s purest, I was a sop

ive me lunch mo

classes, you're smart enough t

d it out by

rd period English, Mrs. Davison would

at my textbook,

e was th

zed. Trays clatte

izza, fries, sometimes even a sickly sweet c

er, sip water f

omach. It made a sloshing

would fe

I saw

ily, easy smile, always

the window, sunlight

y was a

and cheese. A bag of chips. An apple.

im. I could

ked onto th

it slowly.

it. The bread, the

ed up,

es met

y hunger was a physical thing, a

cker of something in his e

t his sandwich,

able were talking, laug

t lookin

er bite, slow

ed. My stom

he sandw

half of it. T

tood

r to my lo

Was he going to tel

ed in fr

" he asked. His

sandwich in his

uth w

y voice wa

eah. I always

my hand tremb

he san

s," I

gain, then went

smell of deli meat a

Too fast. Each

ok up until

his locker. He was stuffing a math textbook

h calculus. I'd heard h

lked

," I

surprised.

ain for th

d his locker shut. "Thi

rked. A des

ath," I said.

an eyebr

ou. If you want

for a moment.

sual. "Maybe... you could s

spread acro

rom failing calculus, I save yo

close to starvati

a start.