Chapter 17
"You really think he saw?" I asked when we walked over to the outside of the big crowd. Ray nodded furiously.
"He was right there, dancing with Kayla. God, she is annoying." He rolled his eyes.
Before I could ask any questions, the music died down and a teacher came up on the stage with a microphone.
"Hello, students! How are you enjoying your homecoming dance?" he asked and everyone cheered. "That's great! I'm glad to hear all of you are enjoying tonight. Now, the event you have all been waiting for! Announcing your homecoming king and queen!"
Everyone cheered again, louder than before.
"Alright everybody calm down!" the teacher yelled waving his hands at us. The cheering died down. "Thank you! Now, the nominees for homecoming queen are...drumroll please!" Everyone started patting there thighs waiting for him to begin again. "Jeanette Hale, Laura McConiville, Bailey Logan, and Keaton Lakes!"
Everyone cheered. I was stunned. Why was I a nominee? I shot a scared look at Ray, who was clapping and urging me to go on the stage. My ears went mute and all I could hear was my heartbeat, which was ready to burst out of my chest and dash away. I managed to get to the stage safely without dying from a racing heart.
"Alright, now the nominees for the king! We have Alex Flynn, Seth Harvard, Ray Owens, and Noah Johnson!" The teacher grinned and put the envelope on the stand while everyone cheered as the boys walked on stage. Ray stood there smirking and pointing to all his friends. I saw Hannah who was looking straight at me, nodding her head in assurance.
I swallowed hard. I hated all these people staring up at me, judging my dress and how my hair looked. I got self-conscious when Noah would do it, but when all these people were watching, it was just terrible.
"Now, this year, we will name our runner-up king and queen, then move on to this years homecoming king and queen! Our runner-up queen for this is...drum roll please!" Everyone was slapping their thighs again, grinning at who was runner-up.
"Bailey Logan!" The teacher shouted. Everyone clapped their hands respectfully while a student put a small crown on Bailey's head. Well, hey, at least she got a crown. Bailey smiled at everyone and curtisied, then stepped back into line. I could tell she was angry that she didn't win.
"And, now, the runner-up king is..." The teacher began while everyone instinctively began a drumroll.
"Ray Owens!"
Everyone started hooting and hollering for Ray, who seemed to love the attention. He laughed while a crown, about the same size as Bailey's, was put on his head. He posed in front of everyone, smirking. Ray was so egocentric.
"Alright, alright. Now, it's time for what you have been all waiting for! The homecoming king and queen!"
I covered my ears when everyone started screaming. I never knew these people could get so loud. All the chaperones put a finger to their mouths and hissed 'Sh!' at all the loud, rowdy kids. I took a deep, deep breath. My heart was racing faster and faster.
"This year's homecoming queen is..."
Everything was painfully silent. My eyes were blinking with confusion and my legs were turning into jelly. I didn't know what was going on until everyone began screaming again. My hearing was muffled.
"Go!" I felt Bailey push me. What? Did I win?
"Keaton! Keaton! Keaton!" Everyone was chanting my name. I had won! I had won!
I bit my lip and walked up next to the podium. The same student that gave Bailey a crown put a sash over me and then showed everyone the huge crown. I helped her place it on my head. I actually felt like a queen with a huge crown on my head and everyone cheering for me. My nerves had disappeared and a huge grin replaced them. I held the crown on my head, laughing as everyone clapped their hands.
"Last, but certainly not least, our homecoming king for this year is..."
"Noah Johnson!"
My heart nearly stopped. Noah Johnson was the king and I was the queen. My grin slowly faded away as Noah was crowned and 'sashed'. He winked at me, smirking. I smiled uncomfortably. How could this happen? The whole school knew I had rejected him. Of course they would choose us.
Did everyone want us to go out or something?
Another kid holding a huge fancy camera came up and motioned for us to squeeze together. Noah hurried to stand next to me and I reluctantly stepped closer to him. When the flash went off, I stepped away and dashed off the stage to Hannah.
"You won!" she screamed.
"Yeah, yeah. But why would they vote for me and Noah? I mean it was so embarrassing! Everyone just wanted it to be awkward for us!"
"It's because they think that you guys are a cute couple. That's what they do every year," she explained.
"Ugh, what have I gotten myself into? I should've never said no to Noah! I should've never sat next to him that first day of school!" I cried.
