Chapter 12: Homecoming!

"Are you sure that would work?" I pointed disgustedly at the make-up box that Sandra's holding out.

"Duh! Haven't you ever heard of it?" She rolled her eyes and started taking out a long stick thing. She uncapped it and there's some type of black ink it. Sandra moved towards me and tipped my head higher. "Open your eyes wider. Mascara would totally bring those black-silver eyes out even more!"

She started placing the brush onto my eyelashes. I pushed her away. "Stop! What are you doing to my eyes?" I clasped my hand over my eyes and wailed dramatically.

"Shut up, and get your hands away from your eyes!" She commanded and successfully pried my hand away from my face. "Guys," she glanced at Priscilla and Penny, "help me with this stubborn idiot."

They gave me an apologetic look but followed Sandra's orders. Penny took hold of my hands and clutched it tightly. Gosh, she's strong. Priscilla pulled back my fringe and fixed her hand there. "Sorry, Nadine, but this is for your own good. Promise! You'll thank me later." Sandra continued brushing my eyelashes with that ink. Oh, gosh. What is she doing?!

What if that thing causes me to be blind forever? OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH! I'M FREAKING OUT!

Sandra started rummaging into the box-of-evil and took out a thick brush thing. She dipped it into something powdery and brushed it onto my cheeks. It was ticklish, I almost laughed aloud. Then she stuffed those two things back into the box. She emerged with a something-that-looks-like-a-pencil thing. She started drawing something around my eyes. "WAIT! What is that thing?"

She frowned. "Eyeliner." She shook her head and muttered, "She sure hasn't put on make-up before."

After dabbing something called lip gloss onto my lips, she turned my chair around for me to look into the mirror. The person staring back at me wasn't… me. She looked different, more beautiful. She was nothing I've ever seen before. She was perfect! But, there's something missing…

"Smile!" They all urged.

I immediately broke into a huge grin. The girl in the mirror had deep dimples and her cheeks were pink! And, now she looked complete.

"So, what do you think of my awesome skills?" Sandra asked smugly, twirling the lip gloss container around her finger.

I immediately said what was in my mind, "You're amazing, seriously." Then I hugged her. "Thank you."

She smiled happily, and pointed to Penny. "It's your turn." I could have sworn I saw Penny shudder a little as she took her seat in front of Sandra. Sandra started doing her magic on Penny.

Priscilla tugged on my arm. "I'll do your hair."

I gave in to her and felt the tug of the hairbrush. Finally, she was done. She had made my hair up into a messy but nice bun. She also placed a glittering, silver hair band at the top of my head. "Cute! Thanks, Pris!"

She smiled her usual shy-smile and sauntered over to Sandra as it was her turn to get her make-up done.

Penny looked fabulous, and she offered to do my nails. She colored my nails sparkly silver as my dress was a short, silver strapless and did hers the usual black. My job was accessories because I had dozens of free accessories from the shop called Diva as I was a member there. I distributed accessories to them and finally, we were ready.

Our dates were waiting at the living room at my house. They all looked handsome in tux. Penny's date, Luke was dark-haired and had a really long fringe that covered his eyes. Priscilla's date, Ruth, a red-haired cutie had a big smile on his face. Sandra's date, Will, was a blonde and he looked awestruck by Sandra's beauty. My date… wait. Where is he?

I looked around the house. I searched the kitchen, the bathroom, the study. Even under the sofa, but he wasn't there. "Where's Nate?" I asked the group.

"You looking for me?" Nate was looking HAWT in that white tux. He was standing in the doorway, looking at me up and down. I giggled-grinned at him and he smiled that cute crooked smile of his. We all headed out to the school by foot. It was quite late due to us girls getting ready really slowly.

Our group secured a table near the back of the hall and sat. The rest went to dance while Nate and I just sat there, in friendly silence. Lady Gaga's Just Dance was blasting pretty loudly at the speakers, so what Nate said made me ask him repeat again.

"I said do you want something to drink?" He shouted extra loudly.

"Sure. Fruit punch would be nice." I shouted extra loudly back.

He nodded and went towards the Refreshments Table. I was just thinking of how hot he still looked in that awesome white tux when someone said, "Who's the next victim?" Janice stood there, looking quite pretty today. She was wearing a white long gown and her hair was hanging in loose curls framing her face.

"Janice. It's sickening enough to be breathing the same air as you, but please, don't let me smell you." I waved my hand in front of nose to shoo away the smell of her overly used perfumes.

Janice turned red and rolled her eyes, but I can see what I said bothered her. "Well, I was just asking you, before you rudely interrupted, who your next victim is?"

"What are you saying?" I crossed my arms.

"I meant Nate, dumbass. First, Felix. Then, Stefan. Now, Nate? Why are you taking all the cute guys in the school? And what do they see in you, anyway?"

"Shut up, Janice. You're just jealous. And anyway, Felix and I, there's nothing going on between us! Gosh, you people are just so annoying with that statement!" I literally screamed in her face.

"Jeez. Bad breath much," Janice fanned her nose, like what I did. I rolled my eyes. She turned back, as if someone had called her and then turned back to me. "The next time you see me, I'll be on stage with the Homecoming Crown on my head. Have fun with the loser crown." Then, she cleared her throat and spoke loudly, "Tata, Loser Queen. Stefan is waiting for a dance with me." And with that, she tossed her hair, rolled her eyes, as usual, and sashayed over to where Stefan was sitting and took his hand.

