I chuckled, not offended in the slightest. "People change, Alex. It's a new era. A new me." I pointed my milk carton at her. "So, speaking of clubs, which ones are you in?"
She adjusted her glasses, still looking at me with a mix of suspicion and genuine curiosity. But seeing that I was actually listening to her, she seemed to relax just a fraction. Her posture softened.
"Um... well, I'm the president of the Library Club," she started, a small hint of pride leaking into her voice. "I'm also on the Debate Team. And... I'm thinking of joining the French Club next week. Learning a new romance language looks incredibly good on future college applications, even if we are only in seventh grade."
"French, huh?" I nodded approvingly. "Nice, nice. Très bien. Though, sitting in a library and arguing with people all day sounds like a lot of brain work." I patted my stomach lightly. "I was thinking of something more physical. Do you know how many types of sports clubs we have here?"
Alex looked thoughtful, taking a bite of her apple. She was visibly starting to enjoy the conversation. The fact that her usually chaotic, hyperactive brother was sitting calmly, asking her for advice, and actually valuing her knowledge was a massive shift in her daily routine. She usually spent her lunch periods reading alone in silence.
"Hmm," she hummed, going into full encyclopedia mode. "The famous ones that the school actually funds well are American football, basketball, and baseball. Then there are the secondary ones like track and field, archery, and swimming."
She paused, pointing a finger at me in a mildly lecturing tone. "But you have to remember, sports are divided by seasons. You can't just join whatever you want whenever you want. For example, football practice starts in late summer, which is right now in August, and runs through the fall. Basketball is winter."
She frowned, tapping her chin. "And right now... um, I think swimming or football will be good? I don't know very well. The athletic department's schedule isn't exactly my priority reading material. You would really need to go to the gymnasium bulletin board and oversee it personally to get more informed."
I nodded slowly, absorbing the information. It's August right now, I calculated in my head. The start of the school year. That means the fall sports roster is wide open. I looked down at my waistline. The original Luke was a healthy, well-fed kid, but he definitely had a bit of a soft, pudgy belly from eating too many snacks and playing video games.
If I was going to live a long, comfortable, lazy life in this new world, I needed a proper vessel. Having a strong, muscled body meant I wouldn't get back pain from gaming for twelve hours straight. Plus, let's be honest, every Webnovel MC needed at least a decent six-pack. It was practically the law.
Football might be good if I can snag a lazy position, like kicker, I thought. Or swimming. Great cardio, builds the shoulders, and the best part is you can't hear people yelling at you when you're underwater.
"Hey, Luke."
Alex's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked up.
She was looking at my empty pizza plate, then up at my face. Her tray was mostly empty now, too.
"Your food is finished," she pointed out softly. She shifted in her seat, suddenly looking a little shy again. She cleared her throat and pushed her glasses up.
"Listen, I... I have a free period after the last bell today. The Library Club doesn't meet until tomorrow. If you want... we can meet at the school's front entrance when it ends. I can show you where the gymnasium and the sports boards are. So you don't get lost and accidentally walk into a closet or something."
I stared at her, genuinely a little touched. For a cynical, defensive middle-school genius, that was basically her version of a warm hug. She was offering to spend her free time helping me out.
A wide, easy smile broke across my face.
"Oh? Thanks, Alex," I said, leaning back. "That actually sounds great. If you don't have any scheduled courses or club meetings, I'd really appreciate the tour guide services."
She offered a small, slightly awkward smile in return. "Don't mention it. Just... don't embarrass me in front of the coaches."
"I make no promises," I laughed.
We sat there in comfortable silence for a few more minutes while she finished the last of her apple. The weird tension that had been between us earlier in the car was completely gone. I didn't rush her, just casually watched the chaotic cafeteria drama unfold at the other tables.
Once she was done, she stood up and grabbed her tray. I grabbed mine, and together, we walked over to the garbage bins. We dumped our trash in perfect synchronization, sliding the plastic trays onto the return stack.
"Alright," I said, adjusting the strap of my blue backpack. "I've got Science next. I think we're learning about dirt, or rocks, or something equally thrilling."
Alex rolled her eyes, her usual sassy confidence returning. "It's geology, Luke. And it's actually fascinating if you pay attention. I have Advanced Literature. Try not to fall asleep."
"I'll do my best," I smirked. "See you at the front entrance after school."
"See you," she replied, turning to head down the right corridor.
I watched her go for a second. Her posture was slightly straighter than when she had first walked into the cafeteria.
With a satisfied sigh, I turned and headed toward my own class. There were only two more periods left before the school day ended. If I played my cards right with the "open notebook fake-out" technique, I could get a solid hour of mental rest before I had to figure out how to become an athlete.
My lazy, perfectly planned second life was off to a fantastic start.