BFF Breakup by Taylor Morris

over from Brooke’s.
    As I walked to lunch to meet her, I ran into Susanna and her friends Natalie and Julia, who I liked right away. (Confession: maybe because they complimented me on my outfit.) We all walked to the caf together. I didn’t see Brooke yet, so I got in line with the girls and got food so I could save her a seat when she got there. We chose a table next to a group of rowdy guys, and I thought how easy this whole thing was, walking into the school cafeteria and sitting down for lunch on the first day. Entire movies were made about how horrible this moment could be, but those were totally exaggerated.
    â€œI love how Mr. Trent was all serious about how every person in the theater is crucial, even if you’re not onstage,” Julia was saying. “Like anyone will actually be happy if they get stuck doing something backstage? What’s the point?”
    â€œSome people take drama because they actually want to do stuff backstage, you know,” Natalie told her.
    â€œYeah, the ugly people,” Susanna said, and we all laughed.
    â€œDid you notice Mr. Trent’s socks?” I asked. “They were lime green with little red hearts on them.”
    â€œHearts?” Julia asked. “How cute!”
    â€œOr weird,” Susanna said. “Why would a grown man wear heart socks?”
    â€œBecause it’s fun!” Julia said, scooping up more chili with her plastic spoon.
    â€œI thought they were cute,” I said.
    â€œYou would,” Susanna said, and just as I wondered what that was supposed to mean, she smiled and bumped her shoulder into mine, showing me she was just teasing.
    â€œDoes anyone have Ms. Winston for math?” Natalie asked. We all said no. “Great. She’s like a tyrant. She already gave us homework and she called me out in class for staring out the window. Plus, I have to sit beside this weird kid who was wearing a tie .”
    â€œI saw him!” Julia said. “Who does he think he is? The principal?”
    â€œI know that kid,” I said, feeling good that I knew him, like I had special information that added to the convo. “Chris Meyers.” I thought of him doing the worm at the end-of-the-year dance, and how Brooke kissed him that one time. She’d thought he was funny but I wasn’t so sure. “He’s totally weird.”
    â€œWell, obviously,” Susanna said. “Didn’t you just hear Natalie say he’s wearing a tie to school?”
    â€œYeah,” I said, “but you don’t know how weird.”
    I loved being a part of a group. It wasn’t until then, at lunch, that I realized how much of my life had been just me and Brooke. I’m not complaining—Brooke was my best friend and I’ve always love hanging out with her. This was just different. Maybe better, because more people were there and there was a better chance of something really cool happening.
    â€œWho do you have for math?” Natalie asked me.
    Before I could answer, a voice behind me said, “Hello? Madeline, what’s the deal?”
    I turned to see Brooke standing behind me, her face both droopy and angry at the same time. “Hey! Where’ve you been? We’re half done eating already.” It felt horrible to admit, but I’d sort of forgotten about her.
    â€œWaiting for you,” she said.
    â€œI’ve been waiting for you .”
    â€œWe said we were going to meet outside the cafeteria,” she said.
    â€œWhy would we meet outside?” I asked. I got the feeling that everyone was staring at us—because they actually were—so I said, “Whatever. You’re here now. Here, I saved you a seat.” I moved my bag off the chair next to me.
    â€œHey, look!” Susanna said. “Your hair is dry!”
    Brooke scrunched up her face. “Huh?”
    â€œSo no one flushed your head down the toilet?”
    The other girls snorted. Brooke didn’t