Here we are! Wilbur's senior homecoming and Lily and Athena's first homecoming. I did take some of this from my chapter in "For Good," but if you'd like to see more of Wilbur and Karena's experience, please head to that story in the "Meet the Robinsons" domain. Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "TMNT" nor "Meet the Robinsons," nor do I own Mikey Cyrus's "Party in the U.S.A.," Lifehouse's "Everything," nor Margaret Becker's "Never for Nothing." I only own Karena, Lilianna, Athena, James, and friends.
October 6, 2040 – New York City, New York, USA
DONATELLO'S POV
"Lily, is this your first homecoming dance?" April asked our daughter while brushing her hair.
"Yes, it is," she answered. "I'm a little nervous, actually."
"How come?" I asked with a concerned smile.
"I've never been on the homecoming court before," Lily explained. "How am I supposed to act?"
April laughed.
"Just be yourself, sweetie," April encouraged her. "Being yourself is why you were voted into the court. When the time comes for the coronation, you just walk linked in arms with your court partner, watch the king and queen get crowned, and then dance the coronation dance with your court partner. That's all there is to it."
"And one last thing," I chimed in. "Just have fun! It is called a dance. It's supposed to be fun."
"Athena's gonna be there too, isn't she?" April asked.
"Yeah, she got voted into the court too," Lily answered. "She doesn't have a date though. She's just tagging along."
"Athena's young still," I replied. "If Athena wants to go with a guy someday, she can. But there's no hurry."
"You're going with James, right?" April asked.
"Yep. This is going to be our first date as a couple."
My wife and I glanced at each other.
"I thought you've gone on dates with him before?" April asked.
"Yes, as people who are interested in each other. We're officially dating now."
"So you are girlfriend and boyfriend?"
Lily nodded.
"Well, congratulations!"
"Please be careful, Lily," I warned her. "I trust you to be responsible but trust me when I say the temptations that come with a relationship are very hard to resist. I'm thankful I didn't act on anything with your mom until we got married."
"Mom, were you tempted when you and Dad started dating?" Lily asked.
"I was more tempted than your dad was," April answered with a chuckle. "We almost had sex when we admitted that we loved each other. I took off my clothes, but we didn't go all the way."
"Your mom needed to mentally heal first," I explained. "Did we ever tell you the story of your mother's crystal?"
"Yes, the crystal from the Aeons," Lily answered. "The spirits controlled Mom through the crystal and actually killed you as a result. But I'm pretty sure my psychic powers are intact."
"You're a good kid, Lily Mae," I encouraged her. "But enough about that topic. How are you feeling now?"
"A little better. Actually, Wilbur's taking Athena to homecoming, but just as friends. Karena's gonna be there to be a chaperone."
"Remind me to thank him," I heard Mikey say with a mouthful of pizza.
"Mikey, you gotta come with us to Todayland," April encouraged him. "Renet too."
"She's gonna be there," my orange-clad brother replied, this time without food in his mouth. "Renet loved Athena's birthday dress so much she asked Tallulah to make her a homecoming dress on short notice."
"I'm so jealous," Lily replied. "I made my dress, but the dresses Tallulah makes are just so amazing."
"Lily, you have made just as amazing dresses," April encouraged her. "In fact, I want to see yours! You gotta put it on anyway before I do your hair."
"True. I'll be right back."
Lily left the room.
"I'm ready, Dad!" we heard Athena yell from her father's bedroom.
"Let's see it!" Mikey yelled encouragingly.
Mikey, April, and I watched the door until Athena walked in with a teal dress similar to her birthday outfit. This time, the her dress was short-sleeved with a V-neckline, and the skirt was just above the knee.
"You are so beautiful, Athena," Mikey told his daughter with a proud smile.
"Thanks!" Athena replied with much enthusiasm. "So, who's doing the hair and makeup?"
"I'll do your hair," April answered with a smile. "Your mom went out to do some last minute shopping with Auntie Karai."
"I can do your makeup if you'd like," I heard Lily offering.
We all turned toward the door again. I put on a proud smile. Lily wore a deep purple dress with only one strap on her left shoulder. She may have been inspired by Athena's dress because the back of her skirt was long and reached her ankles while the front went just above the knees. Lily had done her own makeup earlier, and April had put half of her long red hair up in the ponytail. The bottom half was left down, and her bangs were swept to her left side.
"Lily, are you trying to look like a goddess?" Athena asked with a grin.
"No," Lily answered, her smile going away.
Athena's smile faded away also.
"Oh, Lily, I meant that as a compliment," Athena sadly explained. "Your dress is so beautiful that I'm jealous. I can't make dresses like that."
Lily hugged her cousin, and she returned it.
"Would you like me to make you a dress for the winter ball?" Lily asked. "You'd probably be saving your mom money."
"You'd do that for me?"
Athena paused, shaking her head.
"No, I'd sound petty."
