Chapter 18: As Annoying as Ever
Manon's gaze drifted across the wall, her eyes lingering on the colorful descriptions of the special lunch dishes for the day. Chicken nuggets... finally! she thought, a little thrill of anticipation bubbling inside her.
"Mariam," Manon said, turning to her friend, her voice a little louder than necessary with excitement, "today is chicken nugget day! I can't wait!"
"Where's Ria?" Manon asked Mariam, her eyes scanning the bustling cafeteria. She spotted Ria near a window, her brow slightly furrowed as she seemed lost in thought. Manon frowned, a flicker of concern mixing with her nugget anticipation. "Hey, Mariam, where did Ria disappear to?"
Mariam turned, a hint of impatience in her sigh. "Honestly, Manon, always so dramatic." She rolled her eyes playfully. "She said she had a meeting for her club."
"Oh, okay," Manon said, the excitement about the nuggets returning as she headed towards the cafeteria line. A small smile touched her lips as she imagined the first crispy bite. Her eyes flickered up and met Andrew's, who stood a few spots ahead, laughing with some of his classmates. Manon quickly averted her gaze, pretending to be intensely interested in the menu board above. Ugh, him.
Her attention snapped back to the serving area as she saw the last few golden-brown nuggets nestled under the heat lamp. Only five remained. Yes! she thought triumphantly. Only Andrew and a couple of other people stood between her and her prize.
Andrew turned, perhaps feeling her stare or simply finishing his conversation. A familiar smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Excuse me," he said to the server, his voice carrying just enough for Manon to hear, "I'll take one chicken nugget."
Manon's eyebrows drew together slightly. She mentally counted the remaining nuggets – four. Okay, still good, she told herself.
"Actually," Andrew continued, pausing for a beat as he glanced back in her general direction, a mischievous glint in his eyes, "make that two." Manon's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. Then, with a final, deliberate motion, he pointed. "And I'll take the rest." He walked away with the small plate piled high, the very chicken nuggets Manon had been dreaming of.
Manon stared at the empty spot under the heat lamp for a moment, a wave of disbelief washing over her, quickly followed by a surge of pure frustration. She let out a small huff. With a sigh that was a little too loud, she turned to the server. "I'll have a... a sandwich, please." The words felt flat and disappointing on her tongue.
She walked over to their usual table, her shoulders slightly slumped. Ria was already there, a notebook open in front of her. Mariam looked up as Manon approached. Manon slid into the seat beside Ria, placing her sandwich down with a little more force than necessary.
Mariam looked at Manon's plate, her eyebrows raised in surprise. "Hey, I thought you were practically vibrating with excitement for chicken nuggets?"
Manon picked at a corner of her sandwich, avoiding eye contact. "Yeah, well," she mumbled, "things changed. I don't want to talk about it." Her tone was clipped, hoping Mariam would drop the subject.
Classes ended early, and Manon practically flew out of the classroom, weaving through the crowded hallways, eager to escape. A relieved smile bloomed on her face as she spotted the familiar sight of the school gates. She quickened her pace, clutching her bag tightly, and practically skipped onto the sidewalk, taking a deep breath of the fresh air.
"Manon! Where are you going like a rocket?"
Manon jumped, a startled yelp escaping her lips. She stumbled slightly, her hand flying to her chest. "Andrien!" she exclaimed, her heart pounding. "You almost gave me a heart attack! I thought you were..." She turned to see Andrew leaning against the gatepost, a smug grin plastered across his face.
Andrien simply stood there, his shoulders shaking with laughter. Manon rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. She gave them both a quick nod. "See you guys," she said, making a beeline for the actual exit. But her bag suddenly snagged. She tugged, but it wouldn't budge. With an inward groan, she turned to see Andrew holding the strap, his grin widening. She let out a dramatic sigh and shot a pointed glare at Andrien.
Andrew gently pulled her away from the gate, not letting go of her bag. "I will get you back for this, Andrew!" she called out to Andrien, her voice a mixture of playful threat and genuine annoyance as Andrew steered her in the opposite direction.
As Manon and Andrew walked down the quieter hallway, the silence stretched between them. Finally, Manon broke it. "So," she said, her tone laced with curiosity despite her earlier frustration, "how did you even know I was planning to make a run for it?"
