3 years earlier
"Hurry up!" Wyatt hissed. Colby wrapped her arms around his neck as he helped her shimmy her way out her window. He was grateful her room was ground level, making his spur of the moment, midnight date much easier to execute.
He led her to a saddled Mindy, who waited patiently just outside the fence of the Byers' estate. Bending, he offered his clasped hands to Colby, boosting her onto the mare's back. He quickly followed, seating himself comfortably in front of her, and guiding her arms around his waist.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Yes!" she whooped. He grinned, loving the way he could please her so readily. Colby was always prepared for an adventure, though she had no idea what he was up to.
They raced into the darkness, with only the pale glow of the waning moon to light their path. They laughed and teased as they rode over the fields of wild grass and flowers, enjoying the privacy the vacant pasture offered them. When they reached their destination, Colby couldn't believe her eyes.
"What'd you do this for?" she gasped, as he helped her to the ground. She was greeted by an awaiting fire pit filled with kindling, the makings of s'mores, and a picnic blanket, overflowing with pillows.
"You're leaving for the beach tomorrow for a whole month," he replied. "I wanted a little more time with you all to myself." He smiled shyly, and she was undone, bounding toward him and covering his face with kisses.
"Thank you," she whispered.
He bowed, sweeping his hand toward the blanket. "After you."
Wyatt struck steel to flint, starting a fire the way his father taught him long ago. He stoked the growing flames, pausing periodically to admire the beauty of his all-too-willing accomplice in his late-night scheming.
They curled up together, filled to the brim with marshmallows, grahams and chocolates, and watched the fire crackling.
"I'll miss you, Dodge," Colby sighed, tucking her head beneath his chin.
"You'll be all mine again soon," he said, running his fingers through the length of her silky hair.
Wyatt
Some call it homecoming week.
I know it as the week where teachers turn a blind eye to all my scantily clad classmates in the name of school spirit.
Hell, yeah.
This years' theme is Roman Holiday. Needless to say the attire this week is outstanding. It's togas and tunics galore and some of them are very short. Not gonna argue with that. Ordinarily, I don't participate in the dress up days for homecoming, but it couldn't be helped this year.
And I make one badass looking gladiator.
Actually, I wouldn't have had an excuse for lack of costume this year for another reason- even if the theme were Carebears or some shit. It's a reason I'd rather pretend doesn't exist.
Senior auction day. Hide me now.
Every year, the school votes on the twenty seniors they'd most like to bid upon. The winning bidders then get to spend the remainder of the day with said seniors, to include the bonfire tonight at eight pm. And lucky me. I'm a prize.
Even more unfortunate than my participation in this asinine occasion is the fact that I have to show school spirit by dressing up, and I have to be cordial. The ground rules say so. Luckily, I'm not a rule follower. A costume is probably the best they're gonna get outta me. All in all, I don't expect this to be a win.
So here I stand in the cafeteria, Ari to my left, Nash to my right, and a smattering of other exceptional seniors, waiting to take the makeshift stage and make a spectacle of myself. There're only two girls among us, so I know the majority of the voting was done by the female population of the school. Probably hoping to score homecoming dates with a jock.
Ha. They can dream, right?
The two girls are Colby, naturally, and a girl named...Gertrude, I think?
I reckon the nomination of Gertrude was intent on embarrassment, which pisses me off. Why are chicks so catty with each other? As far as I know, she's just a quiet girl, who keeps to herself.
It's cool though. My teammates and I raised some last minute cash this morning, and I tasked Joey Broderick with bidding. There's a homecoming date in it for her too, if she's up for it.
Whoever it was who was hell-bent on Gertrude's humiliation can take their plotting and shove it.
....
"Amanda Corbin is her name, but she insists I call her Mandy," I say rolling my eyes and slamming my locker closed. Mandy won me in the auction this morning. Joy. Nash and I are enjoying our last few minutes of solace before we have to begin our minion duties for the remainder of the day. In other words, we're hiding in the senior locker bay. "She's that freshman chick from our Spanish class that keeps winking at me."
