Chapter 2: The Infamous Canteen Incident

Lunchtime.

In theory, my favorite part of the day.

In practice, it’s a warzone.

"Aoi-chan, hurry!" Rika pulls on my arm. "The line for the limited-edition melon pan is huge!"

"Calm down," I mutter, but I let her drag me. I really want that melon pan.

"Move it, move it!" Toujo uses his lanky body like a battering ram, 'politely' shoving people aside. "Top student coming through! Make way for the Queen!"

"Toujo, shut up!" I hiss, kicking the back of his knee.

He yelps but doesn't stop. Thanks to his "help," we manage to snag the last three melon pans.

Success.

Now for part two: finding a table.

I scan the chaotic, noisy,- ugh, so noisy-canteen.

It's packed.

"There! In the corner!" Toujo points.

We navigate the sea of people... and that’s when I see them.

A group of girls from class 2-D. The "delinquent" types. Or at least, they try to be.

They've got their skirts rolled way too high, their makeup is a disaster, and their leader, Ayaka Tanaka, has her feet propped up on the table.

They're loud. They're obnoxious.

And they're blocking, like, three tables, just laughing and daring anyone to ask them to move.

I don't care. As long as they don't bother me.

"Aoi-chan, let's sit by the window," Rika suggests, pulling me in the opposite direction.

"Good idea," I say.

We find a spot. I sit down, unwrap my precious melon pan, and am about to take a bite.

CRASH!

A girl's cry.

"Oh, I'm sooo sorry!"

That voice. It’s oily. Fake.

It’s Ayaka.

I look over.

A first-year girl-looks like she’s from the library club, all quiet and mousy-is standing there, drenched.

Her uniform is covered in... is that curry?

Ayaka and her friends are laughing.

"My, my," Ayaka says, standing up. "You should really watch where you're going. You almost made me spill my lunch."

"B-but you tripped me..." the girl whispers, tears welling up.

"What was that?" Ayaka's voice turns sharp. "I couldn't hear you, rat."

The girl flinches and starts to cry silently, trying to wipe the curry off her blouse.

I look back at my melon pan.

I really, really want to eat it.

It’s not my business.

I hate bullies.

But I also hate getting involved. Getting involved means noise. It means attention. It means a trip to the principal's office.

"Aoi-chan..." Rika whispers, looking worried.

Toujo is already frowning, his goofy smile gone.

"What a bunch of witches," he mutters.

Ayaka shoves the crying girl. "Get lost! You stink."

The girl stumbles, dropping her tray.

Sigh.

There goes my peace.

And my appetite.

I stand up.

"Aoi-chan?" Rika grabs my wrist. "Don't. They're not worth it."

"She's right, Aoi," Toujo says, surprisingly serious. "You'll just get in trouble again."

"They're bullies."

That's all I say.

I start walking toward them.

The noise in the canteen doesn't stop, but a little bubble of silence forms around me as I move.

Ayaka and her friends haven't noticed me yet. They're still laughing at the girl on the floor.

I stop right behind Ayaka.

I wait.

One of her friends sees me. Her face goes pale.

She nudges Ayaka. "A... Ayaka..."

"What?!" Ayaka snaps, annoyed.

The friend just points.

Ayaka rolls her eyes and turns around.

"What do you want-"

She stops.

Her eyes go wide.

She sees me.

"Bloody... Twilight," she breathes.

The entire canteen goes silent.

Finally.

I hate repeating myself.

"You," I say, my voice quiet. "You tripped her."

Ayaka, to her credit, tries to recover. She's a third-rate bully, but she has bravado.

"So what if I did? What's it to you, Isuzu? Gonna cry to your mafia daddy?"

There it is. The rumor.

Yawn.

I'm so tired of that rumor.

"My dad's just nobody," I say, bored. "And you're a bully."

"Hah! Look at Miss Goody-Two-Shoes!" Ayaka sneers, crossing her arms. "I thought you didn't do 'helping.' I thought you were a cold-hearted demon."

"I am," I say. "But you're annoying."

"What did you say?!"

"You heard me."

I look past her, at the girl on the floor. "Are you okay?"

The girl looks up, terrified. Of them. Of me.

She just nods frantically.

I look back at Ayaka.

"Apologize."

Ayaka bursts out laughing. A harsh, ugly sound.

"Apologize? To her? You're hilarious!"

She shoves me.

Or, she tries to.

It's like a fly bumping into a brick wall.

I don't move an inch.

Her smile falters.

"You shouldn't have done that," I say.

"Why? What are you gonna do about it?" she taunts.

I glance down at the table.

Ayaka's lunch is still there. A big plate of spaghetti carbonara. And next to it...

An untouched, limited-edition melon pan.

My eyes narrow.

I have an idea.