Chapter 3

Nicole's P.O.V

The stranger to me had heard my confusion, and cleared her throat then repeated the question of hers. "I said, could you let go of my hand please? " her accent showing slightly, I looked down from her face and to where her left hand dangled, finding my right hand was interlocked with hers. I faintly blushed and pulled myself up with some help from the person standing near me. Once standing properly, I slid my hand away. I felt so humiliated.

I quietly mumbled an apologie, filling with pure dread. I tried walking away only to be stopped by the girl I was trying to escape from, we stare into each other's eyes for what seems like forever. Until the girl broke the silence "what is your name?.." she asked calmly, "N.nicole" I stuttered out. "What a lovely name" she complimented ,"thanks" I say quietly. "No problem, I'm Sarah by the way" she replies, smiling.

"Cool"

We stand there awkwardly not saying much, I fidgeting in place. The girl, which I now know by Sarah, once again spoke " hey um do you want to um.... how do I put this? Uh would you like to accompany me in consuming nutritients in a loud place setting?" She asked fumbling over her words, I stared at her staying silent thinking of an answer. Instead I ask my own question "are you asking me to sit with you at lunch?" The girl looked away, embarrassed. "Y.yes" she replied "hmm.. well that's a formal way of saying it" I remarked. "Is that a yes?" She once again asked getting closer to me, looking up at me with her emerald green eyes. "Sure" I simply say. "Yes!" Sarah cheered, causing me to chuckle. I started walking off doing a hand motion telling her to follow me, we walked in silence but this time it was more content then the last. I walk to the cafeteria going to the table I always sit at, Sarah still following behind. I sit down, having her sit next to me, she brings her backpack up to her lap opening it up and retrieving her lunch. I stare off not paying attention, I feel her gaze turned to me as I see a glimpse of her in my peripheral, I turned my head to her giving her my full attention.

"Nicole why aren't you getting out your lunch?"

"Oh um I don't really bring my lunch anymore, haven't for awhile now"

"why is that?" She questioned. I panicked, trying to come up with a reason quickly 'should I tell her the truth? No no I just met her just make up a plausible lie that makes sense and she wouldn't question'.

"I don't get hungry often, I usually eat twice a day once in the morning and once at night"

"Oh alright"

'Phew! She bought it, I can't just tell strangers my problems I will tell her the truth if we become friends'. We drift into silence, as she munches on her sandwich and I stare off again memorizing the people around me. I feel a roar in my stomach separating me from my thoughts, I look down at my stomach feeling the roaring appear again. I hug my stomach trying to sub-side the noise as well as I could, not to bring the girl who is sitting beside me attention. My attempt turned out bitter in the end. Sarah looked at me, having both a concerned and a confused face "is that you Nicole? Are you hungry?" I panicked even more as I sputtered out "No no I'm fin-" I was interrupted by my own stomach. 'Traitor' I thought, referring to my stomach. "No you are definitely hungry, here take some of my other sandwich, my mom always packs too much for me anyways so you can have it" Sarah spoke calmly, trying to hand me the other half of her sandwich.

"No no it's fine Sarah, I'll just get something when I get ho-"

"No, take part of my sandwich Nicole" she demanded, I obeyed taking part of her sandwich and slowly eating it, she gave me a cheerful smile and continued with her part of the sandwich.

~timeskip~

We talked through all of lunch, and most of the day. It's now the end of school and we're still chatting. We shared funny stories and got to know each other, I'm walking her home because she's still a bit skittish about walking the distance to and from her house she told me. I was quite happy to, it meant we got to talk more. Then, out of the blue, when we we're in the middle of a conversation, she spoke quietly "hey Nicole?".

"Yeah?"

"Um do you want to come over to my house and stay for dinner and even maybe the night?"

"Uh yeah sure, why not"

"Really?!"

"Yeah it seems like fun"

"Yes! Thank you so much!"

"Eh don't mention it Sar"

We finish getting to her house, her opening the door for me. She calls for her parents, having both appear in front of us. "Yes darling what is it?" one of them said. She had golden brown hair and greenish brown eyes, sporting a loose t-shirt paired with washed out jeans. "Yes what is it? I have papers to do" the other one stated, this one had black hair like Sarah's but had dark brown eyes instead of Sarah's emerald green ones and she sporting a white dress shirt with an untied tie around her neck and a pair of dark grey dress pants. "Well mama and mother, I wanted to know if my new friend Nicole could stayed for dinner and maybe the night?" as she said this she pulled me beside her, wrapping an arm around my neck even though I'm two inches taller than her. I look up at her parents weakly smiling feeling, as though I'm being interrogated. They look me over with stares of judgment, I hung my head as their watchful eyes focus on me "so? Can she?" Sarah chirped in "sure sweetie, just make sure it's okay with the person taking care of her" the cheerful one said,"yes it's fine, just don't disturb me while I'm working, I'll join you at supper" the other one chimed in with not nearly enough emotion as the first one did, wafting her hand as she spoke as if to shoo us away. The serious one had retreated back to her office without another word, the atmosphere around the remaining three of us felt very awkward and dense. "Don't mind Terra, she can get a little aggressive when you disturb her and her precious work, I'm Sarah's mama but you can call me Denise and you are?" The sweet one asked that I now know as Denise. "Nicole, it's nice to meet you Miss" I replied putting my hand out to shake. "Well it's nice to meet you to Nicole" she said shaking my hand "dinner will be done soon why, don't you two go up to Sarah's room and past the time until it is done and make sure to call her mother to inform her about Nicole staying here" she continued, letting go of my hand and looking over to her daughter. I let my hand fall back to my side. "Okay mom! Come on Nicole!" Sarah spoke happily, "Okay" I say simply.

