Chapter 10
It was the night of homecoming. Gary had paid for absolutely everything. The dress. Her hair. Her shoes. Misty felt like a made up redheaded Barbie doll by the time her sisters put the finishing touches on her outfit by slipping a super shiny light-catching necklace around her neck. Her hair was piled on top of her head elegantly and a few pieces of red hair framed her pretty face.
She wore a long, figure-hugging, sleeveless pale pink gown with a bowl accentuated her waist. The earrings she wore, which she borrowed from Daisy matched the necklace she wore and the 5 strand bracelet she wore on her right wrist.
"Gary's going to drop dead when he sees you!" Her sister, Lilly, giggled excitedly.
"You really think so?" She asked, looking up at them.
"Oh, like, you're gorgeous!" Daisy said, finishing up her eyeliner a little.
Violet clasped her hands together.
"He's here! We have to get pictures of you two together before you go!" She said, booting up her camera.
Gary knocked on the door and Daisy answered. Gary stood there in a nice suit holding a bouquet of flowers.
"Oh come in!" She said, smiling and offered him in. He took one look at Misty and almost dropped the flowers. He caught them quickly and played it off, smiling nervously.
"For you," he said, handing them to her.
She took them, thankfully and sniffed them. "Thank you."
"I'll totally put these in some water!" Lilly chimed and ran to the kitchen to fetch a vase.
"Alright!" Violet said, pointing the camera towards them. "Like, Smile and say cheese…or whatever!"
She snapped a few pictures, even one of them sharing a kiss, and Lilly placed the roses on the dining room table.
"I'll put these in your room tonight!" Lilly promised. "Have a good time, little sister!"
Misty waved at the three of them and Gary helped her into his Mustang and they made their way down to road.
"So, where are we going for dinner?" She asked.
"Texas Steakhouse," Gary replied. "We're meeting up at Brock's house for more pictures before we go though. Sango and Miroku are already there and Amber and Nelly are on the way."
Misty's heart sank in her chest, but she didn't say a word.
"Oh, that's cool," she said, simply.
Brock's house was everything she had imagined it would be. It wasn't outlandish, but it was pretty big. She saw a little boy and a little girl outside on the porch, and a tinier boy in the yard, picking his nose as he watched Gary's park his Mustang behind Brock's corvette.
The door opened and a pretty brown-haired woman stepped out, a dishrag in her hands.
"Oh, Brock, Dear. You're friends are here," she said, looking back into the house. "A pretty redhead and the boy you play football with."
Brock was drinking out of a plastic Dumbo cup he had gotten years ago from McDonald's and he almost choked. Misty was here.
They met outside on the front porch and Lola instructed Forest to move all the toys out of the way of the picture. Akina wrapped her arms around Brock and smiled dramatically for the camera. Brock gave his usual smile for every shot, except for the shot where Akina forcibly kissed him just as his mother snapped the picture.
"Now, all the girls!" Lola said, excitedly. Sango, Amber, Akina and Misty all stood awkwardly next to each other. Brock lit a cigarette and Lola looked at him.
"Put that out. I don't want you smoking cigarettes in your homecoming pictures," she told him, and he rolled his eyes and snuffed it out, slipping a burned cigarette back in his pack and straightening his coat.
Akina laughed and kissed him again.
"You can smoke all you want later when we get that room together tonight," she giggled disgustingly girlishly and Misty felt sick to her stomach as another flash went off and Lola smiled.
"Now, I want individuals of the couples," she said, and Brock sighed.
"Brock, you and Akina first," she instructed them and snapped a picture. "Oh, Honey, do open your eyes a bit more, Brock. One more time!"
A flash went off and Lola smiled. "OK, Sango and Miroku, you stand there now. Put your arms around her waist…"
"Ow!" Miroku shouted because Sango stepped on his foot.
"Sorry," she apologized and they both smiled for the camera.
"Amber and Nelly," she said. "Nelly, you stand behind Amber and you both face me."
Nelly awkwardly did this and Amber smiled as Lola took a quick picture.
"Ok, now," Lola looked at Misty. "You are a pretty little thing. You are Gary's date? I don't believe I caught your name."
"My name is Misty," she responded shyly with a smile.
"I'm Lola. Brock's mother. Nice to meet you. You look absolutely stunning!" Lola complimented her. "OK, now you and Gary stand right there. Gary put your arms around her waist and smile."
