Chapter 13

                                    

                                          
The weekend seemed to fly by faster than normal. I tried to savor the moment, to slow down time and acknowledge every minute as if that would accomplish anything. Despite my efforts, Monday still came. At school, I listlessly attended each of my classes, making a greater effort to avoid having the teachers call on me. I was successful all but twice. 
                          
Gwen still hasn't spoken to me, not even a cursory glance in my direction. I suppose I shouldn't expect anything less. The only thing I can do is let time heal the wound I inflicted. Time heals everything after all. Or so people say. Once a few months pass—okay, a few years—she'll forget about it, or at the very least realize how meaningless that one moment was and the tale I told. And if she knew I did it to impress her, to make her realize that the guy she's been searching for is the one who's been here all along, she might actually thank me. 
                          
Okay, I won't press my luck.
                          
I enter the crowded cafeteria and glance up at the lighted menu board. Today's special is grilled cheese and tomato soup. Seeing as how it's a chilly day outside, soup sounds nice. I slide those two items onto the plastic food tray along with a bowl of chocolate pudding, then scan the rest of the cafeteria for an open table. Gwen and Luke are sitting together again along with a dozen or so other students around a circular table. It's like a melting pot of cultures; some blacks and some whites, even an Oriental, all sharing one common denominator: popularity. 
                          
A chair around the circular table is vacant, and it happens to be the chair directly to Gwenevere's left. 
                          
Should I? No! That's utter insanity to even think about doing something like that. Gwen would completely ignore my existence. But then again, I've already fallen as low as I can on her list of favorites. I'm currently a resident at Rock-bottom Estates. It's not like I can do any more damage to my reputation. Right?
                          
As if my legs have a mind of their own, I move towards the circular table and set my tray of food down in the open spot. "Hi, guys!" My voice comes off a little too jovial. I tone it down. "Hows it going?" Everyone at the table ceases from their multiple conversations. Each face turns to look at me, including Gwen. None of them speak a single word, which makes me uncomfortable. I'm starting to regret this decision. I sit down and stare at my food, not daring to make eye contact with any of them.
                          
"Who said you could sit with us?" a gruff voice says. I look up and search for the person responsible for the voice. It was a male voice, so at least I know it wasn't Gwen who said it. Although, I'm not sure why I find solace in that fact. 
                          
"Are you deaf, fool?" My vision settles on Maximus, a noodle-haired guy with as much of a mean streak as a pit bull. He's also captain of the wrestling team, which is no doubt fuel to his everburning internal fire. Over the last two years, I've seen guys twice his size pick a fight with him and lose. I know very well I don't want to follow in their painful footsteps.
                          
"Um, I—uh, well. N-not exactly." I sputter those words out like a ketchup bottle oozing its remaining droplets of ketchup. Why couldn't I have spoken those words with clarity instead of tripping over them like a stuttering baboon? My heart is pounding and the small of my back is moist. This was a bad idea. I wish I could teleport to another table and forget I ever tried to sit with them.
                          
Maximus continues to glare at me, nostrils flaring in and out with each angered breath. I'm partly concerned that he's about to leap across this table and tackle me to the floor. "Well, y-y-y-you thought wrong." He mimics my sputtering.
                          
Luke raises a hand to silence him. "Dude, chill. It's a free country. If he wants to sit, he can sit." Maximus grumbles something, but backs down. I'm shocked that Luke defended me. Guilt gnaws at my conscience. He sticks up for me while behind his back I'm trying to take his place in Gwen's life.  I wasn't expecting him to be so nice. I just thought . . . well . . . I actually don't know what I thought he would be like, but nice never entered the equation. "Don't worry about him," Luke says to me. "Maximus' bark is worse than his bite."