The school’s three designated lunch floors hum with the usual midday madness. The lowest floor is packed with younger students, their voices high-pitched and eager as they jostle for space, while the middle floor is filled with the restless energy of Years 9 and 10, who feel important enough to not be on the first lunch floor anymore but are still fighting for their place in the school’s social hierarchy. The top floor, where I sit, is mostly occupied by Year 11 and 12 students. Unfortunately, nothing is as orderly as having clearcut levels for our age groups and we still get younger kids on our level. Social groups such as the football team or the drama club might choose to sit together on the floor of their choice (usually ours) and the odd boyfriend or girlfriend from a different year will sit with their current crush.

  I mostly sit with Claudia and Jono. It’s a crowded school, so even though we have our usual spot, the tables are packed with others who sit nearby more out of necessity than wanting anything to do with us. I don't bring any lunch to school. We have little enough at home and I give Ernie the little bit of money that we can spare so that he can get the bare minimum at school. Roselyn, on the other hand, manages to do just fine with the number of lunches Dom steals from the younger students each day.

  I am feeling the hollow, dragging emptiness that extreme hunger brings as I mindlessly look over to the feast Dom’s gang are spreading out over their table. It is quite a feast! Sandwiches, salads, muesli bars and fruit flavored drinks. My mouth waters before guilt kicks in, slamming against my thoughts like a reprimand. Instead of envying all of the delicious food I could be eating, I should be feeling sorry for the students who lost their lunches.

  Claudia breaks my train of thought with a question. “So, Victoria, what do you think about Mr Klein? I blink at her, caught a bit off guard. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, you always want us to be quieter in his class while you keep catching his eye contact and do anything he asks you to do.”

  I react instantly. “He’s our teacher! I’m trying to actually learn something useful in our little time left here. Maybe if we show some respect, people might still be willing to be teachers in this city!”

  Okay, he is pretty cute. And he doesn’t seem that much older than me… but he looks like he’s lost whatever ambition he once had, and I prefer a man who challenges me. If I told Claudia even that much, I would never hear the end of it. So, I deny it completely.

  Smirking, Claudia doesn’t let it go though and the girls sitting nearby who have overheard every word start to join in. This place is much too crowded!

  “You don’t act like that in Chinese class,” one of them teases. “Just admit you have a crush on him.”

  “Yeah, it’s pretty obvious, Victoria. That eye contact you two share is really intense,” another chimes in.

  Before I can fire back, Jono cuts in, saving me. He no longer sits with his old group of male friends, but he hasn’t lost his male perspective.

  “Leave her alone,” he retorts easily. “Maybe she has a crush on Mr. Klein, maybe she doesn’t. If she is flirting with him, it might just be to get better marks for work next year, or she might just want to keep her crush private until she’s finished with school and it’s legal to date him. She doesn’t need to know what she wants right now, and we have no right to know unless she chooses to tell us something.”

  “Thank you, Jono” is all I could think to say as Claudia launches into a speech about how she was just teasing, and it was all in good fun. It won’t be the last time she teases me about crushing on Mr Klein.

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  I like Jono. Sometimes I wonder how he and Claudia are right for each other. He’s smart, diligent, kind, empathetic and cuter than Mr Klein. She is also smart, but easily distracted and more individualistic and confrontational than what I would call friendly. She also lacks giving appropriate responses and has a loud, funny humor. They are very different people.

  But maybe that’s what makes them work. If they truly appreciate each other’s traits because they don’t have them themselves, they have something wonderful!

  My mind then goes back to all of Claudia’s disagreements with Jono. Regardless of what she brought up, he just diffused the situation by either pretending to agree, or by changing the topic. Ok, maybe they still have a long way to go.

  The lingering silence from Claudia pulls me out of my thoughts. That’s unusual. Her voice is usually a constant presence. I follow her gaze over to the lunchroom entry by turning my head to try and see what had silenced her.

  Ernie stands near the doorway, holding a piece of bread as his lunch. He has seen us but continues scanning the room looking for someone else. Then I see it. My stomach tightens as a boy waves at Ernie to come over to join his group and he starts to walk towards them.

  Of course, football tryouts are tomorrow and the whole team who are expected to get in are sitting with Dom’s group for lunch.

  I push my chair back and stand instantly, knowing I have seconds before he takes a seat at that table. If I don’t stop him now, it’ll be much harder to pull him away later. Walking as quickly as I can without running, I march over towards the biggest group in the hall, where Roselyn has made herself so comfortably at home. My eyes lock on Ernie as he approaches Dom’s group, and I manage to reach Ernie to grab hold of his arm firmly right as he arrives at the table.

  By the time I reach him, Dom and Roselyn have already shifted some people over, making room for him at their table on Dom’s right. Sabina doesn’t look happy about being nudged aside, but Sam and the other football players are grinning, welcoming him like a long-lost teammate. They had seen Ernie’s talents in practice and just know he will be a star midfielder in their team.

  Dom leans back in his chair, his voice smooth and confident. “Ernest, come and have lunch with us! You’ll soon be one of us, a key part of the team and us teammates look out for each other, on and off the field.”

  Ernie’s face lights up and he looks too happy about being included. As his mouth opens to speak, I pull him away by the arm before a life defining moment transforms him into a criminal. “Ernie, you are coming to sit with me.”

  He hesitates with his mouth still open, his eyes deep in contemplation about whether he can successfully challenge me on this. “NOW” I demanded, my voice leaving no room for argument.

  Pulling him by the arm, I keep my back straight and lead Ernie away from their table over to Claudia and Jono. I try to tune out the wave of angry mutters and insults being thrown my way from the group. I’m a very good sister. I hope he can appreciate all that I do for him one day.

  As the insults fade, Dom’s voice cuts through the noise—calm, clear, and calculating. “No matter where you sit for lunch, Ernie, you’re one of us now. You can come to us anytime. You’ll always have a place here.” My stomach knots. This football team is going to further complicate my last months at school.

  Claudia pushes the girls next to us aside to make room for Ernie, and I guide him into the seat beside me. He doesn’t argue.

  He doesn’t even complain. There’s a sadness in his expression, but also an understanding. He looks a bit sad but also has understanding on his face. He doesn’t even complain or make excuses. He knows deep down that he shouldn’t become a part of the same crowd Roselyn hangs around with. I’ve told him enough stories about what they get up to, and how it will affect their futures.

  It is best to learn as much as he can while he is at school to get him the best paying job possible. Only money can buy him the luxury of freedom and enjoyment and it all starts here, at school. He stares into the distance, deep in thought as he quietly eats his bread.

  Claudia and I pick up our conversation again, shifting back to our science assignment and make plans to visit the local library this weekend to find some books on our topic.

  As we talk, I glance at Ernie, hoping this is enough to keep him safe a little longer.