01<@Ardweden> [Day: Wednesday, September 29. Time: Fifth period lunch.]
 01<@Ardweden> [It's certainly been a crazy past couple of days, hasn't 
it? But school waits for no one, and it's lunch time. Maybe this time you 
guys will actually *eat something*. But who even knows?]
 01<@Ardweden> [The school's been abuzz with rumors about Tiffany and 
Tyler's - and even Sydney's! - disappearance yesterday, but nobody's had 
the nerve to ask them what's going on directly. Still, *in*directly, it's 
pretty clear that at least Tyler got in a fight, but with whom is pretty 
up in the air. Regardless, he looks like hell, and none of his friends 
were around to hang out with him this morning.]
 01<@Ardweden> [OTHER rumors include who's taking whom to Homecoming. 
Homecoming? Oh yeah! That little dance/football game thing that's 
happening at the end of next week. That homecoming. No big deal. Nobody 
knows who Delilah's going with yet; seems she's got at least four 
potentials lined up, but she hasn't committed to any of them. How about 
you?]
 01<@Ardweden> [Today's lunch is chili, both meaty and vegetarian 
varieties, with a side of chips.]
 01<@Ardweden> [Start!]
 06* Tyler got there early due to his condition, he's bandaged up, 
covering most of his face. You can't see much besides the swelling. He's 
also sitting at the table the normally poor nerds sit at, not his usual 
table. This one is half empty most of the time.
 01<@Ardweden> [The normally poor nerds have *no idea* what Tyler's doing 
there and don't even pretend to be his friend. This results in him 
looking lonely at a table of underprivileged nerds.]
 06* Sydney walks into the cafeteria! Then she gets into the line! She 
doesn't seem to have noticed that Tyler's not at his usual table (or at 
hers).
 06* Javy gets in line a few behind Syd. And then he sees her in front of 
him, and says, slightly too loud, "Hey Syd."
 06* Sydney whirls around and spots Javy. "Oh, hey, Javy." She steps out 
of her place in line to go join him.
 06* Tiffany is here. She's also avoiding the lunch line. Well, or 
spotting people in the lunch line. She waits to slip into the back, 
folder held in front of her, like a convenient mobile hiding spot 
clutched in between her arms with a deathgrip.
 06* Tyler will slowly sip at the chili, mostly just the sauce, chewing 
hurts.
 06* Javy shifts to let her in beside him. "Chili. This, um. I, like. 
Here's the thing, so I. I like chili, but... but this is just, you should 
see my mom's. I mean. Uh. You should eat it."
 06* Sydney nods. "Yeah, homemade is pretty much always way better than 
cafeteria food."
 06* Javy nods, pleased, shuffling as the line progresses. "And, yeah, 
so. She has, um, chocolate and chipotles and, uh. These, this blend of 
spices, like, cumin and this mix she makes and..." He shakes his head. 
"I. This isn't. You can't compare."
 06* Sydney smiles. "Wow, that sounds really good. ...I don't suppose 
you'd bring leftovers one day, would you?"
 06* Tiffany just creeps along, trying not to show off her splint too 
much. If she spots the pair, she's just...letting people shuffle in in 
front of her. Don't mind her. She'll just get her chili in her own time.
 06* Javy glances at her. "You know, you... you could just, uh." He cocks 
his head to the side, and then tries, "Uh. Just. You could come over. 
Then, um..." He trails off, and looks off towards the chili service 
position, squinting a little.
 06* Sydney looks at Javy. "Then?"
 06* Tyler just continues on. He's actually eating the food here. Mostly.
<Javy> Then you could, uh. Then you could try it? I. I could just, uh... 
you. Ask her to do it. For then, I mean, I ask her to, for some things 
sometimes.
<Sydney> Ah, but I wouldn't want to impose on her.  Unless we were doing 
a potluck or something.  I'm not really sure how that would work, though.
 06* Javy gets to the front of the line, and orders the meat chili and 
chips, and says, "I, uh. But. I... she does already, for... for Nate, and 
I..." His voice drops, and he mumbles into the clatter of the plates, 
before coming up with, "... for friends."
 06* Sydney orders meat chili as well, because she is a carnivore and 
proud of it. "Ah, well, in that case... if there's a time you would like 
me to come over, I would be happy to. Just let me know if you want me to 
bring something."
 06* Tyler finish up most of his bowl and then just sits there looking at 
it.
 06* Javy shoots her a grateful look, and nods, before heading off to 
their table, stopping only to get the right kind of tea on the way over.
 06* Sydney grabs a water and does a quick look over at Tyler's usual 
table before heading to her own. She does not spot him, and doesn't think 
to look over at the poor nerds.
 06* Tiffany gets her bowl of food-type things that's the meatiest of 
chili and looks around for corn bread. Which she likely doesn't find. 
