“It’s not allowed,” the lunch lady says from behind the salad station.
I sigh and decide to just sit down and figure out my drink later. Looking around, I spot Dante at a table by the windows. It’s the first table in the first row. First and first? I’m guessing that’s intentional. And it has the best view of both the outside and the dining hall.
“Halliway!” Dante yells.
I look behind me to see if Braden’s there, but he’s not. Neither is Trystan, which means Dante’s yelling atmeto come over. Should I ignore him? Braden will tell me to leave if he sees me at the football table.
“Hey! Halliway!” Dante yells. “Over here!”
Everyone in the dining hall is now staring at me. I can’t pretend I didn’t hear him.
As I walk over there, three other football players sit down at the table. One of them sits across from Dante. He says something to the guy, and he moves over a seat.
“Hey.” I smile at Dante.
“Have a seat,” he says, motioning to the seat across from him.
“Where’s Braden? Doesn’t he eat lunch with you guys?”
“Yeah, but he gets here late.”
I need to be gone before he gets here. I don’t want him yelling at me for sitting at his stupid table.
“I should probably go eat with some girls,” I say to Dante. I roll my eyes. “My uncle keeps telling me to make friends.”
“I’m a friend, aren’t I?”
“Yeah, but you don’t count, at least not to my uncle. He specifically told me to make some girl friends. And if I don’t find some, he’ll keep nagging me about it.”
“The girls will be here any minute,” he says, digging into his spaghetti. He has three plates, all heaped high with spaghetti and meatballs.
“Girls sit here? I thought this was the football table.”
“Girls are allowed if they’re invited.”
“So I guess I should feel special.”
“You should.” He smiles, and it’s the kind of smile that says he wants to be more than friends. His eyes dart to the guy next to me. “Barron, this is Rumor, the girl I told you about.”
Barron.The guy who tried to crash the Legion party with his friend. I’m feeling nervous being around Barron, knowing I told on him to Jackson, but if I’m going to do this, I need to relax. Blend in. Pretend I’m one of them.
“Hey.” Barron shakes my hand. He’s built like Trystan, tall and lean, but his shoulders are wider and bigger. He smiles. “What’s it like living with Braden?”
“Okay, so far,” I lie. “As long as I don’t eat his protein bars.”
They all laugh, including the guys I haven’t met yet.
“Never touch his fucking protein bars,” the guy next to Dante says. He’s almost as big as him but not quite. “He special orders them from—”
“Australia. I know. He told me the story.” I pause. “After I ate one.”
They all erupt in laughter.
“I’m Miles,” the guy next to Dante says, giving me a flirty smile.
“Rumor,” I tell him, smiling back.
“You seriously ate one?” Barron says. “And you’re still alive?”
