Truth is, I don't really think anyone thinks I belong at this school. It takes thirty minutes from my home in downtown to get here to school in upper-town. It’s the rich part of the neighborhood. With high rent. And expensive looking buildings. It’s so much easier to navigate from bus here too, then it is from where we live. I heard a rumor that our school used to be the hospital that’s not across the street. They say the classrooms on the third floor are where the morgue used to be.

People like Dominic and James don’t bother me. Most kids at school avoid me. So it’s genuinely surprising to see Dominic waiting at the school gates.

“Are those for me?” he asks, gesturing to the container.

“I made them this morning,” I respond sweetly and “unaware” of his attempts to bother me.

“Well hand them over,” Dominic smirks.

I don’t understand why he thinks this is the way to upset someone.

“Okay,” I edge the container over to him.

Dominic readily accepts the container, with a smirk on his face. So he is attempting to annoy me. Truth is that I know how to get under his skin better than he does mine. He opens the container with another wide grin on his face, taking out a chocolate chip cookie.

He cackles, taking a bite, “Oh wow. These are good. Nice and sweet too.”

“I made them just for you,” I tell him sweetly, “Did you know chloroform is forty times sweeter than sugar? Within an hour of consumption, you die.”

He quickly spits it out onto the ground, “You poisoned me!”

“Maybe we’ll find out in an hour,” I respond.

He thrust the container back into my arms, “Just fucking stay away from me!”

I don’t know why he even attempted. Most of the school bullies gave up doing so a long time ago. Maybe in the past I would have been someone like Charles. Someone not so brave, I mean, I had to be. Or maybe I wasn’t. I’ve been to every school in Oakside. The ones in downtown didn’t approve of my actions, apparently you’re not supposed to threaten other students with bodily harm.

“You didn’t really poison the cookies?” that voice.

Turning around, looking over at Charles.

“No, but he doesn’t need to know that,” I shake the container, “They were meant for you.”

Charles frowns.

“Thank you, I guess,” Charles responds, “Are you um okay after yesterday?”

“Yes,” I pause, “What about you?” that’s how you’re supposed to respond after someone asks you that question.

“I’m not doing great,” Charles states, “You know you come off scary.”

Does he mean what happened between Dominic and I?

“I just wanted to scare him off,”

“That’s not what I was talking about,” he fidgets with his zipper, “After Elaine’s death. You seemed. Off.”

Oh. That.

“I am just not very good in those situations,” I tell him.

“Let me be more clear, Quinn,” Charles says, “You were Empty. Like it didn’t phase you.”

“Things like that don’t bother me,” I reassure him, or I believe it’s reassurance, “Like you I got bullied a lot at a young age and I learned how to turn everything off to where I don’t feel things like that anymore.”

“That’s kind of sad,”

“It doesn’t bother me, I learned how to utilize to its full advantage,”

“That’s not really normal, there are school counselors,” he pauses, reaching out for my hand. He stops halfway, “I really want to be your friend. But I am terrified to be.”

He’s being really ungrateful right now. I thought of him; I did something a friend would do, and he isn’t accepting them.

“Those cookies were from a genuine place,” I tell him.

“And I appreciate that,” Charles attempts a smile, “But I am concerned for you.”

Concerned for what? Right now, I don't understand him. I did what people are supposed to do when a friend would be sad. I haven’t done anything concerning.

“I’m fine. And I have done nothing concerning,”

“And that’s equally concerning,”

“I don’t understand,” I am allowing myself to let down my guard right now. Showing him honesty, I reserve for only my Mom.

He seems surprised.

“Quinn, the way you deal with things is really unhealthy and honestly really scary,” Charles pauses, “You just told another student you poisoned these cookies.”

Oh. He’s really upset by that?

“Next time, I won’t do that then,”

“Quinn-

-you’re my first potential friend, I am trying to do everything right,”

Charles sighs.

“Okay, I noticed that, and you seem genuine right now,” he pauses, “We can sit together in class and eat lunch together.”

“And I won’t tell Dominic I poison him, or threaten them in any way that makes you uncomfortable,”

“Will you also try to go to the student counselors?”

I don’t really want to. But if it’s what will make Charles happy, “Sure."