I hug my knees to my chest as I perch in the chair I'm sitting in. We're all in the computer room, just hanging around at school. Jade is working on her script while Tori's editing some photos, and Andre's strumming his guitar and humming a tune, his voice smooth and sweet like honey. I'm staring at Beck as he flips through the pages of a novel, my mind going back to what Robbie told me. Beck the soccer genius. His future sounded to clear, so bright. What happened?

Beck peeks up from his book and I immediately look away, but I hear him let out a heavy sigh, followed by the firm sound of a closing book.

"I can feel you staring at me. What are you thinking about?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing…" I lie. I'm not quite sure how to ask him just yet.

Andre stops plucking his guitar for a moment and turns to Beck.

"Hey Beck, I'm starving. Are you working today? I'm thinking about getting a bite to eat at your place."

Beck nods. "Yeah, I'm working. I set my alarm to go off in a few minutes, but I guess I could start heading over now."

Tori swivels around in her chair to face us. "Ooh, I'm down to go! Cat, Jade, you two should come, too! The café Beck works at has the best sandwiches!"

"I don't care if everyone comes," Beck stands up, straightening out his shirt, "but you should know I'm not treating anyone."

Beck gives a light smirk, and Jade stops typing for the moment, swiveling around to face us. "How far is it?"

"Not far," Beck replies. "Just around the corner, practically. I have to change into my uniform, first."

"Gotta love those men in uniform," Tori remarks, earning a shrug from Beck.

"I wouldn't call a dress shirt and pants a uniform, but hey, if you like to set the bar low, I'm not judging."

"Ha ha. Very funny." Tori turns to look at me then Jade. "So…? Are you guys up for some food?"

"Sure, why not?" Jade closes her laptop, stuffing it in her bag and Tori follows suit. The sound of beeping fills the room as Beck pulls his phone from his pocket, silencing the alarm.

"I gotta go, guys. But I'll see you there!" He slips his novel into his backpack and walks out the door, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the hallway.

It doesn't take too long for the rest of us to leave Hollywood Arts, although we did have to stop by the music room to return the guitar Andre borrowed. As soon as we leave campus, it barely takes ten minutes for us to come upon the café. The roof of the building is painted a welcoming shade of deep orange and the walls a creamy white. The glass doors mark the entryway and Andre pulls them open, holding it as the rest of us step through the doorway.

There isn't a line when we get there, so the host seats us immediately, leading us to a booth by a window. The four of us slide onto the deep red cushions as our menus are handed to us, and I can't believe how much they serve here!

"Wow, I've never seen so many foods on a menu before!"

"Really?" Tori asks. "This is a pretty basic size, actually. Do you go out to eat very often, Cat?"

"Not really," I confess. "Only to this one restaurant, but I always get the same thing there, so I haven't read their menu in ages."

"Oh. Well okay. You've never thought about going someplace new, or trying something you never had before?"

"No, I… I just don't go out very often."

I bite my lip, praying that Tori won't ask anything else. I guess they still don't know the reason I'm going to this free school, but I... I…

I'm broken from my thoughts when Jade slams down her menu. "I know what I'm getting. You slowpokes know what you want? Because I'm starving."

"Yeah, I know what I'm getting."

"Me too."

I shake my head, my eyes scanning the menu again. "I don't know… what's good here?"

"Would you like to know the specials?" I look up to see Beck standing at the edge of our table, his white button down shirt and black pants a very different look from his normal laid-back style. He looks so… professional. He pulls out a notebook from the black apron wrapped around his waist and flips it open, positioning his pen to write down our orders.

"I'm pretty sure Andre and Tori know what they want already, since they've been here more times than I can count, and I can tell Jade has her order ready. Cat, you having trouble?"

"Yeah…" I look back at the menu, flipping over one of the pages.

"How about I get you our pastrami on rye? It's one of the most popular items here and my personal favorite. How does that sound?"

"Good."

"Fantastic." He smiles, jotting down my order before the rest of the gang tells him what they want. Beck stuffs his notebook back into his apron before he gathers up our menus and leaves to get our drinks.

As I watch him go, a group of boys come in and the host seats them at a booth nearby. I try to ignore them and focus back on what Andre is saying, but they're so rowdy their voices carry over to our table.

"What? Is he here?"

"No, look! There he is!"

"Ohhh! So that's Beck Oliver!"

"I told you he worked here!"

Their snickering makes the hair on my neck stand on end and I claw my nails into my seat. Andre's stopped talking now, and we're all listening to the boys ooh and aww at our waiter.

Beck returns with our drinks, passing them out to us, and leaves to wait on another table.

"Hey, waiter!" One of the boys calls out, waving his hand in the air.