"Athena, please relax," Lily assured her with a smile. "Please let me make your dress for winter ball. I promise we'll both be belles of the ball."
"Well, if you're sure," Athena replied. "I wish I knew how to sew."
"Sewing takes a lot of patience. I actually learned that from Uncle Raph of all people."
"Uncle Raph sews?"
"Oh, I remember!" I exclaimed with laughter. "It was one of Master Splinter's punishments for Raph for letting his anger control him. Or was it knitting? But anyway. Uncle Leo and I understood why. Your father, on the other hand, would not stop teasing him, even calling him a dainty princess."
All of us but Mikey laughed at the memory. Mikey only blushed in embarrassment.
"But no matter what, Raph pressed on and finished knitting new boxing gloves."
"Boxing gloves?" April asked with laughter.
"Yep, and he used those to pound Mikey."
"How long did those last?" April asked.
"Let's just say Master Splinter forced Raph to use those instead of his sais on our patrol," I explained in amusement. "Casey laughed at him. While our patrol was a success, Raph declared he would never knit nor use boxing gloves ever again."
"Did he learn his lesson?" Lily asked.
"Not really. He kept quitting the team because he thought we weren't taking our training seriously. The last time he did that nearly cost us our lives."
"I think I remember," Mikey finally chimed in. "Wasn't that when Don Vizioso almost cut you open?"
I immediately felt tears coming to my eyes. All of the happiness that I had before suddenly vanished.
"Donnie?" April asked me with a soft voice. "Are you okay?"
"Excuse me."
APRIL'S POV
We all watched my husband quickly leaving the bedroom.
"What happened?" Lily asked. "That's not like Dad to just hurry off like that. Something must have happened for him to react this way."
I let out a sigh.
"Has Daddy ever told you the story about how he had almost killed someone in cold blood?" I asked.
"Very vaguely. He only told me the story because I had killed the Magician on accident. He was trying to relate to me."
"Hey, Athena, Mikey, could you please go into another room?"
They both nodded and went out the door.
"Let's sit down, Lily," I encouraged my daughter.
We sat down on the bed.
"Your father and I were in the... friends with benefits stage of our relationship when he told me the story. But he refused to talk about it since."
"Friends with benefits?" Lily asked with confusion.
"We confessed our love to each other."
My daughter raised an eyebrow at me.
"Okay, we were boyfriend and girlfriend, but not officially! Anyway. Uncle Raph had quit the team after your father mocked him, and he went off chasing criminals on his own. Your father and a fellow mutant Mondo Gecko caught up to him. There was a bank robbery. Uncle Raph stopped the robbers. But it was a set up by the Italian mobsters. They disabled the Party Wagon, knocking out Mondo and your father. They were both taken to a deserted hotel called the Hignight where Don Vizioso would hide, and..."
I let out a sigh.
"They were almost dissected alive by the mob."
Lily let out a loud gasp, clasping both her hands over her mouth.
"That would explain why Dad almost killed the Don all those years ago," Lily replied solemnly. "I understand his grudge. May I talk to him?"
"I think it may be best if we were both there with him," I answered with a smile. "He's always been there for both of us. It's time to return the favor."
Lily nodded in agreement. We walked out of the bedroom and went across the living room into Donnie's lab. We found my purple-clad husband sitting at his desk, but his head and arms were on the desk.
"Donnie?" I called out. "It's us, April and Lily. May we talk?"
"Dad, are you okay?" Lily asked.
Donnie's head rose. He turned to face us with a soaked purple mask. His face was more red than green because of him crying.
"Here, let me help you."
I walked up to him and took off his mask.
"Thanks, April," Donnie replied with a small smile. "I'm sorry I took off like that. I thought I was over Don Vizioso almost dissecting me."
"Dad, Mom told me everything," Lily chimed in with a concerned look. "And I understand why you wanted to kill him. Is that what's bothering you?"
"Yes," Donnie answered, his smile turning into a long frown. "It's not a story often told because I've always wish to forget the experience. But Lily, I was not the only target. The Italian mob wanted to destroy ALL mutants so they could take control of the city."
"But the Don's in jail now, right?"
"Yes. I will forever be thankful Uncle Leo helped me come to my senses. But reliving the experience in my dreams..."
"You have post-traumatic stress disorder because of that," Lily finished the sentence. "Daddy, I am so sorry. I wish there was something I could do to take those memories away, but I don't have that power to do so."
"Lily, come here."
Lily walked up to Donnie and they hugged each other for a long time. They cried together on each other's shoulders. I couldn't help but cry too, but these were happy tears. I had never imagined my daughter and husband bonding over the experience that almost killed him.
"Lilianna Mae Hamato, I am just... so happy that I am alive to be your dad," Donnie tearfully told her with a smile on his face. "I love you so damn much."
Donnie looked up at me.
"And I love you too, April."
"Dad, are you going to be okay?" Lily asked him.
