Enjoying his newly acquired fame, Kyle looked around the lunchroom to try and appear nonchalant. That of course, proved impossible. Some people occasionally display an uncanny ability to hide in plain sight, without ducking, or otherwise dodging behind a handy wall; Kyle never mastered that skill. Boiled in the multi-faceted gaze of the entire student-body, he shifted uneasily and strived futily to avoid looking directly into anyone's eyes. This constant diversion sent his attention darting from table to table, searching for something, anything that didn't look back.
Finally, a table in a far-flung corner, abandoned by even the lowliest social caste, held his salvation. Kyle locked upon that welcome sight and embraced it with abandon. So enveloped by his discovery, he didn't immediately notice the attractive redhead hunched over a half-eaten lunch, scribbling furiously into a notebook. Her left elbow perched daringly on the table, a hand limply gripping a glass of juice, the rest of her body hunched to the right as she focused on whatever task separated her from the din consuming the lunch hall. Kyle couldn't see her entire face, but what he could see captured his interest, and not a small amount of lust. But why was she alone? Nobody that beautiful belonged relegated to a desolate void, shunned in a corner. Maybe she's so imposing, us mere mortals feel unworthy in her presence. Yeah, that's it.
Kyle felt an insistent tap on his shoulder, or more accurately in his shoulder as Manny jabbed his finger repeatedly into the gap created by his collarbones. "Ouch!" he yelled.
"Hey! Earth ta Kyle! Yo!" Manny waved a hand in front of Kyle's face, partially wondering what his catatonic friend was thinking. Manny leaned over Kyle and set his chin on the shoulder he so recently abused, adjusting the angle of his head to match Kyle's. Manny chewed his lip in confusion, focusing on each individual layer of students and tables until he reached the farthest edge. When he saw the redhead, he shook his head in disgust and coughed a tight laugh. "No, man. Just, no," he said, his lips forming a disciplinary frown. That look said, oh, you poor little bastard.
Kyle turned his head and glared at Manny through the corner of his eye through the entire process, but the expected "I hear her mom's available," never left Manny's lips. "Argh! What? What, Manny?!" Kyle growled, perturbed by the poking and rude dismissal of the girl.Kyle already began to lightly dread a long future sporting Jason as a close companion, years stretching into eons as the tired jokes ground his resolve into fine powder.
"Whatta ya mean: what? No. What else I gotta say, man? Nos all 'round. Right boys?" Jason asked, waving an arm at the rest of the table while intently studying Kyle for understanding.
Kyle was surprised as the entire table, boys and girls, nodded in rigorous, wide-eyed agreement. What was going on here? Kyle thought he knew the requirements for being considered an outcast, but this new development was nonsensical. He cocked his head, bewildered, and turned halfway toward the corner again, then back to his friends, who adopted shaking their heads no as a single entity. Without a word, Kyle threw his arms up in defeat and gestured toward Manny. Explain yourself, buddy. Zerb looked at Jason, as did the rest of the table; he was equipped for such a mission.
"Adriana," he began, "is not the girl for you."