Rainbow Daydreamer

Chapter Thirteen

"Gwendolyn Rose Willow, you get your butt back here right now!" Gwen's mom shouted from the living room.
Gwen sighed and turned around. "Wait here guys." She said to Luke and Indie.
Slowly she dragged her feet towards her mom who was standing with her arms crossed and tapping her foot.
"Before you ground me", Gwen began, "Just know that I'll take any punishment you give me starting tomorrow. It's really, really important to talk to you and Dad. I promise I will explain everything okay?"
Her mom stood for a minute considering this. "Ok", she said finally, "I will hear you out when your dad gets home. Please keep your door open with Luke here."
Gwen nodded and headed back towards her room.
     Indie and Luke stood on either side of Gwen's bed looking nervous.
     "It's okay guys, my mom is actually really cool. She'll hear you out." Gwen said giving a small smile. Indie and Luke nodded.
     The three of them spent the afternoon talking, laughing and watching videos online. Gwen had almost forgotten about the days events when she heard her dad walk in the front door. They glanced at each other nervously. From the front room Gwen could hear her parents talking in low voices.
     "Gwen, uh, come here, please?", she heard her dad call.
     Sighing she stood up. Luke was ashen color and shaky. Gwen walked up to him, squeezed his hand and lead the way to the front room.
     Indie, Luke and Gwen sat on the sofa while her parents sat on the love seat across from them. Her parents kept exchanging uneasy glances.
     "Mom, Dad, I know I messed up today but Cassie took it way too far. She was bullying Luke and Indie all day! I mean she was mean .", Gwen said quickly.
     Gwen's parents looked surprised. "Sweetie, you know it's never ok to hit somebody right?", Mr. Willow asked seriously.
     "Yes I do and I will take whatever punishment you see fit."
     Luke sat up suddenly, "Mr. and Mrs. Willow it's not Gwen's fault! Cassie was..she was...I'm gay!" He shouted suddenly as if the words were ripped from his mouth against his own will.
     He began to cry as he continued, "My dads gonna kill me! He'll hate me! I'm letting him down! I told Cassie over the weekend and she got really mad and today she told everyone because I didn't...couldn't..." Luke seemed at a loss for words.
     Gwen's mom suddenly got up off the love seat and put her arms around Luke. He cried even harder.
     "Oh sweetie it's okay! You have nothing to be sorry for! You haven't let anyone down, I'm sure your father will be fine. Shh it's okay." She held him tightly. Gwen knew Luke's home life wasn't the best, that he didn't get a lot of attention, and felt a glowing pride in her mother.
     Indie shifted in her seat, "Umm, so yeah Gwen was protecting both of us. I'm gay as well. My parents know and are actually kind of cool about it. But please don't punish Gwen."
     Gwen looked up surprised. Mr. Willow nodded. "Gwen normally I don't condone violence but if you were sticking up for your friends, well, you did the right thing. We won't punish you. Is there anything else you would like to tell us?" He asked.
     Maybe it was Luke's crying or her fathers proud look but Gwen said something that she never thought she'd say, "I'm gay."