Brock watched them, his leg twitching the entire time. He wanted to just get to the restaurant and eat already and not watch Gary touching her like that. It bothered him immensely and he couldn't even smoke.
Lola turned off her camera and smiled. "I have to get started on dinner. You guys have a wonderful night!" She waved at them, but caught Sango by the hand before she left.
"Sango, can I ask you a question?"
Miroku waited for her by the bottom of the porch stairs.
"Of course, Mrs. Harrison," she said. "What is it?"
"Did my son suffer one too many concussions?" Lola asked, her face was completely serious.
"Well, he did have that one back in the-"
"It's just," Lola cut her off, sighing. "I wish he would date a nice, decent, pretty girl like that Misty girl. She would be so good for Brock, but he always goes for these loose girls like Akina! Oh, if that boy isn't his father's son…Flint always went for the easy ones…until he met me of course!"
Sango smiled and shrugged. "Brock's a mystery to us all, Mrs. Harrison."
"I don't want to keep you from your prince charming," Lola said, kissing her cheek. "You let me know if you need a baby-sitter, sometime. We are happy to do it!"
"Will do, Mrs. Harrison," Sango promised, hurrying towards Miroku. "Bye!"
…
They made it to their dinner reservations just in time. They sat at a long table. Miroku made it a point to sit in between Sango and Akina. Her was caught in the middle of the two of them and he hoped he's survive his meal.
Misty sat on the other side of Sango, next to Gary and Amber and Nelly sat directly across from Brock and Akina. The waitress came by and took their drink orders. Miroku nudged Sango to pull out her phone and sent her a quick text message: "Brock's becoming irritated with Akina."
Sango looked over and almost laughed at the scene. Brock was trying to enjoy his soda but Akina wouldn't stop putting her hands all over him or kissing his neck. Normally, he loved it, but he really was quite thirsty and hungry and he was irritated at the fact that Misty was sitting down just a few seats away from him with Gary Oak.
Akina was dressed in a bright yellow dress with a slit straight up to her hip. She was too overly sexy. She couldn't be the kind of sexy Misty was. She didn't have to show too much of herself to get his attention, even now, he caught glimpses of her as she and Gary looked over the menu together, deciding what to order.
They exchanged a kiss and Brock forced himself to tune out of the conversation and focus back on Akina talking about the one, itty, bitty, barely-there pimple she had just below her hairline.
"Do you see it? It just popped up this morning. I've tried everything. Toothpaste, cream, alcohol, peroxide, nothing is working!" She said, looking at her menu. "Should I get the caeser salad or the house salad baby? I'm trying to watch my figure!"
Brock sighed. "I don't know. I'm getting this big ass steak because I am about to starve to death!"
The waiter came by and took Amber and Nelly's order first. Amber noticed as well that Brock was becoming annoyed with Akina and she wondered if tonight would go out without any drama. The chances weren't looking good.
The waiter then took Misty and Gary's order and Brock was quite impressed that the girl actually ordered a decent meal. A double cheeseburger and fries. Classic. He smiled a little and heard Gary order the biggest steak they had.
Sango didn't hesitate to order a steak either and Miroku opted out for chicken fingers and mac and cheese like he usually did. Then the waiter looked to him and, like a gentlemen, he let Akira order her caeser salad with light dressing and croutons. He ordered a large steak with French fries and asked for a refill on his soda.
Within 20 minutes they were all enjoying their dinner. Miroku talked with Nelly about the epic play that won them the game the night before and Gary chimed in with a comment on how crappy their rival team played last night.
Misty tried to ignore the conversation whenever Brock would talk. She felt Gary's hand on her leg through the silk of her dress and she looked over at him and he smiled at her.
"You look beautiful tonight. I feel like the luckiest guy that's going to be at this dance," he kissed her and she blushed.
"Thanks, Gary."
Brock heard what he said and suddenly became very quiet. Sango refused to even acknowledge that Akina was present, and Amber was managing to somehow keep up two different conversations with each of the girls.
Misty and Sango would talk to each other of course, but Akina would immediately stop talking if Sango said something, and would just simply smirk over at Misty and grab Brock's hand if she found that the redhead was paying attention to their conversation.
