A Change with Sam

It overturned and food spilled out across the the tiled floor. At first no one spoke, and Sam just stared down at the mess in a final resignation of the fate of her day. Then the customary laughter and noise erupted. For a moment I thought she was going to be silly enough to bend down and clean up the food. Sam looked at the cafeteria worker in order to offer a silent apology, and then quickly took off, running towards the double doors that led toward the student quad.

Next in line, I placed my soda on the counter and rolled out a few bills. I stared at the mess, and then toward the receding view of Sam, and then at the employee.

"A slice of cake too please. The chocolate mousse one there," I said. The employee shrugged and nodded, taking my bills and giving me change. "Someone will clean that up," I offered. "Sorry."

I grabbed the small plate, the piece of chocolate mousse cake balancing fat on the sphere of waxed cardboard. Soda in the other hand, I walked out of the cafeteria.

I don't know what made me sit down next to Sam. I could recall all the times we had spoken on one hand and make a fist. There are moments in life where simple desire takes over, and the 'rightness' of a situation makes itself known like a flash of light in the dark. The bit of breeze about the day ruffled my jacket as I sat on the steps of the quad, close enough to the girl so she would know I was a friend, and far enough away as to not disturb her if she wanted me to go. When I opened my can of soda, the metallic pop alerted her to my presence. She stared at me for an uncomfortable moment and then turned back to her focus of nothing. Her eyes were red and puffy from tears.

"I'm sorry about that back there. You looked like you were having a really tough time," I started. She said nothing. "I should have offered to pay. It would've been better than that scene."

I allowed the words to soak into the ether about us, waiting for her to speak. I had another class in fifteen minutes, but it was nothing I couldn't skip. I had left my book bag in the cafeteria, and silently hoped one of my friends had the foresight to grab it after they saw me leave.