Lunch period.

For all those who like the SHSFF.

The groan coming from Erin didn’t sound human. It might have, if she wasn’t face down on the outdoor lunch table like that. Micah peered at her from over his copy of The Beautiful and the Damned. “…problem?”

“Do. not. Please. Do. not.” Erin’s tone was muffled.

Jude looked at the way her arms were splayed over the table and her red hair spilling all over the formica, and then snapped a photo with his Polaroid. He grinned, but before he can even pull it out, Erin snatched the photo without so much as looking up. “Hey!”

“You…” Erin, still not looking, pointed a deadly finger at him, “…will also not.”

Shane plopped down onto the lunch table, grinning brightly as he put down his tray, looking breathless. “Hey.” He nodded to Jude. “Hey.” He nodded to Micah. And then he looked at Erin. He prodded her with great caution. “…hey?”

“It’s not safe for your life if you attempt poking her,” Micah said calmly as he turned a page. “She’s going through a cycle.”

“World of pain is the term…” Erin grunted.

“A cycle?” Shane blinked. He fortunately got distracted when he saw his brother emerging from the building, carrying his lunch. He jumped up and waved. “Blaine! Over here!”

“He can see you, Shane, you’re twenty feet away,” Jude remarked, staring at him.

Blaine just smiled at his brother and headed to the table. Shane was still smiling—but that smile disappeared suddenly when he saw it—“Blaine!”

He sprang from the table rapidly—but it was too late—that Converse-covered foot had the desired effect as Blaine went flying forward, lunch tray flying into the air and food flying. He slammed into the floor just as Shane reached him. 

“Blaine—” he helped him up but his brother pushed him off. The older one turned to the table of jocks that just exploded with hysterical laughter. 

“What’s the matter with all of you?!” he snarled. “Don’t you have something better to do with your lives? Like learn how to walk and think at the same time?!” He stalked to his table, but one or two of the lacrosse players started to get up to go after him for the comment.

Shane gasped, but without warning, one of the players got slammed by a red rocket. Erin had come from nowhere, grabbing him by the jacket and shoving him all the way to the low rail at the end of the deck, holding him there with fire in her eyes. The force of Erin’s impact was so great that Erin was now literally the only thing that kept him from tipping over and falling over the edge of the high deck.

The students down below looked up with a gasp as they heard Erin yell, “All right, scumbag—for the past four hours, I have been going through more pain than you will ever know unless I actually kick you in the nads hard enough for you to be unable to procreate! And all I want is one peaceful lunch hour while I try to endure the pain from the bleeding that is going on down below! Will you and the rest of you cavemen leave me and Blaine alone or will I have to peel my fingers one by one from your jacket until you say yes?!”

There was only a yell for an answer as their balances tipped—Erin was small, the jock wasn’t heavy but he was taller, and he was going to fall over the rail—and Jude and Micah came running.

“Erin!” Micah gasped, pulling them back. 

“Let go of him—let go!” Blaine peeled Erin’s hands from the jacket the moment they had footing again.

Erin was panting angrily, glaring, and she shook the boys off. The jock, for once, looked downright scared while the others stared, wide eyed.

Jude, transfixed, lifted his camera and took a shot. 

Shane gave his brother a startled look.Blaine just shook his head with a small smile. Micah put an arm around Erin. “Okay…okay, breathe…let’s go…”

“I’ll share my food with you, Blaine,” Shane told his brother as the cheerleaders pulled the jocks back to their table—possibly because they understood exactly why Erin had flipped out. The jocks shot the group a dark look, but retreated for now.

“One quiet lunch hour…” Erin was muttering as she sat down and pulled her tray back to her.

“Thanks for the backup, Erin,” Blaine smirked. “I had no idea you were so passionate.”

“Don’t start with me, you,” Erin waved the fork at him with a frown. Jude laughed as he took out the polaroid. “Oh this is going onto the wall. It has to go onto the wall.”

“The day Erin hulked out and nearly threw Brian Duncan over the rail?” Micah grinned.

“Get used to it—I’m like this almost every month,” muttered the redhead.

“Every month…?” Shane looked terrified, inching away from her. Blaine just patted him and shook his head. “Just don’t poke her.”