The fragrance of crappy-cooked school food wafted its way into your nostrils, as your stomach rumbled with hunger. The idea of choking down the constituted mashed potatoes and bland chicken was less than appealing, and you were grateful you brought your own lunch. Plopping down in your honored seat at The Elites' table (known as the popular people's table), you opened your lunch. A warm peanut-butter and jelly sandwich greeted you, along with a can of olives and crackers. You wanted to keep your meal light, the last thing you wanted to do was gain a few pounds and become obese, where your beloved Matthias would only scoff at you. You had taken a miniscule bite of the sandwich, when Matthias wrapped his arms around you from behind.
"Hi there!" You tilted your head upward and grinned, as he slinked his arms away and took a seat next to you. His lunch, consisted of a traditional Danish lunch his mom cooked. It consisted of frikadeller, with rugbread and pickled gherkins.
"Mmm. Looks good." You nudged him and pointed to his meal.
"Mine. All mine." Matthias playfully hissed, and you chuckled, popping an olive into your mouth. Soon enough, more elite people filled the table, ranging from cheerleaders to supermodels, to buff football players. Maribel took a seat across from you, as the other popular people greeted you with warm expressions. Ah, to be accepted. A warm, fuzzy feeling bubbled in your very chest, as you were regarded as the most popular girl. Maribel zeroed in on you, her intense eyes observing you and Matthias.
"Can I ask you something (Name)?" Maribel asked.
"Sure, go ahead!" You chirped.
"Have you guys done it yet?" She asked bluntly, and you choked on your water. Coughing hysterically, you finally wheezed and gained your breath. A huge blush splashed on your face. Of course you hadn't had sex with Matthias, you were mature, and only willing to give your gift after marriage.
"N-No! Of course not!" You stammered, very mortified.
"My dame is innocent, isn't she?" Matthias pulled you onto his lap and you yelped. For the rest of lunch, you sat perched on his lap, eating, until you noticed someone. A boy, sitting mournfully by himself, barely eating a tin of sardines. You recognized the boy to be Lukas. He raised his head and gave you the most heart-wrenching, lonely gaze you had ever witnessed. He looked so sad, so in pain, you instantly wanted to run over and make his dull eyes shine again.
"Is that weirdo bothering you again? If he is, I'll give him a knuckle sandwich." Matthias told you, cracking his knuckles.
"I'm just going to go to the ladies room." You patted his head and slid off his lap, walking slow and steady until you came to the his seat. He again gazed at you with grief and fury, and then he turned away. Silently, you entered the ladies room and plopped in a stall. You could overhear the gossip.
"Hey? Did you hear about that freakish new guy?" A girl chimed.
"Yeah, I don't want any thing to do with a socially challenged weirdo like him. He never speaks, and all he does is stare. So creepy. Wouldn't be surprised if 'Lukas Bondevik' got arrested for rape or murder." Another girl replied, and you felt awful. That poor guy, already alone and branded a social outcast. You sighed and finished your business, exiting the bathroom to find lunch was over. Everyone was flowing toward class, and you couldn't help but stare back at Lukas, silently packing up his lunch and standing up. His eyes drooped sadly as the other kids stared poking fun at him.
"What was that? I can't hear you, retard! It's not Halloween yet, put away your costume, you freak!" Taunted the others and you bit back every inch of your body to turn away and comfort him. But you couldn't. You never could. You joined Matthias in the hallway and cast one glance back at Lukas. Was that a trace of tears in his dull eyes? You couldn't tell, because Matthias dragged you off, back in your safe cocoon of popularity.
"New kid's got everyone ruffled. So much fun to pick on." Matthias told you, and you instantly felt horrible.
"You shouldn't pick on him." You told him, and for a split second you thought you might even despise Matthias, but it dissolved when he kissed your forehead.
"I was only kidding." Matthias grinned, as he dragged you to your next class. You sighed, glancing out the window, as the day dragged on, long and awful. You were holding hands with Matthias on the way out when you noticed Lukas standing by his locker, and getting his things. He grabbed some books when a kid shoved them out of his hands, and they tumbled everywhere.
"Do you need some help, you stupid mute?" The kid snickered.
"Get up, you disgusting retard." Another kid kicked his side. Lukas, however, looked very calm, and continued to pick up his things like nothing happened.
"Already you are looking at other guys." Matthias tilted your head back to him, and smiled. You leaned into him and shook your head.
"You're the one for me, Matthias." You assured him. Although, looking back to Lukas' dull eyes, you weren't so sure. Just why did this boy intrigue you so much?
Back at home, you groaned in exhaustion and flung yourself on your bed, rolling over to your side. You smiled, gazing at a small picture placed on the stand. It was a shot of you, as a little girl, with a little boy your age. You were both inseparable, the childhood friends to beat. You had met the boy when your family moved you to your new house. But unfortunately, he had drowned, his death always affecting you sadly. You had to admit he was your first love. Even now, the image of his mangled cries splashing in the water, always created your nightmares. "I still miss you. But I promise I'm still smiling. Heaven really suits you." You told the picture, and smiled. If only he were alive right now- what would he look like? Would his eyes beaming with emotion still look the same? Or how about his cross-pin nestled in his hair? It was nice to dream.