When break time came, Ms Carla said that we could take our snacks, eat, and then go outside to play. Everyone rushed to their backpacks, pulling out lunchboxes full of sandwiches and fruit.
I reluctantly turned to get mine – Ethan's foot was still there, touching the leg of my chair. Definitely a crab. But it didn't hurt, so fine. You can keep your foot there.
My mom remembered to pack me a sandwich. Sometimes she forgets.
Inside my box I had a ham-and-cheese sandwich with butter, cut neatly in half. Apple slices. A few chocolate cookies she'd snuck in. And a juice pack. Yum.
I give two bites on my sandwich when a random girl plopped beside me with her own snacks. What was her name again? I hadn't paid attention when the teacher introduced everyone.
"Hi, Ophelia" She says. She was blonde and had blue eyes just like me.
"Hi…" I muttered, turning away. I really don't remember her name but I won't tell.
"Do you want to come and play with me after eating?" She asks, her voice is pretty. If she were a water animal she would be a mermaid too.
Before I could answer, a rumble sounded behind us. Ethan's stomach growled loud enough to shake the desk. We both glanced back. He had nothing in front of him, just a random book he was pretending to read. He looked cute when he was embarrassed.
The blonde girl giggled, then slid her lunch toward him. BETRAYAL! Sharing food with my crab? With MY crab?!
She'd even made a pancake with a blueberry smiley face. She handed it to him like it was some kind of prize. It looked silly. I didn't like it! Not even a bit!
Ethan looked at the pancake and then back at the girl on my side, he looked confused – and angry.
"Go away!" I hissed through gritted teeth to the girl. She wasn't a mermaid. I could see it now! She was a sea snake! My mom said snakes are fake and betray you when you least expect it.
My mom teaches me a lot of stuff about animals. She said snakes are the worst. They act nice, pretend to be your friend and then kidnap your man! She said dad fell for a snake once. Is this snake going to kidnap Ethan and keep him in the depths of her house? What do they do with men?
If I wasn't so angry, I would definitely ask her.
Then we hear another loud noise behind us, but it was a bump and not a growl.
Ethan was staring daggers at the snake and he purposely let her lunch box fall with a thud, there were blueberries rolling over the floor everywhere. She looked really confused and shocked, her jaw was open.
"Why did you do that?" She asked.
"Because I don't want your stupid food!" He said coldly. Ha! He doesn't want your stupid food!
The snake got up and left my desk. Yes! Go back to your desk! Leave the professional work of angry crabs to people who care – mermaids!
I take a napkin and put half of a sandwich, half of the cookies and fruits. That's for me.
I leave the other half of my food plus the juice inside the lunch box. I turn to give him the lunch box and stare at him. You're gonna eat that, you grumpy crab!
He looks at me and narrows his eyes, challenging me, I could sense he was calling me stupid inside his own mind. He starts to slowly push my lunch box towards the edge of the table and I stop him.
"Eat!" I said it louder than I intended. I'm not a snake. I'm not going to kidnap you!
He stopped for a second but then he kept on trying to push my lunch box off. What would a grown up say in this situation? I could only think of my mom's words, since she speaks a lot.
"Stop being a pain in my ass and eat the damn food!" I snapped. Some students turned to look at me, shocked.
Ethan's eyes widened, then he chuckled low.
"Yes, mom." He said it only for me to hear. He pulled the lunch box toward him and began to eat, still glaring at me between bites. I didn't look away. Not for a second. If I blinked, he might throw it all out. Well, now I know why my mom shouts so much. It works.
"Are you going to stare at me while I eat?" He asks with a bite of my sandwich on his mouth.
"Yes." I say it without hesitating. He rolls his eyes.
Should I sit next to him? Too early for that… Remember: Crabs walk sideways, the seat next to him is too close, and that distance might make him want to pinch me.
I eat my sandwich too but my gaze never leaving him.
I see him opening the juice pack with the straw, he glances at my table and notices I don't have another juice pack. I don't care if I don't have a juice.
He gives a sip and then hands me the juice pack. "Share?!" He made a question but it sounded more like a demand. And his demand made me flinch enough to not hesitate and grab the juice.
Our fingers touched a little bit.
Wait. Should I drink from the same straw as him? Does that count as kissing?
I looked at him and he was pressing his lips and had a small smirk on the corners of his lips, his cheeks were a little bit blushed too. That definitely counted as kissing!
I swallow hard. I never had my first kiss. My heart started beating way too fast and I start panicking.
"I- I gave you for you to drink" I stutter and give back the juice box.
"I know. I drank, now you drink!" He pushes the juice back to me.
I shake my head. "You're hungry!"
"You're acting as if the straw is poisonous, are you trying to poison me?" He chuckled.
"The box was closed, if I had to put poison I'd put it in your sandwich and too late for you, you already ate it!"
"Don't act shy now, I know you want to!"
"I am not gonna have your germs!"
"If you drink, I'll drink after and we will be fair."
"Careful, you'll bend the straw!"
'That's it! This is war now! Time to check if crabs have tickles' I think to myself.
I leaned over his desk and jabbed a finger into his side. He flinched and laughed. Confirmed: Crabs do have tickles!
"What was that for?!" He tries to scowl through his laughter.
"That's for bending the straw and for being stubborn" I huffed.
Fine, I'll make this super-fast and end it.
I exasperatedly take the juice box's bended straw into my lips and give a quick sip. My heart was beating so fast I thought it could explode! I could feel my cheeks burning hot!
I slapped it back on his desk with a sharp glance. His face was scarlet and he had his jaw partly open. I was about to turn back to the front so I could avoid this situation, but then he narrowed his eyes and grabbed the juice box again.
He slurped very loud and slow. What was that for?! I didn't know crabs were so competitive.