Bone-In Meat

Aside from that morning's minor incident, the rest of the school day was uneventful. Ash had gotten over her embarrassment quickly and by lunch time, she had already allowed Celia to earn her forgiveness by buying her an extra plate of chicken wings.

As Celia and Ash used their hands to dig into their lunch, Isabelle looked at them, her face scrunched up and looking judgemental.

"What, do you want to take a picture so it lasts longer?" Celia asked, sarcastically.

"I know it's normal for you guys to eat like barbarians, but I'm still not used to seeing it up close." Isabelle said as she sliced delicately at her salad and chewed carefully.

"Come on, Izzy, we've seen you eat a burger. That's not exactly fine dining." Ash replied.

"Yes, but that's outside of school, in a restaurant that sells hamburgers. That's only appropriate, especially when I'm always outvoted by the two of you at dining choices," Isabelle said, primly.

"It's not about fine dining, Ash. It's about using tools like a human. Besides, I don't like to get my hands dirty."

"That's true. I mean, you still have trouble telling the difference between a mop and a broom. You probably use silk scarves as dish rags, am I right?" Celia said, gesturing lightly with a chicken wing.

"Celia Medina Aragon, I made that mistake ONE TIME and I have since learned the difference! You on the other hand, are still a barbarian who eats with her hands. What's your excuse?" Isabelle's pale face flushed pink with the exertion of raising her voice.

Isabelle had once tried to use a broom to clean up a spill in their dorm room because she did not know the difference between a mop and a broom. Celia and Ash had stared in shock as Isabelle tried to sweep the liquid away before they burst into raucous fits of laughter that ended up earning them a warning from the Dormitory Supervisor.

The girls loved to tease each other about their perceived differences. Having been friends for a little over two years they had been around each other long enough to have many embarrassing incidents from their social class collisions.

Isabelle smirked at her friends and speared another lettuce leaf with her fork.

As Ash reached for another chicken wing, she spoke to Isabelle, diverting her attention.

"I like eating meat, Izzy. Especially meat with bones. Something about it is really satisfying for me. I mean, I like a lot of meat, but bone-in meat is the best. Probably because we didn't get to eat much meat at the orphanage or maybe because I'm Asian." Ash shrugged and then closed her teeth around the chicken wing in her hand, tearing off a strip of tender meat.

"You're only half-Asian, darling. Besides, the Chang sisters don't eat chicken wings and they're fully Chinese."

"My Lady, I bet they eat pork trotters and chicken feet at home. It's an Asian stereotype that I am willing to back with research and evidence. Observe this, for one." Ash gestured to herself as she chomped down on another chicken wing.

She really did love to eat meat, and she sometimes wondered if her teeth would be strong enough to crack bones. She never tried it though: she wasn't sure the orphanage would cover her dental expenses.

Celia cleaned her fingers with a wet wipe. "Well, I'm trailer trash, so that's my excuse for liking fried food that's best served in a takeout bucket." Her gray-green eyes flashed as she turned her gaze from Ash, who was sitting beside her, to another person a few tables away. Isabelle turned around, following Celia's gaze.

Hunter Guzman was sitting with his friends, and he was also eating chicken wings with his hands.

"Well, it seems that you and Hunter have similar tastes. He's not Asian, darling, but perhaps you can include him in your bone-in meat research?" Isabelle teased.

"I have a survey question you could ask him, Ashy," Celia said, her eyes sparkling with devilry. "Mr. Guzman, would you like to have your bone IN Ashy's meat?"

Celia and Isabelle shrieked with laughter at the nasty joke and high-fived each other across the table.

"You guys are disgusting!" Ash pouted.

"Girl, you're drooling right now. You're the one who's disgusting!" Celia snapped back. Isabelle and Celia started laughing again.

Ash made a face at her friends and then looked away, pretending to ignore them.

She turned her gaze toward Hunter, and suddenly she felt something powerful move inside her chest. As she watched him use his teeth to rip the meat off the chicken bones, she felt goosebumps rise all over her skin. True, she had a crush on him. She'd felt butterflies in her stomach the first time she'd seen him. But this new feeling wasn't just giddiness anymore, it felt hot and urgent.

For a second, she saw a vision of herself walking toward his table and kissing him full on the mouth in front of everyone.

Hunter must have felt her staring at him, because he met her gaze. As they locked eyes, she felt a jolt of blue lightning go through her body. She didn't know what Hunter was thinking or feeling, but he held her gaze and didn't even blink. Ash's heart was beating so hard she could almost hear the rhythm in her ears. And then she saw the tip of his tongue flick out of the corner of his mouth to lick at his sauce-stained lips. Ash took a sharp intake of breath.

"Hey!"

Ash started as Celia clapped her on the back. The blue lightning that had coursed through her body fizzed out and died.

"Girl, get your hormones in check. You looked like you were ready to jump his bones." Celia looked at Ash incredulously. She had never seen her friend so intense before.

"I think we better take her to splash some water on her face. I think our Meat-Eater here was just about to be a Man-Eater."

Ash hung her head, embarrassed. She'd never had an urge like that overtake her before.

"Sorry, guys. That was weird. I was having a moment."

As the group got up to leave the cafeteria, Ash stole another glance at Hunter. He wasn't looking at her. He was talking to his friends and laughing. He didn't even look in her direction.

Ash shook her head, bewildered at her own strong emotions. Hunter wasn't even her friend, he was too popular for that. Maybe it was just her, and the electric moment between them never happened at all.