The Kings of Kentworth

149.

Lisa got to the table, picked a cup and poured herself a drink. Her throat was dry, thanks to the anxiety that seemed to overwhelm her. It was funny though. Six months before tonight, she knew this would happen. She knew she would be called to that stage as the new queen of Kentworth, but still, she seemed psychologically unprepared for it all.

She took a sip of her drink and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her nerves.

"Hey Lisa," a familiar voice uttered from behind her.

She spun and met Lenny's gently eyes.

"Oh, Lenny," she smiled. "Hi." She let her eyes glide down his body, and then up to his face again. "Wow," she said. "You look really handsome."

Lenny felt his face heat up as he looked down and seemed to smile at his shoes. He sure as hell knew his face would turn red and he didn't want her to see it. "Thanks," he managed to utter.

There was awkward silence between them that lasted for a few seconds. It was strange how Lenny felt strengthened from a distance, but now he was close to her, he couldn't utter a word. He felt it was the hold she had over him. That strange hold she had over him without even knowing it.

He turned and poured himself a drink, hoping it would make everything less awkward. He took a sip of his punch and took his eyes back to her. Her attention was fixed to the stage, an obvious sign that she may already be getting bored with him and would leave anytime soon.

"You....you look ...pretty," Lenny managed to say.

She spun to him with raised brows. "Sorry?"

"You.....you look beautiful," Lenny repeated, making his voice more audible.

"Oh," she uttered, before she looked down at her dress and then back up at him with a kind smile. "Thanks."

Lenny smiled back, but for some reason, he couldn't look away anymore. He gazed into her blue eyes and suddenly felt the courage surge within him. He had to say something. He suddenly felt it was now or never.

"Okay everyone," the vice-principal's voice echoed through the hall. "This is the moment you've all been waiting for. We will now announce this year's queen, before the king. But first, we will call out the nominees."

"Lisa!" Megan and Nadia called in unison, the both of them calling out to her.

Lisa spun and saw the both of them beckoning for her to hurry over. "Come on," they said.

Lisa took down one last gulp of her drink and kept the cup on the table, before she turned to Lenny and gave him a nervous smile. "Well uhm..." She uttered. "I'll see you later?"

Lenny felt lost for words as panic consumed him.

Lisa turned to leave, but suddenly, Lenny reached out and held her arm. "Lisa wait."

Lisa stopped and turned to him, looking perplexed. "Yeah?"

"I-uhm-."

Lisa looked at his with concern. "Lenny what's wrong?" She pried delicately. "Are you okay?"

"I..." He began. "I have something to tell you."

"And the nominees for this year's prom queen are..," Mr. Johnson's voice echoed once more. The entire hall fell quiet. "Megan Summers, Nadia Johnson, Amber Colt and Lisa Watson."

Everyone clapped and cheered. Nadia and Megan turned in Lisa's direction and yelled once more. "Lisa, come on!"

Lisa turned to them and then back at Lenny, "listen, Lenny, can it wait," she said as she eases her hand out of his grip. "I really have to go."

"No please wait," he held her again.

"And this year's queen of Kentworth is..." The man announced and then started to open the envelope, the school band started a drum roll to give a tensile effect. A female student from the crowd screamed Lisa's name just before Mr. Johnson read the paper, brought his lips to the microphone and spoke. "Lisa Watson."

The entire hall erupted with claps and cheers. It was like the school soccer match all over again. Megan and Nadia screamed with excitement as they hurried over to Lisa and started to drag her away.

Lisa herself was ecstatic. She had expected it, but now that it had happened, now that she had heard her name on that microphone as the new queen of Kentworth, she still couldn't believe it.

"Lisa please," Lenny begged as she started to walk away in the arms of her friends.

She spun to him briefly. "I'm sorry, Lance. We'll talk later."

"Lisa, I love you!" Lenny raised his voice. It was loud enough for Lisa, Megan and Nadia to hear, since they were closer, but no one else in that hall heard him.

Lisa and her friends froze, before they spun. Lisa's jaw dropped a bit. He eyes were not wide, but the shock was obvious in her eyes and those of her friends. "What?"

"I love you, Lisa," Lenny repeated as he came closer. "I loved you ever since I first saw you in our English class in seventh grade. Ever since you joined the cheerleading team in tenth grade.... I've always loved you."

Nadia and Megan exchanged shocking looks with each other, while Lisa still stood there, frozen.

"Lisa, please," he came closer. "I know this looks like a really bad time. I'm really sorry for dropping it on you like this, but I just had to tell you. I just....I just could leave in silence any longer."

"Lisa Watson?" Mr. Johnson announced. "Where's Lisa Watson. Please come to the stage."

Lisa and her friends spun to the stage and saw the vice principal searching the crowd with the now ex queen standing beside him with the crown in her hand, ready to hand it over to her successor.

Lisa spun back to Lenny, before she looked over to Nadia and Megan. She was expecting them to pull her away. Lenny expected that too, but for some reason, they didn't.

Lisa then looked at Lenny, her eyes seeming unsure. She looked to the floor and  thought for a second.

"Lisa Watson, come to the stage please!"

She then looked up and shook her head as she backed away. "I'm sorry, Lenny," she said. "I...I can't."

"Lisa-" he came closer, looking as though he was going to come after her.

She raised her hand to stop him. "Don't," she said. "Please."

Lenny deflated and watched as she spun away and disappeared in the crowd.

Seconds later, the crowd cheered again as Lisa came on stage and was given the bouquet of flowers. He watched as the outgoing queen gently raised the tiara and placed it on top Lisa's head.

He saw how gorgeous she looked. Heavenly even. The sight brought tears to his eyes, and minutes later, he couldn't take it anymore. Lenny suddenly felt he had lost his chance. He had lost this one. He turned and saw Keith's sad eyes on him from the distance, before he turned away and headed right out of  the hall entrance.

He didn't want anyone to see him cry.