Andrew glanced at her, a playful glint in his eyes. His usual charming and slightly flirty gaze lingered on her for a moment, a small smile playing on his lips.
Manon huffed, crossing her arms. "Stop looking at me like that," she said, trying to sound annoyed but feeling a slight warmth creep into her cheeks anyway. "Your charm doesn't work on me anymore. Living with Andrien, you kind of get immune to the whole 'intense stare' thing."
He chuckled softly, a genuine sound that Manon had to admit she didn't entirely dislike. "Since the day I met you, Manon," he said, his voice a little softer now, "I knew you were... different."
Manon's eyebrows drew together in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Andrien called me earlier today," Andrew explained, his eyes twinkling, "betting me that you'd try to bail on the club activities the second school ended."
Manon clenched her hands, looking down at her sneakers. Of course Andrien would do that. Andrew stopped walking and turned to face her, a reassuring smile on his face. "But luckily for you," he said, gesturing towards himself with a mock-heroic pose, "I'm here to make sure you don't miss out on all the fun. And I promise," he added, flashing a confident grin, "I won't let you get bored of this club."
Manon looked at him skeptically, a small challenge in her eyes. "You won't be able to handle me for three days."
He chuckled, reaching for the handle of a door slightly down the hall. "We'll just have to see about that, won't we?" He opened the door, revealing a room filled with the murmur of voices and the clatter of game pieces. "After you."
Inside, three girls and two boys were gathered around a table, engrossed in a board game. Manon glanced to her left and did a double-take. Ray was sprawled in Andrew's office chair, his feet propped up on the desk, arms crossed, a ridiculously smug expression on his face as he watched her enter. The sight was so unexpected and out of place that Manon couldn't help the small snort of laughter that escaped her.
Andrew followed her gaze and chuckled. He leaned closer, his voice a low murmur near her ear, sending a slight shiver down her spine. "So," he said, his breath warm against her neck, "fancy my throne, Manon?"
The way he said her name, with that teasing lilt, made her stomach do a little flip. Manon subtly shifted, trying to ignore the warmth spreading through her. Flustered, she turned and lightly pushed him away with the back of her hand. "Are you okay?" she blurted out, the question sounding a little too loud in the sudden quiet as the others looked up from their game, a few stifling giggles. Manon glanced back at the chair, but Ray had vanished. Weird.
"What was that all about?" Manon murmured to herself, a puzzled frown creasing her forehead. She looked at Andrew, who winced slightly, then clapped his hands together, drawing everyone's attention back to him.
"Alright, everyone," Andrew announced, a wide smile on his face, "this is Manon." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "She's a first-year, and she's officially our newest member of the All You Can Do Club!"
Manon shot him a playful glare but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. She turned to a girl who offered a warm, genuine smile and approached her.
"Hi, Manon," the girl said, her voice friendly. "I'm Lean." Her brown hair shone under the room's lights as she gracefully tucked a loose strand behind her ear. "I'm in second year. It's really nice to meet you."
Manon nodded, returning the smile. "Nice to meet you too, Lean." She appreciated Lean's welcoming attitude.
"And I'm Steven, from second year," a boy with striking blue hair said, flashing a confident smile that revealed a dimple. "Pretty sure everyone knows the name around here." He winked. Who wouldn't know Steven, the school's legendary basketball player with an unbelievable thirty awards in his first year?
Two more girls stepped closer, their eyes curious as they took in Manon. "So, you're a first-year, and your name is Manon? Wow, what a cute name!" one of them said, her tone genuinely enthusiastic.
Manon felt their friendly gaze and a bit of relief wash over her. Sensing the slight shift in the atmosphere as the introductions went on, Andrew gently placed a hand on Manon's back. "Alright, that's enough with the staring. You guys can get back to your intense game of... whatever that is."
A slightly taller boy stood up, placing himself directly in front of Andrew, a polite but firm expression on his face. Andrew chuckled awkwardly, glancing at the boy. "Oh, right! James, my bad. I almost forgot you were here, lost in the gaming zone."
James gave Andrew a brief look before turning his attention to Manon, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Manon," he said, his eyes genuinely kind. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Andrien's sister, right?"
Manon nodded, a little surprised by his directness but appreciating his friendly demeanor.
"Okay, well, that's all the time we have for introductions for now. The actual meeting starts in five minutes," Andrew announced, smoothly stepping between Manon and James, effectively ending their conversation.