"Yes, I will be fine. And don't worry about erasing my memories. Those memories have been a part of me for a long time, and they always will be. In fact, that experience is what helped me realize how my patients should be treated: with care and love. Those experiences with Don Vizioso made me a better doctor and a better person. But having you both here with me helps me realize that I am not alone when I relive the experience. It makes things more bearable. So, thank you for following me in here."
"We love you, D," I replied.
Donnie took one good look at Lily and put a frown back on his face.
"Lily, your makeup! Oh, I am so sorry."
"It's okay, Dad," Lily assured him, finally putting a smile on her face. "I didn't really like this makeup anyway. Maybe I'll wash it off and just put on some mascara and lip gloss. I'll be back."
Lily kissed her father on the cheek, and then she went back into our bedroom. Then it was the two of us alone in his lab.
"Donnie, let me dry your mask off," I offered.
"No need," he replied with a smile. "I have spares."
He opened one of his drawers to reveal a stash of purple masks.
"How did you obtain that much?" I asked with shock written all over my face.
"At first, it was because I was crying over you and didn't have a spare mask," Donnie explained. "I was forced to go home without it on. Then, Slash and I fought and he took my mask after injuring me. I just asked Splinter to make me an endless supply of masks so I never have to worry about going maskless."
I chuckled.
"But anyway, did talking to us help a little?"
Donatello put a big smile on his face, wiping away the last of his tears.
"It helped a lot more than you know. Thank you both. I guess I need some reminding once in a while."
We hugged, gazed into each other's eyes with fondness, and then we closed our embrace again with a sweet kiss.
Todayland, North Montana, USA
KARENA'S POV
"Stand still, Karrie!" Tallulah yelled with laughter. "Every time we get you ready for a big dance, we are always struggling to put on your dress!"
I laughed along with her as we put on my white dress.
"Goodness, why did you have me make you such an elegant dress?" Tallulah asked. "It's not prom."
"I know," I replied. "But this is the last dance I'll be attending with Wilbur. I'll be too old for winter ball and prom."
"Okay, let me zip you up."
I took a deep breath, and then Tallulah zipped my dress up. I examined my dress with a big smile on my face. I wore a white tea dress that went below the knees, and there were turquoise swirls all over the dress. The dress was strapless, but Tallulah had also made me long turquoise gloves to take its place. I had put on white leggings and blue boots, as it was going to be a cool, crisp night tonight.
"Okay, now I'll do your hair while you do your makeup," Tallulah suggested.
We got started on the hair and makeup.
"Who's Wilbur bringing to the dance if you're the chaperone?" she asked.
"Athena. Lily's got a boyfriend now, so she's going with him."
"Lily has a boyfriend? Aww! Good for her! It's about time too. She's known James for a while."
"Well, they weren't talking for a while, but according to Lily, they made great progress in their relationship, so they took the next step. As for Athena, it's her first homecoming, so Wilbur offered to be her date just for the year. I'm not jealous at all."
"Wilbur has become a very sporting person," Tallulah replied. "I do hope you'll have at least one dance with him."
"I think after all this time, Wilbur has become man-candy. He's gotten taller, has some muscle on him, and yeah, he's quite handsome. I think I'm very lucky he's my boyfriend."
"What drew you to him in the first place?" Tallulah asked.
I laughed, surprised she didn't remember.
"It was Wilbur's wisdom and his headstrong spirit."
We stopped talking for sometime to finish my hair and makeup.
"Ah!" Tallulah exclaimed happily. "You... are beautiful! This is probably my best design yet!"
"Tallie, you say that for every single dress you made me."
"You know what truly will be the best dress I will design?"
"What?"
"Your wedding dress."
"Tallie!" I scoffed. "We're not engaged!"
"No, but I'm already prepared to start making your dress when you give me the okay. In fact... I'll be right back."
Tallulah left the apartment. I went into the bedroom to look at myself in the long mirror. I smiled, proud of my makeup job, but even more happy with how simple Tallulah had curled my hair. It was only curled at the tips, as the rest of my hair was straightened with my brunette bangs swept to the right. But I realized there was something missing. I went through my jewelry drawer to find a blue necklace that matched my boots perfectly. Karai, with Shinigami's help, had given me this necklace for my birthday one year, and today was the perfect night to wear it. After I put the necklace on, Tallulah had returned to my bedroom.
"What do you think?"
Tallulah showed me her tablet, which had a dress design on it. It was a white A-line dress with a transparent, sparkly layer over a skirt covered with flowers. The torso had a V-neckline and elbow-length sleeves, and the skirt came with a sweep train.
"Tallie, this is beautiful!" I breathed in awe.
"I did some doodling in my spare time, wondering what kind of wedding dress you would like to wear someday."
"This dress describes my style perfectly."
"Does this mean you're giving me the okay to start making it?"
I gave her a look of skepticism.
"You are really excited about the idea of my marrying Wilbur, aren't you?"
"Well, you are practically family ever since the day you walked into our lives. I can't see you two with anyone else."