A girl comes out, her notebook poised to take their orders, and before she can even say hello one of the boys cuts her off. "No, not you! We want him." He points to Beck, and the girl's mouth is agape. She turns to Beck, unsure what to say, but he comes over, his face serious as he nods at her to leave.

We watch as he waits on them, my nails digging deeper into my seat with every word they say.

"Hey, bring us some water."

"What's taking so long?"

"You were such a hotshot when you played soccer, now you have to serve us, because we're paying customers."

"What ever happened to saying yes sir?"

Beck grit his teeth, placing the cups of water on their table. "Yes sir."

The boys explode with laughter as soon as he utters the words, one of the boys leaning back in his seat with crossed arms as he stares at Beck. "You used to be so full of yourself, now look at you. So weak."

Beck? Full of himself?

Beck leaves the table, heading back towards the kitchen, and I can still hear the boys with their self-satisfied gossip.

"You know, during regionals last spring, all of his teammates refused to play with him except for the goalie."

"I heard about that! Yeah, for a freshman, he thought too much of himself, and totally showed off in front of his teammates."

"No wonder they wouldn't play with him! I wouldn't either. You shouldn't be too cocky if you need to play on a team. That's how it goes."

"Guess that's why he quit. Serves him right, though."

I stand, unable to take it anymore.

"Cat?" I can hear Tori's voice behind me, but it's too late.

My feet are planted firmly in front of their table. The boys look up at me, their faces blank as I stare them down.

"Don't mock him." My voice comes out small at first, but I try to inject as much fury into my next words as possible. "WHAT MAKES YOU SO SPECIAL THAT YOU CAN LAUGH AT SOMEONE ELSE'S FAILURES?! ISN'T HE ALLOWED TO MAKE UP FOR IT?"

"Oh my god! She's crazy!" The boys back up further into the booth as tears start welling up in my eyes, and suddenly salt and pepper shakers are being pelted at the boys, Jade's voice harsh behind me.

"Don't talk! About things! You don't know!" The steady thud of shakers hitting their bodies makes me wonder how hard Jade can throw, and pretty soon Tori's joining in, and Andre, splashing the boys with water and tossing napkins at them until they're absolutely covered.

People are screaming and yelling, the café turning into absolute chaos as the staff asks us to leave. It takes all three of us to drag Jade out of the building, the boys running away wildly before any of us can catch them.

Jade calms down, smoothing out her clothes, and Andre turns to Tori. "Remind me to never get this girl angry."

Tori nods in agreement, and it's not long before Beck exits the restaurant, his bag slung over his shoulder.

"Well, guess who was just fired?"

The four of us exchange glances before throwing apologies at him, and our "sorry"s are caught in our throats when Beck lets out a genuine laugh.

"You guys, it's okay! That actually felt… really good. So, thanks."

Beck runs a hand through his hair, and all of us just start walking, falling into step with each other until the five of us are one big group, chatting about the chaotic scene we caused and the food we never ate and the boys whose day we just ruined and how we are completely insane teenagers. I'm not sure how long we've been walking until we settle down at a small park somewhere, lounging in the grass underneath a tree. Tori's taking snapshots of each of us: Andre leaning against the tree, Beck gazing at the clouds, Jade ripping apart the small daisies growing in the grass around her. The words I shouted at those boys echo in my mind, and I realize those words weren't just for Beck. They were for me, too.

"Hey, um," my voice catches everyone's attention, and I force myself to keep my eyes up and look at them. "I haven't told you guys yet, but… um… when I was younger…"

"You were a famous child star, right?" Jade cuts in, tossing another mutilated daisy aside.

I nod my head slowly, my heart beating faster. Oh god, they know! They know I'm a failure, and I've never done anything worth doing, and-

Jade's eyes lock on mine, her lips curling up to a smile. "That has nothing to do with us. If you haven't noticed, we're all pretty much stray animals. We all have issues."

Andre nodded, Tori smiled, and Beck sat up and gave me a pat on the head. This burden, this shameful secret that I held so tight and close, was lifted away as if it were nothing, and my heart felt light and free in my chest as I looked at the faces of these people. These friends. It bubbled up inside of me, spreading through my chest. And I laughed, for the first time in seven years, as the sun set behind us and the glowing streetlights flickered on, the orange light gleaming on the bunch of crazy kids with nothing to do, nowhere to be, and everything to gain. I laughed, and I've never felt so alive!

Hey hey hey! Finals week is coming up, and guess what I'm doing instead? Hahaha! Oh, goodness. I hate finals. So much. But seriously guys, stay in school.

Reivews are like candy to me, they're so sweet! My favorite flavor is cherry, but I'll take whatever you've got ;)