Camp

Lunch is....

Chrissy POV

I pull my beanie down to shade my eyes from the glaring sun as I wait in line to get into the cafeteria. 

And I'm now regretting that fact that I chose not to join the mad dash to get here.

I shuffle forward with the slowly creeping line, half trying to get under the shade of the door awning and half trying to put distance between me and the person invading my personal space.

As I take another step forward, he gives my shoe another flat tire.

"Can you please back up? Running over me isn't gonna make you get inside any faster."

He takes a step back, "Sorry."

"Grazie (Thank you)." I say, narrowing my eyes before turning back around.

Glad to be out of the burning heat, I swiftly grab a white and blue plate before taking a glance at the list of who I'll be sitting with.

Table 16

Avamia, Christena, Grace, Jazara

As I take another step forward, I peer around the cafeteria in an effort to locate table 16.  I don't want to wander around with a plate full of food.

The smell of pasta instantly distracts me from my search, pulling my attention toward the front of the line.  The buffet is only twenty feet away and my stomach growls, reminding me how hungry I really am.

Soon enough, I'm at the end of the buffet and the feeling is anticlimactic. I spent over thirty minutes waiting to get food that took only ten minutes to slop on my plate.  I will never be near the end of the line again.

I trudge over to table 16. The large wooden-topped table is next to a large window without a shade, but with that tinted film that is supposed to dim the light.  Alone, I sit down in the acrylic covered metal chair with my back to the sun.  The blue chair squeaks as I lean back, looking out across the hoards of teenagers stuffing their faces with food.

"Hola, I'm Avamia." a girl with long brown braided hair says as she sits down.

I feel like I recognize her, and take a moment to observe the girl across from me.  I soon realize that she was the girl that I saw when I first got on the bus.

She smiles awkwardly, making me realize that I've been staring at her without having said anything.

"Oh sorry, I'm Christena, but you can call me Chrissy." I start, sitting up in my chair.

"That's a nice name." another girl says as she drags out a chair, "I'm Grace, and you cannot call me Gracey, Amazing Grace, Graces, Graceling, or Gracelyn."

Avamia looks up from her plate, "Why not?"

"Those are all nicknames that I absolutely despise." she responds before taking a spoonful of pasta.

Our table quickly falls into silence as we start eating our pasta.  I can't help but notice the details in the design of the plates, the forks, and the glasses full of water.  I look up and notice how Grace seems to shrink as she eats while Avamia chews like she is trying to squeeze out every flavor possible. Avamia looks up and I glance away quickly, hoping that she didn't catch me staring again.

I hate eating when you meet new people, it makes you hypersensitive.

The silence is broken once again when the last chair screeches across the floor.

"My gosh that line was long!" the girl exclaims, plopping down into her seat.

She looks around at each of us, flashing a bright, easy-going smile, "Bonjour, I'm Jazara."