Rainbow Daydreamer

Chapter Ten

Looking back Gwen should have recognized the warning signs. She'd gone to this school her entire life and knew her classmates very well, so what happened at lunch really shouldn't have surprised her.
Lunch period started off perfectly normal. The bell rang and there was the usual frantic waves of students pushing their way to the door, desperate to get a break from higher learning, if even for only forty minutes.
Gwen and Indie met Luke outside of the cafeteria.
Normally Gwen sat with Cassie. She would eat in silence as Cassie would jabber on and on about her crush of the week, pausing only occasionally to ask Gwen an opinion about this or that. Was pink really Cassie's color? Did Gwen think Cassie should get a new haircut? Honestly it exhausted Gwen.
So when they entered the cafeteria Gwen immediately noticed the cold stare that Cassie was throwing in their direction. Nervously Gwen thought back on how Dave had been whispering in English.
Luke, Gwen and Indie went through the lunch line. Indie declined the school food, (wise move), showing her own lunch in a brown paper bag.
"Gwen! Over here!", Cassie shouted the second the stepped out of the lunch line. She was smiling and waving, Dave who had his arm around her was smirking.
Gwen glanced nervously at Indie and Luke remembering the cold manner in which Cassie had treated them this morning. "We could sit somewhere else if you guys want. It's not like she doesn't have company." She was surprised at the irritation in her own voice.
Indie smiled, "It's cool with me. Don't change your routine on my behalf. Luke?"
He sighed and shrugged. "I guess so."
The three zigzagged through the cafeteria towards Cassie and Dave.
As they approached the table Gwen noticed Ellie Green and Danielle Smith sitting with them.
Danielle was bleach blonde and dumb as rocks. Perfect fake tan and bleached white teeth. It made her look twenty. Ellie was short and darker skinned. She followed Danielle around everywhere. They dressed and acted exactly the same. And of course were two of the most popular girls in tenth grade.
Gwen sat down opposite Cassie, Indie and Luke sitting on either side of her. There was a brief uncomfortable silence from their side of the table.
"So Dani here was just dying to meet little Indie here!", Cassie said with a smirk. "She said Gavin Baxter has been ranting about her all morning!"
Cassie was speaking almost as if Indie wasn't sitting right across the table from them. Something was off.
Dani giggled, "It's true, he kept telling Dave how pretty he thinks you are Indie!"
"Did he?", Indie asked with a raised eyebrow, almost skeptical, "That's nice."
She opened up her paper bag and began pulling out her lunch. Luke had his arms crossed and wasn't touching his food.
"Yeah Gavin's a dork like that." Dave chimed in, staring at Indie without even hiding the fact that he was checking her out.
Time to steer these conversation into safer waters, Gwen thought to herself. "What did you guys thi.." She got out before being interrupted.
"Maybe you should go to the fall dance with him! It is girls choice!", Dani said grinning.
"Was he the one with dark hair? Broad shoulders and dreamy eyes?", Indie asked without looking up from her sandwich.
Cassie, Dani and Ellie looked at each other and smiled. Gwen could suddenly see where this was going.
"Yeah! I think he's totally in to you and I know he's single.", Dani said eagerly.
Indie finally looked up from her lunch. "No thanks, I don't date idiots who don't have the nerve to talk to me themselves. Though I have a feeling he doesn't even know you are talking to me about this."
Gwen would have laughed at the look on Ellie and Dani's faces if it hadn't been for the look on Cassie's .
"Well if you're hoping to hook up with dear Luke here", she paused throwing a look at Luke who was sitting stiff, "Then I'm afraid you're barking up the wrong tree. Apparently Luke only bats for the same team."
Stunned silence followed this statement. Everyone looked quickly from Cassie to Luke and back. Luke was bright red and shaking.
"Dude!", Dave exclaimed, "You're a fag?!? Is that why you couldn't seal the deal with Amber over the summer?!?"
Luke stood up rather fast, stared down at Cassie and yelled, "Fuck you bitch!", and stormed off.
People in the cafeteria stopped and stared after him. Luke punched a door on the way out.
"Was that supposed to impress me?", Indie asked angrily. "Because newsflash! I'm gay and that was messed up!" And with that she collected her lunch and stood up. "She you in Speech." She muttered to Gwen and left.
Gwen turned towards the others, "Cassie that was totally not cool! Why would you do that?"
"Relax space head. Dani said that girl was coming on to Dave, she deserved it!" Cassie replied nonchalantly.
"Okay even if that was true and obviously it's not, what did Luke do that you would be so mean?!" Gwen squeaked getting angrier by the second.
Surprisingly Cassie laughed, "Nothing, just thought everyone should know, and believe me they will know." She smiled and Gwen realized how cruel Cassie truly was.
"They aren't worth your time Gwen! They are losers! Trust me, they will drag you down." Dani said.
Gwen stood, "The only losers I see here are you four! And believe me Cassie you've been dragging me down far to long! Time to cut the strings!"
Ignoring the outraged looks on their faces, Gwen turned and walked out of the cafeteria to find Luke and Indie.