What kind of self-serve deli is this?
 06* Javy settles his tray down opposite Syd, and looks at Tyler's table. 
And seeing no one, looks at Syd again. "I, uh. He's not there, none, none 
of them are there, so. Uh. Tyler. Just, is... what. What happened?"
 06* Sydney shifts her lunch around on its tray. "Well... I took him to 
the hospital yesterday. He got in a fight with Josh. After all the crazy 
screaming. And Tony came to visit. But I don't know where any of them are 
right now."
 06* Sydney *could* know where Tyler is, if only she weren't so 
oblivious. Alas!
 06* Heather pops into the cafeteria, actually in school for once. Today, 
she's wearing a tank top with a low neckline, jeans and her leather 
jacket. She takes a place in line.
 06* Tiffany gets what food she can and makes her way carefully to the 
other edge of the table. Putting some space there and sitting by herself 
as much as she can, she plops the book down and sits down with a low 
sigh.
 06* Javy starts eating his chili, and makes a small face at it. "I... 
so. Was he... okay?"
 06* Sydney draws in a breath. "He's not still in the hospital. But 
'okay' is a stretch. He's still pretty beat up."
 06* Sydney looks over at Tiffany. "How's your hand?" she asks, without 
any preface.
 06* Tiffany does her best to adjust her spoon to accommodate. It's not 
an easy task. "Still attached," she responds, equally without preface, 
not looking as she tries blowing on her chili.
 06* Javy looks up from his chili, and blinks at Tiffany at the other end 
of the table, a quick beat of relief going across his face before concern 
gets there instead. "It. But. What... what, how did that...?" He's not 
even going to push this one.
 06* Sydney happens to glance over in the direction of the poor nerds' 
table as she's looking at Tiffany. "Wait, is that Tyler over there? 
What's he doing over there?"
 06* Tiffany raises her head up to peer at Tyler, then lowers her chin 
back to look at her chili. She doesn't look all that interested. "What am 
I, his mother?"
 06* Heather achieves food! A cold salad and sandwich, but that's okay. 
Chili is gross. She gets some water, then goes to find a seat. Across 
from Tyler, apparently.
<Sydney> I think that would involve time travel and things you'd rather 
not think about.
 01<@Ardweden> [Yup. So. Heather sits down across from Tyler. That just 
happened.]
 06* Tyler looks up at her confused. "Umm..."
 06* Javy reddens at that, and looks across at Tyler, following Syd's 
view. "He looks... uh. Just. Bad."
 06* Tiffany snorts a bit at Sydney's response and actually looks briefly 
amused for a moment, jabbing at the bowl. "Look. If he wants to be left 
alone, leave him alone. Not up to us to decide for him if he wants to 
mope over there."
 06* Javy looks at him for another beat, and then down at Tiffany. "Then, 
but, uh. Can I... why are you? Um. Why are you down... over there? 
There's, uh, there's space here..."
 06* Sydney shrugs at Tiffany. "True enough."
 06* Tiffany frowns and pauses, spoon halfway up. With a bit of distance 
in her voice, "...does *she* want me over there....?"
 06* Javy looks from Tiffany to Sydney and back, in the land of the 
totally noncomprehending.
<Sydney> Well, if you want to mope over there, it's not up to me to 
decide.
 06* Tiffany sighs again and just goes back to eating chili. All by 
herself. At least the chili's good.
 06* Sydney rolls her eyes and motions Javy to move down closer to 
Tiffany.
 06* Javy looks at Tiffany again, and then looks at Syd before nodding 
and sliding his tray down that way.
 06* Sydney eats chili and alternates between glancing at Tyler and 
Heather and Javy and Tiffany. She is attempting to be subtle. Like a 
wyvern to the head.
 06* Javy settles in and decides eating chili is the better part of valor 
for now.
 06* Tiffany is also eating chili. Next to Javy. They're doing things 
together! That means they're dating now, right?
 06* Javy looks up at her after a bit of quiet, and says, "So, uh. What. 
What happened. Um. I, uh, you said... are you okay? What was it?"
 06* Sydney perks up her ears. Yep, subtle.
 01<@Ardweden> [While Sydney tries and UTTERLY FAILS to be subtle, a tall 
and tanned young man comes walking up to the table. He has black hair 
tied back in a ponytail, dark brown eyes, and is frankly very pretty; 
half of the female population, at least, has at least a little bit of a 
crush on him, so anyone in the know of any sort would know he's Derek 
Linster. (There are minor rumors that he's maybe-gay, too, because he 
hasn't dated anyone for like an ENTIRE YEAR despite being gorgeous though 
in a kind of girly way.) He stops close by, not actually sitting down, 
and hovers for a little while.]
