As I walked into the lunchroom, the smell of fries, freshly baked chocolate-chip cookies, and victory hit me all at once. After getting my tray of fries and a wrapped spicy chicken sandwich, I headed over to the tables. The Blue Team table was louder than ever-Stanlee reenacting my catch like it was the final play of a championship game.
"Bro caught it like this," Stanlee said, throwing himself backwards dramatically, nearly spilling his chocolate milk.
Keisha rolled her eyes. "You're milking this harder than Coach K's caramel popcorn."
The table erupted in laughter. For the first time in a hot minute, it actually felt good to laugh.
"Kevin over here!" Barry gestured to the one free spot on the table where most of the blue squad was sitting: Keisha, Stanlee, Connor, Barry, Alicia, and Jessica, who had her hand taped by our infirmary specialist, Mrs. Brown. Jessica's eyes were still glaring daggers at Jonas. The way she was glaring at him, you would have thought she and Jonas were going to be in a generational war.
"Still heated?" Keisha teased.
"She's got every right to be," Alicia said, biting into her cookie. "That throw from Jonas looked like it came out of a pitching machine."
Jessica jabbed her fork into her chicken Alfredo. "You try catching a fastball off guard."
Barry shook his head. "Marcus got sent home; he can't even sit down."
Connor shuddered and hugged himself. "I still can't get that scene out of my mind, man."
Stanlee leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head"Well we did win. That's what matters. Cookies secured, pride intact unlike our guy Wade, and the legend of Kevin Veyron begins."
I chuckled while shaking my head, "Pfft, legend? That was just luck bro."
"Luck's just skill nobody can explain," Stanlee said as he leaned forward, "And you, my friend, have cooked Wade's ass twice in a row; we've been keeping score."
"Yeah, you're like Rocky," Barry said. "Eye of the Tiger gotta be your walkout song for real."
Keisha nodded. "I'm saying, even before the catch, you were already in that mode. The way you dodge and weave dodgeballs feels unfair."
"I agree," Stanlee said, "your reflexes and instincts are like those of a seasoned warrior on the battlefield, dude."
"Yeah, maybe it's genetics, Alicia said, "Who do ya get it from, Kev?"
The question caught me off guard. Nobody outside of Jason ever asked about my parents. My heartbeat rose like a hot air balloon. My mother never gave off being agile. My father... odd now that I think about him, I'm drawing a blank on him altogether. My father disappeared when I was eight. I cried a lot. But the weird thing is, his face and his voice, with each passing year, my memories of him faded, like pages being torn from a book, with all the best chapters.
I shrugged, "I don't know, probably the best of both worlds type stuff."
Alicia grinned. "Bet they're proud."
"Yeah," I replied softly, "Mom would be happy to hear I didn't get flattened this time."
That earned a few chuckles around the table.
Just then Jonas and Wade stopped by our table with their chocolate-chip cookies in hand.
Jonas slid his cookie to Jessica, who looked like she was brandishing her plastic knife.
"We cool now, Jess?" Jonas said.
Jessica stood up with her plastic knife in hand. "Jonas Rivera Lopes, if you value your well-being, make like a heart and BEAT IT!" she replied.
He shrank behind Wade. I forgot Jessica was slightly taller than Jonas.
Wade strode up, clearly wanting to get this out of the way fast. He stretched his hand out where his-scratch that-my chocolate-chipped cookie sat in his palm. I reached out to grab it. However, Wade didn't let go; his glare was so cold that he could freeze a volcano mid-eruption.
He smirked, the black scab on his lip making him look like a Ghostface. "Enjoy this victory while you can, Kevin, 'cause tomorrow Jack and I are bringing the pain."
He yanked the cookie out of my hand and punched it, breaking it in two halves as it fell to the floor and shattered even more. Then he ran out of the cafeteria like the coward he is. Jonas snickered and went right after him.
"What a bunch of sore losers", Stanlee said shaking his head, "Ignore them Kevin they're idiots. Wade only did that out of fear, cuz he feels inferior to you."
"Yeah you cut his ego down to size twice, that was really petty of him," Keisha said
"Yeah," I said staring at the shattered cookie on the floor.
I was still stuck on what Wade had just said.
Jackal... here tomorrow?!
His name hit like a lightning bolt as the shock spread throughout the table.
"Jack as in Jackal," Alicia exclaimed, "he's not expelled!"
"Apparently not," Stanlee said. "Tomorrow's gonna be hell."
I scoffed, "Another fantastic decision by everyone favorite principal."
Connor shook his head, "Thank god we'll be leaving this shit show."
Barry chuckled, "Agreed, twin. No more Jackal, Wade or Jonas. Sounds like heaven on earth."
"Jonas, I'm getting my getback tomorrow," Jessica growled. "I'll punch that goofy crooked nose of his straight."
"Can't. Against the school code," Barry said. "You could, however, hit him with a dodgeball."
"Yeah," I said, "preferably one on fire."
That actually got her to crack a smile, brief but genuine.
"Here Kevin," Jessica handed me the cookie Jonas gave her, "Have mine. I don't want his."
I smiled, "Thanks Jessica, you're the best."
Stanlee raised his milk carton like a toast. "To revenge, cookies, and survival."
We all clinked our chocolate milks together, laughing again.