It was time.
A small group stand outside the school, waiting for the others to come; Harvey, Finn and Dream. George is silent, alert, scanning the newcomers.
Where is he?
Sapnap looks his way, noticing that he was separated from everyone else. He approaches him, a concern smile on his lips.
'Hey, Gogy.
George hums as response. 'When did they say they were coming?'
'Half past. C'mon, let's go and we can wait inside-'
George shakes his head. 'I'll wait.'
Sapnap opens his mouth to reply but Vurb starts shouting in glee and Zelkam and Spifey begin laughing, wheezing out 'What?! Oh my God!'
'YoOoOoO!' Vurb yells, eyes wide like saucers.
George and Sapnap turn to where their attention is and immediately are stunned.
'Woah!' Sapnap says, in awe.
Finn grins. 'Hello, boys~'
Harvey pouts his pink lips, strutting in his red-velvet-and-black suit and glossy red high-heels. He quirks a perfect eyebrow, newly split, his eyes shining happily. His makeup is flawless, his contour defining his jawline and cheekbones, and the green-orange eyeshadow making his eyes stand out, one colour for each eye.
'Yo, I'm boutta simp.'
Finn laughs, batting his lashes innocently. 'You have to pay me 20 dollars for every minute you look at me.' He flashes a stunning smile with his red lips, posing in his long sky blue dress. His black raised sandals poke out between the glittering material, showing his painted silver nails that matched his acrylics on his fingers.
'Finn, your toes! Cover them up of Vurb will literally die!' Zelkam exclaims.
'Yo, toes? How much I gotta pay?'
Spifey is dying, gripping onto Zelkam. The other George's smile wavers as he realizes Dream wasn't with them.
'Where's Dream?' he asks.
'Oh, he was with Fundy, remember?' Harvey said. 'I think they might be here already.'
George frowns. 'And he didn't text or call me?'
Sapnap checks his phone before chuckling nervously. 'Oh... he texted me. Woops.'
'Sapnap, you idiot!'
'I'm sorry!'
'C'mon, let's just go in! We'll find them in there!'
So they do, following the music and circling to the back of the school where the gym is, where the prom awaits them. The bass gets louder as they approaching, and so does the noise of students and teachers alike. Laughter, screaming, whooping and chatter hangs heavy as people talk, drink, dance and sing. George shields his eyes as they enter the dark-bright gym, the flashing disco lights almost blinding him. After blinking several times, he sees everything. The stage where the DJ setup and instruments are, handmade and previously used decorations everywhere, tables and chairs organized neatly, the food and drink corner, the people. Everyone was smiling.
Perfection.
Sapnap drags him in, weaving in and out of the crowds upon crowds of people. George yells out in protest but Sapnap can't hear him, not in this noise.
They land beside Skeppy, Techno and Bad at a table, where things are as quiet as it can get at a Prom. George is too busy looking for Dream that he doesn't even compliment Techno's prince-esque outfit.
'Thank God you guys are here. I hate third-wheeling,' Techno states, sipping out of a red solo cup.
'We're not here for you; we're trying to find Fundy and Dream,' Sapnaps says ruthlessly. To this, Techno just rolls his eyes, amused to be challenged.
'Ooh, I saw them by the food area! You should see the menu we got! I convinced them to have muffins!' Bad babbles happily.
'I also got them to have thin crust pizzas,' Skeppy said.
'What?! Seriously Skeppy?! Pizza at a prom?!'
'I'm kidding, I'm kidding!'
Sapnap turns to George. 'Let's go find Fundy and Dream!'
George realizes there's a wild grin on his friend's face, a knowing sparkle in his eye. Maybe it was the adrenaline from being here. Whatever it was, George couldn't put his finger on it but decided to let him have his happiness and not question it.
He allowed himself to be dragged over to the food and drink corner, where Fundy stands there, talking to Katelyn.
'Oh, hi George!' Katelyn chimes, noticing the two approach. 'Look at this place. Isn't it fab?'
'Hi guys! Have you seen Dream?'
'Uh, I think he went outside to look for you two. You didn't answer his texts, after all.'
'Okay, let's go!' George exclaims, tugging at Sapnap.
'Oh, hello George!'
