My 1st Prom

Date: 21/6, Tue

  After finals, the school organised activities- for each grade- outside the premises. This time, we're joining a guided tour in the legislative council. Luke stays at home, probably playing on his valuable Xbox. Luke's maid was by his side -thank God- when I left the suite, so he should be ok. (My parents took him to 2 clinics and a hospital. Each.) My period would still be a brutal pain in the ass if I hadn't taken a pill.

I'm early as we gather at our meeting point-I only knew after Apple texted me yesterday. She's apparently over being petty. Most of my classmates form a large circle right beside me. Joining in and chatting with them will be awkward with the M germs issue. Nick arrives, prancing straight for the big group as he joins in flawlessly without hesitation. Walking through metal detectors before entering the area, I keep to myself and avoid touching anyone by standing in corners. How do I be outgoing ?

S1G2 people sure stay a good distance away while taking group pictures, needless to say. A tiny buzzing dot lands on the camera, going unnoticed by the cameraman. Walking along the corridors, looking at old photographs of the building, seeing the room where council members usually discuss on TV. A few lucky people even get to use walkie-talkies. '.....acts like she doesn't care but actually does....' I hear Nick's voice in the crowd. Wandering closer to him, I try listening. '... weirdo loner...' a deep, masculine voice murmurs. And then I hear them say 'M germs'. Great, I'll never be his friend without destroying his social status.

People inside the elevator are practically trampling on each other to make space from me as I get in, as if I'm wearing a wet raincoat while they aren't. (I'm one of the last ones to get in.) 'Take the next lift.' Someone growls. At once, I feel less important than any of them. A small arc of space exists between me and... everyone else. It's unbearable.

My elbow -don't know how it actually happened- brushed a guy's rucksack 'Sorry,' I blurt, preparing to run when the doors open. A silent yet angry glare answers, followed by a bunch of classmates scrambling for tissue. It's not his fault. Water builds up in my eyes, so I count the number of people in the lift as we go downwards, ignoring him. The ride down is no better with tropical hand sanitizer scents suffocating me in a metal box.

'Janitor, please clean this elevator.' The Person Whose Rucksack I Contaminated -he's the guy with the masculine voice, I realise- tells a cleaner, pointing to the lift we took minutes ago. I leapt out of the lift before the doors fully opened. 'There's a smudge- right there.' He gestures to the empty spot I vacated. Scalding me would've hurt significantly less. 'It's clean.' Replies the confused cleaner, 'I wiped earlier.' 'Trust me, something nasty was here,' he moonwalks to his friends, 'she's so... dirty!' I ignore Nick as he catches a glimpse of me. 'She's standoffish,' a snarky high-pitched voice comments, 'joke's on her.' Another deep voice adds, 'Who else sticks out like a sore thumb?' I absorb all their comments. Uncontrollable salty liquid trickles down my face. 'I'm sorry for touching your bag,' I feel very ashamed. It hurts. It bloody bloody hurts. I don't know how long I stand, shoulders shaking in a sobbing mess.

A hand holding tissue comes forward. I carefully take it without touching skin, mumbling my thanks. Nick asks someone nearby before peering at me, 'Oh. Is she ok?' 'Stop crying your heart out, Celestia. I'm not scared of M germs, ya know.' I rub my eyes, trying to see through blurry vision. Another hand -Apple- gives me tissue, patting my shoulder soothingly. Something warm wraps around me, I savour the comfy safeness. 'Less sad now?' XYZ asks. I hug her back and sniff, 'Thanks, guys-'

'WHAT THE HELL ? Eva storms over, making a scene . XYZ's jaw drops open, she's wise enough to unhug me. I try not to look at Apple's gaping mouth. 'Heat transfer.' I shrug in a matter-of-fact way. 'You should know better than hugging MY friend.' Apple and Eva share a canine smile. XYZ quails slightly under intimidation. 'XYZ doesn't mean any harm. She's only an acquaintance,' I persuade Apple, 'you're my closest friend in school.' 'XYZ is contaminated now, she isn't pure anymore. This is totally your fault!' Eva growls at me, Apple nods her agreement. Nick curiously glances over, wondering what's going on. 'It's my fault she hugged me? Update your brain cells,' I snarl. 'Stop picking on her!' XYZ speaks up, her body seemingly close to trembling. 'Why? Pitying her? ' Apple's tone turns freezing cold. A nice person is going to be bullied just because she cares for a social outcast. Whose fault is this? 'Go ahead. Purify her. She's your friend, right? I'll never talk to her again.' I offer. Eva cocks her head, observing XYZ, 'Looks like I forgot to inform you of the do's and don'ts here.' Apple guarantees, 'Don't worry, I'LL make sure Celestia doesn't talk to her.' Eva seethes in feral rage, scanning me from head to toe. 'Alright. If I see XYZ hanging out with her again, she's dead.' I don't bother asking if she'll kill me or XYZ first.

The 3 of us turn around and go our separate ways to the school coach. XYZ's gone.

We see XYZ as soon as we board the coach transporting us back to school. 'Where were you?' Eva asks, refusing to have physical contact with any of us. XYZ holds out her phone, showing a picture of Gyan Rion and her laughing side by side. 'I'm nice to Celestia because she reminds me of him.' She explains. I sit down on the empty seat beside her. 'For your information, Gyan is my... my...' Her voice stops working. 'He's your what?' Apple asks impatiently. 'My...my....' XYZ's words can't pop out of her mouth. 'He's her next-door neighbour.' I butt in, voice purposely dry. Apple gasps for breath, 'You've been contaminated all along?' 'Two-faced dick sucker!' Eva shrieks outrageously loud, keeping her arms to her sides, 'How can you conveniently forget this little detail? I can't believe I have to clean everything!' It won't be long until XYZ is associated with a misfit. Sure enough, everyone's attention is on her. Waiting for XYZ's blame, I remain silent. 'Sure thing,' XYZ exhibits her middle finger- in Eva's face, 'one can never be too clean.' Eva darts off to find an empty seat far, far from us. Everyone else suddenly decides to look out the windows. Snitches are no fun, cuss words can be heard by teachers. Apple is shocked silent at XYZ's defiance. 'Are you two friends now?' She inclines her head to the small space between me and XYZ. XYZ links her arm with mine, 'Yes!'

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(●＾o＾●) I feel like I've edited this chapter 30 times. Maybe that's why I think of Celestia & prom stuff in my sleep. Totally worth it!  

Wanna know where I got the character names from ? (I took Apple from Ever After High, Celestia from My Little Pony & Nick from 'Crazy Rich Asians'.)

Would you guys be so kind as to vote or leave a comment?  Thanks~