I looked up from my eggs.
"Of course not."
Naomi pulled out the chair and sat. Not across from me. Not at a safe distance where we could pretend everything was normal.
Right next to me.
Close enough that I could smell her shampoo. Something floral and clean that mixed with the academy's standard issue soap. The kind that probably cost her three dollars at the student store.
She set down her tray with a soft clink. Oatmeal with berries. Orange juice. A single piece of wheat toast, edges perfectly browned.
Her usual breakfast when she was trying to be healthy and responsible. When what she actually wanted was a stack of pancakes drowning in maple syrup.
Naomi picked up her spoon. Put it back down. Picked it up again. The metal caught the morning light streaming through the windows.
I kept eating my eggs.
