~CALI~

The class was not boring at all, I have to admit that Lana helped me a lot and was very good to me, although it was not her duty to do so, maybe she liked me too. The teacher explained to us about abstract art and showed us the things we could do with it, she also showed us some of the drawings that she made throughout her career and they were all wonderful, each one had a meaning and it seemed simply beautiful to me. I still don't know my classmates well, but there was a boy who was looking at me the whole class and I couldn't help but get nervous, I never paid attention to any boy and I don't think this time will be the exception.

  The bell rang and I knew class was over, everyone got up from their seats and almost ran out. I took my things and Lana stood next to me, waiting for me, which surprised me. She smiled at me and I smiled back, maybe she wanted to spend the break with me and maybe she also wanted to be my friend. I was going to say something, but a six-foot-tall blond boy appeared and put his arm around her shoulders, then gave her a kiss on her lips and I knew it must be her boyfriend.

  "Come on, precious?" He asked her and she nodded.

  "Yes, just wait for me a second," she said, "Cali, what do you think if I show you around town after school?"

  I was surprised, she smiled waiting for my answer, so I didn't want to disappoint her and I nodded.

  "Sounds perfect," I smiled and her boyfriend seemed to notice my presence, but he just made a face.

  "Perfect!" she smiled again, "See you at the exit then."

  I nodded and they left, I finished taking my things and left the room. As I mentioned before, the institute was very big, so it is almost impossible to know where the cafeteria was and I was starving, I needed to savor a breakfast right now. I sighed and began to walk with my books in my arms while I looked around, looking for the cafeteria, before I did not have these problems because my old institute was not so big and I also knew it by heart, I can perfectly remember every part of that institute like if I'm seeing it right now. I saw a girl carrying a tray and walking into a large room on the first floor, so I assumed this was the cafeteria. I walked there but I ran into someone and my things fell to the ground, I cursed under my breath and bent down to pick up my things, today was not a very pleasant day.

  "I ... I'm sorry," he apologized, it was a boy, the same one who was watching me in class.

  "It doesn't matter," I replied.

  "Let me help you," he said as he gathered my things, then smiled and handed them to me, "sometimes I'm very clumsy, excuse me for not seeing you."

  "I didn't see you either, so it's not your fault," I answered, "Do you know where the cafeteria is?"

  "Sure, do you want me to come with you?" He asked and I nodded, he made a sign for me to follow him and I did.

  Apparently if I was in the place I thought, when I entered I visualized the people who were there, the place was huge and there were too many people but they could not cover all the tables, some were empty since some tables were crowded together. I followed the boy and we ordered our food, I was going to pay for it but he went ahead and paid for my food too, I was surprised.

  "You didn't have to pay for my food," I looked for my money in my pocket and handed it to him, "take it."

  "It's nothing, I'm not going to accept your money," he said without taking the money, he sat down at an empty table and I followed suit.

  I frowned as he ate his breakfast without saying anything.

  "I didn't need you to pay, I could pay for it."

  "Are you always this proud?" he asked and laughed, "By the way, my name is Evan."

  I sighed: "I am Cali."

  "I know," he replied and bit into his apple, "it's a nice name, it's an abbreviation for Calliope, right?"

  "Yes, but I don't like being called like that," I drank some of my juice, "so just tell me Cali."

  "Only Cali, saved," he smiled, "where do you come from?"

  "From Springfield," I replied.

  "Like The Simpsons?" He asked surprised and we laughed.

  "Yeah, I used to go to Springfield's Primary with Bart Simpson," I lied.

  We laughed again and started chatting about our lives.

  Evan told me that he has lived in the village forever, he was practically born here and his parents were too, and that he did not want to spend the rest of his life here like them. He plans to study journalism and move to New York to become the best journalist in the country, but for that he needed to finish high school first. He told me that he has two little sisters and that his parents separated when the last one was born, I thought that made him sad but he told me about the bad relationship he had with his father and I could not imagine myself having a bad relationship with my father, him He was always the best father in the world and I am grateful to have had him in my life.

  When the break ended, each one went to their corresponding classes, I was given chemistry and I did not pay attention in the whole class. I was bored and couldn't help but think that things would be completely different now. Perhaps at this moment I would be with my friends, laughing especially and having a good time, I would be without worries because I would know that when I would return home my parents would be there.

(...)

  Finally the class finished, I took my things and I left the institute, I was tired. I visualized Lana waiting for me outside the building, she waved her hand for me to come over and I did.

  "How was your first day?" she asked, smiling.

  "Pretty good," I smiled, "where will we go?"

  "I was thinking of going to eat something, would you?"

  "Of course I do," I smiled, starving.

  She put hers around my arm and we started walking, I followed her since I didn't know the place. We walked a few blocks, it wasn't that far from the institute so it seemed perfect for lunch. When we entered I saw the place in detail, it was beautiful and it looked from the eighties, it was so vintage.

