Just Friends

Chapter 5

Quite content I nibbled along, both my hands holding the cookie as my mouth munched, savouring the delicious flavours. This school canteen was particularly weird, with it's good food, healthy and junk-food alike. The canteen ladies strongly maintain a well organises clean place.

But that was fine with me. Especially the cookies, homemade cookies.

I love cookies so much.

Liam knew that too, usually using it against me.

But I didn't mind. As long as I got a cookie I was happy.

My eyes were wide and innocent, Liam casually snakes on some chips as we neared the tree where our group sits, all smiling and laughing.

People know not to interfere, unless they had a good reason. A very good reason.

I sat down beside Amy and Sarah, Amy talking softly to Mark and Sarah typing out something, looking really frustrated and lost.

Probably needs inspiration to write, I know that face. It usually means she is lacking ideas. Something Sarah refers to as 'writers block.'

Liam sat next to Amy, casting a glance at me. On his other side was Lilly, a science textbook open in her hands.

I honestly don't know how she could read that and not die of boredom, whenever I study it's as if the words go through my eyes and out my ears.

It's not my fault studying is boring.

I chewed on the cookie a bit more, now veering he end of the cookie and starting to get distressed.

"Any plans lately?" Jake asked me, basically we were the only two not indulged in a conversation.

"Nah not really. Liam is coming over this afternoon." Jake just nodded, this was a regular thing. "What about you?" I politely asked, having received a death glare from Amy, who then smiled after I regained my manners and continued talking to Mark.

"Oh. Um, well I'm going to hold a beach party. Not sure when it is, maybe a week or two." He absent-mindedly replied.

I nodded, "Sounds great. I can probably come, after all my parents are going to be overseas on some business trip tomorrow. They'll be away for a while, leaving the house to me." I noted, keeping the conversation flowing.

"What? My parents would hardly let me do that!" Jake protested, his face twisted in astonishment.

"Yeah. But I, unlike you, don't hold parties at the house with heaps of alcohol and drugs." I smiled, if I had to it was usually somewhere else. Or I just cleaned it up so my parents wouldn't notice.

"True true. I'll have it next weekend, the one after this weekend." Jake said.

All I did was nod, unsure of how to answer.

It was true Jake held sick parties, they were usually fun. Until the morning that is. However I don't heavily drink often, and when I do, on very few occasions, I feel really bad the next day.

"Count me in." I heard Liam say, the conversations around us had closed up.

I looked at Liam, munching on my cookie.

I bit my finger, "Wha? Oh no... My cookie was all eaten up!" I wailed, my eyes in shock and my body shattering.

"This is so depressing..." I sniffles, nimbly licking my fingers.

And I really like those cookies...

This was normal for the group to experience this, basically the only thing I cried over was sweets. And Liam... But they didn't need to know that.

Amy comforted me as Sarah was looking intently from Liam to I, her eyes widening as an idea clearly struck home. Instantly she had the pen in her hand and was writing down her story. I hope it wasn't about me.

Lilly didn't even notice the conversation around her, casually she flipped the page over.

Mark face-palmed and started talking to Jake.

"Wait it's okay. I have an extra cookie, I snuck one into my sleeve as I knew this would be your reaction." Liam sighed, handing me the cookie.

I smiled and leaned over and hugged him, I could act childish around my friends. They didn't care.

I took the cookie off Liam and, as if nothing had happened, started nibbling on it again.

There was silence for a while, excluding the frantic scribbling of Sarah's pen as she constantly scratched it against the paper, writing words at an alarming speed. "Does anyone have a tissue? I feel a nosebleed moment coming on." She sighed.

Amy, ever loaded up with necessary requirements, handed her a tissue out of her bag, Sarah muttered a 'thanks' before she continued to write.

"Nick I'm going to have to see you tomorrow, I'll come by your house after school. I need your opinion on something." Sarah smiled evilly, instinctively I gulped.

"Dude. Good luck." Mark laughed at me, petting my shoulder.

I winced slightly, very slightly so that nobody noticed. Nobody except Liam, whose head snapped in my direction.

I pretended not to see him, which was very difficult.

"What subject are you doing next?" Jake asked me, I thought for a moment.

"Agh. History and Geography. Screw it, I'm skipping. I'll be playing piano most likely. I can do guitar later." I waved away. Not only that but my guitar was at home, and I hated using the school guitars.

"You're skipping?" Any asked, slightly horrified with my ways.

"Yeah." I replied, raising an eyebrow expertly.

"Naughty naughty." She replied, shaking her index finger.

I shrugged and murmured a 'meh'. Amy decided to drop it, knowing that it wouldn't away my mind.

I nibbled back on the cookie, not too upset when I finished it.

"Don't get upset, you were lucky to get two cookies today." Liam teased, his tone slightly serious.

I pulled the puppy dog eyes on him and gave an award-winning Mona Lisa smile, making Sarah fangirl like crazy. "I know."

"Stop it. You're being so adorable my sheets will get soaked in blood!" Sarah squealed at me.

My frown returned and my eyes clouded, "Okay then."

"Adorable." Sarah muttered, resuming her writing.

I heard a book snap shut and my eyes reverted to Lilly, putting the science textbook away, "What did I miss? There is a party next weekend. Sarah is going to Nicks. Liam is going to Nicks. Everyone is going to Nicks." Lilly said, her voice calm and collective. She was quite like Amy, except her eyes seemed to be like Sherlocks, scanning everything.

"Yeah that's basically it." Zara said, her legs crossed and her phone in her hand, browsing at Instagram.

There was a long silence before the bell rang, signalling the end of lunch.