A Collection Of Short Stories

Boy Drama

Based on a true story! Written for my creative writing class. It's supposed to show people using actions that portray their emotions.

The air in the cafeteria seemed darker somehow as Avian made her way to her usual lunch table. She sat down next to her best friend, Ellie. “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” her friend replied in a monotone, eyes glued to her sandwich.

Avian’s eyebrows rose as she pulled out her lunch box and set it on the table. “You seem upset.”

“I’m not. I’m just annoyed,” Ellie replied, tossing a chip into her mouth and biting down loudly. She couldn’t even look at Avian.

“Why?” She took out her own sandwich and chips and water bottle before pushing her lunch box a couple inches away.

Ellie almost rolled her eyes. “You need to stay out of other people’s relationships, alright?”

“Oh,” Avian said in a remembering way. “This is about Jason still, isn’t it?” She uncapped her water and took a sip.

“Yes it is.” Ellie had stopped eating, her hands lying flat on the table in front of her.

Avian remained oblivious. “I don’t get why you’re upset about that; you should be grateful. The picture he drew was so sweet!”

“You mean this one?” She reached into her backpack and pulled out a black and white drawing of herself, looking out a window with a love struck expression. “It’s weird.”

“It’s amazing!” Avian argued.

Ellie put the picture back into her backpack. “I don’t like him.”

“Why not?”

Crossing her arms on the table in front of her, Ellie gave her so-called best friend a long look. “Really, Avian?”

“What? He’s cute and sweet and nice,” she listed.

Ellie drummed her fingers on the table. “I don’t like him.”

“Why aren’t you eating?” Avian asked; half finished with her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Usually she was the one that ate very little while her friend kept piling in food.

Taking a big bite out of her sandwich, Ellie chewed with exaggeration and asked, with her mouth still full of food, “Are you happy now?”

“That’s gross!” Avian squeaked, taking a dainty bite of her own food.

“Stop trying to change the subject,” Ellie muttered once she had swallowed. “I don’t know what to do about Jason.”

Avian smiled in a way that said she wasn’t going to be very helpful. Her next words proved the assumption correct. “Go on a date with him?”

“No!” Ellie brought her hand down to smack the table, but it landed on her bag of chips and a loud crunch came from the inside. Small pieces of chips flew all over the table.

“Watch out,” Avian said with exasperation, still chewing on her lunch. Ellie put one of her hands at the edge of the table and used her other to viciously swipe the chips into the first. Half of them spilled onto the floor. She dumped the crumbs in her hand back into the chip bag before standing up and storming across the cafeteria to hurl it into the trashcan. Then she stomped back to the table, aware of the many people watching her.

Avian was waiting with an amused smile, peeling back the lid on her Pringles. “What was that about?”

“Just mind your own business!” Ellie snapped, falling back into her chair. “You did this to Kay too, making her get together with that guy who then cheated on her. You need to stop meddling!”

Lowering the hand almost raised to her mouth, Avian dropped her chip back into the container. “I was trying to help.” Her eyes fell to the table top.

“It’s not helping though, that’s the point. I don’t like him so he’s only going to get hurt if you keep telling him that I do. Why can’t you just leave it alone?” Ellie picked the crust off her bread in slow movements.

 “Okay fine. I thought that you guys would be really cute together, that’s all. If you want to break his heart though, that’s your choice,” Avian replied, tossing a chip into her mouth.

Ellie looked up and saw the distant look on her friend’s face. She immediately understood. “You like Jason!”

“No! Well… maybe a little,” she admitted. “But he likes you.”

“You want me to meddle? Why don’t you draw him a picture?” Ellie suggested; the corner of her mouth curled in a teasing manner.

Avian shook her head back and forth and back again. “Stay out of it, Ellie!”

“As long as you don’t try to set me up with anyone again,” she offered, outstretching her hand. Avian nodded and slapped her palm against it. A short secret handshake was performed before they moved onto easier, nicer topics. The feud was forgotten… as long as Avian stuck to her word.