"I'll let you know when Wilbur proposes," I replied, now carrying a smirk. "But for right now, we need to head back to your place. Lily and Athena will be there any minute."
WILBUR'S POV
Before I knew it, the homecoming dance, the last dance where I would be able to dance with Karena, was here. I had felt bummed about her not being my date, but I felt honored at her request to escort Athena, Michelangelo's daughter and the youngest Hamato cousin, to her first dances of high school. We were double dating with Lily and James. It was a special evening for Lily because tonight was her first homecoming dance. She had just been kidnapped when her freshman homecoming occurred, and she had opted not to go to her sophomore homecoming; she was too focused on helping the victims of the parasitica virus.
My big questions this week was not about homecoming, but rather how to propose to Karena in December. The only advice my dad was able to give me was presenting her with an engagment ring that defined her.
"I wonder if Don could help me," I thought out loud. "He's helped me before. He has become a father-figure to Karena after all."
I shrugged my thoughts away for now and put on my black pants and a blue-plaid shirt. This was just a dance that occurred during the fall harvest, so I had no real reason to dress up formally. I combed my cowlick and put hair gel on it so it would stay the same all night.
"How are you doing, little buddy?" I heard Carl asking from my door.
"Nervous," I answered with hesitance. "Do I look okay?"
"Wilbur, you and Karena have known each other for a few years now," Carl assured me. "Nothing is going to go wrong."
"It's not that. Karena's not my date, Carl. She's a chaperone. She encouraged me to ask Athena. I'm in the homecoming court, and I'm a senior, so I could be voted as Todayland's homecoming king. I don't know how to handle it if I won."
"Thirteen-year-old Wilbur would have jumped and screamed for joy," Carl replied with a smirk.
I laughed at that. That was the truth.
"Yeah, but I've changed, Carl. I don't want to be the kid who only thought of himself. Everyone I'm going with to the dance has played a piece of the puzzle in my being in this moment today."
I let out a sigh.
"Dad gave me advice on Karena," I continued. "But the only advice he gave me was about the ring. I guess he didn't remember how he proposed to my mom."
"Have you thought of asking Donatello?"
"I have. I probably will, actually. Karena speaks highly of him."
"Well, I can give you advice on your homecoming dilemma," Carl said with a genuine smile. "Be humble, no matter if you win or lose. You're going to a dance. The entire point of that is to have fun and let loose."
"That is true," I replied with a smile. "Thanks, Carl."
The doorbell rang.
"I'm sure that's Karena," Carl said.
"It could be the Hamatos, too," I replied.
"Shall we find out?"
"Sure!"
Carl and I walked out of the bedroom and walked towards the door. Lefty, our squid butler had already let our guest in. My jaw dropped. My girlfriend wore a sleeveless white dress with turquoise swirls all over, and she wore matching boots and gloves. Her brown hair was straightened for the most part. She had curls at the tips that lay on her chest.
"You look breathtaking tonight," I finally spoke.
"You look handsome, Mr. Robinson," Karena replied with a smile. "But why plaid?"
"I wanted to be simple. I'll save the fancy stuff for a later occasion."
"That's smart."
"Karena, hello!" my mom greeted her, running into the living room with her red heels.
My mom and my girlfriend hugged each other.
"You look absolutely beautiful!" Mom told her.
"Thank you, Franny. It's gonna be weird not being Wilbur's date this time."
"But you're still going and having fun. That's the important part."
"Yep, I get to have fun watching students dance and making sure they don't cause mischief."
I sensed a little sarcasm in her voice.
"Shall we get some pictures of you two before Lily and Athena get here?" Mom asked.
"Yes, please!" I answered.
We gathered in the garden in the backyard and took pictures. Suddenly, a pink portal appeared, and Lily and Athena arrived with their parents. We all greeted each other with hugs.
"Athena, who would you like to get your pictures taken with?" Mom asked.
"Hmm," Athena replied, pondering at first. "Let's do just me first. And then I want pictures with Lily. And then maybe all of us as a group?"
"What about your parents?" Mom asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, of course!"
We took all the pictures we wanted to take. And then, I walked up to Donatello.
"Hi, Wilbur!" he greeted me with a warm smile. "You look good."
"Thanks, Don. Can we talk alone?"
"Sure! Where's a good place to talk?"
"How about my room?" I suggested.
"It's been a long time since I have seen it," Don replied. "Let's go."
I went up the travel tube, and then Don followed me.
"I needed to come back in here anyway," I said with a sheepish laugh. "I forgot to put on my shoes."
Don laughed.
"Thankfully, I never had to worry about that," Don replied.
"Now I have to ask... how did you guys shop for shoes for Lily? With only having three toes on each foot, it must have been a challenge."
Don made a so-so notion with his left hand.
