The Eye of the Beholder /Phan>•</

Blue?

*A Week Later*

"Hey Louise!" I said, catching up to her as we began the walk home from school that day.

"Hi Dan!" She replied, an evil smirk on her face.

"What's going on?" I asked. I knew that smirk. I did that smirk.

"I......" She paused for dramatic effect. "Found a safe place for lunch!" She said excitedly, clapping her hands.

Confused, I spoke. "What do you mean?"

"There is this place in the very back of the library, with a hidden door that is covered in books."

"Woah!" I said. "This is great!" I replied.

"Peej and Chris already know, so we can all just meet there do lunch. It's on the opposite side of the school, do we could go a different way and avoid all of...them." She squirmed a bit at the last part. That's when I noticed the huge red mark on her arm.

"What did he do to you?" I asked. This was obviously Bryce.

"I'm okay, I swear." She tried to reassure me, but I was unconvinced. I saw the way her left eye was trying to stay open, and the gray and purple ring around it. My vision went red with anger.

"Louise....I'm so sorry." I said. It was all I could think to say.

"It's okay! It's not your fault!" She said.

Yes it is....

"I know, but that doesn't mean I don't feel bad." I reply. "I wish I had something to give you."

"Unless you have ice or ibuprofen on you, I think I'll be okay until I get home." She said, and we continued walking.

"Fine..." I grumbled.

• • •

"Alright, here is the plan." Chris said. We talked for a bit, brown sacked lunches in hand. We split up in groups of two, Chris and Louise, Peej and I. We each took a different route to the library, hoping to find the best way to get to the library without encountering any bullies.

"Ready?" Peej asked us. Was I? What if Bryce was there? What if he ganged up with his friends against me and Peej? What if...

"Ready." I cut off my own thoughts.

"Let's go." Chris said. Over-excited was an understatement, for all of us. I mean, who likes getting hurt daily?

As we began the trek to the library, Peej and I began making puns. It all started when he said, "So, besides this epic, life changing journey, what's up?" And I, being the kid who makes jokes then throws myself out because I realize they were lame, of course, said "The sky." Thus beginning an epic pun and joke war.

We were laughing so hard, we had to hold our stomachs to stop ourselves from puking, or dying, for that matter. I was looking down at the floor, debating which o the two jokes that had popped in my head to say when Pj's laughing stopped suddenly, nudging me. I looked up to find, as always, my old friend.

"Uh. Um, hi, B-Bryce." I stuttered. Pj stepping in front of me. I let him.

"Oh, does the fag have a boyfriend?" Bryce spit, sarcasm dripping off his tongue. When neither of us answered, he narrowed his eyes on me. Then seemed to realize where we were.

"Ya know, it's lunch right? Or are you too stupid to realize that?" He laughed.

"Actually, uh, we, we uh, we were just heading to the...." I trailed off. Shit. An excuse. Cmon, Dan! Pj seemed to understand my lack of lying experience, he filled in for me.