Chapter 2 - "You really have no boundaries, do you?"

                                    

                                          
The cafeteria roared with voices, overlaid with the sound of trays hitting tables. Carter rested her elbows against the empty table, amusing herself with the ongoings of her fellow students. An untouched sandwich sat before her. Footsteps sounded nearby before a tray was placed beside her and Link and Donovan sat down. Carter looked at them.
                          
"You're sitting with me," she said. 
                          
"Is that a problem?" Link asked. 
                          
She shrugged. 
                          
"Nope. Most people just avoid it. The reasons are probably obvious." 
                          
"You're not in the same social standings as everyone else," Donovan said. 
                          
Carter tried to read his expression, but she would have had more success with a blank sheet of paper. 
                          
"That's one reason," she said. 
                          
"Then it must be the fact that you're observant, smart and have no problem voicing your thoughts," Link said. 
                          
She gave him a lopsided smile. 
                          
"Most people usually say smart aleck, or a more negative equivalent to that. But yeah, basically." 
                          
Carter's gaze dropped to Link's tray. 
                          
"I'll trade you my sandwich for your chicken fingers," she said. 
                          
Link shrugged and made the trade. 
                          
"Did you stop by a deli before school or something?" Link asked, eyeing the sub. 
                          
"There's a place a block down from my house. The owner has kind of adopted me, so she gives me sandwiches." 
                          
A girl with black ringlets sauntered over to their table and took a seat by Donovan. 
                          
"You're Donovan, right?"  She showed off her perfect teeth.  "We had AP Lit together this morning.  You're new here.  I'm Gabby. If you need a tour, I'm always free."
                          
Carter grimaced. A muscular boy across the way scowled and she caught the look. She leaned forward. 
                          
"Look, Girl Number 11, do you mind flirting with Donovan, blatantly trying to make you ex-boyfriend jealous, some other time?  Some of us are trying to eat here."
                          
Gabby's gaze snapped to Carter and her eyes flickered with annoyance.
                          
"I'm not -"
                          
Carter cut her off by pointing to the angry male on the other side of the room.  "You are and it's working.  Travis is clearly going to ask you to take him back.  Do you really want to risk that relationship for a this guy?  Who has already been approached by ten other girls?  I'd say the odds are against."
                          
Gabby perked up. 
                          
"Travis wants me back?"
                          
"Yes, though the reasons why are beyond even my intelligence," Carter said. 
                          
Gabby glared and left, walking over to a muscular boy. A second later they were kissing and Carter gagged. 
                          
"How did you know?" Link asked. 
                          
"In the thirty second interaction she had with Donovan, Travis looked over here fourteen times, staring daggers at him." Carter shrugged. "But I wouldn't worry about Travis, he's the kind of person who erases his test answers three times before going back to the original. I don't think murder is his thing. Most likely he would show up at your house with a gun, start crying as he pointed it at you and then shoot himself." 
                          
Link burst into laughter. 
                          
"Wait, you know how many girls have approached Donovan today?" he asked.