"Not really. Lily's feet are same size as April's. We did get weird looks from store associates, though I'm not sure who got the weirder looks: me or Lily. And besides, Lily's been getting her own shoes lately and it doesn't sound like she's had any awkward experiences. But I doubt you wanted to talk to me because of shoes."
I laughed.
"No, that was a curious question. Well, here goes."
I took a deep breath and let it out.
"Karena's graduating college in December when she's finished with her student teaching and I want to ask her to marry me that day. Do you have any advice for me?"
"Are we asking about the entire proposal process?"
"My dad's got the engagement ring covered. How did you propose to April?"
"Unlike yours, mine was in the spur in the moment," Don explained as we sat on the beanbags. "We had just saved our world from being destroyed by an interdimensional Shredder when our former enemies Bebop and Rocksteady helped save the world and decided to become heroes. They didn't let anything hold them back anymore. So I decided to do the same thing: ask April to marry me the next night. And Wilbur, I felt the same way you are feeling now. I was a nervous wreck!"
"What all did you do?" I asked.
"I asked April to meet me at a certain set of coordinates that had the Brooklyn Bridge in view, and I proposed to her on the rooftop. Let me see if I can find a picture Mikey took on my phone."
I watched Don scroll down on his T-Phone. It took him some time, but he finally found the photo and showed me. Sure enough, there was Brooklyn Bridge and a full moon in the background. Donatello was on one knee, holding a ring in one hand, proposing to April. April, wearing a black jumpsuit with a black headband in her red hair, had both her hands clasped over her mouth.
"Don, this is beautiful! Mikey took a good photo."
"And then there's this one," Don said, swiping to another photo.
I looked at this one, and it was of him and April kissing against the same background. I smiled, my heart melting a little.
"So, how are you thinking of proposing to Karena?" Don asked me.
"I don't know. I don't want to do the same thing I did with prom. Has Karena told you much about her likes and dislikes?"
"I'm surprised she hasn't told you."
I bit my lip.
"I guess I haven't taken this to heart. And I've tried so hard."
"Hey, I understand," Don assured me. "Your life in high school had quite a bit of drama. But being married has been wonderful for me. I got to know April in ways I never thought was possible. But back to you. I believe in you, Wilbur."
"Thanks, Don. And there's one other thing."
"Sure."
"Karena told me about how you offered to walk her down the aisle if it comes to that."
"Not if," Donatello corrected me. "When. You've been together for three years now. I don't think there's any doubt you two would marry eventually."
"Anyway, I wanted to thank you for offering to do that," I continued. "It's been hard trying to find her father in the midst of all this. In case we don't find her father, I wanted to ask you anyway since you've become a father figure to her... may I have your blessing to ask for Karena's hand in marriage?"
Don gave me the biggest smile.
"Yes, you may. I won't tell her what you've told me though."
"Thanks, Don. And I'm sorry for any iniquities that I've committed against you-"
"Wilbur, it's all in the past," Don assured me again. "I promise, you're good!"
"Thank you," I replied, returning the smile.
"Could I give you one more piece of advice?" Don asked, and I nodded. "Follow your gut. I think your gut has better instincts than your heart does. The heart is not the best thing to listen to."
I laughed.
"That is kind of true," I replied. "Thanks, Don."
"Anytime."
By the time we got back outside, James had already started taking pictures with Lily. I joined back in on the action, and then after the sunset, we were off to the dance.
LILIANNA'S POV
This time, the dance was held in the high school gym. From what Wilbur had told me, the homecoming dance was always held in the gym. The gym was all decked out with blue, white, and pumpkin decorations to go with the theme we had decided: Happily Ever After. Karena had a look of awe on her face as we paid and walked into the gym. I noticed Wilbur could not take his eyes off his girlfriend. Karena eventually turned towards him and gave him a puzzling look.
"What?" she asked him.
"You are definitely the belle of the ball," Wilbur answered, still having the dreamy smile on his face.
"Unfortunately, this belle of the ball has to start watching everyone. But save me a dance for later."
Wilbur and Karena kissed. Once Karena left our circle, more students started to pile in. There was a live band this time instead of a DJ, and with that carried a secret. Nevertheless, most of us had an amazing time. There were a couple times where Wilbur had danced, but his heart wasn't in it.
"Wilbur, what's wrong?" I asked.
"I'm sorry, Lily," Wilbur replied, biting his lip. "I know Athena's my date tonight, but it doesn't feel right to me. I should be dancing with Karena."
"She did promise you a dance, didn't she? She'd want you to have fun, Wilbur. Come on! You're a senior this year. This is your last homecoming dance. Make the best of it! Be surrounded by friends who've been by your side this entire time."
I heard the Cha-Cha Slide start to play.
"We are so doing this!" I yelled happily, grabbing Wilbur by the arm. "Come on!"
I dragged him back onto the dance floor, and the four of us did the Cha-Cha Slide together. I actually saw a smile on Wilbur's face as he danced next to his friends James, Luke, and Jacob. We danced with laughter and smiles on our faces, and then the dance ended.