 06* Tiffany looks at the arm, completely ignoring the hot guy in favor 
of chili and a mumble beast, what's wrong with her? "Um...it happens. 
I...kinna got it jammed in something...n-not a big deal..." And now 
there's a faint blush and a dip of her head.
 06* Sydney slouches in her seat and attempts to do her best Tiffany-
esque "I'm not here" pose.
 06* Javy looks at her, unsure. "It... it looks like kind of. Um. A big 
deal, just... you're okay? I, I, if I can, just... you can tell. Me. I, 
just..." He looks up, and spots the new dude, and clams up the rest of 
the way.
 01<@Ardweden> [After a couple of minutes pass, Derek edges closer and 
asks, gently, "Sydney?"]
 06* Sydney turns slowly to look at him. "Hi, Derek? If you're looking 
for Rhi, she's got the other lunch period."
 01<@Ardweden> ["Uh, no. I'm looking for you?" He seems to realize that 
came out as a question and restates: "I was looking for you."]
<Sydney> Oh.  Um.  You found me?
 01<@Ardweden> [He shifts, looking a little uncomfortable, but then plows 
ahead. "Okay, good. I, um." Pause. "I was wondering if... I mean, I was 
wondering."]
 06* Sydney attempts one of her not-so-subtle glances towards Javy. And 
Tiffany. And everyone else in the entire cafeteria.
 06* Tiffany looks up at Javy for a moment as he clams up, head 
distracted away from her. She blinks at him and then raises up the 
splinted arm to give him a nosepoke. Right on the nose. Boop.
 01<@Ardweden> [Now that Sydney's looking, she realizes that a hush has 
fallen over their general section of the cafeteria. Derek tends to turn 
heads. Nevertheless, he finishes in a rush, "Will you go to Homecoming 
with me?"]
 06* Javy watches him curiously for a bit, but he starts when he gets 
poked, dropping his spoon back in his chili and looking at her wide-eyed, 
coloring all over his cheekbones and ears.
 06* Sydney notices that there are SO MANY PEOPLE looking at them now. 
"Uh. Oh. Um." She bites her lip, then manages to squeak out an "...okay."
 01<@Ardweden> [Derek's beautiful, brown eyes go wide. "*Really*? Thanks! 
I mean, great!" A huge smile breaks over his face. "Okay! I'll... that's 
great!" At that news, the cafeteria returns to its normal hum, now with 
added rumors about why Derek just asked Sydney out, I mean, she's a jock 
like him but she's a year younger and he could *totally* do better.]
 06* Sydney looks like she's had the wind knocked out of her. "Would... 
would you like to sit... or... things?"
 01<@Ardweden> ["Sure!" Derek sits down across from Sydney. As he does 
so, she (and anyone else actively paying attention) notices that behind 
him, maybe fifteen feet away, is Nate. He looks like he was approaching 
their table.]
 06* Tiffany lets out a little giggle, not really caring about the whole 
Sydney and Derek scenario. Then she does smile at least a little bit. 
"Shouldn't get distracted by other guys. You think he's hot?"
 01<@Ardweden> [Nate's expression is kind of stunned, and he adjusts his 
backpack and turns to head out of the cafeteria. It doesn't look like 
he'd gotten food yet.]
 06* Javy colors more at that, feeling his ears burn, and manages to 
respond to Tiffany, "I."
 06* Sydney sees Nate and then sees him turn to go and opens her mouth 
for a second and then looks at Javy and then just stops. Maybe Derek 
notices what she's doing, maybe not.
 06* Tiffany glances at his ears for a moment and leans forward, eyes 
fully locked on him. "Ninth letter of the alphabet." She pokes at her 
chili idly without breaking gaze.
 01<@Ardweden> [Derek's talking about Homecoming plans already, so nope, 
doesn't seem so.]
 06* Javy looks back at her, not averting his gaze, and then mumbles 
something and looks away, seeing Nate walking off suddenly, and he says, 
puzzled, "Nate?"
 01<@Ardweden> [Nate so doesn't hear him. He's already pushing a door 
open.]
 06* Tiffany pauses in response to Javy's statement, face going blank 
before she tries to peek around Javy to look where he's looking. 
"....Nate?"
 01<@Ardweden> [Tiffany catches some guy leaving the cafeteria, but she 
can tell by his... well, girth and backpack that that's Nate, all right.]
 06* Javy looks concerned again at Tiffany, and sets his spoon down. "He, 
I... I should go, um, I should see what... that's, he's not normal," he 
says, getting up. He pauses before he moves, and says, "Uh... you, you 
want to, come...?"
 06* Tiffany sighs a bit but does stand, glancing at Javy. "*You're* 
going. Besides, it's a good excuse to avoid questions." Not that anyone 
probably cares but still, no questions.
