Stealing Bradford

“Is there a problem here?” demanded DJ from behind her.

Madison turned with narrowed eyes. Then she peered more closely as if trying to remember DJ. “Yeah, the problem is that this is our table.”

DJ stood taller as she simply shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“It is so,” insisted Tina.

“Sorry, but it’s our table now. My friends and I already put our stuff here.” DJ pointed over to where Taylor and Eliza were waiting in line and watching rather intently. “See,” she said as if speaking to very young children, “those are my friends and these are our bags and this is our table.”

Madison and Tina both looked over at the lunch line now. Just then Eliza smiled and cupped her hand in a cute little wave and Taylor waved too, although not nearly as sweetly, and her expression was totally serious and somewhat intimidating.

“Whatever!” snapped Madison. “But just because you and your Barbie-doll friends got this table today, doesn’t mean you’ll get it next time.”

“I guess we’ll see about that,” said DJ.

Then she and Kriti watched as the intruders went to save another table. DJ turned to Kriti, who still looked a little upset. “Those girls are so lame.” DJ shook her head. “Why don’t I stay with our things for now.” Then she dug a five-dollar bill out of her purse and handed it to Kriti. “Just order me a cheeseburger and fries and a coke, okay?”

Kriti nodded with an uncertain expression.

“Eliza will give you cuts in line,” promised DJ.

“Okay.” Kriti went over and DJ sat down, ready to ward off any more interlopers.

Before long, Rhiannon showed up. DJ told her to leave her stuff and go get some lunch. “Did you see Casey?” she asked as Rhiannon hung the strap of her large carpet bag over the back of a chair.

“Not since third period. I have art with her.”

“How did she seem then?”

Rhiannon’s brow creased. “Not happy.”

DJ kept an eye out for Casey, but she didn’t see her anywhere in the commons. DJ wondered what she’d do if she did see her. Would she invite her to join them? And if she did, would the others get mad? Not Rhiannon, of course, but Taylor would. And Eliza might not show it, but she’d be irritated too. Maybe Casey had made some new friends by now—freaky kids who needed to make a statement to the world by making themselves look ridiculous.

Finally, Eliza, Taylor, and Kriti came back to the table, setting down their lunches and getting seated.

“I can’t believe you’re going to eat that.” Taylor eyed DJ’s cheeseburger with undisguised disgust. “Do you have any idea how many calories are in that greasy meal?”

“Fat too,” warned Eliza. “You really should be more careful, DJ.”

“Thanks for the nutritional counseling session,” said DJ. “But don’t worry, I’ll burn off all the calories and more at volleyball practice after school.”

“You are seriously going out for volleyball?” asked Taylor.

“Well, it’s not that serious, but I am going out.”

“You actually want to hang with the jock girls and go around smelling like Deep Heat and old sweat socks?”

DJ made a face at Taylor before taking a big a bite of her cheeseburger.

“Just when I thought there was hope for you.” Taylor turned to Eliza now. “See, you can take the grunge outta that girl, but you can’t take the girl outta the grunge.”

“Volleyball is fun,” insisted DJ. “And good exercise.” She pointed a fry at the salads that Eliza, Taylor, and Kriti were picking at. “And if you guys went out for sports, you could indulge in some real food instead of grazing on greens all the time.”

DJ looked at Kriti now. “And what about you? You mentioned that you’d think about going out?”

Kriti’s brow creased. “I don’t think so.”

“But you’re good.”

She nodded. “Yes, but I’m considering something else.”

“What?” demanded DJ.

Kriti looked down at her salad and mumbled, “Debate team.”

“Hello, geek squad,” said Taylor.

“My forensics teacher thinks I’d be good. He’s already encouraging me to try out for it.”

“Why wouldn’t he?” said Taylor. “I’m sure it’s not easy to recruit kids, even the geeks, enticing them to put on those shapeless debate team jackets and stand in front of a live audience and make total fools of themselves.”

Kriti scowled at Taylor now. “I wonder what you’ll be saying ten years from now, Taylor, when I am an attorney or maybe even a judge and you’re serving cocktails in an airport lounge.”

Taylor laughed. “Yeah, right.”

Eliza lifted her hand in a big wave now, and DJ looked up in time to see Harry and Conner strolling their way. Harry was smiling, but Conner looked as if he was seeking another quick escape route. And this made DJ just plain mad. She knew it was because of her, but she didn’t know why. And if Conner was this uncomfortable with her, maybe he should just get it out in the open. This whole avoidance, running away, and hiding from her business was getting beyond ridiculous. Good grief, the way Conner was acting, you’d think she had some contagious disease or cooties or something. What was wrong with the boy?

“Maybe I should just leave,” she said quietly to Eliza.

Eliza turned and looked at her. “Why?”