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3

Drew

The air finally chills off as mid-October rolls around. It’s

been a week since Laine came back to school, and everyone has been talking about her, but nobody seems to be talking to her. As for me, we’ve been exchanging friendly smiles, but in the one class we have together, she sat a few rows back next to Thom Sternum, the weird kid.

Rumor has it that in ninth grade, Thom released a rat into the girls' bathroom, which got him out of school suspension. Nobody really knows if he actually did it, but he took the fall anyway. Now, he just stays to himself and doesn’t talk to anybody. Even if he didn't do those things everyone says he did,it was definitely an interesting pick for Laine. She doesn’t seem like the type of girl to gravitate toward loners like Thom.

“Hey! What’s for lunch today?” Greyson jumps over a bench in the courtyard and playfully smacks Jared on the back.

“Cafeteria’s got pierogies today! You gotta get some before they run out, man.” Jared laughs, pointing toward the cafeteria doors.

“I can attest to that!” Tatum raises her fork with a half-eaten pierogi poked onto the tines.

I can’t believe this is our fourth and final year eating together. I still remember how we banded together the first week of freshman year. Jared and I sat together on the first day, he’d said I looked like the friendliest in the courtyard and he was scared of the jocks, whose table was farthest from the one I chose.

The rest of the week, the others trickled in. Jared and Tatum met in biology class and he brought her to the table that Wednesday, and then on Thursday, Greyson joined us because he was the jock that all the other jocks chose to pick on because he was a “good guy,” and apparently good guys aren't cool anymore. We formed an unlikely group, but I wouldn’t have it any other way; they’re like my second family.

“So, how was Friday night without me?”I ask teasingly.

“Honestly, it wasn’t that eventful. We played the new Far Cry game, and Greyson figured out he could juggle traffic cones.” Tatum says casually.

“Hold up. How did you all play a single-player game like Far Cry together? And how did Greyson even figure out he could do that? And where did you guys even get traffic cones?”

There’s no way they did that much while I was away at one dinner.

“Chill out, miss FOMO.” Greyson puts a hand up. “First off, Jared played, we just watched and yelled at him when he inevitably sucked and then we all fought over the controller for thirty minutes. As for my new party trick, we just went outside and plucked the cones off the street.

“I was trying to carry them into the basement without Jared’s parents waking up and realized it was easier to balance them if they were in the air, so I just threw them up and caught them in a loop. Then Tatum pointed out that I was basically juggling them, so I think I’m just naturally gifted.”

Greyson pretends to brush his hair behind his ear on one side and rolls his eyes.

“Damn. Sounds like you guys had a night! I’m sorry I missed it.” I’ve never been one to feel like I’m missing out when I don’t go to parties or school dances, but I do get insane FOMO when it comes to my friends.

“Nah, it’s okay, you were hanging with little Miss Perfect. I’m sure you guys had fun… uh- discussing the dangers of sex and drinking.” Jared nagged.

“Okay, actually, she didn’t seem so uptight. She’s in my first-period AP Environmental Science, but she sat next to Thom on her first day back, and she’s been sitting with him ever since, so I haven’t gotten to really talk to her much.”

“Wait, Thom? As in, rat attack Thom?” Jared’s eyes go huge.

“Yes, rat attack Thom.”

“You know what they say about him now, right? That he’s evolved from rat pranks, and now he hides cameras in the girls’ bathroom. Laine better watch out. If she gets too close, she'll be the next victim of his reckless shenanigans.”

“Jared, you’re such a gossiper! We don’t even know if the rat story was true, or if he was even the one that did it.” Tatum corrects Jared, shooting him a stern look of disapproval.

“Okay, but practically the whole school knows it was him. Heliterally got suspended for a month.” Jared rolls his eyes.

“Listen, man, I try not to judge because I know what it’s like. Everyone thinks I’m this dumb jock whose life revolves around playing ball, but here I am, a huge softie having super chill, down-to-earth conversations with a band nerd, a real nerd, and a girl who has more game than me.”

“Hey! Just because I happen to absolutely destroy the trumpet at every one of your games doesn't mean I’m a band nerd.” Jared throws his hands up in protest.

“At least you’re not arealnerd.” Tatum scowls.

“Hah! I’ll take mine.” I smile, knowing Greyson’s right, and I do pull more than he does.

“Look, all I’m saying is don’t judge this guy too hard, okay?” Greyson raises his hands in surrender.