Lyrics On A Canvas

CHAPTER 2

As soon as the bell rings everyone rushes out of the classroom for the lunch break. When the girls enter the cafeteria, Laura chooses a table, while Natalie goes to bring the food trays. Holding trays in both her hands, she bumps into a tall figure. She notices that some of the food was on his black shirt. As she quickly blurts out an apology and is about to scurry away, she realises it is Brian. He wipes away the food on his shirt.

"Uh... that's okay... Natalie? Where's your friend, uh, Laura?" he asks.

"She's waiting for me at that table." Natalie replies gazing at the table where Laura was.

"Why don't you come join us?" Brian asks.

Natalie pauses to think and then says, "Um... Okay, I'll bring Laura."

As the girls approach Brian's table, Natalie frowns, "Of course she's here." looking at Helen. Brian gestures for them to sit. There is also another girl, with red, wavy hair, whom Natalie and Laura don't recognize.

Much to their surprise, Helen smiles at them "Hey. So how are you liking it here?"

"It sucks, thanks to y-"

"Haha, no, she's kidding, right, Nat?." Laura cuts in, giving Natalie a look.

"Oh and this is Lisa by the way." Brian introduces the other girl.

Just then, her phone pings with a text, upon reading which, she groans. "Amy will not be back until supper time." Lisa explains when everybody looks at her questioningly. Amy is her roommate who occasionally goes out to spend most of her time with her friends in town.

"Well, why don't you come over to my place then? We can spend some time together and may be you can help me with my homework too." Helen suggests.

"Yeah, sure. But I can't help you with homework." Lisa replies.

"Hands off my tray!" Brian says, pulling his tray toward himself when Lisa casually tries to reach for his fries. She continues to longingly gaze at his tray.

"Here." he stares at her blankly and reluctantly pushes his tray toward her.

On the other hand, Natalie seems to be lost; Brian's dishivelled, dark blond hair, his blue eyes, his soft, pink lips....

"Natalie? Natalie! Are you okay?" Brian asks, concerned.

"Huh? I'm good. I was uh... thinking about uh.... fries! But you don't seem to share your food." Natalie says to Brian as she comes back to her senses.

"Food is for everybody, alright." Brian says, slightly upset, shoving his tray toward the middle of the table.

"Aww Brian" Helen says, feigning pity.

"You look cuter when you're annoyed." Laura flirts, but covers it off as she laughs. She caught Brian off guard. Natalie widens her eyes.

"What?" Brian crosses his arms, leaning back on his chair.

"I agree." Lisa laughs. Brian just sits there scowling.

"Hey! No, show us that beautiful smile of yours now, come on." Laura says playfully.

"Let me knock that frown off your face now?" Lisa says, trying to literally push his lips into a "smile".