Read 2 Shorts, a Novella and a Haiku Walk Into a Bar Page 2

  ***

  Kale again. Someone needs to tell the goddamn yuppies in charge of this place that there are other healthy foods beside kale.  Guess I'll do the green smoothie. I always bring contraband. Doritos and Swiss Rolls. They go great with Kale.

  "Yo." I nod at Parker. He's at nerd central. He's waving me over frantically. One thing about not getting lunch, it's easier to look cool when you're not carrying a tray of food. I might as well do a pass by. I'm not the official king of the nerds, but I'm one of its leaders. 

  "Heard Smith was all over you again today." News travels, particularly in a small school like this. 

  "Yeah, pain in my ass." I mumble. The table snickers. I'm a rebel because I'll mumble softly under my breath in a loud cafeteria what they won't even dare to think. Some of them are failing Algebra I with her. Not all nerds are smart. 

  "I could get all over her. Hot for teacher." Parker is picking his nose openly, leaning back in his chair and talking too loudly even for the cafeteria. 

  "Shut up, Parker." I glance my eyes around to make sure no one heard that. 

  Parker falls his chair forward. "Yeah, right. Sorry." He looks worried I shrug to let him know he's cool but chill. You can say a lot with a shrug. "Where's Barlow?" He asks.

  "Extra help with Smith." Ugh, they can't even make a smoothie right. I just swallowed a chunk of globbed together kale. Ugh. Parker is leering. "Alright, headed to the greens. See ya there?"

  "Yeah, maybe, think I might scope out the new meat." Is he talking about Juliet is the Sun?

  "Like you have a chance." He shrugs that leer growing. "Well, catch you when I catch you." He's such a slime, like he even has a chance. It's bothering me. He better steer clear of her. She's too cool. Too much awesomeness. He's going to ruin it for all of us because I'm going to have to hang with him and she's going to see that. Death by association. What am I worried about? He's afraid to look anyone with that anatomy in the eyes. I don't think he's talked to a girl since fifth grade.