"Go. Get ready." Jason says to me when I finish eating dinner and see Matt park his car at the curb.
I put my fork aside and take a piece of my bread, popping it into my mouth.
"Why is he here already? The dance starts in two hours. We have plenty of time." I wash the bread down with some sparkling water and take my dishes into the sink.
I then lean against the kitchen counter, crossing my arms on my chest.
"I know but Matt is here to chat with me until you finish all the procedures."
"What procedures?" I ask and Jason stands to open the door for Matt.
He lays his hand on the door knob, while turning to face me.
"You know- shaving legs, taking a shower, praying that the dress still fits..." He throws his head back and laughs.
"That's not funny. The dress part is actually a important matter." I say, walking toward him.
"Yes. You have been saying that all day." Jason opens the door for Matt and I stand on the bottom of the stairs, gripping my shirt.
Matt steps in, wearing a gray suit with a fuchsia colored tie. He smiles when he sees me and gets down on one knee to hold a small white box to me.
"Juliet. Will you be my date tonight and not have sex with me after it?" When Matt says that Jason slaps his head.
Matt turns.
"What was that for? I said no sex." There is a grin painting Matt's face and I can't help but giggle like a young school girl.
"Sex? Seriously? Don't you ever talk about sex or having it or not having it with my sister."
Jason says to Matt and slaps the back of Matt's head again.
"Dude! What was that for?" Matt rubs the double hit place and narrows his eyes at Jason.
"Boy! Get off you knee!" He says with a dad voice.
Matt stand up and fixes his suit.
"Ok, can you two behave normally for an half an hours so I can get dressed?"
Both boys look at each other and then nod.
"Good."
I make my way up the stairs and when I reach my bedroom door I hear Matt asking Jason the question I have wanted to ask my brother since he came home.
"What did Decker want to talk about?" Matt asks and I stop at my door. I tiptoe back until I see Jason and Matt sit on the sofa.
"Juliet. He wanted to talk about Juliet." Jason replied and my breath hitched.
"You know they have nothing between them." Matt replied and Jason exhaled loudly.
"Except the kiss. I don't understand why Juliet kissed him. She said that she wanted him to shut up when Decker was ranting about me but for God's sake- she kissed him?" Jason leaned back on the sofa, grabbing the remote and turned the television on.
"She has a crush on him. You know that. But well, maybe she got him out of her system now." Matt added and I gasp.
"I hope so. Jordan said he has no feelings for her and I pleased. He also said he would never date her." Jason smirked and I felt as a dagger had been pushed throw my heart.
I lied to my brother when I told him I didn't like Jordan anymore. It was the right thing to do. Somewhere deep inside I still liked Decker but now learning about how he didn't see me as other girls around him, made me see clearly again.
I lean against the hallway wall and rub my hand. It didn't hurt anymore but the blue marks still painted it. There wasn't enough concealer in the world to cover them up.
I decided to shake off the thoughts about Decker and get ready for the dance. I take a quick shower, shave, brush my teeth and blow dry my hair.
Wearing nothing but a silky robe I sit behind my desk and apply some light make up using a small vanity mirror.
Setting my hair up to a bun, I spray some hairspray to make it set.
My dress is fuchsia color knee high strapless dress. The corset part hugs my top while the skirt part waves naturally around my hips.
I open the box Matt brought me and put the flower arrangement around my right wrist.
Its white lilys and some decorative leaves. Gorgeous and tasteful. I pick up a pair of silver heels from my closet and sit on my bed to put them on.
The silver clutch bag is already on my bedside table, filled with everything I need for the night.
I close my bedroom door with a bang, louder than it should and let the boys know I am done.
Matt and Jason are sitting next to each other in the living room, watching the evening news.
"Nice." Matt gives me a smile and Jason holds up his hand.
"Aren't you wearing anything on top of that?"
"I have my jacket in the corridor ." I point at the hanger.
"Good."
I look at the time and my eyes widen. It took me one and a half hour to get ready.
"We should get going." Matt says and stands, buttoning up his suit.
"Yeah, I guess so." I reply, watching the bruises on my hand. I applied some concealer but it barely helped.
"Ok, let's go."
I snake me hand around Matt's and take my jacket from the hanger.
I couldn't wait for the night to be over.
***
We enter the gym that has been decorated with a red and blue theme. Balloons hung from the ceiling while we walked deeper into the crowd. I keep my hands against my sides while Matt walks behind me.
I see girls with a nice dresses and guys having their hands around them while everyone danced to the new Maroon5 song blasting through the speakers.
"Where is our table?" Matt asks behind me and stand on my tiptoes to have a better view. "There." I point our friends and take Matt by his hand, dragging him with me.