  "Grandma!" Lana exclaimed and hugged a lady who was behind the counter, the lady smiled and returned her greeting.

  "How is my girl?" Asked the lady, pressing her cheeks.

  "Well, I brought someone," Lana notified him, pointing at me, "her name is Cali and she's new to town."

  "Welcome, you seem somewhat familiar to me," the lady said, trying to remember if she saw me somewhere, "what are your parents' names?"

  I gulped, still not used to talking about my parents out loud.

  "My father's name was Eduard Jackson and my mother's Melissa Andrews," I replied, it still hurt to name them.

  The lady made a surprised face and put a hand to her heart.

  "I'm very sorry, my girl," I noticed some sadness in her voice, "I knew your parents when they were children, they were very sweet people and they surely loved you too much."

  I nodded and turned my gaze, I felt an immense urge to cry right now and I had a lump in my throat, I couldn't talk about them or be told things like that because my heart couldn't bear the idea that they were not there yet. Lana looked at me sadly and put her hand on my back, I didn't say anything because I didn't want my voice to break.

  "Let's sit down so we order the food," she said calmly, she seemed to know my pain and know how to treat it, she didn't ask me questions either. I nodded and we sat at a table by the window, "What do you want to eat?" she handed me the menu.

  I sighed and looked at the menu options, I didn't have a lot of money so I couldn't pay much. I opted for a ham and cheese sandwich, it seemed perfect and inexpensive, I looked at Lana who seemed to have already chosen her lunch and was waiting for me to finish choosing, she looked at me waiting for an answer.

  "I'm going to order a ham and cheese sandwich," I told her and she rolled her eyes, gestured to one of the waitresses and she approached.

  "Do you like hamburgers?" she asked me and I nodded, "let's order two large hamburgers, with potatoes and two cokes," she ordered and the table nodded as she wrote down, I was going to tell him that I wanted a sandwich but she left, "the house invites so you don't have to pay anything."

  "It wasn't necessary," I sighed, I don't know what everyone here wants to pay for everything I'm going to consume.

  "Do you like the cafeteria?" she asked, ignoring what I said.

  "Yes, I really like the style," I commented.

  "Thank you, I made some adjustments to make it more aesthetically beautiful," she smiled, pointing to the place, "This cafeteria is a family inheritance, my great-grandfather inherited it to my grandmother and she will inherit it to me," she said proudly.

  "How nice that you can have something that will always remind you of your family," I smiled.

  She nodded, we were talking about school things until the food arrived and we started eating. I liked spending time with her, she was very kind to me and she always brings up the topic of conversation so that there is no awkward silence, I was happy to have a friend in the city and I had just arrived, I didn't think she would find friends so easily and it surprises me, I thought it would be very difficult for me to adapt to the people here. The hamburger was too rich, I was enjoying this meal and the company of Lana, it was a nice and comfortable moment.

  The sound of the door opening was heard, Lana directed her gaze there and then lowered it, as if she was trying to hide. I looked at her confused and turned to see who it was, it was three girls who approached the counter and one of the girls was talking quietly with Lana's grandmother, she seemed so superficial. The girl turned her gaze and saw Lana, smiled and approached with the others.

  "I see you're still gaining weight," said the blonde girl, I was surprised and Lana rolled her eyes.

  "Can you leave me alone?"

  "Dear Lana, I only care about your health, you are too fat," she replied, "and with hamburgers you will only gain more weight, I don't think Federick likes you like that."

  "Shut up!" she yelled at her, "don't you have to go throw up the two pieces of toast you ate for breakfast?"

  That was a blow, the girl frowned, disgusted by what Lana just said and also surprised, I was too. She did not say anything else, she just went to the counter and took the milkshakes she had ordered, she left with her friends and I was still surprised by what just happened, although I am against that type of comment since it is about a food problem, that girl deserved it.

  "I'm sorry," Lana apologized, "she's my sister, she was always my mother's favorite for being so perfect," she sighed.

  "You must not apologize for anything, she attacked you."

  "She's always like that, she likes to embarrass me in public."

  "You don't have to let her do it, you're beautiful just the way you are, I don't see anything wrong with you," I said and she blushed.

  "Don't lie to me, I'm fat," She rested her arms on the table.

  "You're not fat, you have a pretty figure and that's why she envies you, being that skinny she can't have what you have."

  The truth is that I have nothing against skinny girls, but how I detest that kind of women wanting to show off their slim body and make other women who don't have it feel bad. That is why men do not value us, because we do not do it and we judge each other, we would have to be united instead of wanting to do evil to another woman, but all women seek to compete against other women, why? For men, most only want men to like them and that is why they denigrate other women, to look superior and more attractive to men, really ridiculous.