Now we were in the large cafeteria, which was really the world’s largest sunroom, every wall and even the ceiling made up of huge panels of glass, all looking out over the athletics fields at one side, and on the other, a large outdoor seating area where I guessed people ate lunch in the summer.
We had a small four seat table in the back corner, against one of the windows, and the guys were just finishing up the burgers and fries they had both chosen from the cafeteria. I had chosen soup and a fruit salad. My appetite was still pretty up and down, and the nerves of the day were leaving me still feeling nauseous. The food looked pretty awful anyway if I was honest, and the soup I had chosen, supposedly tomato, tasted of nothing. I had abandoned it and moved onto the fruit salad, but it was old and the pieces were limp and really unappetising.
If I was honest, all I wanted to do was flee outside and have some silence. The noise of all of the people in the crowded cafeteria was way too loud and boisterous for me, and my hands twitched with the need to cover my ears and run away.
I was thinking I could learn to deal with the classes, maybe even like them, and the busy corridors, while terrifying, were bearable because I was just passing through them. But that cafeteria, the constant hum of noise around me as I sat there, that was going to be a huge problem for me, one I wasn’t sure I would ever get used to dealing with. It was just too much.
“Olivia, please eat, Cariña. You already skipped breakfast. If you don’t eat now you’ll pass out on us later.” Matt pleaded as he finished his own food.
“This food sucks though. The soup is terrible and this….” I held up a limp, browning slice of apple to illustrate.
“Stay here. I’ll find you something edible.” Cole said, as he looked to the apple with disgust. He jumped up and hurried off, while Matt took the fork from my hand and removed the tray of food from in front of me to the end of the table.
“I should have thought about lunch. They don’t really serve the kinds of food you like here.” Matt sighed, as though beating himself up.
“It’s fine Matt. I’ll just choose more carefully tomorrow.” I took his hand from where it sat on the table and pulled over to where I sat opposite him, wrapping it in my own and squeezing a little.
“I’ll pack you lunches for school from now on, Cariña. The food here won’t agree with your sensitive stomach.” He offered. He was right about my sensitive stomach. There were a lot of rich, and greasy foods that I just couldn’t keep down, and carbs tended to make me feel really bloated and unwell. I ate a lot of salads and soups for the most part. After eight years of continued starvation, my gut simply wasn’t equipped to deal with heavy or rich food, but luckily for me, Matt was a genius in the kitchen and came up with amazing tasty meals I could handle and enjoy.
“When will you have time to do that Matt?” I asked, not wanting him to go to extra effort because of my issues. I would find something at school I could stomach.
“I’ll do it the night before. I have plenty of time, but even if I didn’t, it would be worth it to know you are eating, Mi Amado.” Chills raced through my body at the way he purred the name he used for me. It was so sexy when he said it, and it made me feel like I was something precious to him.
“You’re too good to me, Matt. I feel like you never get anything back.” I sighed, hating not being able to take care of them, the way they did me.
“I don’t want or need anything else in the world, as long as I have you, Olivia.” He whispered as he leant across the table, as close to me as he could get. My eyes glassy at his words and overcome with love for him, I leant in too and kissed his lips briefly, not giving a single care to where we were and who was watching. None of it mattered. All I could think of was showing Matt that he meant just as much to me too.
My cell beeping from where it sat on the table before me, had me pulling away with a goofy grin on my face. I was relieved when I glanced up to Matt and saw the same grin on his face too.
“Kade or Kyle?” He asked as I swiped the screen and looked at the new message. They had both been checking in all morning, between classes, usually both at the same time. I knew they were freaking out about me being out in public without either of them closeby, but I wasn’t. It was unlikely The Shadow would come back for me, since I was likely too old for his sick likes nowadays anyway, but even if he did, he couldn't just walk into this fancy school and take me. Plus, even if he did try, I had confidence that Matt and Cole were tough enough to keep me safe. They weren't trained like Kyle and Kade, but both of them could fight, Matt had martial arts belts to prove his skills, and Cole had trophies in his room from three years spent in a junior boxing circuit. They could hold their own and I felt safe with them.
“Kyle.” I said as I opened the text. “And
