"Wooo!!! Yehaaa!!!" A girl outside howled.
The entrance was full of squealing, giggling well-dressed students. Red banners were taped to the school walls spelling:
G.H. Academy Prom 1995.
Gold and red tinsels were thrown everywhere (which a gut feeling told me would be replaced by toilet paper sooner or later). Strings with letters hanging from the gates, crimson-brown light beaming from inside, and love lingering in the air.
"This is amazing . . . " I gaped at the sight, lost in the beauty of youth. The school was bustling with people! I could just feel the couples holding hands, not a care in the world.
"Look at the gate." Innes suddenly murmured to my ear. "I made those strings."
"The one with letters?" I whispered back.
"Yeah. I accidentally joined the art committee."
"Really???"
"Didn't read it properly."
I wanted to laugh. "Did you do it alone? You would go insane."
"I would've killed myself. I did it with that Naomi guy."
"Ahh. Well, it's pretty!"
As much as I was happy, I was also nerve-racked-terrified. I'm risking it all in four hours. My life's gonna turn upside down.
Molly opened the door followed by Innes. I left the car and fixed my blazer.
I looked at the love of my life. As Ollie moved to leave, I held out my hand. He looked up at me for a moment. He smiled. Ollie took my hand and I helped him up.
We all spent a hot moment staring at the school, taking it all in. The tune of Stayin' Alive playing from afar.
We headed inside. Now or never.
***
The school ballroom was bombarded with students! The room itself was a mix of our school colors, red, brown, and grey furniture with white lights shining from the corners. There were golden tinsels hanging from the ceiling and the scent of overlapping perfume. It was perfect!
"Woah!" Molly could've almost squealed. And to be honest? I could've too.
Eventually, we spotted our table and settled in.
"This is nice." Innes comments, eyeing everyone up and down. I think she was looking for somebody.
"You could at least be a bit more optimistic."
" . . . "
Ollie tilts his head. "Looking for someone? Do you have a secret prom date?"
She cringed. "No. And I'm not looking for anybody."
"Lieees~" Molly chimes in, pinching her cheek.
Suddenly, we hear a shaky voice.
"Hi!" It was Tyler in his white suit. He bends down behind her and awkwardly grins. "Uhh, Molly?"
She slyly smiles, glancing at me. "Yes?"
Innes twists away. "Oh my God . . . "
"About prom," He takes a deep breath. "Have you . . . thought about being my prom date long enough?"
Molly scoffs. She turns around and pulls his tie, startling us. "Sure."
I fumbled to take out my camera as I took a flash of them! They weren't kissing but I couldn't deny my heart skipped a beat! I was basically the one who set them up. I don't know whether to be happy or terrified.
"Oh shit-" Ollie tried to fight the surge of laughter coming with a cough, but his face was all red. He leaned onto my ear and whispered something, his smile so wide I bet his cheeks started aching.
I leaned to Innes and whispered in her ear. "Ollie wants you to know that Tyler looks like he has something shoved up his you-know-what."
She looks down, covering her mouth. A small antic she picked up from her brother.
"Ask me to the dance floor later." And Molly lets go.
Tyler's eyes widen. He takes a moment to process his love, jaw playfully dropped and brows shot up. He walks away like a stunned robot, looking at me like a lottery winner.
Ollie crosses his arms, clearly disturbed. "I think I vomited a little."
"Look!" I giggle as I leaned closer to him, showing the photo I took of them.
He chuckles and shakes his head. Ollie points at the picture. "Imagine if I pulled your shirt right now."
"Oh . . . Ahahaha . . . " I shyly tuck the camera away, flustered. How can he say these things?!?
Molly lets out a satisfied sigh. "I have a good feeling about today."
Two people crash into our table.
"HOLY SHIT—" Molly jumped and backed off, there was literally someone slammed on our table!
It was Seth and Touma. Again.
Gasps filled the air and all eyes were on us. Tabletops flew as Touma punched Seth, pinned down against rattled plates.
"Fuck you!" Touma yelled with his fist jabbing down.
I nearly leaped in shock! Everything was going on so fast! A fight was happening in our faces! And at our table! Can't they be civil for once?!?
Something must've came over me because before I knew it . . . My arm was covering Ollie, holding him back.
People started gathering around them, watching in thrill. "Oooh!" They chanted at every hit.
Seth laughed the pain off, spiking Touma's anger to its peak. And somehow, he grabbed Touma's collar and slammed him on the floor. And he smashed spine first.
"Woody! What are you doing?!?" I shouted, concerned for Touma groaning on the ground.
"Oh, quit calling me that!" Seth shouted back, hardening his fist. He hated being called Woody. That's why I call him that. "Or are you gonna punch me again, bitch."
He stretched his neck, ready to charge at Touma again before Astra grabbed him from behind.
"That's about enough." And she drags him away and leaves him kicking air.
"Hey! Hey! Let me go, bitch!!!"
"No."
She takes one skeptical glance at me before disappearing out the door, everybody staring at them.
Right. She reported me to the police.
Tic Tic!
Heads turned at the stage as a mic tapped, snaring our attention. Naomi Vegas stood, grinning in his classic tuxedo. "You okay back there, Touma?"
Touma scoffs and flips him off, pushing himself off the floor. "I don't even want to be here."
"Feisty one, I see."
And everyone laughs.
"Okay, back to the event of the year!" He puts on his best voice, grinning. He had headphones on, one ear out, and a Cheshire cat smile. "You already know who I am! Naomi Vegas, me, is more than thrilled to be your host for tonight! And what a way to start prom with a bang! Or should I say a punch?"
More cheering cues while my table calms down.
