My ex-friends all wear coats
Of varnish over their persons
They lacquer on their smiles
And pretend they are perfect

But Vic didn’t seem to do that
Even though talking to him was easy
Which made me wonder
If he was real or hidden under a coat of varnish

I walked with him to the food court
Smiling and chatting
Sweating and blushing
My heart was fluttering

I took off my coat
And I saw them
The old clique
Sitting at a table looking at me

Would they come over
And ruin this impromptu date?

They grabbed their coats
Throwing away their food
As if I ruined their appetite
And walked past me, noses up

Kristy shoved me
Into Vic
I stumbled
He caught me

“Hey!” he called out
They stalked off
Their varnish at high sheen
His words reflecting off their coats

He saw me duck my head
I didn’t respond
I didn’t deserve their hate
He knew I had fallen

“I gotta go.”
My eyes spoke apologies
For my lowly position
“No, stay.”