Oh, gosh. She gets so totally annoying sometimes. She thinks I want that stupid crown? Oh, please! Like who would ever want to wear a plastic thing on her head? Unless it's real, I accept that. But, this, I looked at the two silver-painted plastic crown nestled on a comfy-looking red pillow in the middle of the stage, is just a fake! I kept thinking that as Nate finally arrived with the fruit punch, put them down and stood in front of me and bowed a little. He grinned at me and held out his hand formally, and asked, "May I take this dance, Nadine?"

I wanted to giggle, but I stopped myself. Instead, I smiled genuinely, nodded and took his hand. He helped me up and we moved to the dance floor. Without realizing, the song that was playing was a slow song. It was something by the band Boys like Girls, but I forgot the title.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and he supported my waist. We swayed with the beat of the music. I could feel the intensity of his gaze on mine and the heat of his breath. Right then, I didn't see anybody else. Yes, it's cheesy, I know. But that's what it felt like. We stared at each other in silence because it doesn't need words for what we were both feeling.

I didn't know him well enough, but I know that he's a good guy. He treats me right and not like Stefan, he doesn't take advantage of me to get another girl. What Stefan did was just an act. He wanted to get Janice to notice him and used me for that bitch. But, right now, I didn't have the time to think of what a jerk Stefan was, or even how bitchy Janice was being, because I was too preoccupied with staring into Nate's eyes.

For Nate, I could put everything aside; put everything at the back of my mind. I don't even remember who I was anymore. I only know Nate was in front of me, still holding my gaze, unblinking.

Then the piercing sound of the mike made us both jump. The music was minimized and the piercing sound got louder. And then instantly, it faded. The principal called the students to calm down and to pay attention to the stage. "So, you students have voted for your Homecoming King and Queen. And with more than a hundred votes, the Homecoming King is…" There was some drum roll as the principal read out the name on a piece of paper in his hand. I squeezed Nate's hand. I had voted for him and I was hoping he would win. "Felix Quinn!"

I was happy for my brother, so I clapped along with the rest. But when Felix didn't show up on stage, the principal called for him again. But this time, he was met by whispers of the other students. "Where could he be?" I asked Nate, who was standing next to me.

"Maybe he chose not to go?" he responded.

The principal read the note again and concluded, "Since Quinn is not here to receive the award it will be given to the runner-up. Stefan Luck, please step to the stage." Everyone, excluding me, applauded. The principal placed the crown on his head. He gave a heart-melting smile at everyone and sat at the throne at the side of the stage. There was another smaller throne beside him still empty.

"And the Homecoming Queen is…" Another drum roll. Janice was beaming, obviously knowing that she would win. Of course, she's going to win. "Nadine George!" Everyone broke out into fierce clapping and whooping and whistling. I was shocked to my bones. I didn't even remember to close my mouth.

Nate pushed me forward toward the stage. "Go to your throne, your majesty." He dorkily commanded. I stumbled forward and made my way towards the stage to receive the stupid plastic crown. The principal secured it onto my head and I snatched the mike from him.

"I'm sorry, I need to say something." I begged the principal with my eyes and he gave in and let me take center stage. I took off the crown and held it up with one hand while holding the mike with the other. "I don't deserve this crown," I started. Someone way at the back of the hall screamed, "Damn right you don't!" though I know it was someone who hated me very much and wanted this crown more than I do. (E.g. Janice!) I cleared my throat and continued, "This doesn't really matter much to me. Look at the rest of the students who desperately wants this." I gestured at the other girls.

"Everyone should be able to get this stupid crown, even though it's just plastic." I looked down at the plastic and broke it into half, and heard a collective gasp from the audience. And then I broke it into another half for each of it. And another, and another, and another until there were more than enough pieces for every girl in the room. "First, I want to give a piece to Janice," Yes, to Janice. Even though she treated me like dung, she still have been dreaming to win this crown since way before Homecoming, I heard her talking to Bonnie about it. I threw it at her and she caught it swiftly and beamed at me. She wasn't so bad when she smiled. "To Fiona, for being a good friend." I threw it at her, who caught it with a confused expression. "To Sandra," I tossed it at the red-head, "To Pris," She shy-grinned at me. "To Penny," She caught it with some difficulty but managed to balance herself. "Thanks for everything." Then I looked around. "To Bonnie, you need to stand up for yourself," I threw a piece at her, too. Then I tossed the rest at random and kept one for myself.

When I was done, the principal said, "Thank you, Ms George, for the speech." Then he addressed the rest and said, "Please continue," and then the music started to play back on. I didn't bother to sit at the damn throne and made my way down the stage and tried my hardest to get to the exit when someone grabbed my arm and pulled me back. I landed with a thud onto someone's strong chest.

I looked up. "Nate?"

"Where are you going? So you're Cinderella now?"

"Cinderella?" I asked, as clueless as ever.

He chuckled and his chest rumbled. I hadn't noticed I was still lying on his chest. It was so comfortable there. "You were awesome. You're the true Homecoming Queen right here," he tapped the tip of my nose.

I shook my head. "I have to find Felix. I just know something's wrong."

"But, you're going to miss the rest of Homecoming!" He looked disappointed.

"It's okay. You can fill me in later." I winked at him and started to pull away reluctantly.

Now, where are you, Apollo? I called with my mind.