How To Be A Queen (Myths Finding Love #1)

Chapter 4 - Eighteen

"Is that new? I can't possibly accept more gifts from you," I told my friend.

"Nah. This is old. You can loan it for today."

"Really? Awesome!" I hugged her again before I dashed back into the bathroom to get dressed. After that, we put the leftover cake inside the refrigerator. I put a note for my foster mother and my sisters to feel free to eat the cake.

-♔-

"Could you believe it? I'm eighteen today! I feel so old!" I complained.

"You are old," Claudine replied with a sad shake of her head. I pinched her arm and she winced while glaring at me.

Today, I noticed that I received more stares as I walked by the school corridors. "That dress is really doing it for you," Claudine said as she eyed me from head to toe.

"Thanks for lending it to me, C. It makes me feel like a princess. Sorta like one," I replied with a smile. I received more whistles and cat-calls as we made our way to class. I felt my cheeks flame and ducked my head to avoid the stares I received.

"Oh, they are so going to be jealous," Claudine murmured as we entered our class. A hushed silence fell on the room and everyone turned to stare at me.

"Wow. The nerd cleans up nicely," one of the jocks said. He quickly received a pinch from one of Sarah's friends. "What? Am just sayin!" he grumbled.

At that point, I wished I could just go back home and change. I loved the dress and in a moment of sheer vanity, I accepted Claudine's offer to loan it to me. I didn't even think of the consequences when I saw how beautiful it was. Now, I was paying the price.

I sat on my usual seat and heard Sarah and her friends start murmuring.

"Didn't we just pour a bottle of black hair dye on her hair yesterday...?"

"How come it's still like that?"

"It looks as though nothing happened..."

"Maybe she dyed it back."

"She's a huge freak..."

Before I could ponder on the things they were saying, homeroom started and everybody settled down. Our class advisor, Mr. Grier entered and started with his usual roll call.

"Mr. Grant, I was wondering if we could get to the homecoming issue first, please?" Sarah asked in a sweet tone.

"Okay then. What about it?" Mt. Grant asked.

"Well, teachers are the ones who get to nominate the one that will represent the class. And then we will all vote among the representatives of each class, picked by the teacher. Winner gets to be homecoming king and queen," Sarah explained.

"Okay then. I assume there are some criteria for this so that I could make a wise choice?" Mr. Grant asked. His eyes were roving all over the class already as though thinking if anyone is actually worthy in this current pool of idiots.

"Beauty, brains, popularity and all that jazz," Sarah replied giving Mr. Grant one of her best smiles. She was so definitely wishing that she would be the one who gets picked.

"Ugh. I swear if she does her hair flip and smile for our teacher, I'm gonna drag her down on the ground and pull off all that straight blond hair," Claudine whispered at my ear. I covered my mouth to stifle the sound as we both started to giggle.

"Okay, let's see then." Mr. Grant said as his eyes roamed all over the room again. I noticed that everyone started to run their fingers through their hair, sit a little straighter, smile, bat their eyelashes, etc. They were all hoping to get noticed and be the one who is picked.