Firlke's POV
After the Filmore situation, me and Ike went to the cafeteria. We grabbed our food then Ike lead me to a table where a few people were already seated.
"Hey guys." Ike said to the three girls at the table.
"Hey Ike! Who's this?" The red-head girl asked, nodding her head my direction.
Ike sat across from them as I did the same. "This is Firkle. Firkle that's Ruby. Then that's Flora." He pointed at a blond as she kept her head down. "And that's the one and only Karen!" Karen instantly looked away from the book she was reading and looked right at me.
"Huh? Sorry I wasn't paying attention... Oh hey Firkle! Long time no see." She smiled and went back to her book. Ike looked at her confused.
Me and Karen use to kind of friends...I'm not exactly sure. But in kindergarten I would sit with Karen whenever Rudy wasn't around. I know it was conformist but I couldn't help it. I felt bad for her. She would sit alone at lunch while the other kids made fun of her for being poor. I remember the first time I sat with her, she had the biggest smile on her face.
Flashback
I walked behind the school where me and the goths normally hung out. I sat in my usual place waiting for the others. After a while Pete showed up.
"Michael and Henrietta aren't going to be here today." Pete said bluntly.
"Why?" I asked not actually caring.
"Their parents are talking to them about skipping school too much. Conformist shit like that." I just nodded.
Me and Pete sat there for a few hours talking about random stuff. Eventually, I got hungry but didn't feel like walking to Bennys. So, instead I decided I would just have lunch in the school.
"Where you going?" Pete asked as I stood up.
"I'm hungry and don't feel like walking to Bennys, so I'm just gonna eat school lunch."
Pete flipped his hair. "Whatever"
I walk into the cafeteria and quickly grab some food. I try to walk out but a teacher with a stupid puppet stops me.
"You can't eat outside. Go sit down!" He yelled.
"Stupid conformist" I mumbled under my breath. I look around for an empty table but fail. I see a girl sitting alone so I sit with her. She looked up at me with the biggest smile.
"Hi! I'm Karen. Who are you?" She asked me excitedly.
"Uh, Firkle.."
"Are you new?"
"No, I just never come to class."
"Ooh well that ma-" She stopped speaking. I look around to see a group of girls behind me.
"Wow Karen this is just sad. You've become so lonely you tried to claim the new kid before anyone else could speak to him."she shook her head. "Just. Plain. Sad."
This girl was annoying as fuck and has only been here for twenty seconds. Her voice was so high pitched and preppy sounding.
"Look new kid, you don't have to hang with her. No one likes her. So just come with us and you will definitely be popular." She tried to grab my arm. I quickly threw my arm back.
"Don't touch me you pathetic conformist."
She scoffed. "Me pathetic! Whatever. Have fun in loser town." She walked off to another table.
I turned back around and was instantly tackled to the ground.
"THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!" She hugged me tightly. I pushed her off me.
"Yeah..no problem."
"Why'd you do it though?" She asked hopping in her seat.
"Because they're pathetic conformists."
"But aren't I con-fer-must?"
"Conformist" I corrected. "And yes, but not pathetic."
Karen smiled and we both went to eating.
End of flashback
"So are you like, emo or something?" Ruby asks me.
"No. I'm goth."
"Same thing." She rolled her eyes.
I already hate this girl.
"No...emos think they are fucked up. While goths think the world is fucked up." I explained.
"Yeah, and emos self harm. Goths don't do that." Karen said not taking her eyes off the book.
"How would you know that?" Ruby asked Karen.
Karen shrugged. "Me and Firkle use to be friends."
It made me kind of happy that she wasn't embarrassed to say we were friends.
Ruby started laughing and when she calmed down she started speaking. "Okay, two things. Karen he's why you were such a loser in elementary. I mean come on! He walks around saying sad quotes and calling everyone a 'conformist'. And you." She pointed at Ike. "I understand you want another guy in the group but you can do better than him!"
Ruby was right. Ike is only friends with me because he feels bad. Karen was unpopular because of me. I do ruin people. If I stay around Ike he will lose his friends. I have to leave Ike alone before I ruin his life. But...I don't want to. I don't know why but I don't want to leave his side. I want to be with him whenever I can. Maybe....maybe I can change.
"-away from me!" Ruby yelled and stormed out of the cafeteria. Flora ran after her. I was too deep in my thoughts to know what was happening.
"Look Firkle, there is nothing wrong with you. Ruby can just be an asshole sometimes." Karen was trying to comfort me but it wasn't working. I looked over at Ike, he seemed to be deep in a thought. Probably planning on telling me he hates me and want me out of his life.
I couldn't handle it anymore. Ike just lost one if his bestfriends because of me. I'm ruining his life already! Good job Firkle you're such an amazing friend.
I got up and walked out the school. Someone is calling after me but I don't care at the moment. I need to get away.