Just over 20 years ago...
It was prom night for Elmore Junior High, and everyone was crowded together, waiting in anticipation for the announcement of the coveted Prom King and Queen awards.
Suddenly the door behind them slammed opened and Richard Watterson entered the prom room, in full makeup and a large royal-looking cape.
The other students stepped aside, baffled and amused by his appearance, whilst Principal Brown and Jackie watched from atop the stage, both equally as confused.
Ignoring the unusual disturbance, Principal Brown went back to his announcements. "It's now the moment you've all been waiting for... time to announce this year's prom king!"
"Yes, I'm here!" Richard excitedly called out, causing the entire audience to gasp in shock "Thank you! Yes, it's me! Yes! Ha-ha!"
The rabbit climbed onto the stage and took the crown, putting it on. "Thank you! Thank you! This moment is much bigger than me!"
"Uh, hardly..." Harold remarked from the audience.
"I just want to say to all the losers out there, there's gonna be people along the way who will try to take things away from you, but don't let them, because-"
"Watterson, we're gonna have to take the crown away from you." Principal Brown interrupted him, removing the crown from his head.
"But I'm the king!" Richard insisted with confusion, pulling out a letter. "It says so right here in this letter. It's got your signature!"
"Did you take a good look at this letter? It is literally signed, 'Pwincipul Bron'."
"But... who would do this?"
Harold suddenly began laughing, revealing himself as the perpetrator, shortly followed by everyone else in the crowd. Everyone except for one blue cat in a pink puffy dress with her hair done up, who instead looked on horrified as Richard wiped away his makeup before his pants fell down.
The rabbit began to laugh awkwardly, before slowly transitioning into crying, causing everyone else to laugh even harder.
As Nicole watched her face turned to one of sympathy, her ears lowering, distraught to see her boyfriend be humiliated in such a way.
As tears began to stream down his face, Richard pulled up his pants and ran out of the room as he sobbed into his paws, everyone pointing and laughing at him.
"Richard, wait!" Nicole called out as she ran after him.
She ran out of the room but couldn't see him anywhere. Oh, where had he run off to?!
As the feline walked around she listened out for him, her cat-like hearing making it pretty easy for her to focus on where he was.
The sound of his crying led her to the front steps of the school, where he was sat sobbing.
"Richard?" She called out gently as she sat down next to him.
He looked up at her and sniffed weakly. "Nikki? Why are you here?"
"To make sure you're okay of course". She placed a paw on his shoulder. "I couldn't just leave you on your own after what Harold did to you."
He let out another sob as the tears continued flowing. "How could he get my hopes up like that? Humiliate me in front of everyone? I've never felt so embarrassed in my life!"
She paused before wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. "Because he's a jerk and gets his kicks out of others' misery and humiliation. You can't let him get to you though. A reaction is what he wants. You have to deny him that satisfaction."
Her boyfriend looked up at her. "How do I do that though? Everyone's gonna remind me of it for months! I'm gonna be the laughing stock of the entire school!" He sobbed.
The feline gently moved one of her paws on top of his. "Just ignore them, Richard. Don't say or do anything to give them a reason to continue. As long as you don't make it fun for them, they won't have any reason to continue."
"I don't know if I can ignore it, Nicole..." He said quietly, his voice breaking as it did. "I'm not strong. I'm not like you."
She squeezed his paw, giving a reassuring smile. "Of course, you're strong Rich, just...not in the same ways I am."
"What do you mean?" The rabbit asked confused, letting out another sniffle.
"I'm strong, fierce, and determined. But you...you're loving, caring, and compassionate. Thoseare your strengths. Those are what make you the strongest guy I know."
"You...y-y-you mean it?" A weak smile began to form on his face.
"Every word." She smiled as gave him a kiss quick kiss on the nose. "Besides, as long as I'm there to look after you, they won't harass you. Not if I have anything to say about it."
"You promise?" He looked at her wide-eyed as he let out another sniff.
The feline's smile grew as she placed her other paw on his cheek. "I promise." She purred.
The two smiled, looking into each other's other lovingly. They slowly moved closer, before locking in a long, passionate kiss, Nicole wrapping her arms around Richard's neck and pulling him closer as they did.
After a couple of seconds, they released their kiss, Nicole smiling as she rested her head on his chest.
Richard smiled back at her as he wrapped his arm around her, beginning to stroke her head. "I love you so much, Nikki...I really don't deserve to have someone as amazing as you...I mean, I'm just some stupid overweight loser. You could find someone else much more worthwhile..."
She looked up and smiled at him. "But why would I want to find someone else if I already have the perfect guy right next to me?"
"Oh, come on, you don't mean that..." He looked away with a blush.
She turned him back around, placing a paw on his cheek. "Of course I do Rich! It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks Richard, you are amazing. I know you don't believe that, but you really, genuinely are."
"How? What's so special about a fat, stupid, ugly, worthless little rabbit like me?" He asked, tears now trickling down his face.
"Richard, you are so, so, so much more than that! Before I met you, I hated my life. I was miserable! I had been brought up believing I had to be the best, do the best, in order for anyone to like me. Every single failure or mistake I made devastated me! I thought that if I failed, if I didn't meet everyone's expectations, that I would be shunned and hated. That no one would ever like me, and I be alone for the rest of my life.."
The feline look up into Richard's eyes and smiled. "But then I met you, and you showed me that it was okay to just be myself. That it didn't matter what I did or if I was the best, and thanks to you I finally started to really live my life."
The rabbit sniffled, a smile creeping onto his face as she continued. "And you're always there for me, making me happy, making me laugh when no one else can.. During my lowest of lows, you've been right there by my side the entire time. You make me feel wanted, accepted, for who I really am. Because of you, I feel so special. So loved!"
She wiped the tears that were now trickling down his face. "I don't care what anyone else thinks, I don't care what anyone else says, I love you, Richard, so so much. You are the most important person in my life, my prom king, and you always will be."
"Awwww, Nicole..." He replied softly, struggling t o hold back tears.
The feline giggled, pulling him closer. "Oh, come here you!" She kissed him again, beginning to purr deeply.
"...I love you too Nicole." He smiled as she released him. The feline then proceeded to snuggle up to him, letting him wrap his arms around her as she purred away happily.
The two sat there for a few minutes in silence, simply enjoying each other's embrace, until Richard eventually looked over toward the entrance of the school and sighed. "Well, I guess we should head back inside soon...we don't want to miss the rest of the prom..."
The young kitten looked at the entrance and then turned to look at the rest of the town, deep in thought.
"You know what...?" She looked up at him with a smile. "Screw prom. let's go out and have a night out in town by ourselves. Just the two of us."
He let out a gasp of disbelief, looking at her with confusion. "What?! B-But you've been looking forward to prom for weeks! You told me so yourself!"
She shrugged. "Yeah, well, I've changed my mind. I don't much fancy going back into that room of jerks any time soon. They've completely ruined any chance of me enjoying the rest of prom. So I say screw them. We have an entire town out there, just waiting for us!"
"So..." She held out a paw. "Wait are we waiting for?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
A grin slowly formed on the rabbit's face as he took her paw.
"I knew you couldn't resist!" She giggled.
He gave a light chuckle back, before standing up. "Allow me, my lady..." He grinned, holding out his paw for her.
The feline giggled and took his paw as he helped her up. T he two smiled at each other lovingly as they walked paw in paw into what was sure to be a night to remember .
