Third Time's a Charm

By the time I knew it, it was Monday, the first school day of the year. Will and I had moved back into our dorm room yesterday, so we were already settled in before school started.

When we got to the elevator on our way to the school building, I noticed a sign on the metal doors. As we got closer to the sign, I noticed it was a sign saying the elevator was broken and it was being fixed by the maintenance staff.

"Damn, the lift is out," I muttered. "We have to take the stairs." I looked up at Will and he gave me a weird look. "What?" I asked him.

"You said lift," he stated.

"Yeah, and?"

"You said lift," he repeated. "You said lift instead of elevator," he clarified. I finally realized what he meant now.

"Oh!" I said in understanding.

"It looks like we're rubbing off on you," he said with a smug smile. I rolled my eyes at him before I playfully shoved at his arm.

"Shut up," I muttered with an eye roll. I walked towards the stairwell and he followed me down the stairs.

When we got to the school building, I heard my stomach growl. I looked up at Will sheepishly as he rolled his eyes. As I opened my locker, he pulled out a granola bar from his bag and handed it to me.

"I had a feeling you would be hungry," he stated. I grinned at him as I grabbed the granola bar, pulling him down by his arm to press a kiss against his cheek as a thank you. When I pulled away, I grabbed my book from my locker and closed it before we walked towards his locker. As we walked, I opened the granola bar and started eating it.

While we walked, I glanced around us. There were a few people still whispering and talking about us. I was sure they were talking about how Will and I got back together before break. I noticed a few looks of disbelief and a few eye rolls. I guess some people still couldn't believe we actually got back together and others were probably totally over the idea of Will and I together and were probably waiting for the next time we broke up. Which wasn't going to happen again. Not if I had anything to do with it.

I ignored their stares and continued to eat my granola bar, Will's arm wrapped around my shoulders with my textbook in his other hand. He always offered now - more like insisted - that he carried my books to class. I wasn't complaining though. It made my hands free to eat.

First period passed pretty uneventfully. I did realize though that this was our first class together since we got back together. And instead of dreading sitting next to him like I did before during our break up, I was kind of happy to be sitting next to him now.



Lunch came quicker than I thought it would - which I was thankful for - and since I was pretty hungry, I rushed Will to the lunch line with me. As we waited in line, I noticed a female student a few paces ahead of us. Her face was familiar to me now since I had seen her few times in the cafeteria before. The reason why she caught my attention today was because she was actually in the lunch line. I had noticed early in the school year that this girl usually brought her own lunch, albeit a small lunch, but a packed lunch nonetheless.

The reason why that stood out to me so much before was because at Kingston Academy, not a lot of the students brought a packed lunch. Since they were usually rich ass kids in the first place, they would usually just get food at the cafeteria or at the vending machines. And usually the students who didn't buy the food at the cafeteria were the students who couldn't afford it. To put it bluntly, they were probably the scholarship students; kids who got into Kingston Academy on a scholarship, whether it was an academic one or a sports scholarship.

When she got to the front of the line with Will and I right behind her, I overheard the lunch lady speak to her.

"Sorry, but there's not enough money on your card, sweetie," she said. I glanced at the student and her face fell.

"Oh," she said quietly. "Are you sure?" she asked. The lunch lady swiped her card through one more time before she shook her head.

"Sorry, sweetie," she said apologetically. I watched as the student slumped her shoulders in defeat as she took her key card back. Before she could walk away, I stepped forward.

"You can charge her lunch on my card," I offered quickly. The girl looked at me in surprise.

"Oh no, I can't let you do that," she started to argue.

"I insist," I said firmly as I handed my key card to the lunch lady. She took it and swiped it through for the girl's lunch before she handed it back to me. As Will paid for his and my lunch - he still insisted on paying for my lunch - I turned to the girl as she spoke up.

"I'm really sorry about that. I'll pay you back as soon as I can. Although, I wouldn't know how to get that money back onto your key card..." she trailed off. I waved my hand in front of my face in dismissal.

"Don't even worry about paying me back. To be honest, I didn't even know that's how the key card worked for lunch. I never realized that there a set amount to it and you had to reload it with money," I said with a small laugh. The girl smiled at that.

"Really though, I'm sorry about that. I'll pay you back somehow though."

"Don't worry about it," I said finally.

"I'm sorry about this. That's really embarrassing. I thought I had a bit of money on my card. Apparently not though," she said shyly.

"Are you a scholarship student?" I asked to make small talk.