"Come on, Keaton! It's not that big of a deal. In a week everyone will forget that you guys won and you will forget, too. He's just a frickin' boy. It's not like you guys are getting married or something," she laughed.
"It's so weird between me and Noah, now," I admitted.
"You'll get over it eventually. Soon you guys will be acting like he never asked you out at all," she reassured, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Now you have to go."
"Why?"
"The king and queen always have a dance after they get announced winner. Didn't they do that at your old school?"
"Wait, what? A dance?! Now?!" I shrieked. This night could not be getting any worse! I couldn't dance with Noah! My heart was racing again.
Hannah nodded, laughing. "Calm down, girl! It's like two minutes of your life."
I gulped. Then someone started speaking with the microphone. "Will the king and queen come to the center for a celebrational dance?"
Celebrational? Pfft. More like humiliation-al! Especially for me. Noah probably wouldn't mind, but I, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck. Why does all this always happen to me?
I walked to the center. My legs felt like jelly and my knees felt like they would just give in and I would collapse to the ground any second. And of course, my palms were all sweaty and gross, just when I was about to hold hands with the hottest guy in school for a stupid "celebrational" dance.
Noah smirked at me and then held out his right hand and the other behind his back. I put my left hand in his right and he bent down and kissed it. I swear the whole gym rioted right then. I couldn't help but blush.
"You look really nice tonight," he complimented after we began dancing. We rocked back and forth, slowly spinning in a circle.
"Thanks, so do you," I replied.
"You're still with Ray?" He asked.
I nodded. I could see the discomfort in his eyes. He looked like he just wanted me to forget about Ray and 'break up' with him, and I have to admit it was starting to make me feel bad. I didn't realize how mean it was until we started dancing. A wave of guilt just flushed over my body, making my stomach hurt. I had to tell him I wasn't dating Ray!
"How's your night with Kayla?" I asked, trying to get off topic and forget Ray. He sighed.
"It's okay," he shrugged. I rolled my eyes at him. It was so obvious that he was lying and really he was ready to kill Kayla. She was probably just hanging all over him and wanting to kiss his pretty little lips.
"I know a liar when I see one, trust me, so don't lie to me," I chuckled. "She's really annoying you, isn't she?"
He nodded his head shamefully. "Just between you and me, I wish I never asked her," he admitted. "The only reason I asked her was because I was mad that you had said no, and I know this sounds really dumb but I wanted to make you jealous."
"Yeah, I kinda knew that," I laughed, trying to make it less uncomfortable. I flicked my eyes to the side and saw Ray watching us with his hands in fists. What is his problem?!
"Ray's getting really mad. But don't worry, I won't let him hurt you again," I warned, looking at his bruise and biting my lip.
"Yeah, he wouldn't hurt you. Since you guys are dating, you know."
I nodded, looking at the ground as the guiltiness just came right back, worse than before. I had to tell him! But then Ray would hurt him and it would be all my fault.
"Uh, Noah...about that..." I began, but then just trailed off. How would I tell him now? Suddenly, the music had died down and the teacher came back on stage.
"Thank you King and Queen! Alright everybody, I'm done here. Enjoy the rest of your night!"
Everyone screamed and dashed toward us in the center. I hated all the bodies just dancing up and down and acting like they were in a jungle, so I pushed my way out of all of them, panting when I reached the outside. When I saw Ray, I immediately ran up to him.
"I have to tell him," I blurted out.
"Tell him what?" He asked, then his eyes widened in realization. "No, Keaton. Don't do it."
"He kept asking me about you and he said that he was just trying to make me jealous by asking Kayla to homecoming and I feel so guilty about it. I can't hold onto this secret anymore. I'm sorry," I said, speaking really fast.
"Don't tell him tonight, please. Can you just call him tomorrow or something?" he pleaded, with sadness in his eyes.
"Okay. Tomorrow it is, then," I smiled, and then hugged him tight. "Thanks." He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me back, then kissed my forehead. I loved when he did that. I thought it was just so cute and kind, especially that he was taller and a lot stronger. It was such a gentle move that made me feel warm and fuzzy in the inside.
"Hey, Keaton?" I heard a deep voice behind me. The hug loosened and I turned and it was Noah.
"Was there something you wanted to tell me?"
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What do you think she will do? Uh oh!
Please leave some feedback I'd really love it :) <3
-alyssa