The Basement - 3
Calvin, Kate and Richie all took their usual spot in the cafeteria. It was one of the only times they were all able to hang out together during classes, since Richie was a grade lower than them and had a different schedule. Luckily they all had the same lunch period. The room was big, but ordinary. Calvin had never been to another school, but he imagined all of their lunchrooms looked pretty much the same. Long tables, with benches attached, had been pulled out for the students, leaving enough room for walkways down the sides and in between them. The metal sliders that covered the kitchen windows had been rolled up, and the staff of lunch attendants were ready to take each and every order.
"If you hate pizza so much, then why do you always ask for it?" Kate asked Richie as he picked a piece of pepperoni off of the slice in front of him and popped it into his mouth.
"I don't HATE the pizza," Richie emphasized. "I just hate the crust. You can make or break a pizza right there! Calvin, what did your mom pack today? Anything for me" He leaned over to peer into Calvin's bag. Calvin shoved his face away as best he could.
"Let's see. Banana, carrot sticks, pudding cup..." Calvin listed off the contents of the bag, shuffling them about as he did so. "Turkey sandwich, on whole wheat, of course. And thermos full of some 'green' drink." He pulled out the sandwich, unwrapped it and took a bite.
"At least your mom packs you good food. My mom would rather see me waste away on this crap pizza." Richie patted his belly and frowned. Kate laughed. She turned to Calvin and leaned in. "So, Cal, when are you going to get up the nerve to ask Eva out?"
Richie nearly spit out his drink. "WHAT?!" He said, with a bit too much volume and enthusiasm. Half of the cafeteria turned to see what the commotion was.
"Richie, shut up!" Kate elbowed him in the ribs. She looked around and waited for the stares to subside before continuing. "I'm surprised you didn't hear about this sooner, Richie, but our dear friend here has a crush. On a girl."
Richie leaned in to join them, this time with a bit more discretion. "Why didn't you tell me about this, Cal? You've never mentioned it before!"
"You have a big mouth, I didn't want the whole school knowing about it before I was ready." Calvin shot him a look. Richie's cheeks flushed a bit as he dropped his gaze.
"As a matter of fact, Kate, I was going to ask her to the Spring Formal. I hear she doesn't have a date yet." Calvin peeked around the room a bit and found her, seated with a couple of her girl friends. Eva had transferred to their school a few months ago, and Calvin had taken notice of her the minute he saw her. Especially her dark green eyes. Every time she looked at him he felt like he was going to melt. They had a couple of classes together and he'd had the chance to work with her on a few projects, and was quick to take each moment to try and get to know her a little more.
She was too far away to hear, but Calvin saw Eva and her friends talking and laughing. She threw her head back after what must have been a particularly good joke, her blonde curls waving after. As she looked up she caught Calvin's gaze. He quickly looked away, into a random corner of the room that he decided needed more of his attention. After a moment he looked back and caught her gaze again. She smiled and gave a quick wave. Calvin's heart skipped a beat, waving back as he smiled.
"Wow, dude, you are gone," Richie said as he plucked a carrot stick out of Calvin's bag. Kate was no better, as she had helped herself to his pudding cup.
"You two are a couple of vultures, you know that," Calvin said as he pulled another pudding cup from his backpack and set it on the table in front of him. By now he was used to his friends swiping his food, so he always brought a little extra. They laughed and enjoyed the rest of their lunch period together before the bell rang, signaling their return to classes.
"If you hate pizza so much, then why do you always ask for it?" Kate asked Richie as he picked a piece of pepperoni off of the slice in front of him and popped it into his mouth.
"I don't HATE the pizza," Richie emphasized. "I just hate the crust. You can make or break a pizza right there! Calvin, what did your mom pack today? Anything for me" He leaned over to peer into Calvin's bag. Calvin shoved his face away as best he could.
"Let's see. Banana, carrot sticks, pudding cup..." Calvin listed off the contents of the bag, shuffling them about as he did so. "Turkey sandwich, on whole wheat, of course. And thermos full of some 'green' drink." He pulled out the sandwich, unwrapped it and took a bite.
"At least your mom packs you good food. My mom would rather see me waste away on this crap pizza." Richie patted his belly and frowned. Kate laughed. She turned to Calvin and leaned in. "So, Cal, when are you going to get up the nerve to ask Eva out?"
Richie nearly spit out his drink. "WHAT?!" He said, with a bit too much volume and enthusiasm. Half of the cafeteria turned to see what the commotion was.
"Richie, shut up!" Kate elbowed him in the ribs. She looked around and waited for the stares to subside before continuing. "I'm surprised you didn't hear about this sooner, Richie, but our dear friend here has a crush. On a girl."
Richie leaned in to join them, this time with a bit more discretion. "Why didn't you tell me about this, Cal? You've never mentioned it before!"
"You have a big mouth, I didn't want the whole school knowing about it before I was ready." Calvin shot him a look. Richie's cheeks flushed a bit as he dropped his gaze.
"As a matter of fact, Kate, I was going to ask her to the Spring Formal. I hear she doesn't have a date yet." Calvin peeked around the room a bit and found her, seated with a couple of her girl friends. Eva had transferred to their school a few months ago, and Calvin had taken notice of her the minute he saw her. Especially her dark green eyes. Every time she looked at him he felt like he was going to melt. They had a couple of classes together and he'd had the chance to work with her on a few projects, and was quick to take each moment to try and get to know her a little more.
She was too far away to hear, but Calvin saw Eva and her friends talking and laughing. She threw her head back after what must have been a particularly good joke, her blonde curls waving after. As she looked up she caught Calvin's gaze. He quickly looked away, into a random corner of the room that he decided needed more of his attention. After a moment he looked back and caught her gaze again. She smiled and gave a quick wave. Calvin's heart skipped a beat, waving back as he smiled.
"Wow, dude, you are gone," Richie said as he plucked a carrot stick out of Calvin's bag. Kate was no better, as she had helped herself to his pudding cup.
"You two are a couple of vultures, you know that," Calvin said as he pulled another pudding cup from his backpack and set it on the table in front of him. By now he was used to his friends swiping his food, so he always brought a little extra. They laughed and enjoyed the rest of their lunch period together before the bell rang, signaling their return to classes.
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