The cafeteria air hits you with a wall of smells - greasy pizza, canned green beans, and chicken nuggets that somehow look soggy and burnt at the same time. Today’s Italian-inspired lunch is spaghetti drowning in watery red sauce with a brittle breadstick that snaps in half just by looking at it. There’s a hard brownie, too - probably more dangerous than the dodgeballs in gym class. You grab a carton of chocolate milk and try not to think about Chloe Schmidt’s rant about the food. For once, she wasn’t wrong.
With your tray in hand, you pause, taking in the chaotic rhythm of the lunchroom. Everyone has fallen into their usual groups, some deep in conversation, others pretending they don't care if they have anyone to sit with. You feel the familiar tension - choosing where to sit can say a lot more than you’d like.
---
Riley McCabe catches your eye first, stationed in the corner. His phone is propped against his juice carton, and he barely pays attention to Skylar Pascoe, who’s leaning in too close, grinning like he’s trying to charm his way into Riley’s good graces. You overhear bits of their conversation - Skylar's going on about some exclusive club in Kansas City, probably hoping Riley’s connections can get him in. Riley looks mildly bored, but he’s letting Skylar talk.
---
At a nearby table, Axel Thomson is chatting with the speed and enthusiasm of a caffeine addict. He’s explaining his latest science project to Theodore Brown, who shifts nervously in his seat, overwhelmed but still trying to keep up. Cooper Nelson is there too, throwing in sarcastic remarks that somehow make Theodore laugh. It’s light, friendly, the kind of energy that’s easy to fall into.
---
Across the room, Belle Noria sits alone. Her spaghetti is untouched, and she picks at her breadstick like it’s something far away. She glances toward the exit every few minutes, as if she’s already planning her escape. You know that look - you saw it earlier by the dumpster. Her phone rests face-down on the table, a deliberate shield. No one bothers her, and she doesn’t bother with anyone.
---
In the corner by the windows, Pen Dominguez is scribbling in her journal, fully absorbed in whatever world she’s creating today. She catches your eye for a moment and gives you a small, understanding nod. There’s no pressure in it, just an invitation - if you want to sit in silence, she wouldn’t mind.
---
At another table, Hannah and Melony are sitting close, heads tilted toward each other, their voices low. Hannah looks frustrated, her brow furrowed in that specific way that makes you think it’s something to do with Menoetius - her betrothed. Melony listens like an all-knowing queen, giving advice with the smooth confidence of someone who doesn’t really care what happens, as long as it doesn’t affect her.
---
Henry Cooper, Oliver Green, and your new nemesis - Teddy Strauss are swapping stories about last week’s game, their voices loud and filled with that easy, athletic camaraderie. Oliver throws his head back in a cocky laugh, but when Teddy spots you standing by the door, his grin falters for just a second. It’s subtle, but it’s enough. The tension between you lingers - unfinished, unresolved. He has a big frelling bandage on his face.
---
Over at the far end of the room, Steph sits with Eudora, the girl who feels more like a force of nature than a classmate. Steph mutters something about the latest underworld drama, her voice low and conspiratorial. Eudora listens with the calm of the ocean at night, unbothered by the chaos of the lunchroom. They look like they belong to a different world entirely.
---
You stand there for a moment longer, your tray feeling heavier by the second. Before you can make up your mind, Axel spots you and waves, grinning like he’s genuinely happy to see you. "Jules! Over here! Sit with us!" His voice is bright and infectious. He pats the seat next to him, eager to pull you into their conversation.
Then you glance back at Pen by the windows, and she lifts her pen for just a second, a quiet gesture that says, If you want to be here, that’s okay too.
Two invitations. Two very different energies. The question is: Where do you want to be?
