Young Writers Society

part three:

I sat down in my usual spot and waiting for the lunch lines to go down. I looked around and saw one of my friends come over.

“Garnet! Sorry I’m a little later; the teacher wanted to talk to me. Something about daydreaming…I wasn’t really paying attention,” My friend from the fifth grade, Brandon, said as he sat down next to me.

“It’s alright, Brandon. You should really try not to get into so much trouble, though,” I suggested as I watched him take out his lunch box, his long dark black bangs shadowing his baby blue eyes. He was one of the few people that brought their lunch. Everyone else got the cafeteria food, which wasn’t as bad as some people said it was. I ate it every school day.

“Yeah, yeah,” He dismissed the conversation. “Did anything new happen today?”

Brandon was one of the very few people that I told how much I had wanted a change. He asked me everyday if something new happened and then try to tell me some story he heard to attempt to cheer me up if the answer was no.

“For once, yes,” I said happily.

He raised his eyebrow with a smile. “Do tell.”

“There’s a new transfer student. His name’s Damon Try and he transferred from Greece,” I told him and watched as his grin twitched slightly before he laughed lightly. “What’s so funny?” I pouted as my face heated up.

“You! You’re so happy over a new transfer student from Greece!” Brandon said as he controlled his laughter, maybe because I started glaring at him, and settled for just grinning widely. “So you met him?”

“Yeah. He’s really nice and doesn’t seem to get in as much trouble as someone I know,” I hinted at him and he faked looking innocent.

“I only get in trouble a few times!” He protested teasingly. “It’s also his first day, right? Just give him time and he’ll get into some kind of trouble!”

“You just wish that so you’ll look better.”

“Maybe.”

“It’s not working,” I teased and stood up. “I need to get my lunch. I’ll be right back,” He nodded and I got in the pizza line.

“Garnet!” I turned around to see Damon walking up to me. “Hey! You do have the same lunch as me!” He had been wondering that, too? I smiled at him, not hiding my happiness.

“Yeah, this is great! You can sit with me and my friend, Brandon,” I told him as we moved up the pizza line.

“Brandon?” He asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah, Brandon Sateir. He’s been my friend since fifth grade,” I explained as we finally reached the front of the line and I got my pizza with Damon right behind me.

“Sounds interesting…” He mumbled and followed me back to my table. When we got there Brandon looked at me with a questioning look, glancing at Damon.

“Brandon, this is Damon. The one I was talking about earlier,” Brandon smiled and stood up while holding out his hand to Damon.

“I’m Brandon Sateir. Damon Try, right? You’re the new transfer student?” Brandon asked in a polite tone.

Damon nodded and took Brandon’s hand. “Yes I am. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Same here,” I looked up at Brandon’s face at the slight struggle sound I heard in his voice to see a look of concentration. I looked down at the white knuckles on the boys’ hands from squeezing the other’s hand too tightly.

“How about we sit down and eat?” I suggested, trying to get them to stop glaring at each other, it seemed Damon was winning by the smirk on his face, and sat down. They sat on either side of me. There were a few moments of silence and I could hear Brandon seething on my right. “Brandon?”

I saw him still glaring at Damon, Damon glaring equally back. Then suddenly Damon’s look shifted into one of confusion, then of pain. “Damon?” I heard Brandon ask as he stood up. Damon closed his eyes and put his head in his hand.

“Shoot…” I heard him whisper. “Not now…” I saw him start shaking, his grip tightening on his forehead.

“What’s going on?” I must have been the only one that heard what Damon just said because Brandon didn’t look confused by his words, just his expression. He went next to Damon and moves his hand away from his forehead to feel it himself. “You’re burning up!” Damon moved away from his touch quickly and stood up. “What’s your problem?! I’m concerned!” Brandon yelled as Damon pushed him to the side and started walking away.

“I’m fine. I just need some…water…” I saw him waver and I stood up, catching him as he was about to fall.

“I don’t think all you need is water,” I deadpanned and helped him stand straight. “You need to go to the nurse.”

He was silent before nodding. “You’re right. I should,” I was surprised he agreed so suddenly. “I need to talk to you,” He said just below a whisper, I guessed so Brandon couldn’t hear, and I nodded.

“I’ll take him to the nurse, Brandon. I’ll be right back. Watch my bag for me, will you?” I said and helped Damon walk for a little while before he started walking himself.

“What is it you wanted to talk to me about?” I asked, having no clue what he was talking about.

“You shouldn’t worry about me. I have small…symptoms I guess is the word. That was just a symptom,” Damon said in a whisper almost too soft for my ears to pick up.

“’Symptoms’?” I questioned his choice of a word.

He shook his head while saying “Don’t worry about me.” I nodded but still walked towards the nurses’ office. I was going to make them check him even if I wasn’t supposed to worry.

We entered the nurse’s office to be greeted by a nurse right away.

“How may I be of service?” She asked politely with a small bow of her head. Her light brown hair seemed to curve out from underneath a hat she was wearing.

“Can you help out my friend, Damon Try? I think he has a fever,” My voice sounded more panicked than I felt.

“Let me check his temperature. Is that alright, Damon?” He nodded though he seemed uneasy. The nurse pulled out a thermometer out of her apron pocket and gave it to Damon. He put it in his mouth and we waited for tell-tale sound that it gave off when it was finished reading his temperature. When it did I saw Damon rolls his eyes and groan lowly.

“What? Do you have a fever, Damon?” I had asked as my eyes followed his hand as he took the thermometer out of his mouth, pushing the button to clear the screen as he did, and handed it back to the nurse.

“I’m fine,” I eyed him with disbelief and he gave me an equal look of certainty. “I’m fine,” He repeated and I settled for looking at him from the corner of my eye as we left the nurse’s office.

“You’re not fine. Something’s wrong and you know it,” I said flatly as he decided the strings on his hoodie were interesting to finger. I was still wondering about the ‘symptoms’ he mentioned earlier. I figured he didn’t want Brandon to know for a reason so I made sure to look worried, which I was but he didn’t have to know the difference in between my act and reality.

“Yes. Something is wrong, but it’s not something a nurse would be able to identify,” He left it too open for me to be able to comprehend at the time. It’s almost like the something about him that was ‘wrong’ wasn’t medical but at the same time it was. The way his tone deepened seemed to hint he was remembering something he didn’t want to or that he just didn’t want to share. I didn’t push any farther, realizing I didn’t need to know everything about him on the first day. I still wondered, though, what it he was talking about as we sat back down with a waiting and curious Brandon.