"We were two worlds that were never meant to collide. But when we did, we caused an explosion."
James Miller and Jamie Anderson were two people who were never meant to be. He's the quiet kid in class struggling with his mother's cancer diagnosis. Sh...
The cafeteria was already bustling with activity when Jamie sat down at her usual table, carrying a tray full of food. She wasn't exactly hungry, but she couldn't decide if it was because of the putrid smell coming from the meatloaf, or the fact that her heart seemed to be beating at a hundred miles per hour. Maybe both.
She put her head in her hands, messaging her temples. Everything's fine, Jamie, it's fine. You're in the cafeteria having lunch. There's nothing wrong.
Everything's fine.
She popped open her water bottle and took a guzzling sip. The cool sensation in her throat soothed her slightly, but she couldn't shake that sense of dread that made her heart rate quicken and the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Usually, she got this feeling -- this terrible feeling -- whenever her parents were in the midst of an argument. Never had it happened before during lunch period, of all times.
"Hey, you okay?"
Jamie looked up, her blue eyes connecting with the concerned brown ones of the guy who got an F in Biology. James. She forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Are you sure? You looked really pale."
"Yeah, no, sorry," she let out an awkward laugh. "I was just thinking."
"Well, if you say so." James hesitated briefly. He looked at the empty table. Jamie's heart immediately began to sink. Oh no, he's going to think I'm some kind of loner. She hated the looks of pity that teachers and students alike threw her way then they passed her empty table. Why couldn't she just enjoy some peace and quiet? God knows I don't get that at home...
"Is Ava coming?" He finally asked.
"Ava?" She looked at him in confusion, then realisation struck. "Oh! No, I'm not actually friends with Ava. We just sit together in class."
"Oh, okay." There was another period of awkward silence between the two of them, before James asked the question that Jamie knew was coming. "Could I sit here?"
She had an answer ready. She would politely decline James' generous offer, say that she preferred eating by herself, but thank him for his kind sentiment. But somehow the words never left her lips. Something inside her stopped her from saying them. A little nagging voice in her mind whispered: Maybe you should say yes.
"Yes," she said, before she even really knew what she was doing. Jamie shifted over, giving some space for James to sit. As the boy did so, their hands lightly brushed against one another.
She immediately snatched her hand away, awkwardly swiping a strand of hair away from her face in an attempt to avoid James' eyes. Gosh, I'm so freaking awkward. This was a bad idea, this was a bad idea, this was a bad idea --
"So, Jamie, tell me a bit about yourself. I realized that although we have class together, we don't really talk." James had already begun to dig into his plate of food, calm and cool and without a care in the world.
Jamie, on the other hand, felt like she was about to throw up. Her heart was pounding at a thousand miles per hour. She hated small talk. Hated it. She would always overthink everything, wondering if what she said was correct, or if it offended someone, or if it would get her in trouble. If her mother said anything that was slightly out of place, or her tone was deemed to be "off", there was no telling what her father would do.
"Uh," she shook away the memories. Focus on the conversation, Jamie, focus. Be normal. This is what normal people do. They talk about themselves. "Well, I mean," she giggled, trying to fill the silence as her mind raced, searching for the right words. "I'm not very interesting, I guess. I enjoy learning? Um..."
"I don't believe that."
"Sorry?" She glanced over at James, who had suddenly stopped eating and was staring intently at her.
"I don't believe that you're not interesting."
She felt a bit of heat rush into her cheeks. "Oh...um, thank you? I guess?"
"Can I tell you something, Jamie?"
She chewed her bottom lip. Don't overthink it, Jamie. Just go with the flow. "Sure."
"You know, I don't really talk a lot."
Jamie couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Really? Cause you're talking a lot right now."
James laughed too, and all of a sudden, Jamie felt more relaxed. It was as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. "Yeah, well, that's what I mean, y'know? I don't usually talk to people. I kinda just..." he shrugged, "I don't know, I guess I just have other things on my mind."
"But?"
"But...you know, what you said in there, in the class...that's the first time someone's ever told me that they believed in me. And I think that's an interesting thing. That you care about other people."
"Oh." Jamie looked down at her plate of untouched food, a smile creeping up on her lips. She looked up. "Thanks, James. That's nice of you to say."
They sat in silence for a few moments, but it wasn't an awkward lull, but more like a comfortable peace of two people enjoying each other's company. As the bell rang and the two of them stood up, James said, "So, see you around, I guess?"
"Yeah," she replied, still smiling. "See you around."
But just as she was getting ready to leave, the PA crackled to life, and the booming voice of Mr. Peterson, the principal, echoed around the room: "Could Jamie Anderson please come to the principal's office? It's an emergency."
And just like that, the weight that James had lifted off of her came crashing down, down, down.
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