Avery spent English and Religion reliving the moment that Azrael had appeared before her and snatched Paige's hand out of the air. The look of fear on her face as she stared into the eyes of a demon, and the memory of the pair scrambling out of the room.

She felt so powerful, and for the first time she didn't stop herself from thinking about eating in the cafeteria, or even talking to Ethan if he passed her in the hall.

She imagined how she would bump into him and how they would both apologise at the same time. He would ask if she was free that afternoon, and when she said 'yes' they would swap numbers. He would take her to a cute little cafe and she would finally get the courage to tell him that she knew him in middle school.

She had been so caught up in her imagination that she had almost missed it when Miss Edal announced the next assignment for religion. It was to be a report about a topic from the first few weeks of the semester.

"You're more than welcome to choose your assignment focus as long as it has links to the first few topics. You can choose to write about Michael and his role in the battle against Lucifer, the fall of angels to earth and what became of them, demons or angels and so forth" Miss Edal explained, placing her marker down on her desk. "This assignment is due two weeks from now, on Friday”. With that, the bell rang and with groans and complaints students slowly packed up and began to leave for lunch.

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The cafeteria was a large square room with rows of rectangular metal tables and chairs. Countless students had already gathered, crowding towards the food lines and filing through the buffet style selections.

A feeling of intimidation was quick to overcome Avery as she watched students push and shove each other against the metal poles that served to keep some kind of order in the line. She turns to look back at the big blue double doors before taking a deep breath. No, I don’t want to be scared anymore.

After a minute or so of being bumped and pushed forward, she was looking over the selection of food. Half of the food looked as though it was some kind of meat thrown in a blender until it looked like oddly coloured sludge. She managed to pick up a small serving of beans, corn and what she hoped was some kind of pasta bake.

It wasn’t until Avery was carrying the plastic tray back towards an empty table in the middle of the cafeteria that Paige and her gang caught Avery’s eye. Paige squinted, pressing her tongue to the inside of her mouth and looking Avery up and down in disgust.

Her expression was quick to change into a smile when Ethan walked up beside her and put his hand on her shoulder, saying something to her that Avery couldn’t hear. The pair were followed by Hayden, Scott, Addison and another girl that Avery didn’t recognise.

Avery averted her eyes, hoping that she could go through lunch without any trouble from Paige or her posse. She took a seat at the empty table, placing her tray down in front of her. “Slut” A stranger muttered with a low chuckle as they passed behind the blonde, causing Avery to bring her eyes down to her lap. Maybe I shouldn’t have come here after all...

Avery thought for a moment about what it would be like if Azrael was sitting across from her. She was sure that this appearance and demeanor would scare everybody away. It was just that she didn’t want to encourage any attention towards her, she already had enough from those girls who hissed nasty words to her.

Where does he go when he isn’t around? Does he go back to … Hell? Avery’s gaze shot up as she glanced around the room, or does he follow me like some kind of stalker? It wasn’t Azrael that she saw though, attracting the attention of many people in the cafeteria as they walked towards her. Who she saw instead was Ethan, plastic tray in hand.

“Hey...” He began as he approached the table, giving Avery a nervous smile as he eyed the seat across from her. “Hi...” Avery muttered, trying to look up at him but finding that her eyes would dart away the moment she saw emerald green. Why is he here?

“Can I sit here?” he queried, pointing a long finger towards the seat across from her. Avery simply nodded, wondering why Ethan had come to sit with her. Her mind raced with assumptions. Is this some kind of dream… no It’s way to realistic and I remember waking up this morning. Did Paige have him come here for something… no, no she wouldn’t want him near me and he wouldn’t do anything horrible on her behalf. Then a thought came to mind that made her heart feel as though it had dropped into her stomach, Is it because I’m sitting alone and he pities me?

“I’m not-” Avery began, not wanting to phrase her statement in a way that would offend the green eyed boy that she had been wanting the chance to talk to since the beginning of the year. “I don’t mind eating lunch alone, you know… if you...”, Avery was interrupted by the sincere smile that graced Ethan’s face, making her heart suddenly rise back into her chest as she watched him cautiously.

“I remember you from the other day… you looked as though you were having a really rough one” He gave Avery a gentle smile, brushing the tangled brown hair away from his forehead, “I wanted to see if you were okay? You know, after the Gatorade and all”. Avery was taken aback by the concern laced in his tone and she was once again mesmerised by those gentle eyes that looked at her so sweetly.

“I-I...” She stuttered, having to glance away from him so that she could organise her thoughts, “Yeah… I’m fine. It was just an accident...” she lied.

“I’m glad to hear that, I thought maybe there was some kind of bully and-”.

Ethan looked as though he had lost all train of thought as Avery brushed some blonde strands behind her ear. His nose crinkled, small wrinkles appearing between his eyebrows as he leaned towards her quizzically. Avery blinked, bringing her gaze back towards Ethan as they locked eyes, silence falling over the pair. Avery’s heart began to pound in her chest with each second that he stared at her so intensely. The bustling of the cafeteria being drowned out by the rhythmic thump while she tried to deduce what he was thinking, he looks so… focused. Ethan parted his lips, leaning on his arm as he began to speak. “Do I-”.

Ethan was interrupted by the shrill voice of a girl approaching the table. The pair broke their gaze and turned to the person who now stood at the end of the table. It was the girl that Avery had seen standing with the group earlier, the one that she didn’t recognise. She was pale with long blonde ringlets. She wore square red glasses that framed her large brown eyes.

