Shelter by Tara Shuler Page B

they’d chosen to turn some of their attention to me. Attention was one thing I definitely did not need.
    Jamie stood up to run away, but this time they were ready for her. Two of their friends stood up and blocked her way. She tried to turn around and walk the other way, but they blocked her there, too.
    “What’s the matter, piggy?” Amanda mocked. “Why are you leaving your trough before you eat your slop?”
    One of the girls pushed Jamie down into her seat. Jamie looked at the floor. The girl grabbed a fistful of Jamie’s hair and shoved her face down into the food on her tray.
    “Eat, piggy!” shouted Amanda. “Eat!”
    I heard a booming voice yell, “Stop!”
    I jerked my head up and saw Max standing at the end of the table, and he slammed his fists on the table in a direct challenge to all of them. He easily towered over all of them, and he was built, too. His dark eyes flashed fire, and he dared any of them to start something with him.
    “What is your problem?” Amanda asked him with a scoff.
    “My problem is that I’m sick of bitches like you thinking you’re better than everyone else,” Max said icily, waggling his finger at her. “So back… the fuck… off!”
    Max glared at Amanda with a stare that could have frozen boiling water in an instant, and she backed down.
    She looked over at Ashley and said, “I think he’s insane. We’d better leave before he hacks us into pieces and carries us home in his backpack.”
    Ashley rolled her eyes and the two of them burst into laughter as they walked away. After they had left the lunchroom, Max turned to Jamie.
    “Are you alright?” he asked her sincerely.
    “I’m fine,” she said, looking at the floor.
    “Don’t let them bother you,” he urged her. “They’re not worth it.”
    She nodded, but still she stared at the floor.
    Max turned his attention to me. “Are you alright?”
    “Me?” I asked. “I’m fine, why?”
    “I was just wondering,” he said. “They’re not bothering you, are they?”
    “No,” I told him.
    “Good,” he said. “May I sit with you?”
    I nodded. He took a seat beside me and looked at Jamie as she tried to pick bits of brownie and corn out of her hair. He frowned sorrowfully. He handed Jamie a handful of napkins from the dispenser at the end of the table. She took them without making eye contact, but she managed to thank him.
    He shook his head, and said, “I’ll never understand why some people have to act like that.”
    “Me, either,” I agreed.
    “So what is there to do around here after school?” he asked me.
    “Don’t look at me,” I said. “I have no idea.”
    “Are you new here, too?” he asked.
    “Sort of,” I answered. “I was homeschooled until this year, but I’ve lived here all my life. Never really had any friends.”
    “I see,” he nodded. “Guess we’re out of luck, then.”
    “Bowling,” muttered Jamie.
    “Hmm?” I asked her. I hadn’t quite heard what she said.
    “She said bowling,” Max said.
    “Yeah,” Jamie verified, still not making eye contact.
    “I’ve never been bowling before,” I said.
    “Neither have I,” Max added.
    “It’s fun,” Jamie said. “My parents take us sometimes.”
    “Well, then it’s settled,” Max stated.
    “What’s settled?” I wanted to know.
    “We’ll all go bowling this weekend,” he said, as if the answer was completely obvious. “What’s the best day to go?”
    “Sunday,” Jamie answered. “Too crowded Friday and Saturday.”
    “Alright, then we’ll all go bowling on Sunday,” Max said. “What time?”
    “About two?” Jamie responded.
    “Okay, two o’clock on Sunday afternoon? Where’s the bowling alley?” Max asked Jamie.
    “On Main Street just across from the Kroger,” she said.
    “Got it,” he said. “You ladies aren’t going to stand me up, right?”
    Jamie shook her head. In all this time, she still hadn’t looked up. Max turned to look at me.
    “And what about you?” he