Brock, Nelly, Miroku and Gary all paid their bills and left a couple dollars in a tip before the stood up and headed out to their cars.
They arrived at the school just as the dance was beginning. Their were plenty of couples out in the hallway, some staring lovingly into each other's eyes and some fighting and already having drama for one reason or the other.
"Hey, Yo, Harrison!" A voice cheered from down the hall. Misty almost jumped at the loud sound. It was Shemar Moore and his date Layla West.
"Hey, Shemar!" He said, smiling. They exchanged a high five. "Hey Layla. You look lovely tonight."
"Thank you," said Layla.
"Who is that girl with Gary?" Shemar asked. "Isn't that the girl you were-"
"Yea…but…we didn't work out. I'm here with Akina…" he shrugged, not wanting to bring up Misty. It already felt like an irritating mosquito bite nagging at him that he let Gary take her to the dance tonight when he could have just been a man and asked her. She would have definitely said yes.
"Good luck with that," Shemar said, shaking his head. "C'mon Layla, let's go grab some punch before the dance starts." he said, leading his girlfriend into the gymnasium, which was dark and laser lights danced across the walls and polished floor.
Sango was on the phone with Mushin, instructing him exactly how to get the girls to fall asleep while Miroku waited for her get off the phone. He was dying for the chocolate covered pretzels they had.
Gary led Misty into the gym and got her a glass of punch and fed her one of the pretzels as they watched the gym fill up with couples. Most of them just stood around talking. No one really danced at these things in the first hour. Not until everyone else had arrived and the place just got overcrowded. It was the same every year.
Brock really only went for a social status. He didn't enjoy this things. Actually, none of the guys on the team enjoyed homecoming or prom. They only went to please the girl they were with in hopes that it would be a wonderful payback to them later in the night.
Brock knew he was already going to have sex with Akina, but his issue was, he wasn't sure if he really wanted to. The whole school already thought they had done something in the locker room, but they were just making out in there. He didn't actually do anything with her, because he couldn't seem to bring himself to do it.
Misty watched as Brock and Akina walked into the gym together. They chatted with Amber and Nelly for a while, and then she watched Sango and Miroku enter the gym, arguing over something. Miroku went straight for the pretzels.
Then, Misty's heart jumped.
Marcus Cooper came strutting into the door. Misty clutched onto Gary's arm.
He spotted her from across the darkened room and his eyes locked with Gary's. He kissed her hand.
"Don't worry, Babe. I'll keep you safe," Gary promised her. A popular, catchy Hip-hop song came on and Gary smiled. "Would you like to dance?"
"I'd love to," she said, and he took her hand and led her out on the dance floor where she saw Shemar and Layla dancing together. She started to feel more comfortable as they blended into the crowd. She didn't see Marcus anywhere and she assumed he was probably dateless. Why would you come to a homecoming dance dateless?
Brock had spotted him too and he kept his eye on him.
The music scene changed when Luke Bryan's "Drunk on you" came on.
"I love this song!" Akina shouted out and grabbed Brock and dragged him out on the dance floor, just like she had done with almost every other song that came on out over the speakers.
Brock danced with her and looked over at Miroku and Sango which had both noticed his annoyance with his date. Miroku smiled at Sango and kissed her.
"Did you run for homecoming queen this year?"
"No," she said. "I might be head cheerleader, but I'm not really liked too much by most of the school since I got pregnant at 16 years old."
"Ah, don't worry about them," Miroku waved his hand. "You're still my queen."
DJ Neyo was the guy running the music and after a few more hip-hop and pop songs, his voice came over the mic. "How are yall doing tonight?"
Everyone cheered and his voice boomed out through the gym once again.
"I hope you all are enjoying your homecoming dance for 2013! Class of 2014 graduating this summer! Seniors make some noise!"
Akina held Brock's hand up and cheered.
"And what a fantastic win the football team scored last night at the game! Alright! This year is a very unique year. Because we only have one nominee for homecoming queen this year, and that is Miss Akina Richardson, everyone give it up for her."
Sango simply rolled her eyes.
"We are going to do things a little different. I want each and every one of you to come up to the DJ booth and write down the name of the girl you want to become homecoming queen this year. Unlike other years, this girl does not have to be a senior or a junior. She can be in any grade whatsoever." Neyo said. "She must be a student at this school, though. So the nominee can not be your date if she does not attend this school. That is the only rules, OK, guys? So please, within the next two hours, come up and put your votes in. We have little slips of paper and this box right here. You guys are a great, fun crowd and we're going to continue with the music!"