"Finally!" Laney says and I smirk. Matt holds out a chair for me and I sit beside Laney. She is wearing a Turkish green long dress with white pearls sown on the cleavage.
"You look nice." I whisper to her and she smiles.
"Not as good as you. This dress is amazing. And this color. Oh my God." Her eyes run over the fabric of my dress.
"Thank you."
There is the sound of somebody tapping on the microphone and and the headmaster clears his trout.
"Welcome everyone to the dance." Everyone applauds and I can't help to do the same.
"Tonight we are celebrating, our football team is about to go head to head with the best teams around the country and I want everyone of you to give them a loud applause."
Everyone do as told and I also clap my hands together.
"Mr Decker has told me that he will lead his team to victory and to his honor let's start this night with a short movie made by the film enthusiasts of this school." The headmaster points to a screen behind him and walks aside.
Everyone in the room stay quiet as the movie starts to play but I keep my focus on the glass in front of me.
I can only hear what Decker says in the movie but I don't lift my eyes to look at him.
When the movie is done and the headmaster walks up on the stage again, I tap Matt on his shoulder.
"I'm going to the bathroom. Save my seat."
He nods and I stand up.
My eyes gazing at the floor, I don't see the approaching figure and bump into him.
When I look up, its Parker. The same jerk that tried to rape me in Decker's kitchen yesterday. I can only read anger from his facial expression. His greenish gray eyes are looking down at me, belittling me. His face is all swollen, there is a dark bruise under his left eye and his neck has marks of fingerprints on it. Decker must of had a good strong squeeze on it.
My heart sink, my breath hitches as I stare up at him and take a step back.
But what doesn't come is any words from his mouth. He steps aside and lets me pass him. I didn't look back when I run out from the gym and into the girls bathroom.
I enter the stall and close the lid on the toilet bowl. I smooth down my dress before sitting on it. Tears start to pool into my eyes as I thank God that Decker saved me. What could have happened if he hadn't come to the rescue? I shake off the thought and stand to open the lid and pee.
I hear the bathroom door open and few girls enter.
"Did you see Parker? He is all banged up." One of the girls says.
"Yeah. I heard Decker got into a fight with him yesterday in his house." The other one said and I turned all of my attention to outside my stall.
"Parker wasn't the only one Decker had a fight with. He had a fist fight with Jason also."
"With Jason? Why?" The other one asks and I hear the girl enter into the stall beside me.
"Because of Jason's sister."
I gasp when I hear them mention me.
"Something about jealousy and Decker breaking off with Tiffany."
"That Tiffany is a bitch. I don't understand why Decker had stayed with her so long. Everyone knows she has cheated on him countless of times."
The first girl says and I just sit on the toilet, not even peeing anymore.
"He is so hot though. I wish I could get his attention."
When the girls start to talk about his physical properties and how hot Decker is I flush the toilet and exit my stall. The girl who wasn't in the stall beside me widens her eyes as surprised to see me. She steps aside when I walk over to the sinks to wash my hands and dry them.
The stall's door opens behind me and when the girl is smoothing down her pink dress she gets a glimpse of me.
They run out from the bathroom before I exit.
When I join Matt and all my other friends in the gym, there is complete silence. People are standing by the stage, looking up to see King Valley's headmaster take a bowl and tap on the microphone again.
"I have all the names of students standing here in this room. We are going to play a game." He says and every student body starts to boo at him.
"Calm down, will you? I haven't got to the best part yet. So, there is a prize for the winners of this game." He says and takes some money out from his pocket. He then waves it in the air.
"100 dollar bill is the prize. I will take out names two at the time and these two people are a team. It's a hard game so you need to work together. Build a teamwork." He continues and I look around the crowd.
Now everyone had their eyes and ears on the man up on the stage. For money they were all eager.
He takes out the first name and says it over the microphone.
"Josh Belucci. Where is Josh?" He looks around in the crowd and I feel Josh walk pass us. He joins the headmaster on the stage.
"Your partner will be," he shuffles throw the bowl, taking out another piece of paper, "Melanie. Come up here, Ms Jackman."
When three couples are formed, I turn to go in our table.
"Juliet" He calls out my name and I stop.
No, no, no.
"Come up please." He says with a sweet voice and I turn. My head hanging low, I walk up the stairs to the stage and stand beside Laney, who's name was also drawn from the bowl.
"This is the last couple so Juliet, do you want to draw your own partner's name from here." The headmaster holds the bowl toward me and I start to think that maybe if I choose myself, I won't get anyone I don't like.
I stick my hand in the bowl and shuffle throw the papers. One of them sticks to my fingernail and I take it out. I hand the small paper to the headmaster and stand back.
He opens it and reads out the name.
"Jordan Decker!"
Faith had lost me.