Finally, it's lunchtime. High time, too--I'm starving! The cafeteria is quite a ways away, though, so I have plenty of time to think--mostly about how hungry I am. Still, I am pretty lucky to have met Chrom. Dorky as it sounds, he really did give me confidence to go and meet people! He seems so familiar, somehow...

Oh crap! I said I would buy that Tharja girl coffee now! I run to the cafeteria, screaming apologies at people who I bump into and warnings to those whom I don't. I come skidding to a halt at the tall gray double doors stuffed with students trying to pass through. By chance, I catch a glance of a small head of sleek black hair shoving through the crowds, face lowered.

"Tharja! THARJA!" I yell, waving wildly. She whips towards the sound of my voice, encouraging me to wave even harder. As if by magic, she glides through the crowds with considerably more ease than she had going with the flow of hungry students.

"...You came." Her voice is so close to deadpan, but I hear a hint of pleasure.

"Of course! I'm not in the habit of not keeping up my promises. So..." I grin at her, and under her shaded gray eyes, there's a bit of a blush. "I'm feeling really good today! Let's go out to that really nice coffee shop down the road!" Her eyes widen, but she doesn't object. After all, it's well renowned to be the best place in town--as well as one of the most expensive. I grab her wrist, giddy on confidence and just pure joy and run out of the school with her in tow, whooping as I go.

"I'll have a cappichino with two, no, three shots of espresso and a pump of chocolate syrup, please!" I tell the clerk behind the counter. She isn't much older than me, and from the look she gives me at the request of espresso, she gets that I'll probably need it to get through the day without snapping.

"Sounds good! And you'll have?" she asks, smiling. Tharja hardly glances at the blackboard menu mounted on the wall before stepping up.

"A small coffee. Black. ...Extra strong." I step up and put my arm around her, almost as if I was going to noogie her. It's surprisingly easy--she's actually pretty short.

"What my friend means is a MEDIUM coffee. Best beans in the house too." I look at her and wink. "My treat, remember?" Tharja can't seem to decide what to look at: my grinning face or my arm around her. She mumbles something that's too long to be a thank you. It almost sounds like...

"This already is a treat..." It can't be, so... I'll just let it go.

"Hell, I'll buy you something to eat too!" I glance at the display case. "What do you want?" She blushes deeper, clutching the large leather bound book even closer.

"...Er... Ah... I'll have the honey roasted figs..." The barista quickly taps it into the till.

"That it, girls?" I nod, and she directs me to the counter to wait.

I bounce on the balls of my feet with excitement.

"Man, I can't wait! I've heard this is great coffee, so... Thanks for giving me a legitimate excuse to come out!" I still can't figure out why she looks so embarrassed around me.

"... You're...thanking me?"

"Heh! Of course! Lemme count out the reasons why!" I extend my fingers to count. "I like coffee. I like drinking coffee with friends. I like getting out of school for a bit. I need caffeine. And, finally, I like you!" I wink. "All are perfectly acceptable reasons!" Her eyes widen, and I notice how the deep shade of red displayed on her face looks good on her.

"Like...me...?" She's almost quivering.

"Well, why not?" I ask. Her answer is cut off by our drinks being ready. As we reach up to get them--Tharja a little faster than necessary--I notice the time on the clock. "Hey, Tharja? We should probably drink these on the go." She nods vigorously, sipping her coffee.

"So... You said that you liked me...?" she says as we head back.

"'Course. Any reason I wouldn't?" I realize that almost sounds like I'm apprehensive, but it's too late.

"No, it's just most people avoid me." She looks up at me as if she was expecting me to insult her, ditch her... The list goes on and on.

I shrug.

"Their loss, then." I look down meeting her gaze, and I'm treated to what could be the most radiant smile ever. I grin back, then continue drinking my coffee, with the affirmation of a very good friend.

Hello everyone! I realized a little way through this that I couldn't do just one chapter on the lunch subject without losing people's attention. I know that if you've put up with this for this long, you probably have a longer attention span than me, but I just assume people are like me in general... Anyway, the next chapter is still lunch. Just wanted to let you know. Thanks for reading!