Sango looked at Miroku. "See, I didn't run…because I knew Akina would automatically win since she gives blowjobs out for votes."
"Hey, she's not getting anywhere near my dick," Miroku reminded her. "Want me to put your name in, Honey?"
Sango shook her head. "No. If I'm going to put any name in that box I'm going to put in someone that will win against Akina and who deserves the title. Like…" She thought for a minute. "Misty."
Miroku nodded his head. "I don't know if people really know Misty though. She's new and so quiet…"
"True, but she's pretty and she's nice and very smart. I'll spread the word around to put her name in the box and get her the votes. I want to stick it to Akina and show her nobody likes a bossy bitch!" She sneered over at Akina who was expecting her and Brock to be named homecoming king and queen.
Miroku laughed. "That's a great idea, Honey, but do you really think it's a good idea for another girl to win homecoming queen against Akina? We all know Brock is going to win homecoming king. He's running against Omarion Grandberry. Omarion's a cool guy and the best on the basketball team, but Brock's got way more votes already in the bag! Especially from the girls."
"So what if Brock wins king? I don't care who wins king. I just don't want Akina to win queen!" Sango told him.
"Whoever is the king and queen share a dance together at the end of the night…" Miroku reminded her. "Remember last year, you had to dance with Brock because I barely lost out to him?"
Sango remembered that. Miroku didn't mind losing to Brock because he knew Brock would never try anything with Sango, even though he had joked about it in passing a few times. The truth was he trusted Sango more than he did Brock though.
"I still think we should nominate Misty. She has a real shot at winning it," she told him. "I think it will make her feel more welcome to this school, too."
"Don't you think it will make her crush on Brock even more severe?" Miroku was reminding her of too many things she didn't think about it.
"I think her crush on Brock is over," she said, looking over at her and Gary, who were kissing in the middle of the crowd. "C'mon, let's go put her name in. I'll tell everyone else to do the same."
Misty and Gary went up just behind Sango and Miroku and Misty slipped Amber's name into the box. Gary saw it and frowned a little as he pulled a piece of paper out and took the pen.
"Why didn't you nominate yourself?" he questioned.
"Oh, I don't have a shot at winning homecoming queen," she said, absently taking note that Brock's name was under the nominees for homecoming king. She pictured for a quick moment in her head what it would be like if she did have a chance at becoming homecoming queen.
Then she would have a dance with him…
Gary smiled and began to write her name down. "I'm putting you in."
"No, don't. Nobody will vote for me."
"I will," Gary said, taking her hand and leading her back out onto the floor. "Sango and Miroku will vote for you. So will Amber and Nelly. Shemar thinks your cute, so he'll definitely vote for you. The only reason Akina is popular is because she gives more rides than the city bus."
Misty laughed a little at that statement and tried not to picture her and Brock together.
Brock waited until Akina announced she had to go the bathroom. He was a little nervous as she walked towards the girl's bathroom because he had just seen Sango go in there with Misty and Amber a few minutes before.
He walked up to the DJ booth and took a piece of paper, which was running low by now, and the pen and thought for a moment. Akina had made him promise he would put in her friend Hayden as his nominee, but he decided he wanted to try and stick it to Gary Oak, and he wrote down Misty's name instead and slipped it into the box.
Neyo put on a slow song and nodded at him.
Inside the bathroom, Akina was met with horrible news.
Misty was fixing her make up, while Sango was readjusting her dress after taking a pee. The punch seemed to go right through her. Amber was fixing her earrings.
"You mean I'm nominated?" Misty asked, her stomach dropped. What would happen if she won?
Sango nodded, not seeing that Akina had entered the bathroom. Girls were going in and out of the bathroom, hurrying back to their dates.
"I had everyone in the school put you in the ballot," Sango told her. "I thought you were the best candidate. I didn't run this year because people have shunned me and Amber didn't want to run."
"You know I am not going to win," Misty informed her.
"Why not?" Amber asked. "You're pretty. You're sweet. I've noticed almost every guy in there, except for Miroku and Nelly, of course, has noticed you tonight. Shemar has been looking at you hardcore. Layla had to slap him a few times."
