Champagne's for Celebrating, I'll Take a Martini

Jack watched Arianna from across the busy cafeteria. She looked content as she sat alone, typing away on her Mac. For a new girl, she didn't look out of place at all. It was like she was always there, every day since September, even though now it was November and it was only her third day. That alone was enough to raise his curiosity. Who starts at a new school three months late? Was she some kind of badass who was kicked out of her old school or something? He wanted to know.
 
"Hey Jack, you want to pick your jaw up off the floor now?" Alex teased, snapping Jack out of his intent gaze. Jack narrowed his eyes at his friend and looked down to his tray. He had gotten the macaroni and cheese and it looked crusty and old, like it had been left sitting in the kitchen for a few days. Suddenly losing his appetite, he pushed back his tray.
 
"What, are you still hung up on this chick?" his friend Rian asked. "Don't you have a girlfriend already?"
 
"Well can you blame him?" Alex turned to Rian. "She's insanely hot—Hey!" his hand shot to his arm where Lisa, his girlfriend, had smacked him. "I meant for Jack!"
 
"Mhm…" Lisa rolled her eyes.
 
"You know, Jack's girlfriend doesn't abuse him," Alex pouted and Jack laughed.
 
"Yeah that's what I have Julia for," he turned to his friend who was being unusually quiet today. "Isn't that right Jules?"
 
She rolled her eyes and nudged him lightly. "And where is little miss high school anyway?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
 
"I think she's sitting with her friends, why?" he answered casually, as though it didn't really concern him where his girlfriend was at the moment.
 
"Not to pry," Rian sat back, crossing his arms against his chest, "but wouldn't it make more sense for your girlfriend to sit with you?"
 
"I don't know, Kara's not sitting with you right now," Jack retorted.
 
"That's because she doesn't have lunch now you idiot," Rian countered.
 
"Well whatever, unlike you two, we don't smother each other 24/7," Jack said, ending the conversation there. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go make new friends."
 
He stood up and grabbed his bag off the back of his chair and slung it over his shoulder. He made his way across the room to where Arianna was sitting, headphones now in her ears. Her foot was tapping subtly and he could tell she was mouthing the lyrics to herself. When he reached the table, he pulled out a chair. She didn’t notice.
 
"Um hey," Jack raised his voice slightly, hoping to be heard over whatever she was listening to. She looked up from the screen and turned to Jack.
 
"Oh hi," she said and quickly pulled out her headphones. "Jack, right?"
 
"You remembered," he grinned with satisfaction.
 
"How could I forget? You seem to be just about everywhere today," she said, bringing her focus back to her laptop.
 
"Or is that you just not being able to get your mind off me?" he smirked and she snorted.
 
"Wow, is this how you talk to all the ladies?" she asked, glancing back at him. He nodded, flashing her a cheeky grin.
 
"Yup."
 
"And how does that work out for you?"
 
"I don't know," he shrugged. "You tell me."
 
She tried to conceal the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, a small laugh sounding at the back of her throat as she turned back to face her laptop's screen.
 
"Mind if I sit down…?" he asked and she shrugged.
 
"I don't know, won't your friends miss you?" she replied in a smart tone, her eyes still glued to the screen. She wasn't exactly the friendliest, but he liked it.
 
"I'm sure they can survive for one day," he said in a cocky manner and took a seat. She shook her head, the small smile still ever-present on her face. Score one. "You're not exactly social, are you?" Jack said thoughtfully. Her eyebrows knit together and she looked over to him.
 
"What makes you say that?"
 
"Well, for starters…you're sitting alone, it's your third day and I haven't seen you once talk to anyone or walk around with any friends, and every time I try to talk to you, you pretty much shut me down," he explained being brutally honest. He couldn't help it. His mouth had no filter.
 
"So what are you? The school's welcome wagon? Are you here to be my friend and hold my hand and guide me to every class?" she sounded annoyed now. She didn't like when people treated her like she was dependent. So what if she hadn't made any friends yet? It was a choice of hers to keep others at bay.
 
"Whoa, whoa," Jack held up his hands, a little shocked at how hard she had taken what he said. So the tough girl did have emotions. "Just telling you like it is."
 
"Well thanks for sharing your observations, but I was perfectly fine before you decided to come over here and I don't need your friendship or anyone else's for that matter. I'm perfectly capable of getting by on my own."
 
"How can you go through life without any friends though?" he asked, his face twisted up in confusion. She sighed exasperatedly, pinching the bridge of her nose.
 
"I have friends, Jack. I don't need any more to make me happy. Are you going to fight me on that one too or are we done here?" she spat and he was thunderstruck. She was cunning and witty at one moment and so hostile and edgy the next. He couldn't keep up.
 
"I didn't come over here to fight you; I just wanted to learn more about you. I didn't know that was a crime," he said. She looked away from the nosy boy, feeling a little twinge of guilt now. She wasn't a mean person. She just liked to keep her business, her business.
 
"Well what do you want?" she asked in a softer tone. A grin smacked itself right back onto Jack's lips and he perked up in his chair a bit.
 
"Well, my band's playing at a party this weekend and I wanted you to come check us out," he said. It sounded like an innocent enough invitation, but from her past experience and her better judgment, Arianna was sure that he had some ulterior motives.
 
"I'll think about it," she said as she began packing up her things.
 
"I don't believe you," he said, standing up just as she did. A cheeky grin returned to her face and once again he heard that soft laugh of hers.
 
"See you around Jack," she said and turned her back to him, exiting the cafeteria.