Harrow stood on the platform, he tapped the microphone to check if it was on, then began, "Good evening, students and faculty. Today, as all of you know, marks the beginning of the next school year. It has been an honor to help all of your young minds grow and flourish. I know, school is dreaded every morning, trust me, it is for me, too, but by the end of the day it's satisfying." He paused for an agreement from someone clearly forgetting that it was never satisfying to those who did the schoolwork. "Perhaps, it's just me. Anyway, as you know, we are transitioning into our final high school semester, for those who are planning on going to college as we strive to inspire here at Katolis City High School, we encourage you to begin your search for colleges up your alleys in your free time. Until then, I believe I speak for the entire faculty when I say, it's been an honor to teach you here. As for the strange events this fall with your former principle, to end the spreading rumors, nothing of that kind of case will occur at this school again, we can guarantee that. I look forward to seeing you next week for classes. I will hand the mic to Mrs. Opeli, your recurring History teacher. Thank you."
Mrs. Opeli took the microphone and began her speech as students watched and listened. After Opeli, came Mrs. Lujanne, their economics teachers, then Mr. Ibis, their chemistry teacher, Mr. Corvus, their Literature teacher, along with many others.
After the last teacher delivered his speech, more music played for the students and faculty to dance to.
The first song after the speeches played, We Are Young by 3OH!3.
Windows down, pedal to the sneakers
Turn up the volume, blow out the speakers
Best clothes on, goin' down on fire
Turn the lights off, turn the music higher
I broke free, cast away
Won't find me and now you're never gonna break me down, gonna break me down
This is all I can take
So farewell, 'cause your never gonna find me now, gonna find me now
We are young, we are young
We drink and we fight and we love just because
We are numb, we're on the run
And you're never gonna chase us down, we are young
Rayla looked back to Callum, "Sorry, what do I really need to know?" She smiled, but Callum seemed distracted by something a ways behind her.
Callum shook his head to bring his mind back on topic, "Uh... yeah... I.."
Rayla furrowed her eyebrows as she turned around to see what Callum was looking so intensely at, "What are you..?" Then she saw him, Carl glaring daggers at Callum. She turned back around, "What does he have against you?"
A light pink lit Callum's cheeks, "He.. uh... he seems to think t-that I ruined his chances with you." He ran his fingers through his hair slightly shrugging, as if he didn't know even though he did.
"What chances?" Rayla laughed. "I just wasn't interested, he couldn't take the hint. That had... nothing to do with you." She fell quiet nearing the end of the statement. She looked at Carl again then back at Callum, "It wasn't your fault he doesn't have someone to go to prom with. If anything it's my fault for humiliation at the..." Rayla stopped. Callum didn't remember the club, how could she keep forgetting? It was a good thing he forgot, she needed to leave it at that. She shouldn't keep bringing it up. She cleared her throat thinking about Carl still glaring at Callum. "Idiot." She muttered to herself.
Callum put his hand on her shoulders, "Ignore him. I am. You didn't come with him, come on." He led her to where they were out of Carl's line of sight.
Just as they were out of his sight, another song played. Familiar by Liam Payne and JBalvin.
It's simple, you dip low
Your hips roll, you do the Calypso
An intro is all that I need, oh, yeah
Y empiezo primero
TĂș sabes lo que me refiero
De cero, sabes que estoy pa' ti (ti, ti)
Ooh, ooh, I just wanted to get your name
But if it's cool, I wanna get inside your brain
Can we get famili-famili-famili-familiar? (Yeah)
I'm feelin' I'm feelin' I'm feelin' I'm feelin' ya (hey)
What's on your mind for later tonight?
Let me be the one to fill it up
Can we get famili-famili-famili-familiar?
I'm feelin' I'm feelin' I'm feelin', I'm feelin' ya
What's on your mind for later tonight?
Let me be the one to fill it up
Can we get
Rayla grinned wide as she nodded her head to the beginning music. When the lyrics of the song began playing, Rayla began moving her feet and legs to the beat, shaking and swaying her hips, waist, arms, and shoulders in rhythm with the music. Callum watched as he smirked. This was better than he remembered, but this time around he didn't wait for her ask or tell him, he took her hand and began taking the lead to the dance, after briefly following her movements with his eyes and body.
Rayla couldn't hold back the giggling grin as they danced. It was like reliving that night at the club, except this was ten times better. This was one of Rayla's favorite songs. They were dancing closer than they had ever been, and Callum was leading. He was enjoying this, too. This was the best deja vu' she'd felt. He was happy, too.
As the song ended, Callum spun Rayla and dipped her bringing her up, this time without a kiss following. Rayla wasn't going to repeat that.
They smiled at one another as they caught their breath, their faces less than inches apart.
