When the class ended, Angel suddenly asked, “Do you want to eat with us?”

I just raised a brow, “Why?”

“Uh, we have club activities after lunch break, and I’ve never seen you in the cafeteria before. I thought, you might want to sit with someone you know…”

“No,” me and his two friends answered immediately. Wow, they aren’t discreet with their dislike.

Angel attempted to give them an angry stare, then turned to me again, “It’s building number 5.” He and his friends then left the classroom. It would be strange to follow them, even though I wanted to eat anyways. So, before continuing to the building 5, I strolled around the main building, pausing on floor 3 to listen to the music. After a while, my stomach began to grumble, and I went out to look for yet another new building.

As I arrived, most students had already eaten and left. I got myself some food and wanted to sit on an empty table, but suddenly a hand grabbed my arm to stop me. Deja-vu it is.

“Sit with us,” Ben smiled brightly. I stared at his hand, still gripping my arm. He didn’t let go, though, and instead tugged me in the direction of his table. His friends looked surprised when I actually sat down.

I didn’t have the nerve to fight back right now. However, Ben just couldn’t let me eat peacefully and instead bombarded me with questions, “What club did you choose? How’s class going? Do you want to train with me today?”

I stared at him in disbelief and annoyance. Everyone but he seemed so sense the tense atmosphere. How could he be so oblivious? “Can you just not?”

For a second, he seemed to not understand what I meant, before he finally let go of my arm and laughed out a “sorry, sorry.” He then turned back to his friends, engaging in a conversation with them. I, on the other hand, tried to focus on my food. It wasn’t bad for canteen food at all.

The moment I finished, I stood up, grabbed my tray, and attempted to walk away, when Ben’s overwhelming voice was heard once again, “Wait, I’m coming with you!”

I didn’t wait, yet he caught up to my side in no time. We emptied our trays, and I went ahead to nowhere, since I didn’t exactly know where to head. However, I assumed he would get bored and leave if I kept ignoring him. 

I assumed wrong.

“Where are we going?” he asked, smiling.

I stopped in my tracks and groaned, “Leave me the fuck alone! What do you even want from me?”

“I want us to be friends again, obviously,” he stated calmly, “I don’t know how your life was like for the past few years, but we both somehow ended up in the same school again. You can’t imagine how happy I was the moment I heard about a Krane Carter transferring here!” Oh, I sure as hell can imagine. “You just disappeared back then. Sure, we were only kids - still, I was so worried and sad that I lost my best friend.” He scratched his neck shyly. “We don’t have to be friends again immediately. We can just start as gym partners!” After a pause of nothingness, he added finally dropping his grin “Don’t blame me for wanting my friend back.”

I just stared at him. I was entirely at a loss for words. It felt strange to have someone be so eager to befriend me, to talk to me, to engage with me, when I did nothing but turn him down on every attempt. “Whatever,” I grumbled. “Just – don’t be so clingy. Or annoying. Or touchy.”

“Sure thing!” he beamed and playfully punched my arm. I was dumbfounded. Did he not hear anything I said? “So, what club did you choose? Soccer? Basketball?”

I mumbled the club under my breath, “-…aphy...”

“What?”

“Photography,” I answered, looking away. It wasn’t that I was ashamed or anything. I had to choose a club as my mom enrolled me here, and I was not up for it. I wanted to have one with the least bit of responsibly and duties, so that I could simply ditch it every time. All the sports clubs had competitions and a lot of devoted players, and I wasn’t in for that. I wasn’t a big fan of group sports anyway. I deemed photography to be the least relevant club, so I chose it.

“Photography?” Ben repeated. “That’s so cool! Never thought you liked photography.”

“I don’t.” I didn’t know why I was still conversing with him. I was starting to become insane, that was for sure.

He just looked at me questioningly though didn’t pry any further. “Well, I have to get going now, we’ll talk later, ok? I’m going to head to the gym after this, let’s meet there!” His smile returned full force. “Ah, by the way, I’m in the soccer club.” I didn’t ask, I thought to myself but didn’t voice it. He just waved me goodbye.

I let out a breath. This guy was so exhausting, yet I couldn’t get myself to hate him. I chuckled to myself, before looking for the classroom I had to go to, back in the main building.

I heard chatter from outside the door that died down the moment I stepped in. My eyes immediately met those of Not-Justin-Bieber. He looked slightly confused, while the other members of the club, 2 guys and 3 girls, stared at me somewhat startled.

“What are you doing here?” Not-Justin-Bieber asked nonchalantly. I was surprised by how calm and composed this guy appeared to be. He was that way yesterday and now, too.

“I’m in the photography club. Is it not here?” I had hoped, I could just walk in here, sit in a corner and wait the time out. Every word I had to exchange with them was one too much.

“I’m the club president, so I should have been informed if we got a new member.” He pointed out, narrowing his eyes at me.

“Oh?” I raised my brows, “Great, I’m gonna leave then.”

However, just as I wanted to turn around, one of the girls started speaking quietly to Angel’s friend. “Actually, on our first meeting, before you arrived, the principal visited and dropped the registration form for someone off. I put it into the desk drawer there,” she pointed towards the said drawer. “I’m sorry, I should have told you. It just slipped my mind. Especially since there was no one new here for the last weeks.”

He sighed. I sighed. Now I had to stay.