"Yeah, I'm on an academic scholarship," she replied. "I forgot to pack myself a lunch today, so I thought I could get something to eat here instead." I nodded in understanding.

"Well, if that's ever the case again, just let me know. I'll be glad to buy you lunch again," I said. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh no! I can't let you do that!" I let out a laugh at her panic.

"Seriously, it's okay. Come to me whenever you're hungry and I'll feed you. I can't let a fellow student go hungry when I'm well fed."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." I grabbed my tray and Will grabbed his own tray from the counter. "You better come to me though. If I see you starving here, I'm gonna be mad," I said jokingly with an undertone of seriousness. She let out a laugh.

"I'll be sure to do that," she replied. Before Will and I turned to walked away, I turned to face her again.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I never caught your name. I'm Nicole."

"Allison, my name is Allison," she replied. I held out my hand and shook her hand.

"Nice to meet you, Allison."

"Nice to meet you too. And thank you. Really," she replied. I smiled at her before Will and I walked away and sat down at our usual table.





As we sat down at our usual lunch table and began eating, I looked at Nicole. With each passing day, I was realizing more and more how amazing she was. She just bought that scholarship student lunch like it was nothing and told her to come to her if that was ever the situation again. And she would buy her lunch again without even having to pay her back. She never asked for anything in return and she did it out of the kindness of her heart. And that was just one of the many things I loved about her.

While I was practically a prick to people I didn't like or know or even care to know for that matter, Nicole was the opposite. She was nice and cared for others, something that balanced us out perfectly.

"What?" she asked suddenly as she pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Huh?" I asked in confusion. She raised her eyebrows in question when I realized I was staring at her while I was thinking. "Oh, nothing," I said quickly. She hummed at me before she continued to stuff today's lunch special - some kind of grilled fish - into her mouth. Right after that, Chris and Hayley joined our table, their hands intertwined. When they were settled down across from us, Nicole spoke up.

"Wow, Hayley!" she exclaimed. "That's a beautiful hairpin. Where'd you get it?" Hayley blushed as she reached up and lightly touched the feathered and jeweled hairpin that was pinning a few strands of her hair to the right side of her head.

"Chris got it for me for our seven-month anniversary," she replied quietly, a blush still evident on her face.

"Holy shit. Seven months already? You beat Will and I's record," Nicole said with a playful wink and a light smack on my arm. I narrowed my eyes at her in a glare, but didn't say anything. It was great that she wasn't too bitter about our whole break up thing, but bringing it up always made me feel guilty. "What did you guys do?" she asked as she shifted the subject back to their anniversary. I kind of zoned out at that point, not really interested in the gushy-ness that was sure to have happened knowing it was Chris who planned it.

I ate at my food halfheartedly, picking at my pasta. I wasn't really craving pasta, but it was more appetizing to me at the moment than the fish or anything else that was for lunch today. I was pulled out of my thoughts once again when I felt a nudge at my side. I turned just in time for Nicole to grab my arm.

"Will?" she asked sweetly as she batted her eyelashes at me.

"Hm?" I hummed at her as I reached for my water with my other hand to wash down my pasta. I took a sip as she spoke up.

"What about me made you fall in love with me?" she asked suddenly. I choked on my water and almost spat it out completely. After I collected myself, I turned to her.

"What?" I asked in a slightly breathless voice, still trying not to choke.

"What about me made you fall in love with me?" she repeated. I had no idea how the conversation turned to this, but here it was.

"Yes," Chris cut in as he leaned forward. "That's a good question. Will, what about Nicole made you fall in love with her?" he asked with a grin on his face.

"Uh," I started nervously. "Oh, you know..." I trailed off. I never really thought about it too much before.

"No, we don't know. Tell us," Chris pushed.

"Honestly?" I asked and she nodded at me. "I don't know," I replied as I rubbed my neck.

"You don't know?" Nicole asked in slight shock and anger.

"It never really occurred to me. I just gradually started liking more and more things about you, and by the time I knew it, I was in love with you entirely," I explained. And it was true. Before I even realized it myself, I was completely in love with her. Whether it was from little things like the way she slept or the way she treated her fellow classmates just like not too long ago with that scholarship student.

"Ooh, good answer, Will," Chris said as he patted me on the back.

"Yeah, good save," Nicole said with a smile as she lightly nudged me, burying her face in my arm. I laughed as I took my arm out of her grasp and instead wrapped it around her shoulders. She nestled closer into my side, her face against my shoulder. I could feel her smile against me and I was sure she was hiding her blush. I laughed again as I picked back up my fork with my other hand to eat. She didn't move away from me for a minute or two until her blush was gone, but I gladly held her until she pulled away from me to finish her lunch.





