if you eat the food of the dead, you can never leave hades, so i guess that wasn't hades

self_composed

Mike has taken a long route back to the table. He has also harvested Lauren and Eric from wherever they were sitting, and now it's a little crowded.

"Whoa," Eric says to Mike, upon spotting Alice. "You weren't kidding."

"It'd be a dumb joke," Lauren says, "just to say that someone was sitting here if he wasn't."

edgeofyourseat

"Hi," says Alice, waving at the newcomers. "You've sure got a lot of friends," he adds, turning to Bella. "I didn't accidentally drop in on the popular crowd, did I? Because that would be tragically hilarious."

self_composed

"Yeah, tragic and hilarious, both at once," Lauren says.

"I don't really have a good sense of those dynamics here yet," Bella says.

"It's not like we're cheerleaders and football," Jessica says. "Well, I'm going to try out for cheer next year, but you know what I mean."

edgeofyourseat

"I'm pretty sure there's not a football player left at this school who can look me in the eye without trying to punch it," Alice muses.

self_composed

"Is that because you're obnoxious?" Mike asks, in what is for him a bold move.

"Mike," says Bella testily.

edgeofyourseat

"Yep," he says brightly. "Glad you noticed."

self_composed

"Bella, why are you hanging out with this jerk?" Mike asks pleadingly.

"Apparently," Bella says in a dark, level tone, "I have poor taste in companions."

That one takes Mike a second. He spends that second in rather adorable triumph, which evaporates.

edgeofyourseat

Ooh, good one. Alice grins behind his juice.

self_composed

Mike's done with his lunch anyway. He just leaves.

"Well, that was kind of a bitchy thing to do," Lauren remarks.

"So was that," says Bella without any particular heat. Or interest.

Angela's trying to hide her face in her shoulder.

edgeofyourseat

Alice glances sideways at Bella and grins again.

He doesn't say 'I love you', but he thinks it pretty loudly.

self_composed

He gets a wan smile for his trouble.

Bella then conspicuously asks if Angela wants to start heading for Bio, because she actually likes Angela.

edgeofyourseat

Alice, not being finished his juice yet, stays right where he is.

self_composed

Lauren waits until Bella's gone and then turns to Alice. "So, did you move here because you, like, killed somebody?"

Jessica was about to leave, but apparently can't pass up the chance to hear the answer. Eric's leaving anyway.

edgeofyourseat

He grins.

"I could tell you that," he says with a wink, "but I'd have to kill you."

self_composed