The first time I saw Riko, she was wearing a red t-shirt, worn to the point the print long faded. Anya dismissed her as another poor charity case, while Aki couldn't take his eyes off her during morning drills. Aki hasn’t sat with us since.

Riko this, Riko that! We talk about her a lot, for a girl we don’t like. At least according to Anya, we don’t.

Today, our lunch table is emptier than usual, with only me, Anya, Sho Sho, and Mike present. The rest are serving lunch detention—again.

“Do you see that” Anya chuckles, pointing with her spoon across the canteen. “She’s at it again. Pathetic.”

I turn to watch Riko picking up plastic bottles from under the benches, collecting them with the same grocery bag she brings every day. Her black hair sticks to her face, and when she tries to sweep it to the side, it falls right back.

“Here she comes” Anya whispers, gathering the empty soda bottles by her side. She grabs mine to, even though I’ve still got half the coke left.

“Hi, Anya, Sho Sho” Riko greets, smiling at the girls. She twists the bottle cap from side to side, swaying in place at the gaze of everyone in the table. “I was wondering if I can collect your bottles for you.”

“Why?” Anya asks, even though she knows. The school gives twenty-five cents a bottle you recycle, and kids like Riko use the money to buy lunch. Mike says it’s a bullshit excuse to throw money around, but I think he only says that because of Anya.

“Well, to turn in for recycling” Riko replies, tightening her grip on the bottle cap.

“So you want to get money from the bottles I purchased” Anya questions, raising her voice so the tables around take notice. “You think that’s how life works? Just leeching off other people’s profits?”

“No, that’s not what I—”

“The world doesn’t revolve around people like you” Anya continues. “Who’s to say I don’t want to turn in the bottles myself?”

“I understand. I’ll go now.”

Everyone holds there breaths, until Anya finally speaks again. “Wait.”

“Yes?”

“What is she doing” Sho Sho whispers, leaning across the table towards me and Mike.

I shrug, but Anya's expression tells me it isn’t good. You should leave now, Riko.

Anya crosses her legs and turns towards Riko, inspecting her with disdain. “Beg for it, and I’ll give you all my bottles.”

People immediately begin whispering, and a group of guys laugh from the table next to us.

“Not cool!” a girl protests. She seems like she’s trying to sound angry, but it comes out in a laugh.

If she snitches, that’ll be lunch detention for another week. Dad would hear about it, and I might as well just die now. Judging by the look she’s giving me now, she probably about to run off and—

“Okay” Riko mumbles, shrugging off her backpack and placing the bag of bottles down.

“Please, oh please Anya” she says with feigned sincerity. “Grant me your bottles!”

More snickers fill the air, and Riko’s smile widens. Even on her knees, she maintains that same stupid grin.

“Ugh!” Anya yells. She uncrosses her leg, kicking Riko on the chest and sending her sprawling back on the ground.

The room shifts instantly. The laughing is now nervous, cautious. Hell, even I didn’t think Anya would do that. She hates Riko, for reasons beyond me, but she’s always settled for teasing. Not this.

“Listen here you little rat!” Anya snaps. Riko kneels with her hand on the ground, coughing a clutching onto her shirt where Anya kicked. “We’re all sick and tired of your pathetic attitude. If your going to beg, I want you on your knees, kissing my shoes. Actually, I don’t even want your disgusting lips near them. You should just-“

“Anya!” I interrupt.

Shit.

She slowly turns around, her blue eyes wide and furious. “What now, Kenji?”

“I-well-“ I turn towards Mike, who avoids eye contact along with Sho Sho. Traitors. “Your taking it a little far…”

“Ha!” Anya laughs, dragging a fry through a sludge of ketchup and waving it around as she speaks. “What, are you like Aki? Do you like her?”

“No!”

“Do you think standing up for her will make her like you back?”

“Do you want to kiss her!” Mike chimes in, like a dog on Anya’s leash.

“Ew, no!” I yell. “I would rather lick a toilet bowl than kiss that girl!”

Chuckles spread through the room, and satisfied, Anya turns back towards Riko.

Rikos hair covers her face almost entirely, as if she’s hiding her shame by lowering her head. But then why…is she smiling?

“After all that, I suppose I’ll give you the bottles” Anya drawls. She throws the bottles at Rikos head, getting one last laugh out of the crowd of students. “Let’s see what you can do for me next time.”

Riko collects the bottles and leaves, and lunch goes back to normal. Anya and Mike laugh, Sho Sho watches with that same jealous look she hides behind her glasses every day, and I quietly watch Riko as she buys a plate of lunch, smiling. Smiling! Why would she be smiling? She was just humiliated, and so was I because of her!

Lunch ends and I wait by the door, making sure Anya is gone before I approach Riko.

“Riko” I call out, harsher than I intend.

She looks up, smiling once again. “Hi Kenji.”

“Why are you smiling?”

She blinks slowly. “What?”

“Your always smiling! We mess with you and you smile, like some creepy doll that doesn’t know what to do! Your smiling right now!” I’m yelling. I don’t know why.

Riko collects her belonging and walks out the canteen. I follow.

“Are you going to answer me, weirdo?” I demand.

Riko sighs, her smile faltering as she keeps walking. “Yell at me all you want. Lick a toilet bowl for all I care. Just know that your anger earned me twenty-five cents. So really, feel free to do it again tomorrow.”

She forces a smile and turns a corner. I miss my class but follow.

“If you keep acting like this, Anya will never leave you alone.”

“Like what?”

“Proud.”

“Hmm. But I did what she wanted, didn’t I, Kenji? Anyways, this is my class. Thanks for walking me!”

Is this girl serious!

“Your such a smartass,” I mumble, turning back around.

“And your an asshole.”

She can fight back all she wants. Its her fault if she’s to be damned. But if I get dragged into this—no I won’t be.

Not again.