"You dance nicely." Rayla complimented breathlessly.
"I thought you knew that." Callum indicated with Rayla's favorite smirk as he smoothed his thumb over her waist.
Rayla couldn't bring herself to ask him why he was doing it, she didn't hate it. It just flustered her and made her face burn red. Her main thought was how Callum would know she knew he could dance. There was no way he would know, if to him they'd never danced together. Unless... he remembered. Oh, no. She certainly hoped not.
"What's wrong?" Callum asked kindly.
Harrow was walking around the dance floor silently watching over each student supervising everything. The song had ended and many students dispersed across the basketball court, while others took a few extra moments to catch their breaths. Callum and Rayla were two of those students. Judging from their position, they enjoyed themselves. He saw where Callum's hands were and where his his fingers were smoothing over as well as where their eyes were straying.
Harrow approached them clearing his throat to make his presence known and succeeding. Rayla immediately retracted her arms from being over Callum's arms at first sight of Harrow.
Callum removed his arms from around Rayla's waist and they both turned to face him putting their hands behind their backs and turning red as beets.
"Uh... we were just.. um.. we were- we just- the song just ended a- a minute ago and we were just catching our--"
Harrow put his hand up to pause her explanation, "No need, I understand." He nodded with a supportive grin. He directed his gaze to Callum having a silent conversation with him.
Rayla looked from one to the other. This was a silent conversation for a reason, even if she could figure it out, that would be an invasion of their privacy. She could excuse herself for a drink, even if she didn't trust anyone to not sneak something in the drinks. She could still excuse herself without actually drinking anything. "Excuse me, I'll just... uh... get somethin' to drink. All that dancin' is enough to make someone extra thirsty. Uh.. See ya." She successfully reached the drinks table. From what she could tell it wasn't a bad conversation, but then again she could be wrong.
She was thirsty so she smelled the punch, but didn't know what it was supposed to smell like, so she didn't get any. She smelled the water and it smelled like water. She took a cautious sip and nodded, she could trust this.
It was safe.
She leaned against the table and studied her surroundings as she drank her water. She still couldn't keep herself from thinking about what Callum told her. He thought she knew he could dance, What Andromeda said baffled her as well. Was that really where Callum was looking? Did Callum really remember what happened at the club? Or did Soren or Claudia or someone tell him? It felt like everything boggled her mind. She had so many question she didn't know how to answer.
The last song was announced and it was played, Best Friend by Jason Chen.
Do you remember when I said I'd always be there?
Ever since we were ten, baby.
When we were out on the playground playing pretend.
I didn't know it back then.
Now I realize you are the only one
It's never too late to show it.
Grow old together,
Have feelings we had before
Back when we were so innocent
I pray for all your love
Girl, our love is so unreal
I just wanna reach and touch you, squeeze you, somebody pinch me
(I must be dreaming)
This is something like a movie
And I don't know how it ends, girl
But I fell in love with my best friend
Rayla swore she'd just blinked once for less than a second, but when she opened her eyes, Callum was right there. He gently took her cup from her hand, and set it down on the table. He took her hands in his and gently pulled her onto the dance floor.
She smiled raising an eyebrow, "Callum, what're you..." She was interrupted by Callum who put his finger over her lips.
"Trust me." He said assuringly. He put her arms around his neck and he put his arms around her waist. "Does dancing sound like a bad idea? If you don't want to dance, that'll be a different story." He joked. He'd know if she didn't want to dance.
Rayla slightly giggled.
"No, it's just-- you startled me." She stuttered, before speaking with a clear conclusion as they began dancing slowly swaying from side to side to the music.
Callum smiled and quietly hummed not thinking Rayla would notice or hear. This was his favorite song, at least one of his favorite songs.
Rayla grinned to herself he had a pretty hum.
When twirling her, Callum spoke, "Y-you look... flawless." He whispered to her.
Bright pink heated her face, "Thanks, Ethari made it."
Callum shook his head. "I was talking about you. The dress is nice, but I was saying, you look flawless."
"Oh. Th-Thank you, you look amazin', too."
"Thanks."
"Um. Wh-what were you tryin' to tell me?" Rayla inquired with undivided interest. There was nothing and no one to interrupt them. Everyone was dancing.
"I need you to know that..." Callum tried again, but yet again something disrupted it.
Claudia started loudly giggling at them, "Hey, lovebirds." She teased as she and Kasef danced out of sight.
Callum rolled his eyes.
Rayla chuckled, "Do they just not want you to say this?" She stopped and thought about his previous statement again, "Callum, you don't happen to remem.."
She was suddenly cut off as Callum carefully put his hands over Rayla's cheeks cradling her face and crashing his lips into hers. If he couldn't tell her through words he would show her.