"Thank you, Todayland High School, for coming out tonight!" the singer yelled into the microphone, and we all cheered. "Now we have arranged for Todayland's talent show winner of this year to perform with us a couple of times throughout the evening. And so, without further ado, come on up, Lily Hamato, and join us for the best Party in the U.S.A.!"
Everyone cheered. I caught glimpses of happiness and surprise in all my friends' faces before I walked up to the podium. I cleared my throat, and then I spoke into the microphone.
"Thank you, friends, for making tonight possible for all of us."
Everyone cheered.
"Are you ready to dance your heart out?" I asked.
Everyone cheered again, and then the guitar started. I took a breath and started to sing sweetly.
"I hopped off the plane at LAX with a dream and my cardigan. Welcome to the land of fame excess. Am I gonna fit in? Jumped in the cab, here I am for the first time. Look to my right and I see the Hollywood sign. This is all so crazy. Everybody seems so famous."
I took the microphone off the stand and placed my other hand on my stomach.
"My tummy's turning and I'm feeling kinda homesick. Too much pressure and I'm nervous. That's when the taxi man turned on the radio, and a Jay-Z song was on. And a Jay-Z song was on. And a Jay-Z song was on."
I took a deep breath, and moved my free hand into the air as I belted my voice out.
"So I put my hands up. They're playing my song, the butterflies fly away. Nodding my head like yeah. Moving my hips like yeah. Got my hands up. They're playing my song, they know I'm gonna be okay. Yeah! It's a party in the U.S.A. Yeah! It's a party in the U.S.A."
I sang the rest of the song freely, and I saw most of the student body either dancing, singing along, or grabbing snacks and drinks at the refreshment table. Once I was done singing my heart out, proud that I was able to nail a song by Miley Cyrus, Mr. Jameson walked up to me and grabbed the microphone from me.
"Thank you, Lily," Mr. Jameson said with a smile. "You continue to impress us with your raw talent."
The student body cheered loudly as I got off the stage. I found Wilbur, James, and Athena waiting for me.
"You were amazing!" Wilbur said excitedly.
"First Christina Grimmie and now Miley Cyrus!" Athena said with enthusiasm. "What's next?"
"You'll see," I answered with a wink. "I'll sing another song later."
"At this time, I would like to ask the members of this year's homecoming court to head on outside and line up. The rest of you, prepare yourselves for the Cupid Shuffle."
"Oh, we gotta hurry!" Wilbur prompted us. "I do not want to miss this one!"
The four of us ran outside so we could do the Cupid Shuffle outside. It was chilly outside, but thankfully, we had the Cupid Shuffle on our side. We warmed up by dancing the entire thing, lining ourselves up as we went. By the time the song was finished, we were in our spots and ready to walk back into the gym.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please?" Mr. Jameson asked over the microphone inside. "It is now time for this year's Todayland High School Homecoming Coronation."
I heard Sixpence None the Richer's Breathe Your Name on the speakers as the principal continued on.
"First off, we have our freshmen attendants: Duncan Harris and Athena Hamato."
We simply heard clapping as Athena walked in with her partner.
"Next, we have our sophomore attendants: Andrew Hollingsworth and Sadie Jackson."
This time, we heard some cheering, but still more clapping. I moved to the door with my partner, ready to make my entrance.
"Next up is our junior attendants: Skyler Hopkins and Lilianna Hamato."
There were lots of cheering this time as Skyler and I walked into the gymnasium with our arms linked. I smiled and waved to everyone on my side. When we reached the stage, we split up like we were attending a wedding.
"And now, our senior attendants: James Anderson and Betty Johnson."
The cheering was even louder than the cheering for me and Skyler as James and Betty made their way through.
"Lucas Rodgers and Penny Davis."
There was more cheering as the second set of senior attendants walked into the gym.
"And last but not least, Wilbur Robinson and Sophia Henley."
This was the loudest the gym was all night. Wilbur also waved at everybody while his arm was linked with Sophia's.
"And now the time has come for me to announce Todayland High School's Homecoming King and Queen," Mr. Jameson announced.
We all waited with baited breath as the drummer performed a drum roll behind him.
"The 2040 Todayland High School Homecoming King is..."
We still waited with baited breath.
"... Wilbur Robinson!"
Athena and I cheered wildly with the student body while Wilbur clasped both of his hands over his mouth in both excitement and disbelief. Wilbur slowly walked up to the stage, and the previous homecoming king crowned him. Wilbur stepped off to the side with happy tears and a smile.
"And now, the 2040 Todayland High School Homecoming Queen is..."
I felt relaxed this time, knowing Athena and I were not in the running this year to be the queen. The rest of the student body was anxious.
"... Betty Johnson!"
Betty, the red-haired girl with her hair in a bun and wearing a red dress, jumped up and down excitedly as she ran up to the stage and was crowned by last year's homecoming queen. We all turned towards the photographer for a homecoming picture.
