Chapter Nine

We entered the cafeteria which was incredibly silent and made our way over to the machine that had jell-o inside. Ashley pulled out a few bills and handed me a red jell-o and Kyla one as well. She pushed me over to a nearby table and took a seat right next to me while Kyla sat across from us.

I looked at Ashley as she sat awkwardly next to me and I reached out to touch her hand. She let our fingers tangle with one another and sent me a beautiful smile and I smiled weakly back at her.

“Oh my god…I love jell-o…” Kyla exclaimed as she dove into her red gelatin treat. I looked down at my own snack and pushed it around watching it jiggle.

“You’re not eating yours…” Ashley said looking down at my snack as well.

“Do you want to share?” I asked softly handing her my spoon. She nodded her head and took a scoop of the jell-o and ate it.

She held out the spoon for me and I took a scoop enjoying the sweet taste in my mouth. I caught a smile out of the corner of my eye and looked at Ashley with a curious glance.

“You have a little…here…” She leaned over and kissed me under my mouth sucking slightly. I shivered under her sudden movement and when she pulled back she looked at me with uncertain eyes.

Kyla coughed and I noticed her shift uncomfortably in her seat. I took my eyes away from Ashley’s and heard her sigh as she sat further back in her chair.

“So…Kyla…how are you holding up?” I asked not wanting to have to deal with the tension that was in the air at the moment.

“I should be asking you that…” She said softly. “I mean I’m not the one who was shot…” She quickly shut her mouth when the frown fell on my face.

“Yeah…” I said looking down at the table top. I was now regretting leaving my room because at least in there I could pretend for a moment or two that this was all a dream. Sitting in the cold and partially dark cafeteria was letting the feelings of sadness and loneliness sink in even more.