I Hate You More.

Chapter 5: Samira

Ash and I bonded really quickly. I mean, c'mon, we have all of our classes together. Of course we bonded quickly. He was really funny, cheerful, and charming - I really liked his personality.

"Aye, Sam, why don't you have lunch with me and my friends? That way I can introduce you to them, and you can join our gang!" Ash said excitedly, showing me the way to his table after we got our trays.

"Here they are! We're the Gang in Central High School," Ash said, grinning at everyone at the table in front of us.

Let's just say, the people at the table were having a food fight right now. The table was completely filled with about 5 people squished together.

Ash clapped twice and yelled, "GUYS!" Everyone at the table froze and turned around to look at him, and then their eyes wandered to me.

"Guys, this Sam, well, Samira, and she's new here. She'll be sitting with us from now on," Ash said. Everyone greeted me in their own way - a bunch of waves, salutes, heys, hi, hellos, and sups were heard. I waved back and said, "Hey!"

There was only one seat available near the center, between Ash and another guy with a military haircut. I sat down and put my tray on the table while everyone introduced themselves.

"I'm Sid," said the guy next to me with a military haircut.

"Sam," I smiled back. "Nice haircut."

Sid groaned as he subconsciously ran a hand over his short hair while everyone else at the table burst into laughter.

"What?" I asked, confused. "No, I actually like it. It suits your face. Makes your brown eyes pop," I explained when everyone quieted down.

"Nah, I made a bet with Sid. If 30 people besides us and family comment on his new haircut, then he owes me ten bucks. I told him not to get a haircut but he didn't listen," said the boy in front of me. "By the way, I'm Keshav, but these guys call me Kesh."

"Kesh?" I asked, trying to stifle a laugh. "You know what that means in Hindi?"

Keshav looked confused as did everyone else at the table. "What?"

"Hair," I said. "Looks like you care a lot about hair anyway," I grinned, gesturing to Sid while everyone laughed.

"He sure is," laughed the boy to the right of Keshav. He had bright blue eyes. "I'm Neel."

"Nice to meet you, Neel," I said. "Your name suits you too. Neel means blue, like your blue eyes."

"Wow, actually, I never thought of that," he grinned. "Guess we can all learn something from you, Samira."

"Please, call me Sam, guys," I stressed.

"Alrighty, Sam," stressed the other guy sitting to the left of Keshav. He had light brown hair which almost reached his shoulders. "I'm Surya."

"Surya?" I laughed. "Well, I hope you don't mind me calling you Sunny," I grinned, thinking of Sunny back home.

"Why Sunny?" he asked.

"Surya means Sunny," I explained. "And besides, I just really like the nickname Sunny," I shrugged.

Surya nodded his head in agreement. "Then I'm all for Sunny."

We all broke into laughter at the table, when I realized one thing. There were no girls at the table except for me.

"I'm I the first girl at this table? No one else is here," I asked, kinda surprised.

"Yup, you are the first lady. All Hail The Queen of Table 103," Kesh mock-bowed.

"Ha-ha," I grinned sarcastically.

"Hey, wait, where's Jay?" Neel asked, drumming his fingers on the table. I stiffened in place, and Ash and Sid must have felt it because they were sitting right next to me.

"Which Jay?" I said, slowly narrowing my eyes.

"Jay Shah, our best friend," Ash answered. "Wait, aren't you staying with him?"

"Wait, you're the girl who moved in with the Shahs?" Everyone asked simultaneously.

"Yeah... is that a problem?" I asked slowly.

"Nah, just heard quite a lot about you," Keshav grinned along with everyone else while looking at me intently.

"Ok, why are you guys looking at me like that?" I said.

"Nothing," they all said simultaneously. Suddenly, they all looked at something behind me and grinned.

"What's wrong with you people?" I asked, as they looked like they just saw a comedy film.

"Look behind you," Ash and Sid whispered in either of my ears.

I turned around, and sure enough, I found Jay towering behind me. His eyes burned with mixed emotions, but I only recognized one. Anger.

"Out of my seat. Now," Jay grumbled, narrowing his eyes at me.

"Now, now, Jay, that's no way to talk to the Queen of Table 103. You can come and sit here," Kesh said hurriedly, scutting over and gesturing to the space between him and Sunny.

"I'm not eating lunch with her sitting here," Jay warned, pointing at me.

"Why? We don't have a problem," Sunny said.

"Yeah, Sam's really nice, let her stay," Neel said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Mhm, Sam's not going anywhere,"' Ash agreed, shaking his head vigorously.

"What did you do to my friends, witch?" Jay asked me accusingly.

I was taken aback. Witch. "Hello Mister, not my fault I'm more likeable than you," I snapped back, standing up to look at him eye to eye. Well almost. He's like 5 inches taller than me.

Jay just glared back, and soon it was a glaring competition. Finally, Sid tugged at my hand, pulling me back into my seat.

"Sam, sit down. You're staying. Jay needs to learn to accept new people," Sid assured me, looking at me with genuine emotion. Everyone else nodded their head in agreement. I couldn't help but smile at their sweet gesture, and smirk at a fuming Jay.

"Besides, you were just crowned Queen of Table 103 today. You can't leave already," Ash winked, making us all laugh.

"Come on Jay, sit here next to your best buds," Kesh said again, pointing at the empty space between him and Sunny again. Jay grudging walked over grumpily plopped down, eating without saying a word.

"Ignore him, Sam, he's always grumpy when it comes to change. He'll come around," Neel assured when he saw me looking at a grumpy Jay. I just shrugged and started eating with everyone else.

Lunch went by pretty fast, with everyone talking and joking around, except Mr. Grumpy. He'd occasionally pipe in as the table discussed all sorts of things - mostly the homecoming dance that was right around the corner. But other than that and a few glares thrown my way, Jay didn't say anything.

Did it bother me? Because I'm the one who's new and brought up a whole mess into his personal and social life and won't let him live normally anymore? Pfft. No way. I'm Samira Patel.

I understand change is hard to get used to, but Jay better suck it up. Because I'm not going anywhere. I'm here to stay.