Shadows In Durango

*****Sofia's POV*****

The morning sun peeked through my cracked blinds, dragging me from a restless sleep. I groaned, the familiar ache of exhaustion settling in my bones.

Another day of school, another day of navigating the complex social web that I had yet to untangle. I forced myself out of bed and into my little routine, each step bringing me closer to the part of the day I dreaded most: lunch.

I arrived early, giving myself time to find my Physics class and thankful to find neither Vincent or his side clones in my class today - it was mostly filled with what others would refer to as 'nerds'.

The time flew by, before the bell rang and the hallways of the school were buzzing with chatter and laughter as I made my way to the cafeteria.

I tried to blend into the crowd, hoping to go unnoticed which so far I had seemed pretty successful at. The thought of buying lunch for Vincent again made my stomach churn. It had become a daily task that filled me with dread, a reminder of my precarious position here.

As I joined the lunch queue, the usual sense of apprehension settled over me as I debated over the different choices today.

The line moved slowly, and I stared at the back of the student in front of me, trying to mentally prepare myself for the encounter with Vincent and his crew - whether it would bring me more ridicule or praise. Suddenly, a familiar scent flooded my senses, a mix of fresh pine and something subtly sweet. I looked up, my heart skipping a beat as I found Daryl standing beside me with a playful grin on his face. "Hey there, Sofia. Fancy seeing you here," he said, his tone light and teasing.

I blinked in surprise, momentarily thrown off balance. "Oh, hey, Daryl. Didn't expect to see you here," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

What a dumb thing to say?! I didn't expect to see him here? In the lunch line? Ugh!

He chuckled, a sound that seemed to chase away some of the tension coiled within me. "Thought I'd join the common folk for a change," he said with a wink. "Plus, I figured you could use some company for lunch today." He offers, as I furrow my brows.

I furrowed my brows, both flattered and confused by his sudden interest. "Really? You want to have lunch with me?"

"Why not? You look like you could use a break from the usual routine," he said, his eyes glinting with mischief. "And besides, I have a proposition for you."

My curiosity piqued, I tilted my head. "A proposition?"

"Yeah," Daryl said, leaning in slightly as the line shuffled forward. "How about you don't buy Vincent's lunch today?"

I blinked, the words not quite registering at first. "What? I can't do that. He'll be furious - I would never live it down." I shake my head frantically as he rolls his eyes.

Daryl shrugged nonchalantly with a sigh before continuing. "Let him be furious. It's not fair to you to be his personal lunch fetcher every day."

"But... but he'll make my life hell," I stammered, the panic rising in my chest. The thought of Vincent's anger was enough to make my hands tremble.

Daryl's expression softened, and he placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Hey, calm down. I'll take the hit for it. I'll grab him a sandwich or something. You don't need to be his errand girl."

My mind raced, weighing the consequences. The idea of standing up to Vincent was terrifying, but Daryl's confidence was infectious. "I don't know... what if he takes it out on me later?"

"He won't," Daryl said firmly. "I'll talk to him. I'll tell him the private lunch deliveries are over. He needs to treat you with respect this is fucking ridiculous." He concludes as I sigh.

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I hesitated on the matter, my gaze darting around the cafeteria. The line was moving faster now, bringing me closer to the point of no return. Daryl's hand remained on my shoulder, a steady anchor in the swirling sea of my anxiety. "But what if he "

"Trust me," Daryl interrupted gently. "I've got this. Vincent can be a jerk, but he's not unreasonable when it comes to me. He'll listen."

The sincerity in his eyes calmed some of my fears. "Okay," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Okay, let's do it."

Daryl's grin widened, and he gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze before letting go. "That's the spirit. Now, let's get something for ourselves and a simple sandwich for Vincent."

We reached the front of the line, and I felt a strange mix of apprehension and relief. Daryl ordered his lunch and then pointed to a ham and cheese sandwich for Vincent. "That'll do," he said with a wink in my direction which caused for me to giggle.

As we moved to the cashier, I glanced nervously at Daryl. "Are you sure about this? I don't want to die..." I trail off dramatically. "Positive," he said, handing over the money. "This is the right thing to do, Sofia. You shouldn't be at anyone's beck and call."

We paid for our food and made our way to a table. The cafeteria was buzzing with the usual lunchtime chaos, but I felt a sense of calm settling over me knowing that for the first time, I wasn't sitting alone. Daryl's presence was a comforting buffer against the anxiety that usually accompanied these moments.

As we sat down, Daryl stayed for around ten minutes before he turned to me with a serious expression. "I'll take the sandwich to Vincent. You stay here and enjoy the last of your lunch. If he has a problem with it, he'll have to deal with me." I nodded, my gratitude evident in my eyes. "Thank you, Daryl. I really appreciate this."

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"Anytime," he said, his playful grin returning. "Now, eat up. You've earned a stress-free lunch today."

He stood and made his way out of the canteen in search of his friend as I watched his back disappear with a pounding heart.

No sooner had he left before the two same cheerleaders from before sauntered over to my table, their expressions a mix of curiosity and disdain.

"Well, look who's sitting all alone," one of them sneered, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she plopped down across from me. The other one followed suit, her eyes narrowing as she scanned my face.

"Thought you were smart enough to know your place," the second girl said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "But I guess even the school's charity cases need a reminder sometimes."

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my composure. "What do you want?" I managed to ask, my voice steady despite the knot forming in my stomach.

The first cheerleader known as Kim leaned in, her smile icy. "Just a little friendly advice. Don't get too comfortable with Daryl. He's way out of your league, and you wouldn't want Vincent to get the wrong idea."

"Yeah," the second one added. "Vincent's got a temper, and he doesn't like his toys stepping out of line - we would know."

I clenched my fists under the table, my pulse quickening. "I'm not his toy," I said, my voice firmer than I felt on the inside but still surprisingly quiet.

The cheerleaders exchanged amused glances having got the reaction they had wanted. "Sure, you're not," the first one said with a laugh. "Just remember what we said. It'd be a shame if you made things harder for yourself around here."

With that, they stood and sauntered away, their laughter ringing in my ears like a torture method. I stared after them, the weight of their words pressing down on me. The brief moment of peace I had felt with Daryl was now overshadowed by the looming threat of Vincent and his cheerleader minions who clearly obsessed over him.

For now, I focused on finishing my lunch, trying to hold on to the small victories. One step at a time, I reminded myself. One step at a time.