebel added with a shudder. “That schedule is terrifying. Angel, you are my hero.” A slight smile tugged at my lips while I stared at my lap,
