AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Okay.” Mr. Garrison gets everyone to quiet down, and the DJ drops the volume of the music again. “And now, for the prom king.” He scans the crowd. “Um, Mr. Hillard, if you’re out there, your presence is requested.”
Some people laugh, while others look around. I do the same and still don’t see him. Franco and Oscar bump fists, and I can’t help but snarl my lip a little at how smug Oscar looks, even with his punch-stained shirt. Bret stands next to them, and at the end stands Sam, shifting awkwardly. Even though Mr. Garrison has tried to get everyone to be quiet, Matt’s name continues to be whispered around.
“Okay, and this year’s prom king is …”
He offers another dramatic pause, as the four guys look on. Yvette closes her eyes and seems to be whispering something to herself, her crown sparkling in the lights.
“Matt Hillard.”
* * *
MATT
* * *
There are a few people outside of the dance hall taking pictures, as I make my way back into the dance. The scarcity of people means they must be announcing the prom king and queen now. My assumptions are confirmed as I reach for the door handle and suddenly hear my name.
“Matt Hillard.”
I freeze, my hand stuck to the handle. Leave it to me to show up just in time, in my new outfit no less, making the most awkward of entrances. I take a deep breath, gather my nerves, and nod to myself. I didn’t come back to the dance for prom king. I came back for her.
“I saw him earlier, where’s Matt?” I hear Mr. Garrison behind the closed door.
Okay, it’s now or never.
I swing the door open, and I’m not exaggerating when I say every set of eyes in the room turn and find me. I reach up, running a hand through my hair, that’s ruffled up more the usual, and adjust my blue suit. The same suit that matches Spike from Cowboy Bebop. The only weird feeling of the outfit, other than that I know it’s from an anime cartoon, is that the pants are unusually high, so I feel like I’m wearing high-water pants. But I try to suppress every nervous feeling I have and walk through the crowd.
My eyes find Carter first somehow, who’s staring at me confused. Then a smile hits his lips, and he nods in approval. He doesn’t know the show or the character, but he saw the suit in my room. He knows what I’m doing.
More confused looks find me, and I offer a diffident grin as I make my way over to the stage. Through the crowd I finally see Izzy, and my timid grin turns in to a full-blown smile. The dress she’s wearing is awesome, and she looks incredible. True to how she described, the top looks like Faye’s yellow top from the show, and instead of the red jacket hanging around her arms, Izzy’s got what looks like a red sash around her arms. The yellow dress comes down in front to just above her knees and flows longer behind her. But nothing’s as gorgeous as the smile she wears, as she watches me walk over to the stage, where her and everyone else still stand.
Instead of Mr. Garrison and the crown though, I head straight to her. I’ve put this off for far too long, and I need to tell her how I feel. But before I can get any closer, Yvette grabs the crown from Mr. Garrison and runs over to me, cutting me off.
“Congratulations.” She smiles, putting the crown on top of my head.
I give her an annoyed frown, but before I can say anything, Mr. Garrison speaks up.
“Let’s hear it for this year’s prom king and queen.”
The music starts, and everyone starts clapping for us. I try to take a step around her, but Yvette blocks my way, then wraps her arms around my shoulders. I see Izzy behind her, the smile fading from her lips, as she and the rest of the court disperse from the stage.
“We have to dance. It’s tradition,” Yvette says, clasping her hands behind my neck.
I couldn’t care less about tradition. But the only way out of this dance would be to pry her fingers off my neck.
“Dance,” she orders as she starts swaying back and forth.
“Yvette.”
“Shh.” She brings a finger to my lips. “It’s okay. We’re king and queen, just as we should be.”
“No, this isn’t—”
“I said shh.” She puts her finger back to my lips and keeps it there. “This is meant to be, Matt.”
I want to argue, but I know there’s no point. I have no idea if I actually won the vote, because knowing her, she could have very well rigged it.
“I almost didn’t win.”
