The Stars Don't Shine

I hated lunch. I'd say it was the worst class of the day, but it wasn't even a class. But it was definitely the worst part of school. It was when I had been mooed at by nearly the entire school. And when I lost my best friend, Oliver. My self-confidence, too. So I had my reasons to not be lunch's number one fan. Also lunch meant eating, and I didn't like to eat because eating meant gaining weight. And there was no way I could get fat. Again. 

But seeing my best friend, Finn Turner's gorgeous face smiling at me as I approached our table made things a bit more bearable. 

"Sup Micah," he greeted me, biting into his apple. 

I set my tray down down on the table, pulled back a crappy, plastic royal blue chair and sat down. "Two words: man whore."

Finn swallowed the food that was in his mouth and chuckled. "Wha' 'bout Oliver?"

"I'm supposed to be his tutor, that's what!" I exclaimed, feeling my previous anger rise. 

"Ha, tha' sounds like a real blast," he laughed, a bemused look in his face. 

"Oh I assure you, it's not," I said, taking a bite of one of my carrot sticks. "It's kind of the complete opposite."

Finn knew all about me and Oliver. What we used to be, what he did to me, why I hated him-- all of it. In fact, Finn and Oliver used to be great friends. So Finn could kind of relate with me and my hatred for Oliver. 

"It figures he's dumb, though, y'know," he said, toying with the metal ring pierced into his lip. Just one of his many eccentric habits. "Pretty boy who's in a band an' gets all the birds an' 'as quite a bit of money is as dumb as a stump. It's so cliche it's almost funny."

"That's what I was thinking too," I agreed. 

"Aye, we're like on tha same wavelength," he smiled, pointing from his head to mine. 

I copied his smile and nodded. "And you'll never guess what else."

"Wha' else?" he asked. 

"He didn't even know who I was!" I informed him. 

He laughed. "That surprises you?"

Responsively, my face contorted into a look of confusion. "Yes.. Shouldn't it?"

"No not really," he answered, now beginning to chow down on his hot dog loaded with ketchup and mayonnaise. Another one of Finn's eccentric behaviors-- putting mayonnaise on his hot dogs. 

"And why not?"

"'Cause Micah you've changed so much," he told me. "Just everything 'bout you. Your looks, your clothes, your hair, even you're name. I wouldn't even recognize you if I didn't talk ta you in tha last four years."

Okay, so Finn did have a point. Everything about me had changed and I guess that I really hadn't expected Oliver to recognize me, but it was just... I wanted him to. I wanted him to know who I was. That I was the pudgy, homely girl who he used to make fun of. And realize how stupid he was after seeing the way I looked now. And he made it obvious that he liked what he saw. 

"He hit on me, too," I added. I was embarrassed about it; not angered. 

That gave Finn a good laugh. "You're fuckin' jokin', right?"

"No," I shot him a glare. 

He continued to laugh. "Well that's just proper 'ilarious."

"Wha' is?" Tom Sykes asked as he sat in the chair next to mine. 

You see, Tom had, over the years become best friends with me and Finn. Like I mentioned before, Tom was never really our friend-- he just hung around Oliver because he wasn't exactly a social butterfly. But after Oliver left us, Tom stayed around. Actually, Oliver didn't want his brother around him-- in fear of Tom 'dowing his coolness'. Just another reason I hated Oliver. Tom was the sweetest boy in the entire world, I was sure of it. And his own brother ditched him in search of popularity. What an asshole. 

Tom and I were closer than him and Finn. Especially since there was a hint of romance between us. It was no secret that Tom liked me. Although, he'd never admit it. Or do anything about it, for that matter. Which was fine with me. Because it's not like I wanted him to. Now, I'm not saying I don't like Tom in that way, because I do. It's just that if I ever dated Tom i was sure that Oliver would give him hell about it. 

"She used to be a fat ass y'know," I could picture Oliver saying to his younger brother. "Just a matter of time before all that weight starts to come back."

He really is as awful as I say he is. 

But anyway, for now, me and Tom's relationship is barely a bit more than platonic. And it will probably remain that way for a while. 

"Oh, nothing," I lied, not wanting Tom to know of his brother's behavior.  "Just told Finn a knock-knock joke."

"Okay?" he sounded a little confused. "Knock-knock jokes aren't even funny." That was Tom's way of saying he didn't believe me. 

"I know, but Finn's an idiot so he thinks it is," I covered. 

" 'M not an idiot," Finn protested. 

"Yes you are," Tom and I said at the same time. 

"Yer lil' girlfriend has to tutor your dumb-ass brother," Finn said snottily. This was his way of getting back at me for calling him an idiot. 

I narrowed my eyes at him and kicked him under the table. "Shut up you idiot."

"Jesus Christ," he winced in pain at the same time Tom said, "Wha'?"

"Oh, no it's no biggie, I quit anyway," I said, taking a sip of my water, acting like it really was nothing. 

"Why tha hell would you do that for?" Tom questioned. "Micah you know as well as I do that you need tha money."

"Yeah but dealing with Oliver is so not worth it," I argued. 

Tom shook his head. "Oh, for wha' they're chargin' me mum, yes it is."

I just looked at Tom conflictedly. He was right. The job did pay good and I did need the money. But I just wish it could have been anyone but Oliver that I had to tutor. Seriously anyone. 

"Fine, Thomas," I rolled my eyes at him, letting him know I was not pleased about this. "I will reconsider my decision."

Little did I know how stupid I was to even think that.