Unlikely

Written in response https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2023/07/06/rdp-thursday-unlikely/

An unlikely day; dark clouds threatening to unleash an anger she wasn’t quite ready for. Most days were like that, but used to the bombardment of bullets, her bullying was normalised.

Something changed that morning – it wasn’t just the test she was dreading, but the reaction of her peers when she failed. That’s what they said in the school setting. Peers. She certainly didn’t have anyone she could call a friend.

Lonely in the restaurant, she saw the array of food she couldn’t afford. She really wanted one of those fancy cakes, with the pink sprinkles on top. Only enough money for a main, she couldn’t afford anything else.’

‘Excuse me,’ he said, tapping her on the shoulder.

Like a rabbit in the middle of a clearing, she tensed, expecting the tall boy, with pink rimmed glasses to say something; about her old uniform; or mention the smell; or laugh as she walked by.

‘Sorry, but you’ve dropped your lanyard.’ An unfamiliar smile, he said, ‘I like your backpack, Charizard is a great Pokémon.’

‘Thank you,’ she said.

‘Do you want my cake? I picked it out, but I’m not that hungry. Do you want to sit at the table with me?’

Tapping her pass, she allowed herself to breathe; he seemed genuine enough, and being the new girl once, she knew how hard it was to make friends and anyone who liked Charizard was a friend in her eyes.

‘Not going to sit with that loser are you?’

He turned around, his eyes narrowing into slits. ‘I’d much rather be her friend than yours,’ he said, walking away, taking hold of her tray. ‘My name is Ethan, I love your purple hair.’