"And now, it is time for the coronation dance. Wilbur and Betty, and the rest of the homecoming party, please find your partner and lead this dance."
A piano player started to play Yiruma's It's Your Day, and I started dancing in Skyler's arms.
"Congratulations on being nominated," Skyler told me.
"And congrats to you," I replied with a smile. "It sounds like we're both in for the homecoming king and queen campaign."
"I don't think it's really a campaign," Skyler explained. "Most of the voting in this type of thing is either a popularity contest or it's a vote for who has the most spirit. I'm not surprised at all that Wilbur won."
"How come?" I asked, not wanting to use my psychic powers tonight.
"Wilbur's the son of the Father of the Future," Skyler answered. "That automatically makes him the most popular boy in school."
"You can't define a person by who their father is," I replied. "Believe it or not, Wilbur's worked hard to earn the crown. I'm happy for him. Not everything has to be a popularity contest."
"Isn't that why we're here?" Skyler asked.
I let out a small chuckle. I glanced over at Wilbur and Betty, and they seemed content in the moment. I turned back to my dance partner.
"No. I have three fingers on my hands and three toes on my feet. Does that make me popular? No. In fact, if we had stuck to those stupid cliques, I'd be laughed out of the school. But I worked hard. I tried out for cheerleading, and because I was myself, I felt confident. I got more involved, and it is because of my school spirit that I am dancing with you right now."
"Yeah, I got voted by my looks."
I took a good look at Skyler. He was a blond-haired boy with blue eyes and freckles on his face. In fact, he reminded me a little of Uncle Mikey. I had always imagined Uncle Mikey having blond hair if he were to be human.
"Sure, you've got the looks," I told him. "But you've probably got the spirit too. What are you mostly involved in here?"
"Football. I'm the wide end receiver."
"Ah-ha. So you're the football god I hear so much about. Fascinating!"
"Yeah, and you're the cheerleader I hear so much about," Skyler replied with a smirk. "It's finally officially nice to meet the name with the face."
"And you are very kind, Skyler," I replied with a smile. "Looks don't define everything."
The song ended. I followed Skyler to the photo booth and sat in front of him and between Sophia and Sadie. We got our official homecoming court photo taken, and then Wilbur immediately made a break for the live band to make a request.
"Is Wilbur okay?" James asked me.
"Wilbur did feel down because Karena's a chaperone this time," I explained with a frown.
Suddenly, I heard the piano, bass, and guitar players play familiar-sounding chords.
"James, this is my parents' first dance song," I said with a gasp.
"Well, then may I have this dance?" James asked with a smile.
I giggled, took his hand, and started to slowly dance with him.
"Find me here," the singer started to sing. "And speak to me. I want to feel you. I need to hear you. You are the light that's leading me to the place where I find peace again."
James and I both turned towards Karena, who stood at the entrance with a bored look on her face. Then, she jumped when Wilbur walked up to her. They exchanged words.
"You are the strength that keeps me walking. You are the hope that keeps me trusting."
I danced and watched Wilbur at the same time. Wilbur had removed the crown from his head and placed it on Karena's. I couldn't help but smile at that moment.
"Lily, what's happening?" James asked.
"Wilbur just gave his queen his crown," I said in awe.
"You are the light to my soul. You are my purpose. You're everything."
I looked back into James' blue eyes and fondly smiled at him.
"And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you? Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?"
"You tell me," James said.
"Huh?"
"I'm dancing at homecoming with my girlfriend," James told me with a fond smile. "How can it be any better than this?"
"You are just as corny as my dad, you know that?"
James laughed.
"Speaking of which, you mentioned your parents danced to this on their wedding night?"
"Yes," I answered. "Which I'll admit confuses me. I only hear that song on their anniversary, which ironically falls on Christmas Day. I hear Never for Nothing more often, and they always dance to that one. I wonder why my parents picked this one."
"It's a nice song," James replied. "And most of the lines in these verses are promises, so in a way, they reflect your parents' wedding vows?"
"I never thought of it that way," I said.
"You calm the storm, and you give me rest. You hold me in your hands, you won't let me fall."
"Let's talk about something a little more pleasant," James suggested. "Which parent are you more like: your mother or your father?"
"As far as looks go, my mother," I answered. "The only looks I inherited from my dad are his smile, his hands and feet, and his height. But I also gained most of my dad's personality. That's probably why I love my father to death, and also why I look up to him so much. Because I see a lot of him in me."
"You steal my heart, and you take my breath away. Would you take me in? Take me deeper now."
"Wanna hold me?" I asked him with a fond smile.
James pulled me closer to him, and I placed my head on his chest, hearing his calm heartbeat.
"And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you? Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?"
"Are we going to ask each other that again?" James asked, and I laughed.
"James, let's just dance."
"You're all I want. You're all I need. You're everything."
"I'm happy Wilbur got his dance with Karena," James said softly.
