WESTMINSTER — It's 12:15. All the classes get out, and the lunch room slowly starts to fill. The sound of laughter rises through the room like a wave in the ocean, tumbling down and taking everyone with it.
I wait in line, anxious to move forward. The smell of ravioli and freshly baked bread drifts down the line, taunting us, and we get a sneak peek of what we are about to indulge in.
The line moves forward, and I get my plate. A smile slowly takes over my face as the steam from the food reaches my nose, talking to me, and telling me what is in store for me.
A slight breeze flows through an open door, drawing us outside into the autumn air.
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Leaving the chatter of the lunch room, we head outside and up a hill. Sitting at the top, we can finally dig into the lunch that we have been waiting so patiently for all morning.
A soft, cheesy filling encased in a box made of pasta fills my mouth and warms my body. Screams of laughter drift out from the school, and a group of kids are running around, but we pay no attention, for we are captivated in our own conversation.
I take the last bite of ravioli and wash it down with some ice-cold water. My meal is done, but lunch is most definitely not over yet. We now need to get our dishes to the kitchen.
With just a look from one to another, we race down the hill, holding tight to our dishes, our hair flying behind us trying to keep up. Out of breath and smiles plastered to our faces, we walk inside, getting ready for our next challenge to present itself.
We have had our meal, but no meal is complete without a sweet treat to go along. We head to the kitchen for some black tea with cream and sugar, which warms me from head to toe, dances throughout my body, and lights up my eyes. But that doesn't stop me from engaging in a deep discussion while awaiting the start of my next class.
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This lunch was one filled with laughter, chatter, and a delicious plate of food, but I wouldn't wants this experience every day. It's these one-of-a-kind moments that you truly remember.
Lunch should be the time that you can change every day, making it unique from the day before. It should be the time when your schedule is thrown out the window and you just make it up as you go along, adding a different spice each day.