Misty wondered if Amber was just trying to make her feel better. Then she wondered if Brock had noticed her. She had seen him looking a few times, and she wondered what his vote was for the replacement nominee. Probably Hayden or Sango, she thought.
Sango smiled at her appearance and checked her phone. She had a text from Mushin telling her that the girls had fallen asleep quite easily and she felt a bit more relaxed. Akina made her presence known then.
"You? Run for homecoming queen?" Akina laughed and looked at her make up in the mirror.
"As if you have a chance at beating me. Brock's going to be king and I'll be damned if I let a loser like you even think about having a dance with my man!" Akina powered her face and smiled over at Sango.
"Why didn't you run? You are, after all, the former homecoming queen. You won fair and square against me last year," Akina prodded at her. "Nobody wants to vote for the pregnant girl, I guess."
Sango clenched her fist and Amber spoke up.
"Akina, just leave us alone. I'm pretty sure Brock is out there waiting on you."
"Better hurry up and go check on him before he slips his dick into the next slut who crosses his path," Sango knew that would get to her, and Akina turned away from them and sauntered out of the bathroom.
Misty packed up her make up and decided it was time to go back out there. When they met up with their dates, Neyo just put on "Are you with me?" By Easton Corbin.
"It's time to grab your girl real close and hold her tight," Neyo announced. "Tell those pretty ladies how you really feel about them, guys!"
Brock almost laughed at that as he held Akina close to him. If he told her how he really felt, she would probably knee him in his family jewels. He watched Gary pull Misty close to him and nuzzle in her hair, which was beginning to fall just a tad.
She still looked sensational to him.
Nelly pulled Amber in a warm hug and she put her head on his chest. They had been dating for about three months and Amber had developed really strong feelings for him, but hadn't told him yet, after many nights of discussing her feelings with Sango and Misty, she had decided it was best if he told her how he felt first.
"Amber," she heard him whisper.
"Yes, Nelly?" She looked up at him.
"I've fallen in love with you," he said softly, over the music, and then he kissed her.
Brock listened to the words of the song and realized he wasn't thinking about the girl he held in his arms.
I wanna fly so high that I'll never come down.
I wanna love so hard it could rip my heart out.
I wanna get so lost, that I'll never be found.
Are you with me? Are you with me?
He was thinking about the girl all the way across the floor, wrapped up in Gary's arms. Their eyes met and they stared at each other for what seemed to be forever. She rested her chin on Gary's shoulder and her stared at her from above Akina's head.
We can chase the wild dreams.
Live like crazy. Love me, Baby.
Come on, Come on, Come on.
Just throw your arms around me.
We can run like we won't run out of time.
Are you with me?
Neither of them had realized the song ended until they were snapped out of it by a fast paced techno sounding song and Neyo's voice boomed out over the speakers.
"Alright! It's almost that time to start voting for your Homecoming king and queen!" He announced and the music came to a considerably lower level. "It is 10:15 and that means it is time to announce your official nominees for your 2013 Homecoming King and Homecoming Queen! Voting will begin immediately. If you go and see Mr. McKnight at the table by the refreshments, he will take your vote. You must cast one vote for King and one vote for Queen."
Misty was nervous. What if she was picked to run against Akina for Queen? She suddenly felt very nauseous again and she looked over at Brock who was standing beside her, holding her hand. He glanced Misty's way and she quickly turned away, and felt Gary clutch her hand.
"Alright, your nominees for Homecoming King are…Omarion Grandberry and Brock Harrison," Neyo said into the microphone and everyone cheered.
"And your two lovely ladies running for Homecoming Queen are…Akina Richardson and Misty Waterflower," he announced and everyone cheered.
Akina smirked over at Misty. She knew she and Brock had won King and Queen, because she wasn't running against the head cheerleader, Sango this year. Misty was a nobody. She was just a girl who could happen to do a backflip and got on the squad.
Neyo played a few more songs as everyone cast their vote. One for King and one for Queen. Sango happily slipped her ballots in, but didn't tell Brock she voted for Omarion instead. She just felt like Brock needed to know he wasn't always gong to win and he wasn't God's gift to women.
Marcus cast his ballot and stood back in the corner, watching Misty as she danced with Gary after they both cast their ballots. He didn't notice the two dark figures down the hallway.