The Wrong Choices

4. "Your friend is crazy."

Chapter Four.

I flop down on a bench at one of the free tables in the cafeteria with a long, well-deserved sigh. Who would have thought that Anna would flip out at me like that in gym class?

"Well, you know what, Lilli? I don't accept," she said, looking away from me as soon as she said the last word.

"You what?"

"I said I don't accept. I'm tired of your shit, Lilli. I'm sick of you offending me," she replied, her eyebrows furrowing.

"I said it without thinking! I didn't mean to," I said, pleadingly.

"Yeah, well, maybe you should learn to think before you talk," and with that, she got up from where she was sitting on the floor beside me, leaving me with a face that probably looked like someone just slapped me.

I feel an arm wrap around my shoulder, pulling me away from the memory. "Hey, babe!" Damon says, a wide grin across his face. He's cute, in his own way. His light brown hair flecked with blonde catches the light and his crooked grin creates a sort of innocent cuteness.

"Hey," I say, forcing a smile as I meet his eyes, then swiftly look away.

"How you doing?" he asks. It's a thing Irish people do, we say Hey, how are you? but I've often wondered if anyone would even notice if you said Crap. I'm doing crap.

"Fine," I reply, opening the wrapper on my cheese sandwich. Damon isn't the sort of person I feel like pouring out my feelings to. I take a bite out of my sandwich, my stomach gladly accepting the food.

"Hey, Lilli!" I look up to see Toya, a girl that I play football with on the school team, standing beside the table.

"Oh, hey, Toya," I greet her, putting my sandwich down.

"So, I just asked Miss Gregory and she said our final is gonna be next Monday after school against Saint Anne's."

I bite my lip, "Tough team," I say, but I feel my spirits lifting despite that. I've been anticipating this game for the last two weeks. Every time we've met Saint Anne's, they've bet us, but only by a point.

"Yeah, I know, that's why we're having training after school tomorrow and Friday. Miss G told me to tell you to be careful, you're our best forward, we need you."

"Thanks, Toya, I'll try." She leaves us with a smile as I see Anna, Jen and Holly entering the cafeteria.

"You never told me you were a forward." Damon says questioningly.

"You never asked," I say, hostility creeping into my voice.

"Hey!" Holly says, sitting at the other side of the table. Anna sits beside her, smiling at Damon but ignoring me.

"Can I sit here?" a distinct Australian voice says from beside me.

"Yeah, sure," I answer and Hunter slides into the bench beside me, the opposite side to Damon.

I look over to Anna, who is unashamedly ogling at Hunter. Jeez, the only way she could be more obvious would be if she jumped him right here in the cafeteria.

I feel a smirk creep onto my face; there is one way I can make friends with Anna again and he's sitting right here beside me.

"Hey, Hunter! You haven't met my friends, have you?" I look at him, he shakes his head, looking over at them.

"That's Jen, Anna and Holly. Anna you're in Hunter's chemistry, I think. You could show him to it."

She stares at me, her mouth agape. I kick her under the table and she jumps up. "Oh, um. . . . yeah. I mean, sure, I'll show you," she smiles sweetly, pulling at a strand of her straight hair.