[ PM ] Anything goes . Knock yourself out .

The Girl in the Cafeteria 
 
 I slowly trudge to the cafeteria table in the corner nearest to the garbage cans. I sit down on the cold metal seat and drop my heavy brown sack lunch on the table. No one comes to sit by me. But it ’ s okay. I like to be alone. It lets me think and watch others around me. I scan the cafeteria. There is the football table at the front of the room, the cheerleader table right next to it, the choir and drama people at a table in about the middle, and the nerd ’ s table closer to the back near to me. There were other unidentified tables scattered throughout the lunch room. The outcasts banded together as a group of people who didn ’ t belong to any other group. 
 The outcasts often tried to get me to hang out with them. With so many different backgrounds, interests, and hobbies there was often ridiculous disputes at the tables. I did n't find any interest in taking part in the debates over whether Spock could beat Stephen Hawkings in an intellectual argument. Or which of the superheroes were best. I liked my table of solitude. 
 
 One day while surveying the lunch room, I spotted a girl with beautiful auburn hair sit down at one of the “ neutral ” tables. As others took their seats, I heard a conversation begin to come from the table. I watched as they all turned to her as she spoke. The occupants of the table began to develop sour looks which were being shot at the newcomer. Suddenly she yanked up her tray and moved to an empty table adjacent to mine. I saw her fight back tears as she slowly ate. I felt pity for her, I felt anger for the people that made her upset, and above all I felt a love for this girl that I had never met before. 
 
 On this day, instead of scanning everyone in the lunchroom, I only paid attention to her. She had pale skin which complemented her reddish hair. Freckles dotted her rosy cheeks and carefully carved face. She continued to blink back tears, her mascara starting to gently stream down her soft pink cheeks. Her hands clumsily held the food from her lunch tray as she shook with loneliness and sorrow. She was magnificent. She was an angel. 
 
 I needed to walk over to her table and hug her against my chest. I needed to tell her she was amazing. I needed to sit next to her and hear her silky voice. I needed to be there for her. But I couldn ’ t. I was a coward. I couldn ’ t bring myself to be anywhere near this perfectly created person. Who was I to sit next to someone so wonderful? She didn ’ t want me. She could steal anybody ’ s heart just by looking at them. The abrupt bell rang, shaking me from my hypnotic stare. She glanced up at me and smiled slightly as she collected her trash. I looked down embarrassed. I realizing that I hadn ’ t touched my lunch. I gathered up the food in the paper bag and threw it away. 
 
 The next day I gathered up my courage. I spent all of second period rehearsing what I would say to her. At lunch I rushed to my table in the far corner, anxious to see the new girl. After the line had diminished, I looked to the adjacent table for her. But the table was empty. Confused, I scanned the cafeteria. Maybe she was absent today? Or maybe she didn ’ t want to eat in the lunchroom? I scanned the spacious room in one last attempt, hoping to see her. Then I spotted her. She was sitting at the front of the cafeteria. At the table, she was surrounded by other girls in short skirts and white tennis shoes. She had become one of the cheerleaders. 
 I wasted my chance. I was afraid of what she and others would think. As a result I let one of the most beautiful people slip out of my life. I sighed, fighting back tears in my eyes as I quietly finished my lunch alone. 