"That was . . . stupid." Innes slowly sits back in her seat, spooked.
"Are you crazy?!?" Molly giggles. "That was awesome!"
"That was not awesome." I sigh. "Are you okay, Ollie?"
He stays silent.
"Ollie?"
"Seriously?!?" He suddenly bursts out. "That was more than awesome! That was incredible!!!"
A relieved chuckle escapes my mouth. I was scared for a second.
"As your humble host and DJ, I would like to make a few announcements." Naomi goes on about entertaining us lot as a waiter serves us our black glittery mocktails. "First off, stay PG! You can kiss but if you wanna take things up a notch, hold your horses!!! The door is right there!" He pointed at a few couples, who cracked up.
"Second!" Naomi held up two fingers. "If we go down, we go down in flames. The mocktail you're drinking right now is take-or-give probably spiked!"
Seth and Pandora smiled as several juniors spat their drink.
"Well then," Innes and Molly cheered their glasses. "Bottoms up." And they both downed it like it was their last.
"And third." Naomi's tone changed, his hand twitching. "Stay safe."
He was talking about The Hazard. But it felt like he locked eyes with someone in the crowd. And for a second, terror struck his face. Maybe Innes' right. Maybe he is a valid suspect.
He quickly switches back to smiles. "Enough talk and to the partaaay!" It's scary how one can swap emotions in a blink. Naomi's one of the few people who does it flawlessly. He points at the crowd and winks. "Get ready, bitches!!!"
***
"Smile!" I take a photo of a lovely-dressed couple as flash blinds them. I check my camera, thank them, and walk away. It's nothing really. I'm supposed to be enjoying my last hours being Ollie's best friend. But now? I'm stuck as the school's only photographer on duty.
I sigh. What could I do?
"Dragus." An unfamiliar voice calls out to me.
I turn around to be met by the sleepy eyes of Lavender Schaff. Oh, it's him.
I suck up all my hatred for him and just . . . smile. "Hi! Would you like to get your photo taken?"
"No."
" . . . That's great!" A rough bulk of swears slides down my throat. "Well, you don't have a choice! Especially when you're soon to be the prom king."
"No time for flattery. I have a question."
My eye twitches.
"You're the one who wrote The Hazard tabloids, right?"
"No." I'm getting sick of this. "I did not. My seniors did."
Lav seemed to have picked up on my attitude. He chuckles and hands me . . . a paper. "Just so you know."
And he's gone.
I stare at the paper neatly folded in my hand. It's feather-weight rested with guilty or innocent words. Yet the information held in this note was of no interest to me. I'm here to have fun. Ruin my friendship even. But I am not here to dally with crime.
I tuck away the note in my pocket and lean against the snack table behind me. And of course, I look beside me to see Pandora pouring a large bottle of whiskey in the black fruit punch.
"Didn't you already spike the punch?" I joked.
"Yeah, but does anybody seem drunk to you?" She teased, not even looking my way.
A small silence comes upon us as music clams up the room.
I heard her take a sharp breath and hide the bottle under the table. She sighed in relief and joined me, finally looking my way.
"So," She eyes me up and down. "You ready to confess to Ollie?"
I knew it. She was going to ask me and watch me tense. "Yes. I'm confessing later. I just need to get him alone."
"Ooo, steamy."
"Hey!" I laugh and slightly nudge her. "It's not like that!"
"Yeah, yeah." She smiles as someone walks up beside her, pouring a cup of her whiskey punch.
Out of the blue, Hana Mayer, with her fitted beige dress hugging her curves and thick body, stormed up to Pandora and seized her wrist. Much to Pandora's surprise, Hana seemed irritated. Hana scowled at me and dragged her away. Pandora took one last glance at me, seeming to have won the game, given she'd fallen for Hana.
I chuckled and shook my head. Yet a chill crawled up my nape. I looked in front, and to my surprise, through the crowd of lovebirds, Ollie Blossom scrutinized me. Leaning against our table, he sipped his mocktail. He seemed like he wanted to tear me to pieces.
Was he . . . mad at me?!? Our eye contact was full of tension. Even as students passed our path. But he was looking at me so eagerly . . . and so handsomely.
As the Ballroom waltzed and the students twirled to the melody, Ollie was alone. Molly and Innes were nowhere in sight. He took another sip, his cup covering his face, but not his piercing gaze.
I took a deep breath. Here we go, I thought.
I strode through the dance floor and awkwardly walked up beside him. He wasn't looking at me. He was ignoring me.
" . . . " Okay, let's do this. We practiced for this. Okay. I put on my best voice. "Uh . . . seems like somebody didn't get a dance."
This made him irritated. In the corner of my vision, I saw his fingers tighten around his cup. "You know, Stephan, it's bad manners to talk to your ex on an event such as now."
His tone was cold and harsh. Why would he care about Pandora and I so suddenly? Was he . . . jealous?
The corners of my mouth curled into a smile. "Are you jealous?"
"What?" He turned to look at me, flushed. "What would lead you to such a thought?"
"Nothing." I said, grinning.
He knotted his brows. Though I saw a tight tug on his lips. He was fighting a smirk. He went back to his drink to hide it.
I paused. I stood straight with a rush of adrenaline in my veins. "Would you . . . take this dance with me?"
His gaze found mine. I held my hand out with a crooked grin, nervous.
Ollie finally put down his mocktail. He simply scoffed and took my hand in his, a sly smile cast on his handsome face. The prettiest smile I've seen all night.
I couldn't describe how fast my heart was pounding then. He actually said yes!
I led him to the dancefloor and, well . . . I was the happiest boy in town.