Note:
This is a bit of a continuation of the previous umbrella boy, as the title hopefully suggests; however, I did write this one!
Braden sat shlumped at a table in the lunchroom, dripping wet and alone. He wondered when he’d start making those new friends his mom kept talking about ever since he’d decided to transfer to Oceanveiw.
“This seat taken?”
He looked up at Tammie, grateful to be reminded that he wasn’t completely friendless.
“No, but it’s a little soggy.”
“I noticed. What happened this time?” She sat down on the seat next to him after a quick pass over it with a napkin.
“Freak sprinkler accident.”
“no kidding. Sure got you good; how many did you do?”
“Two.”
“Only two and it got you this bad?!”
“Well, the first one was a cocktail umbrella, so I had to do it again and that time I got one of those picnic table ones, you know, the really big type.”
Tammie stared at him wide eyed.
“It’s been acting up lately,” he explained, “it’s probably all the craziness of moving and the new school and stuff. Anyway, how’s it going for you so far?”
She blushed a little and brushed a wisp of golden hair out of her face, giving Braden a good look at her bright green thumb. He smiled; she hadn’t worn gloves since they got here and he was pretty sure she was enjoying her freedom.
“It’s pretty good, except for that they put me and my roommate up on the second floor, which isn’t great. It’s to far from the ground; it makes my toes feel lonely.”
“lonely?”
“Uh-hu. And hungry.”
“And hungry?” Braden gave her a perplexed, doubtful look. Tammie shrugged.
“Well it does,” she whispered.
They both fell quiet.
Braden looked down at his lunch tray and tried to think of some way to break the silence, something he was normally no good at.
“so…How’s the roommate?”
Tamela’s face lit up, and between feelings of relief Braden caught himself thinking how pretty she was again. That smile could light up a whole room.
