Allison grabbed Lydia's wrist before Lydia could flounce away from her locker. The swarms of people around them, all headed for the cafeteria, prevented Allison from actually saying much of anything, but she mouthed "Wait," and watched as the the traffic in the hall died down.

"I don't want to eat inside," Allison said. She held up a small tote bag. "So I took the liberty of making lunch for us. If you don't mind eating outside with me."

It was a few days after that night that the school, almost a week, but she still didn't like being in the halls or in the cafeteria. Luckily there were a few spots outside where they could eat, and Allison had one of the better spots in mind, secluded and generally quiet, with benches and a few tables.