Chapter 6: Lunchtime with the crew

The rest of my morning at Oceanview High passed without incident. My other classes – history and econ – were unremarkable, filled with lectures, note-taking, and the barely concealed boredom of my classmates. I tried to focus on the lessons, but my mind kept drifting back to the hallway, to the laughter, and to the boy with the melted chocolate eyes who had been a part of it. I remembered someone calling him Jude. He had been in AP English class, sitting a few rows from me, but he hadn't acknowledged my presence. He hadn't even looked my way. It was as if I didn't even exist.

I felt a growing sense of frustration. Was I supposed to just pretend it didn't bother me? Was I supposed to accept that this was just how things were at Oceanview – that I was just another target for ridicule? I clenched my jaw, determined not to let it get to me. I would prove them wrong. I would show them that I was more than just a fat girl.

The bell rang, signaling the end of my last class before lunch. I quickly gathered my belongings and headed for the cafeteria, eager to see Roxy and vent my frustrations.

I navigated the chaotic cafeteria, my tray clutched in my hands like a shield. The noise was a physical force, a wall of sound from hundreds of conversations, and the crush of bodies threatened to overwhelm me. The smell of greasy pizza and mystery meat hung heavy in the air, a nauseating combination that churned along with the anxiety in my gut. My eyes darted around the cavernous room, scanning the sea of unfamiliar faces, searching desperately for Roxy’s familiar one. Finally, I spotted her sitting at a table near the large windows, her arm waving frantically over her head, a beacon in the storm. I breathed a sigh of relief so profound it almost made my knees weak and made my way over, weaving through clusters of students.

“Hey! You made it,” Roxy said, grinning as I finally reached the table. "I have some friends I want you to meet!"

"Okay!" I said, my voice tight with nervousness. I plopped down in the chair across from her, the plastic scraping against the linoleum, my stomach churning.

"Sooo…How was your morning? Survive?" Roxy asked, her expression already knowing.

"Barely," I said with a slight, humorless chuckle as we reached the table.

“Guys, this is Aria, the new girl! Aria, this is Marco; he's the biggest flirt you'll ever meet. That's Lily; she's the queen of sarcasm, and that's Sam; she is quiet but hilarious once you get to know her,” Roxy introduced, gesturing to each person in turn.

"Hey!" they all said in a friendly chorus.

Marco winked, a practiced, charming gesture. "You look beautiful, Aria! Maybe we can both walk together, just you and me."

"Marco, shut it," Lily retorted, not even looking up from her lunch, rolling her eyes. "Welcome to the group, Aria! Don't mind Marco; he does this to everyone. He has never even been on a date."

Sam chuckled, a soft sound, and the entire table laughed. I suddenly felt better; a small knot of tension in my shoulders loosened. I felt like I was finally able to make friends.

……

“It was humiliating," I admitted later, recounting the hallway incident, the stares, and the familiar, crushing feeling of being an outcast. Roxy listened intently, her expression shifting from sympathy to a fiery outrage.

“Those little jerks,” she said, her voice tight with anger. “I can’t believe they’re still acting like that. Seriously, what is wrong with people?”

I shrugged, feeling utterly defeated. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m just…too different. Maybe I’ll never fit in here.”

Roxy reached across the table and squeezed my hand, her touch firm and grounding. “Don’t say that. You’re amazing, Aria. You’re smart, you’re funny, you’re beautiful. Don’t let those shallow losers make you feel like you’re not good enough.”

“It’s their loss. You don’t need them," Lily added, her voice firm.

"Aria, don't worry, give it two weeks and those guys will be begging to carry your books. If not, I'll just trip them in the hallway for you!" Marco joked, flexing his muscles comically.

The entire group laughed. The rest of the lunch period passed quickly. I, Roxy, and her friends talked and joked like old friends, sharing stories and inside jokes. For the first time since arriving in Orlando, I felt a genuine sense of belonging. As the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, I felt a little more hopeful about the future. I still had a long way to go, but with Roxy and her friends by my side, I knew I could face anything.