 06* Javy nods, shouldering his bag. "I... but. Okay, but... we can, if 
you're not coming, we'll talk, uh... later, right? Later today?"
 06* Tiffany frowns suddenly at Javy, edging closer. "I'm coming. I 
*said* I was coming..." The frown deepens. "...why would you think I 
wouldn't come?"
 06* Javy blinks, and then just suddenly smiles slightly, half-
embarrassed, half-relieved. He pushes a hand at his shoulder strap. "I, 
no. It's. I, just... sorry, it's, I got it wrong, I thought you meant... 
you wouldn't, and so. I. Sorry. Sorry, let's... come on, let's catch up."
 06* Tiffany nudges him. Carefully. "Just gooooooo."
 06* Javy nods again, and goes.
 01<@Ardweden> [Javy and Tiffany go! They don't need to look for long, as 
Javy knows Nate well enough to head towards the library and finds him 
sitting in the hall outside with his head in his hands. His backpack's on 
the floor next to him.]
 06* Javy approaches, loud enough to let him know they're coming, and 
then stops by his feet, and says, cautiously, "Nate?"
 01<@Ardweden> [Nate looks up, then wipes at his eyes in a hurry while 
trying to look like he's not wiping his eyes. "Yeah?"]
 06* Javy crouches opposite him. "What's wrong?"
 01<@Ardweden> [He sighs heavily and looks like he's about to say 
something when he spots Tiffany nearby. She is near, isn't she?]
 06* Tiffany is nearby, yes. She's been hanging around him. She frowns as 
Nate looks at her and takes a paused step back, rubbing her arm. "...I 
can go..."
 01<@Ardweden> [Nate looks at Javy, then back at Tiffany. He hesitates 
for a long moment before saying, "No. It's fine." He sits up straighter, 
trying to compose himself - trying to get more to the Nate that he 
usually is instead of the guy who was just crying outside of a library.]
 01<@Ardweden> ["I was..." Nate pauses, then says, "I was going to ask 
Sydney to Homecoming."]
 06* Javy sets a hand on Nate's knee and squeezes lightly, looking down 
at the floor beside him. "I... I didn't. You never said you were."
 01<@Ardweden> [Nate just shrugs. "It's fine. I didn't expect her to say 
yes." He removes his glasses, wiping them on his shirt. "Didn't want to 
get my hopes up." It seems he's talking as much to himself as he is to 
Javy.]
 06* Tiffany winces, as if hurt and turns her head away. "Nate..." she 
pushes her lip ring around with her mouth, turning it. "...why?"
 01<@Ardweden> [Nate looks at Tiffany like he doesn't really understand 
the question.]
 01<@Ardweden> [He also puts his glasses back on. It helps with the 
looking.]
 06* Javy squeezes his knee some more. Support squeezing.
 06* Tiffany doesn't understand her own question either apparently, cause 
she lets it drop, head casting down to avoid his look.
 06* Javy waits for an awkward beat, and then says reproachfully, "You 
should have told me. Still."
 01<@Ardweden> ["Sorry, man." Nate doesn't sound particularly sorry, 
since he's too busy being in his own (quietly) personal hell. "You didn't 
tell me you were going to ask Tiffany." Yup, not sorry.]
 06* Javy glances back at Tiffany apologetically, and then back at Nate. 
"But. I'm actually. Uh. Friends with Syd, I could have..."
 01<@Ardweden> [Nate shrugs. "Too late. Besides, she wouldn't have wanted 
to go with me. If I knew *he* was going to ask her out, I wouldn't have 
bothered."]
 06* Javy looks at Nate's knee, and his hand there, and says, "Nate..."
 01<@Ardweden> [Nate shakes his head. "It's fine, Javy. Really." He makes 
to stand up.]
 06* Javy lets go, and just looks at him. "I... you sure? Because. I 
know, I'm not great. Like. At talking, but. I'll talk with you. Or. 
Anything I can do."
 01<@Ardweden> ["Yeah, I know." Nate still doesn't really look okay, but 
he stands, grunting a little, then shoulders his backpack. "I'm going to 
sneak back into the cafeteria real quick. I'll talk to you guys later, 
okay?" And right there, he brought Tiffany back into this.]
 06* Javy watches him get up, and then pushes up from his crouch a second 
later. "Okay. You..." He nods again, mouth twisting to the side, and says 
again, "Okay."
 01<@Ardweden> [Nate reaches over, squeezes Javy's shoulder lightly, 
says, "Bye, Tiffany," and is out, leaving the pair alone. Again.]
 06* Tiffany watches Nate sneak away and then looks at Javy, then slumps 
against the wall. Geez.
 06* Javy watches him go, and leans against the wall, opposite Tiffany. 
"I never... I never guessed," he says softly.
 01<@Ardweden> [End!]