Nash winces. "Dude," he says, barely suppressing a chuckle. "I mean, it coulda been worse right?"
"You have no room to talk," I say, leaning against my locker and folding my arms. "You were won by Mari."
"Yeah, I was," Nash grins. "But what makes you think this is gonna be a walk in the park for me? I like her a lot and all, but this is Mari we're talking about."
I chuckle. "Yep. I'm sure there's some ball busting coming your way."
Nash nods, but doesn't appear overly concerned.
Irrrrrk. Irrrrrk.
"What the..." Nash pauses, eyes wide as he stares down the hallway. And then he laughs, so hard he's doubled over with tears in his eyes.
Irrrrrrrrk. Irrrrrrrrk.
I shift, peering around the corner of the locker I'm leaning on. I have no words for what I witness next.
A toga-clad Ari stands atop a makeshift chariot, being dragged painfully slowly down the corridor by two sweating, struggling freshmen football players.
"Is that a... walker?" I ask, stifling a snicker. Ari looks so serious, and he bragged all weekend about his big plans for homecoming week. He's student body president, so I had no doubt he'd have something grandiose in mind for spirit week, but this... this is...
"It used to be a walker, my friends," Ari says when the toiling freshmen reach us, the walker grating to a halt. "Now, it is my chariot." He steps away from his ride, a noble air about him, and sweeps his crimson cape behind him.
I make the inexcusable mistake of glancing at Nash, who like me, is barely retaining control.
Fail.
As soon as our eyes meet, the peals of laughter roaring out of us are unstoppable. I throw my head back, cackling like a maniac, while Nash falls to his knees, snorting and wiping the tears from his eyes.
"Go ahead, you two," he says making his way to his locker. "Yuck it up. Some friends you are."
"It's...it's just..." Nash tries to speak, but the words are muzzled by his uncontainable mirth.
"Yeah, yeah, it's not quite going as I planned," Ari says, shooting a death glare at the two panting freshmen. "I had these two idiots buy me at auction today, thinking they wanted to make varsity next year. I thought you assholes understood. I want my cape to flow behind me—that's how fast we should move!"
"You're really heavy!" the stupider of the two complains. The other one tightens his hold on the ropes and puffs out his chest.
"You," Ari says, indicating the smarter one with his finger. "Go find a replacement for him. Now!"
"Sir, yes sir!" the freshman cries, racing down the hall. Geez, the guy was fast when he wasn't dragging my dickhead of a friend.
"You," Ari points at the remaining freshman. "You are excused. Get outta my sight!"
"Y-y-y-yes, sir! Right away, sir!"
He's gone in a blink, and I feel a little bad for the guy. Ari is a tough customer.
"Sure, douchebag. Now you follow instructions!" Ari shouts after him.
"Give him a break, Aurelius," Mari says, strutting up to Nash and grabbing his hand. "Él tiene miedo de ti, pero yo no."
"Ack!" Ari spits. "You are so annoying!"
"Is this...oh my gosh..." Mari says, eyes having landed on Ari's handy work with the walker. "This is what you spent day and night working on?" She snickers, sparking a fresh wave of laughter through our little group.
"Jealous much, sis?" Ari asks with a haughty glance.
"Nope!" she chirps, turning to Nash. "To class with us, my little minion. I'd like to be carried bridal style, por favor." She smiles slyly, and I see Nash melt.
Oh damn, that boy's a goner already.
Nash sweeps Mari up in one effortless motion. "Later bros!" he calls out as they walk away. Mari blows a kiss to her brother over Nash's shoulder, and I see Ari stiffen.
Hell.
"C'mon Ari," I say. "Hop up on that chariot, and I'll drag your ass to class."
His scowl dissolves into a grin. "Now we're talkin'!" He climbs onto the feat of engineering, and I begin pulling— well, trying to anyway.
"Giddy up!" he shouts.
I laugh. Sounds like a genuine Roman to me.