We walk up a two flights of stairs making it to the second floor, Sarah skips down the hall to a door that I assume is her bedroom. I follow behind her slowly, feeling uncomfortable being in someone else's house and not my own. We scampered inside, Sarah immediately sitting down at a desk grabbing and opening a journal and writing something on one of the pages. I stand off to the side leaning against the wall nearest to me. I pull out my phone, texting my mom that I will be home tomorrow after school because I was staying at a new friend's house. I put my phone back in my pocket looking around the room, taking in all of it before me. Her walls were a crisp white except for one which was a light shade of teal, her bedframe was a warm oak colour, her sheets and pillows are a darker teal with white patterning on it. Over her bed was a window, the frames being white as well. The curtains were white too but had a gold pattern on them, her dresser and desk were wooden and the same colour as the bedframe, her desk had a rolly chair which was white as well, her room had hardwood floors them being a dark oak colour. Lastly, it seemed ever surface that was able to be covered was with tons and tons of knickknacks. It seems I had been in my own thoughts for a while because I had miss hearing Sarah trying to get my attention.

"Nicole!!"

"Eh?!"

"Come over here!"

"Alright"

I walked over to where Sarah was sitting, standing next to her "now what was it that you wanted me over here for?" I asked, looking over to her confused. "I want you to help me explain how we meet in my journal" Sarah excitedly remarked. "Okay?" I was still rather confused but didn't ask anymore questions.

"Alright then, let's get started!"

~timeskip~

We had been working on explaining our first meeting when we we're called down for dinner. I kept quiet, except for when Denise asked how my day went. Other than that the three of them did most of the talking but it was fun to hear their conversations. When we finished eating, Sarah and I went back up stairs. Sitting down on her bed, we sat down in complete silence. She spoke suddenly "you want me to get you a set of night clothes to sleep in tonight?"

"No I think I can just sleep in the clothes I have on"

"No Nicole you can't do that I wouldn't allow it, I'll get you a pair of nightwear then we'll both go get changed so you don't have to go alone and try to find the bathroom okay?"

"Okay.."

"Alright then"

She went and got us both a pair of pajamas from her dresser, handing one of the pairs to me. Heading off to the bathroom, I stood outside the door as Sarah went inside to change first. Once she finally finished I slipped inside, closing the door. The clothes she had picked for me weren't what I normally pick and considering she's shorter than me her clothes were a little bit smaller, I slipped off the clothes I was wearing and put on the pajamas I was given. I looked in the long vertical mirror they had hanging on the door. The shirt was quite short on me, leaving a good portion of my stomach to stick out which was uncomfortable for me. The shorts fit but again me being taller than Sarah made them look shorter, showing off alot of my legs which made me even more uncomfortable. I pick up my discarded clothes on the floor placing them in front of my stomach blocking it from the people facing me eyes. I open the door seeing Sarah leaning up against the wall on her side.

"Well it looks like your done, come on let's go back to my room"

"Okay.." I reply simply. We walk back to her room, setting up a place for me to sleep with some extra blankets and pillows we found in Sarah's closet. I lay on my make shift bed, wrapping myself up in a blanket. Sarah sat criss crossed on her bed facing me "so how are the nightwear? Do they fit?" She asked. "There comfortable, but they only sort of fit me it shows alot of my stomach and legs which is uncomfortable for me but it's fine" I answered.

"Oh gosh I'm sorry!"

"It's alright"

"No it's not your my guest and friend you have to feel comfortable, hmmm oh here!" She said handing me a grey baggy sweater she found I put it on, it covering my stomach.

"Um thanks"

"Welcome"

We talked for a while more before Denise came in and told us it's time to go to sleep. We said goodnight to Denise getting comfortable in our beds, just as I was about to drift off I hear a quiet whisper from Sarah. I turn my head to her, having an questionnaire look on my face. "Nicole?" She whispered to me, sitting up on her bed. "Yeah?" I whispered back, still confused "thanks for being my friend" Sarah smiled at me.

"Heh welcome, night"

"Night"

And with that we went to sleep. I still couldn't fully believe I had made a friend so quickly and so strangely too, but some mysteries are supposed to be left unsolved.....