First Impressions

The cafeteria buzzed with the usual lunchtime chaos at Westview High. Laughter, the clatter of trays, and the occasional shout blended into a noisy symphony. Elliot Brooks sat at his usual spot, a far corner table near the window, his earbuds in but not playing anything. It was a trick he’d learned over the years; people were less likely to bother him if they thought he couldn’t hear them.

He was halfway through sketching a pixelated knight for his new game design when a familiar voice sliced through the noise.

“Well, well, look who’s pretending to be too busy to acknowledge the rest of us.”

Elliot’s hand froze. He sighed heavily, pulling one earbud out. “What do you want, Leo?”

Leo Walker, the golden boy of Westview High, loomed over him with his trademark smirk. His friends hovered a few steps behind, their laughter and jabs ready for backup.

“What do I want? Nothing much,” Leo said, his voice oozing faux innocence. He snatched the notebook from the table before Elliot could react. “Just curious what the school’s resident geek is working on. Maybe a new cheat sheet for our next math test?”

Elliot stood quickly, his chair scraping the floor. “Give it back, Leo.”

Leo ignored him, flipping through the pages with exaggerated interest. “Oh, look at this! A little knight in shining armor. Are you designing your dream boyfriend, Brooks?”

The table behind them erupted in laughter. Elliot’s cheeks burned, but he held his ground.

“At least I have dreams,” he said, his voice sharp. “You might want to think about that before your football career ends with a torn ACL and zero scholarships.”

The laughter died down. Leo’s smirk faltered, replaced by a flash of something darker. “Careful,” he said, stepping closer. His voice was lower now, more menacing. “You might think you’re safe in this little bubble of yours, but bubbles pop, Brooks.”

Elliot clenched his fists, ready to grab the notebook back if he had to, when a sharp voice cut through the tension.

“Walker! Brooks!”

Both of them froze as Ms. Carter, the no-nonsense history teacher, stormed toward them. The surrounding students quickly scattered, eager to avoid her wrath.

“But Ms. Carter—” Leo started, the charm slipping back into his voice.

“No excuses,” she snapped. “I’ve had it with the two of you. Detention. My classroom. After school.”

Elliot’s stomach sank. “But I didn’t—”

“I don’t care who started it,” she said firmly. “You’re both guilty of disrupting the cafeteria. Now get out of my sight.”

Leo dropped the notebook onto the table with a smug look. “See you in detention, genius.”

Elliot glared at him, snatching up his notebook and shoving it into his bag. As Leo walked away, laughing with his friends, Elliot caught him glancing back. There was something unreadable in his expression, but Elliot didn’t care.

He dropped back into his seat, jamming both earbuds in this time. “Great,” he muttered. “Just great.”

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