That same day during seventh period, I felt my stomach start to churn. I clutched my midsection and hoped that that would work. It didn't, because not only did my stomach start to do flips, I felt completely nauseous at the same time. I quickly raised my hand and asked the teacher if I could be excused. I told her I felt like I was going to be sick and she quickly dismissed me.

I took a quick glance at Will and he had a look of concern on his face, but I quickly brushed it off as I ran to the nearest bathroom. I made it to a stall just in time to hurl up the contents of my stomach. I cringed as I saw what I had for lunch in the toilet. I quickly flushed the toilet before I threw up again from the sight and smell.

I stood back up, grabbing tissue to wipe what little puke landed on my chin. I grimaced as I tossed the used tissue into the toilet and flushed it again. I left the stall, my mouth tasting rancid. I walked towards the sink and quickly washed out my mouth. Only after I was done with that did I notice one other girl in the bathroom. She was looking at me with a slightly concerned look on her face.

"I was feeling a little sick," I told her quietly, even though she didn't ask. "It was probably from the fish at lunch today," I said. She nodded in understanding, albeit with a bit of a skeptical look. I didn't think more of it though as I washed my hands and walked back to class, still clutching my stomach.

When I got back to class, I walked quietly to my seat so I wouldn't disrupt the class again. When I sat down next to Will, his hand automatically went to rub my back. It was comforting and I was glad for it. It made me feel better, though I still felt a bit nauseous.



I was glad when the school day finally ended. I was still feeling a little sick, but I pulled through the last of my class well enough.

Will walked me to our room before he planned to head out to rugby practice. When I got to the room though and the urge to throw up came again, Will stayed a bit longer than necessary and rubbed my back as I dry heaved. I had thrown up all the food in my stomach earlier, so dry heaving was all I could do and it hurt.

After I had stopped heaving and had a chance to take a breather, I spoke up. "Go to practice, baby, I'm fine," I said weakly. He gave me an incredulous look.

"You're obviously not fine," he retorted.

"It's just a bit of food poisoning. Nothing too serious," I replied. He continued to give me that look and I knew he wouldn't back down until he felt I was alright. "Okay, fine," I said with a sigh. Will helped me up from the bathroom floor and guided me to my bed. He sat me down and unbuttoned my shirt to leave me in my tank top. He stood me back up so he could undo my skirt. He knew I would rather sleep in my underwear than in my school uniform.

When my skirt hit the floor, he pulled my blanket back and laid me onto my bed. He pulled my blanket over me before he pulled my trash can next to my bed in case I needed to throw up again.

He walked towards the kitchen and when he came back, he had a glass of water in his hand. He made me drink it so I wouldn't be dehydrated before he filled it again and set it on my bedside table. I thanked him and he kissed my forehead in reply before he grabbed his gym bag. Before he left though, he sat on my bed next to me. He brushed my hair away from my face before he spoke up.

"Are you sure you're okay enough for me to leave?" I rolled my eyes at him.

"Yes!" I said exasperatedly. "I'll be fine. And if anything happens, I'll call you right away."

"Yes, because I'll have my mobile on me while I play rugby," he replied sarcastically with an eye roll.

"Exactly," I replied with a grin. He rolled his eyes at me again.

"Seriously though, get some rest. It'll do you some good."

"I'll try. If I don't start dry heaving again." I scrunched my nose up in disgust and he laughed at my facial expression before he kissed my forehead once more.

"I'll be back in a few hours and if you're awake, I'll cook you some soup."

"No fish, right?"

"Especially fish," he teased. I couldn't stop the small grin from creeping onto my face. "I love you," he said finally. My grin widened as my stomach did flips, this time not from the fish, but from his words.

"I love you too," I replied. He smiled at me before he stood up and grabbed his gym bag on the floor next to his feet. He left soon after that, leaving me alone to get some rest.



The next day, I still felt a little nauseous and a little off. When Will came back from his practice yesterday, he made me some tomato soup and while I ate, he showered. The soup made me feel better, so I had it again for breakfast. The urge to throw up was gone, but I still felt a bit queasy. I was fine enough though to go to class.

On our way to class, I noticed that Will and I were getting a few looks. While that had become a usual thing ever since Will and I first got together, it was still pretty noticeable. I didn't think more of it though as we walked to our first period class. In fact, I didn't think about their stares again until the very next week.