The boy turns around and flashes a quick smile. 'Hello, Ms. Ronnie.'
'Here, have a drink!' She hands him a red solo cup of fruit punch. He takes it, responding with a 'thank you'. He turns back around, to be greeted with an empty place where Sapnap, Katelyn and Fundy once stood.
'What the-'
George shifts the cup in his hand and feels an odd material. He lifts it to his eye level to inspect it, peeling off a neon green sticky note.
You've got me painted in the colours of the rainbow. You've drawn a cage around my heart. You've molded me like clay in your hands.
Clay. Where is Dream?
He looks around, trying to see anyone. His eyes are met with nobody important. George turns his attention back to the note, turning it over.
Art.
This makes George freeze. Does he go find his best friend or find out who this is?
He'd want me to go find them, George tells himself.
So, he does. He weaves through the crowds of people, yelling out 'sorry!'s as he passes. He makes it to the gym doors, where small clusters hang about, either kissing or chilling. He doesn't care, rushing up the nearest stairs and sprints to the direction of the art room, his dress shoes clicking every time they hit the floor.
'No running in the corridors!' Mr. Mack yells as George rushes past him, going the opposite direction.
To this, George ignores him. Not out of rudeness, but out of the fear he might miss his chances. He skids to a stop outside the art room and jiggles the handle. Locked.
George curses to himself, looking through the small window and see if he could see anything. Nothing. He turns around to call for the art teacher but he's gone. He groans in defeat. His opportunity missed.
He slumps on the door, sliding down to a sitting position, not bothered to think about his pressed and clean suit. George had met a dead end.
The pounding bass echoes down the halls. A jumbled cacophony of words dance with it, the buzz unable to cheer George up. He sighs, staring at the wall in front of him. Suddenly, he frowns.
A painted ladybug gazes back. On her back was an orange sticky note. George stumbles onto his face, almost face-planting in the process. He peels off the paper.
Remember that fine print one? Yeah, I wish I could hold your hand as easily as I can hold a book.
On the other side, it reads 'library'. George immediately makes his way there, speed-walking as not to be yelled at by another teacher. Corridors later, Spifey and Zelkam are making their way to the gym. George stops, confused. The two blush.
'Uh, it was nothing like that. We just wanted to talk,' Zelkam says, red in the face.
'It's fine,' George responds quickly. 'I'll see you two later.'
He continues to the library and the sticky note is there, the neon yellow shining as light from a window hits the paper.
I could type out pages upon pages about how much I love you.
Computers.
Heart racing and blood pumping, he rushes to the computer room. He knew it was locked so didn't bother with the handle this time. He immediately looks around for the sticky note. Instead, he spots Finn, talking quietly into his phone. They catch each others gaze. Finn smiles, giving a small wave. Finn walks away, still whispering into his device. George watches him, bewildered, but pushes it out of his head as where Finn was once standing was a square piece of paper.
Go back to where it all started.
There's nothing on the back but George already knows where to go. He decides not to run, as his heart was thumping loudly and his thoughts were spiraling in his mind. Passing lockers, counting them in his mind.
1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10...
A voice fills the the hall. Albeit being hushed, it was echoing in the emptiness. The words were jumbled, like a low hum. He picks up his pace, heading towards his destination.
1.11, 1.12, 1.13...
He turns the corner, stopping when he hears them murmur.
'Stupid heels...'
George's breath hitches as he watches with wide eyes. A pad of neon coloured sticky notes is clutched in their hand. Their eyes sparkled green in the dimmed light, standing in front of George's locker which had a neon green sticky note plastered on it. They go to ruffle their hair, only to remember that it was styled and slicked back. They sigh and turn around, only to freeze in sight of the British boy.
'Oh, hey George,' Harvey says awkwardly.
George stares at him with wide eyes. The other male's brown eyes are focused on him, the emerald eyeshadow glittering.
'It was you the entire time?'
'No, wait- shit.'
'What do you mean?! You have the notes in hand, I saw you stick one on my locker!' George lowers his voice as a thought blossoms. 'You like me?'
Harvey is silent, panicked, the words tumbling out frantically. 'I'm sorry.'
With that he runs away, leaving George alone on Prom night, once again.
Chapter 13: 1,610
Total words: 15,101