MASKED

Chapter Five

Every lunch Lexy joined ‘the gang’ at their favourite green table by the window. They were all wealthy alright but they were not snobbish about it as she has imagined. Lexy did not feel any less different from them. Soon enough she was one of them; a part of 'the gang'. Lexy had never been keen on intimacy but then she had to admit, they got to her.

She forgot all about the Orion guy for a while and the issue of the Mcmalineys didn't pop up again.

Katie was the queen of information, nothing was new to her. Her mum was an events organizer which one could say accounted for her extravagant yet simple fashion sense. Lexy noticed that she in particular had become close to her. For some unknown reason, Katie was interested in being her friend; but not in a creepy sort of way or anything. They got along quite well as the time wnet by. Lexy made other once in a while ‘hi,hello’ friends too but she was always with 'the gang'. She was beginning to like Dannexville. Things were looking up!

The soccer team was playing this season and it was the topic of the whole school; right down to even the teachers. It also happened to be the talk of the table during lunch that day. From what Lexy could gather, the school's soccer team was very good. Of course she had it’s captain as her friend and she had seen Brian shoot a few goals before: he was pretty much amazing.

Every girl wanted to hook up with a guy from the soccer team and Brian was having a hard time with them, especially with the cheerleaders' pestering.

Harmony and Stephanie were apart of the cheerleading squad though, but they were not that interested in any soccer players and they talked non-stop about routines and dance steps. Katie was rattling on about students in the school, giving her lengthy, up to date commentaries on each person.

Theo, today's hero, noticing her boredom and apparent discomposure, came to her rescue.

"Hey guys, who's going to Leo's party on Saturday?", he winked at Lexy. She smiled gratefully. Almost immediately everyone plunged into a hearty conversation about the party.

"It's this Saturday? I totally forgot", Trick said giving his head a scratch.

"Typical of you to forget something all the time, Trick", Harmony observed.

"I don’t even know what I'm going to wear, guys. Any ideas?"

Britney turned to Cassie.

"You know Cass, Leo is like soo hot, don’t you think so?", she said dreamily.

"Yeah I do know, Brit. Plus, he's in the soccer team too. Think I can get a chance with him?"

"Come on, Cassie". Mike said taking a sip from his soda, "You know he's taken, right?"

"Huh? He is? By who?"

"Never heard? He and Jessy are together now."

"Wait up, is it Jessy Lonrex? The model?", Lexy asked. She had seen her often in some of her classes. She was a tall girl with a really pretty face.

"Yep, she’s the one", nodded Trick.

"Jessy Lonrex? I thought she was dating some guy called Zeke?", Stephanie pitched in.

"Naaaw, that was years ago.They broke up", Steve answered her.

"Yeah, said something about him being too stuck up, I heard.”, Theo added.

"He was the one who was stuck up??", Brain laughed.

"Apparently", Mike shrugged.

"Too bad. Still, they were cute together", sighed Malory. Cassie shot her a dark look.

"Uuuurgh!! Can't she stick to one guy?? Hoarding all the nice boys, the selfish w***e", she grumbled and accidentally spilled Harmony's drink.

"Hey, don’t take it out on my food!", she chided, before wiping it with some paper towels Theo offered her.

"Sorry Cass. Best to try your luck elsewhere it seems", said Lexy with a grin, patting her on the shoulder.

"Oh, shut up, Lexy!", she smiled in spite of herself.

Then Theo asked:

"So, Lexy, are you coming to the party?"

The entire table turned to her, the anticipation written all over their faces.

"Uhmm......oh well......sorry guys, I can’t. Busy this weekend", she said apologetically.

Cries of protest and disappointment rang across the table.

Britney tried to persuade her.

"Come on Lexy, it'll be fun trust me".

"Yeah", everyone added together.

Just then Katie spoke up.

"Don't worry Lexy, I'm not going either. We can just go shopping together instead."

"What??!!", Cassie exclaimed. "Katie, you can't be serious? There'll be great scoops to catch you know?"

Katie was a reporter for the school magazine and newspaper.

"I've never known you to miss a party before", Theo added.

"Well there's always a first time for everything, is there not? So for this Saturday, I'll pass. Petunia can have this one".

Even as fellow reporters, Petunia and Katie were always at each others throats in the bid for the chief editor spot.

She swung her hair right into Mike's pizza slice and he nugded her playfully as he handed her a towel while she wiped the sauce off her picture perfect hair.

Brian winked at the rest of the gang and said teasingly:

"Oh look here guys, two love birds".

Everyone began to tease the two. Mike was heavily trying to clear his name while Katie was acting all tough, ignoring their teasing remarks.

"Haha, guys.Very funny.", Mike gave in after all his efforts proved in vain.

"Well, jokes on you this time", Lexy laughed.

"Lexy! I can’t believe you are in on this!", Katie complained.

"Sorry Kate, I can't help it. You two look so good together."