Chapter Ten | School Spirit
Principal Saunders forcing me to join the homecoming committee as a form of punishment is honestly the stupidest thing ever. I know I didn't have much of a choice to join unless I wanted to get expelled and as tempting as the offer of never going to school again sounded, I knew I couldn't take it and now I'm forced to stat after school every Tuesday and Thursday to help plan this stupid homecoming event with people I don't even like.
Ever since the meeting where I met Elena and the rest of the homecoming committee they've been nothing but annoying. Always talking, smiling and laughing about any little thing. I don't how much more I can take before I throw myself into a fire.
I was the last to arrive to the classroom where we met after school. I was hit with the smell of paint and cardboard as I made my way over to the tables set up on the side of the room and looked at all the banners, posters, and other various decorations-in-progress laid out over them. It was an organised mess. Sequins and beads on the table to the left. Posters on the table in the middle, and photographs on the table to the right.
I turned. In the middle of the room, there were painted pieces of cardboard clipped to what seemed to be a makeshift washing line made out of string and two ladders. Approaching the paintings, my lips upturned into a scowl. I hated the stripes of white and blue that were a common theme amongst the artwork, which wasn't very surprising.
"Panthers."
I unclipped one of the dry pieces off of the line and inspected it closely. It was the only piece that had any writing on it. The word 'Panthers' was scrawled, bright yellow, in a graffiti-like manner in the centre of the white and blue stripes.
It took me a while to realize that's our school mascot and not someone actual name.
"Aries, you're finally here." Elena's faint voice started off from behind me. I turned around to see the girls clothes marked in paint of different colors. However, she didn't seem to care as she sent me a wide smile, the white paint on her cheek raising up as she stretched her lips.
Even covered in paint she was still no doubt pretty. Her brownish hair pulled into a messy bun leaving her face to showcase her looks. I began to wonder how Grayson is afraid to even go near her breast when she's like a descendent of Aphrodite herself. It just doesn't make sense to me.
"Sorry I'm late, I didn't want to come." I truthfully said to her, placing down the poster.
Elena blinked at me, her smile quickly leaving. "Oh," she said, her eyes darting to the ground, before quickly motioning over to the other side of the room. "The rest of us are over there brain storming themes for homecoming."
Elena led the way and I followed, dreading every second. When I got the circular table with posters and paint thrown everywhere, I frowned. Spencer and Grape Girl were covered in paint like Elena, and once they noticed me they both sent me a smile. Spencer showing off her pearly whites and Grapes showcasing the blue colored metal that hugged her teeth.
Elena took a seat only leaving the seat beside Grapes available. I exhaled a sigh as I took a seat next to the girl notoriously known for stuffing grapes inside her pockets. She looked over at me, her long finger fidgeting with her messy brown hair that cascaded over her slouchy shoulders.
Ew.
"So Aries, did you get any recommendations from the basketball players last week?" Elena asked me causing the other two to look over at me.
I thought back to that time in the gym when I first realized Grayson was scared of what's in the middle of Elena's pants. It's was so obvious, the way he shivered when he touched his thigh, that unpleasant look on his face as they kissed. It took everything in me not burst out laughing from the scene, because it was hilarious.
"I didn't get any." I said truthfully.
Everyone stared at me blankly and I stared back, mine harder — colder. Elena cleared her throat before speaking. "Well I guess the themes we have so far are An Evening In Paris, Masquerade on Bourbon Street, and Under The Sea."
All those sounds like someone randomly hit shuffle and just jumbled words together.
"I guess we'll do a voting." Elena said, before her eyes looked around at us and fell slightly. "When we get more people to join."
She exhaled a sigh and her head fell. "As of now it's only four the four of us, and it's going to take more than four people to help plan the whole event."
"I'm sure more people will join soon. We have like two whole months before the actual thing so we have time." Spencer tried to comfort the girl, and I could only tuck my lips at the scene to keep myself from letting out an unnecessary comment.
"Maybe we should try to get the world out there more." Grape girls spoke with a lisps which I'm sure is because of her braces. I grimaced when I saw the slob of spit fly out her mouth and land on the table.
Elena looked up at the girl with sad eyes. "What do you mean?"
"We should hang up posters and stuff to help promote the homecoming committee. I'm sure since homecoming isn't until a while no one's really talking about it so once we get the word out there I'm sure some people would want to join."
Even though the sound of voice was like nails on a chalkboard, Grape girl had a point. I haven't heard anyone speaking about homecoming, and I doubt anyone has even started looking for their outfit for the night of the dance. Hell, I didn't even know about homecoming until Principal Saunders forced me to join last week.
"Do you guys really think that'll help?" Elena questions. Spencer and Grapes nodded while averted my eyes elsewhere not caring too much to answer.
Spencer nodded. "Hell yeah it'll work, and we can the basketball players to help us promote the event. I'm sure if they help spread the word around everyone would want to join."
Elena manicured hand raised to her chin as she thought for a moment. "That sounds good. I'm sure Gray wouldn't mind helping, and I know some of the other players wouldn't mind too much either." A smile quickly spreads across Elena's face, it was bright and showed all of her teeth, her eyes turning into slits in the process. "Sounds like a plan."
The girls began to all cheer and hurrah and I could only stare at them awkwardly as they got so excited over something so pointless. It's just homecoming. It's just another day where everyone spends money get all glammed up just for one night and be surrounded by people we don't like and talk shit about in private with our friends.
"Spencer, you and Grapes can work on the posters and Aries and I will handle getting the basketball team onboard."
I groaned at the mention of my name. "I'm so tired of being surrounded by men."
Elena laughed as if I was joking but I was dead serious. "C'mon, it'll be fun. We'll just pass them some of the flyers and help them promote it around the school."
"We'll start during the next meeting so you two can prepare as many posters and flyers as you can. You down Aries?" Elena turned to me and smiled, and I didn't mirror but instead let out a dragged out sigh.
"I'm only saying yes because if I don't I'm going to get kicked out of school so take this yes with a grain of salt."
Elena quickly hopped up from her seat and embraced me an uncomfortable hug. "Aw, Aries this is going to be so fun. I just know it."
"What are you doing?" I asked, my eyes darting from Elena to her arms wrapped around me.
Spencer chuckled. "It's called a hug Aries."
"I don't like it."
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Excuse any mistakes or errors