"You know what?" I replied. "Me too. They're meant for each other."
"You're all I want. You're all I need. You're everything."
"I may not have been voted the homecoming king," James said, looking down into my blue eyes. "But you are my queen."
I blushed and smiled affectionately.
"Kiss me," I whispered.
"How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?"
Our heads were just inches away from each other as I removed my head from his chest. Before we knew it, our lips met.
"Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?"
We continued kissing as I tasted vanilla on James's lips. I certainly felt like the cherry on top with my scent of cherries. I didn't care what all happened around us. It was just me and him, and it was one of the best things about my life. We kept on kissing, even throwing in a little tongue until the song ended. We broke apart with fond smiles on our faces.
"You two are so adorable!" Athena squealed as she joined us.
"Athena, where's Wilbur?" I asked.
My cousin shrugged.
"He left with Karena. I wouldn't surprised if they slept together tonight."
"Athena!" I quickly scolded her. "That's not our business!"
The dance went on without Wilbur and Karena's presence. I was called up to the stage once more to sing Stacie Orrico's More to Life. Before we knew it, the homecoming dance was over.
"So, my date left with his girlfriend," Athena said, biting her lip.
"Wilbur did look uncomfortable," James pointed out.
"Yeah, until he found Karena after the coronation," I replied. "I felt his happiness from where we danced. I wouldn't blame him if he didn't want to go to winter ball or prom because of that. What do you think, Athena?"
"I'm fine with going to winter ball by myself. But I'm pretty sure prom is just for the juniors and seniors. And I am not ready to commit yet. I want to be plain old Athena for a little while."
"You are fifteen years old and you are already thinking of yourself as old?" I asked in astonishment, and then I put a smile back on my face. "But I like your mindset. Don't get yourself a boyfriend until you're sixteen, alright?"
"According to my dad, I am banned from having boyfriends," Athena replied, pointing a finger at the sky.
"He's joking."
"Nah, my dad had a pretty serious look on his face."
"He should join the club with my dad," I replied with a deadpanned look. "My dad was totally against my relationship with James at first."
"Tell me about it," James said, rolling his eyes.
"But once he realized that we've given each other a second chance, my dad realized that he needed to give us another chance too."
I took a glance at my T-Phone.
"We should be heading back home," I told my boyfriend. "It's midnight there. Our dads do worry about us."
"What about your moms?" James asked with a smirk.
"They worry too," Athena replied.
"It's just that our dads have been training all their lives and have gone through so much," I explained. "My dad especially, because I've been kidnapped."
I kissed James on the cheek.
"I'll see you on Monday. I had a wonderful time."
"Me too, Lily. I'll see you on Monday."
I activated the portal to return to the lair.
October 7, 2040 - New York City, New York, USA
DONATELLO'S POV
It was just April and me awake in the lair. We spent the last couple hours binge-watching Super Robo Mechanic Force Five while the rest of the family that were still present went on patrol. Suddenly, we heard a noise coming from my lab.
"The girls are home," April said, nuzzling her head into my chest.
"I hope they had a good time," I replied sweetly.
"Is anyone home?" Lily asked.
"Mom and I are in here!" I yelled in response.
April and I both turned toward the lab to see Lily and Athena emerge with smiles on their faces.
"How was the dance?" April asked with a smile.
"We had a good time," Athena answered, returning the smile.
"Wilbur won homecoming king," Lily said with a smile.
"Wonderful!" I replied with a gap-toothed grin.
Both Lily and Athena yawned.
"We should probably get out of these dresses and turn in," Lily suggested. "Athena can sleep in the same bed as me."
"Wait, girls, why don't you sleep out here tonight?" I suggested. "Aunt April and I can go into our room for a private moment."
I gave my wife a wink.
"Sure!" they yelled excitedly at the same time.
"Alright."
I knelt, lifted my wife in my arms to her delight, and carried her away.
"Good night, girls!" I yelled happily.
My April giggled as the girls wished us a good night. She opened the door for me as I continued to carry her. Once we closed the door, she pulled me close to her and kissed me. I moaned, enjoying the taste of strawberries on her lips. We broke the kiss and gazed fondly into her eyes.
"Donnie, would you like to dance?" April asked, caressing my cheek.
I leaned into the touch, slightly showing my gap-toothed smile.
"I'd love to dance, sweetheart."
I set April down. She grabbed her T-Phone and put on a similar tune: Margaret Becker's Never for Nothing. She grabbed my left hand with her right and held it out. She put her left hand on my right shoulder. I placed my right hand on her curvy waist. I gazed fondly upon her and she gazed up with me. I had been in love with her now for twenty-eight years, and I was more in love with her now than I ever was. We pulled each other close as Margaret sang in the background.
"So hold on to the holy promise that says, no labor of love is in vain! Precious tears are changed to jewels in the rain. It's never for nothing when you love with no return. It's never for nothing. Light your candle in the darkness, cause it's never for nothing."