That One Year

Chapter 8

“So I’m not going to ask how your day went, because I know that you’re probably having the worst time ever,” Cece bluntly said, as we pushed through the cold metal doors and into the bright sunshine.

I was surprised that we were allowed off-campus lunch-if that happened at my old school, everyone would just leave! As my eyes adjusted to the sunlight, I noticed gobs of students scattered across the lawn, some sitting at tables, some sitting cross legged in the lush grass.

“Yeah, it definitely hasn’t been the highlight of my life,” I responded, hands fiddling with my still slightly damp skirt. I felt disgusting, and I just wanted to go home.

Home home.

“I’m sure it’ll get better,” Cece reassured me, bumping her shoulder into mine in a friendly fashion.

We walked in comfortable silence as we carefully weaved in between various couples having lunch on the grass.  A group of boys passed soccer ball back and forth, a few girls giggling at them from afar. There was a chess board with six guys all huddled around, and I saw several kids in the parking lot practicing tricks on their skateboards. It was just like my high school; the dominating cliques, the exclusion, the hazing, everything.

“Why are there so many people?” I asked.

“Well, up here, we don’t have sunny weather like this very often,” Cece smiled.

“You have to enjoy it while you can!”

All of a sudden her eyes lit up, and she grinned super wide.

“Hey Rayanne! Look who I’ve got with me!”

Cece started galloping towards a humongous rock with a girl with long brown braids perched on top.

“Aw, sweet! You’re friends with Bad Gal Beth!” The girl hollered back.

“Bad Gal Beth?” I said quietly, as I quickly followed Cece.

Cece threw her lunch bag on top of the rock and carefully climbed up, grunting as her hands hoisted her up. She got settled and gave the other girl a friendly kiss on the cheek.

“Well come on,” She coaxed to me, when she noticed I hadn't budged an inch.

The rock was about a story tall, and it looked horribly out of place. Graffitti cover half of it, and moss filled entire crevices so you couldn’t tell what color it was. 

“What the hell is this?” I called up.

“Historic landmark,” the other girl shrugged. “I think.”

Hesitantly, I placed my foot in a worn down spot, which I assumed was a foothold. I pulled my self on top, careful not to scrap my palms or flash my underwear to unlucky patrons below.

When I sat, I saw Cece and the other girl sitting next to each other, so I sat across. It was the perfect size for 3 people to fit comfortably. It was almost as if my butt completed some ancient triad.

“Hey,” The other girl gave me a salute. “The name’s Rayanne.”

I nodded, giving her a shy smile. “Beth.”

“Oh trust me, I know who you are,” She said, winking and taking a bite out of her sandwich, mustard dribbling down her chin.

Rayanne was sure…particular. It looked as if her style was stuck in the 90s. Her waist-long hair was braided into many different stranded that crowded her petite body. Her vampy lipstick reminded me of Kate Winslet in Titanic, and her uniform, covered by a long flannel, had comical pins dotted along the collar.