“Oh! Sorry if I was interrupting a serious conversation” The girl apologised, having noticed the intense stare off that the pair were having. She raised her hands in front of her with a guilty expression as her eyes travelled back and forth between Ethan and Avery. Ethan’s expression broke into a smile, “No, not at all.'' A smile appeared on the bespeckled girl’s face as she skipped around the table to take a seat beside Ethan.

“And who's this?” She asked, placing her red bag on her lap and glancing over to Avery. Avery had thought that Ethan was about to introduce her but then he said, “Oh, I didn’t even ask for your name...”. Avery’s smile fell slightly as she eyed the boy she had remembered from middle school. That’s right... he doesn’t recognise me.

“I’m Avery...” She answered shyly, letting her gaze fall to her lap momentarily in disappointment. “Well I’m Ethan and this is Sadie” Ethan introduced, gesturing towards the blonde as he said her name. A grin grew on Sadie’s face as she eyed Avery, “Hey, I recognise you...” she began, and once again Avery’s heart sank, assuming that she was about to say something about her Paige-inflicted ‘reputation’.

“We’re in the same English class!” She cheered and reached across the table to take Avery’s hand that was lying next to her food tray. Avery startled in surprise at the boldness of her action and her eyes widened as she looked down at the tiny hands that now gripped her own. “Let’s be friends? Okay?” Sadie said with a big smile. If it wasn’t for the pure shock Avery probably would have burst into tears from the kind gesture.

Ethan reached across to pat Sadie’s arm, “You’re being way too intense” he laughed. Sadie gently let go of Avery’s hand and sat back down in the seat with a huff, “I am not. I’m just excited about making a new friend” she grumbled. Avery was still trying to find her words as Ethan began to explain that some people don’t like being approached so suddenly.

“Y-Yes...” She began, catching the attention of both the blonde and brunette sitting across from her, “I’d- I’d like that...”.

Silence fell over the trio as Ethan and Sadie both stared at the shy blonde that now had a pink tint spreading through her cheeks. Ethan smiled and Sadie’s face filled with affection “Awww! You’re so cute” she cooed, standing up to reach across and grab Avery’s hand again, “We can be best friends!”.

Avery suddenly felt as though she had woken up into a completely different world than the one that she lived in yesterday. Yesterday she had no friends, she was terrified to go to school, and she was all alone. Today she sat at the cafeteria, across from a new friend and the boy she had been wanting to talk to since the beginning of the year and she felt happy.

Avery stared into Sadie’s large doll-like eyes and she could feel tears begin to threaten her vision. She quickly closed her eyes, removing her hand from Sadie’s to cover her face, trying to blink away the tears. “Sorry I got something in my eye” Avery quickly mumbled, trying to give herself some kind of cover.

“Are you okay?” Ethan asked. Avery wiped at her eyes hastily and hoped that any evidence of her almost-cry had been removed from her face. “Yeah… I think I got it” She answered as she dropped her hands to her lap and gave the pair a smile. When Ethan returned the smile she assumed that she hadn’t gotten caught.

“Since we’re friends you should come to the party this Saturday!” Sadie exclaimed with a grin and glanced towards Ethan for his approval. Ethan gave her a nod and turned to Avery with a smile, “Yeah, you should come. It’s at my house” he added. A party? I’ve never been to a party before. Maybe It’s a bad idea… but they both seem to want me to go...

Avery gave a small nod which made Sadie’s expression light up and she brought her hands to her chest in glee, “Yay! I’m so excited. Oh! Give me your number! I’ll send you the details!” Sadie grinned and extended her hand out to the blonde eagerly.

Avery is confused for a moment but then she quickly turned to dig through her bag, pulling out her old phone and placing it on the blonde’s hand. Sadie sat back down and pressed the button, instantly finding the home screen. “Why don’t you have a password? What if someone steals your phone?” Sadie inquired, confusion lacing her tone as she looked up at the girl across from her. Avery thought about this for a moment before replying, “I don’t really use it for anything. Just to message my mum… so...” She replied, reaching to tuck a stray hair back behind her ear.

Sadie gave her a strange look, “That’s so weird, you don’t like, message your friends and stuff or take pictures?” She pressed. Avery could only answer with a small shake of the head. Before today, I didn’t have any friends.

“Strange...” Sadie mumbled, glancing back at the screen and tapping away. Avery couldn’t help but wonder if Ethan would also give her his number, but that thought was quickly dismissed when Sadie handed her back the phone without a word from Ethan. She tucked the phone back in her bag and turned back to the pair.

Avery had expected them to have left shortly after but they stayed at the table for the rest of lunch. Avery and Ethan only exchanged glances and smiles while they ate as Sadie rambled away, being just about the only voice as they ate. It wasn’t long before the bell signalling the end of lunch echoed through the large room.

“Augh...” Sadie grumbled as she quickly stood from her place at the table. Ethan stood, throwing his bag over his shoulders and taking the plastic tray in his hands. “It was great meeting you, Avery!” Sadie commented with a large grin, “I’ll see you in English tomorrow morning!”. “See you around” Ethan added with a smile as the pair began towards the exit.

Avery only waved as the pair followed the crowd towards the door. A smile hadn’t left her face the entire lunch and she wondered if they would join her again tomorrow. Though, Avery had a nagging sensation that everything seemed to be too good to be true. Paige would certainly be angry. Avery had purposely avoided searching the cafeteria for the brunette’s piercing green eyes wanting to enjoy her lunch with two friendly strangers that would probably never happen again. Avery quickly shook the thought from her head, beginning towards the exit. Either way, I will treasure this memory and stay positive.