Rayla's eyes widened, but almost instantly she reciprocated letting her right arm lower to his chest and her left hand comb the back of Callum's hair.
Her daydream became a reality, the sweet taste of Callum's lips on hers.
His thumbs caressed Rayla's cheeks. Her lips tasted like home. Finally, he pulled away. "Yeah." He said in a soft whisper.
Rayla repeated dazed, "Yeah?"
Callum lightly chuckled, "Yes, Rayla, I do remember. I remember everything. You need to know that I love you. I have loved for a long time, now. You've been my best friend, ever since we met. You helped me and accepted me, before I accepted myself. You believed in who I was, and helped me figure out how to believe in myself. I want to do that for you every single moment, every single day of the rest of our lives. And- and Dante was an idiot, he was stupid. It infuriated me to know what he did. Because how could someone not treasure you? You're kind and funny and smart, and you're just... beyond words. I love your enchanting, beautiful voice, your vibrant, awe inspiring violet eyes, your pretty, long white hair. These past 8 months have been the best months of my life, because I've been able to meet you and fall in love with you over and over again. I know I was stupid to not tell you sooner. I remember everything at the club, and it was the revelation I needed to know that you felt the same way. If- if- if you're the moon, then I want to be the sky holding you where you are. I want us to be more. More than friends. More than family. I know, one day you'll be the woman I'll marry. This is more than a crush, more than feelings, I love you, and I want to remind you of it everyday. I want to remind you how wonderful you are. Rayla." He said to her not realizing the music had stopped and his voiced started echoing in the court.
Even if he had noticed he didn't care, not right now.
Rayla's eyes welled with water, but she refused to cry, she couldn't believe it, "Yes," She whispered, "I love you, too, Callum. You're sweet and handsome and absolutely magnificent. I've wanted you to want that with me, but I was afraid of telling you, because I didn't think you could love someone like me. I came here on April 21st feelin' like I was alone. Meetin' you was the best thing to ever happen to me. You always make me feel like I'm not alone, but like we're in this together. I want to continue feelin' that way with you. I want you to always know that I love you. I love exactly who you are, from your stutterin' to your crazy ideas. Everythin'. I'd be lyin' if I said that I've never dreampt of marryin' you, because I want to someday, I really do." She wrapped both arms around Callum's neck and stepping on the tips of her toes, she brought her lips to his.
Most of the surrounding students and faculty applauded causing them to realize their sudden audience. Both their faces went went pink, they'd just made a scene.
Harrow watched with raised eyebrows. That wasn't how he thought things would work out, but nonetheless he was nearly ready to ask what took them so long.
Callum and Rayla agreed to discuss more of this after the prom so they got closure. And that's what they did. After the prom and cleaning up, Callum drove them to a restaurant where they ate dinner, then he drove them to an empty park where they could talk with some privacy.
As they walked in silence, Rayla was the first to speak up. "So, now that the school's goin' to be rumorin' about us for the next month, where does this bring our... well... relationship." It was definitely something they'd have to get used to, calling what they had, a relationship. "I mean, does this mean we're... boyfriend and girlfriend or...? And wh-what are we goin' to do exactly, you know, now that..." She wondered pointing from him to her in indication.
Callum thought for a moment and as did Rayla.
"Well, we can.. sometimes go out by ourselves for- to spend some time together. We kinda do that already, anyway. Besides the kissing, but I think that part in particular wouldn't hurt to add." He smiled smittenly thinking about their kisses at the school.
Rayla giggled, "Well, no, it wouldn't. Maybe the occasional cuddle, but what about... that...? I was thinkin' we should wait a safe amount of time, before doin'.. that."
"Like after we get married." Callum suggested. "I was thinking about that, too. We should wait a reasonable while. I think after marriage would be reasonable."
Rayla nodded in agreement.
Suddenly Callum stopped walking and stood in front of her holding her hands in his staring at their ajoined hands as he softed the tops of her hands.
Rayla grinned, "What?"
Callum looked up, "Nothing, I just- This has been the best night of my life. I- I never thought I'd- I don't know, that I'd be lucky to be with someone as incredible as you. I meant what I said to you back at school. I really want to keep showing you how much you mean to me."
Rayla wrapped her arms around him pulling him into a hug, "You already do, everyday. Thank you. I love you, Callum. This has been the best night of both of our lives." She pulled away and gave a kiss to Callum's cheek.
He smiled cheesily at the kiss on the cheek, "I love you, too, Rayla."
They began their walk back to the car, discussing who they would tell. The school already knew, so they had one string of unnecessary ears.
Neither could be happier with the outcome of going to the prom. Both were grateful for the day they met.
Maybe the world wasn't quite ready to know of them being an elf and a human together, but it meant the world to know what they meant to one another.
The End
