Chapter 3 Dance The Night Away
The gymnasium was alive with music and laughter as students danced under the twinkling lights. Lincoln stood at the edge of the dance floor, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. Jordan squeezed his hand reassuringly.
"Ready to have some fun?" she asked, her eyes sparkling.
Lincoln nodded, his heart pounding. As the upbeat music filled the room, Jordan led him onto the dance floor. At first, Lincoln felt awkward, but Jordan's infectious energy soon had him moving to the rhythm. For the first time in years, he felt a sense of joy and freedom.
As the night progressed, the music slowed, and couples began to sway to the gentle melody. Jordan looked at Lincoln, surprised by the sudden change in his demeanor. He took her hand and pulled her close, guiding her into a slow dance. Jordan's heart raced as she rested her head on his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his presence.
"Lincoln, this is amazing," she whispered. "I'm so glad you're here with me."
Lincoln nodded, his eyes softening behind the mask. For a moment, everything felt perfect. But then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Christina entering the gym with Clyde. The sight of them together sent a wave of confusion and betrayal through him.
Jordan noticed the change in Lincoln's posture. "Hey, what's wrong?" she asked, looking up at him.
Lincoln gestured towards Christina and Clyde, his eyes filled with hurt.
Jordan sighed, understanding. "Lincoln, I know this is hard, but try to focus on us, not them. Tonight is about you and me. Let's not let the past ruin it."
Lincoln took a deep breath and nodded, trying to push the thoughts of Christina and Clyde aside. But the sight of them together lingered in his mind.
A little while later, Lincoln decided to get some punch. As he approached the table, he saw Clyde standing there, pouring himself a drink. They exchanged awkward glances before Lincoln began to pour his own drink.
Clyde broke the silence. "So, you came to the dance with Jordan?"
Lincoln nodded, waving goodbye as he tried to walk away.
"Wait, Lincoln," Clyde called out, stopping him. "I need to explain why I'm here with Christina."
Lincoln turned back, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Clyde continued, "Christina's been trying to make amends. She's been reaching out to people who were close to you, hoping to get a chance to talk to you. She wants to apologize, Lincoln. And… I want to apologize too. For not believing you, for everything. I was jealous of you, man. You always got the attention from the girls, and I let that cloud my judgment. I wish we could be best friends again, start over."
Lincoln listened, his mind racing with emotions. He simply nodded, acknowledging Clyde's words, and walked back to Jordan.
With a handheld whiteboard, Lincoln wrote a message to Jordan: "Can you get Christina to meet me in the photography darkroom?"
Jordan looked at him with concern. "Is everything alright?"
Lincoln wrote back, "I need to talk to her."
Jordan nodded, understanding. "Okay, I'll get her."
While waiting in the darkroom, Lincoln's heart pounded. The room was dimly lit, the perfect place for a private conversation. Moments later, Christina walked in, her movements stiff and nervous.
"Lincoln," she greeted him, her voice trembling.
Lincoln took a deep breath and began writing on the whiteboard. "I wanted to talk to you about how your lie affected my life. It hurt me deeply. I lost my friends, my family's trust, and my voice. I felt like my world was falling apart."
Christina's eyes filled with tears as she read his words. "Lincoln, I'm so sorry. I was angry and hurt, and I took it out on you. I never meant for things to go this far."
Lincoln continued writing, "Before the lie, I thought you were a friend. After the lie, I felt betrayed and alone. My family didn't believe me, and I felt like I had no one. But then Jordan came into my life. She believed in me, supported me, and helped me see the world differently. She's helped me start to heal."
Christina wiped her tears, her voice breaking. "I'm so thankful you found someone like Jordan. And I'm so sorry for everything I did. Can you ever forgive me?"
Lincoln paused, then wrote, "I forgive you."
Christina's tears turned to ones of joy. "Thank you, Lincoln. You have no idea how much this means to me."
She moved to hug him, but Lincoln stopped her with a firm hand gesture. Instead, he gently took her hand, holding it for a moment before letting go. Then, with a deep breath, he reached up and removed his mask.
Christina gasped, her eyes widening as she saw Lincoln's face for the first time in years. His white hair, blue eyes, and freckled face were still there, but now with more defined features and a softened smile. She couldn't help but blush at the sight.
"Lincoln, you're… you're so handsome," she whispered, overwhelmed with emotion.
Lincoln, tears in his eyes, gently pulled Christina into a hug. She embraced him, crying tears of joy.
After their emotional exchange, they returned to the gym. As they entered, heads turned, and whispers spread through the crowd. Everyone recognized Christina, but they were taken aback by the handsome teen with white hair. Slowly, they realized it was Lincoln Loud.
A wave of applause and cheers erupted, filling the gym with approval and support. Lincoln felt a warmth he hadn't felt in years.
Clyde and Jordan rushed towards them, their faces lit up with happiness.
"Lincoln, you did it!" Jordan exclaimed, hugging him tightly.
Clyde clapped him on the back. "Welcome back, buddy. I'm so proud of you."
The night ended on a happy note, with Lincoln, Jordan, Clyde, and Christina taking turns dancing with each other. The music, laughter, and joy filled the gym, marking a new beginning for Lincoln and his friends.
After the school dance, Lincoln walked hand in hand with Jordan, feeling a mix of emotions. The night had been a whirlwind, and now, as they approached his house, he felt a sense of anticipation and nervousness.
"Do you want me to come in with you?" Jordan asked, her voice gentle. "My dad is willing to wait a bit in the car."
Lincoln shook his head and mouthed, "No, thank you. I got this."
Jordan smiled and embraced him. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow, then. Goodnight, Lincoln."
Lincoln waved goodbye as Jordan got into her dad's car. He took a deep breath and opened the front door, stepping into the familiar warmth of his home. To his surprise, his entire family, except for Lori, Leni, Luna, and Luan, who had already left the nest, were huddled together with huge smiles on their faces.
"Lincoln!" they all exclaimed in unison, rushing to greet him.
Lincoln pondered how the news had spread so quickly. Lynn Jr., noticing his confusion, spoke up. "Margo was at the dance with her date. She called me with the good news, and I told everyone here."
Lynn, who was only two years older than Lincoln and still in high school, hadn't attended the dance. Dancing wasn't her thing, and she felt too ashamed of the wedge that had grown between her and Lincoln over the years. She regretted the time wasted not being with him during those school days.
Rita, Lincoln's mom, was sniffling as she approached him. "My beautiful baby boy, how much you've grown," she said, her voice filled with emotion.
Lynn Sr., Lincoln's dad, beamed with pride. "I'm so proud of you, son. A chip off the old block."
Lynn Jr. tried to find a light-hearted excuse to hang out with Lincoln again. "Hey, Lincoln, how about we hit the park tomorrow? Maybe shoot some hoops?"
Lincoln nodded in the affirmative, and Lynn's heart swelled, knowing that part of her brother was back.
Lucy, in her monotone voice, playfully asked, "Does this mean I'm the quietest Loud again?"
Lincoln shook his head no and rubbed her head affectionately.
Lola chimed in, frowning. "So, you're still not talking?"
Lana placed a hand on her sister's shoulder. "One step at a time, Lola. At least we get to see his face again."
Lisa, who had been keeping in touch with Christina and Jordan in secret from Lincoln, questioned him. "What caused the change to finally remove the mask? Hopefully, gaining any studies on his psyche and well-being."
Lincoln wrote down his answer, describing the event with Clyde at the dance. Lisa read it carefully, nodding in understanding.
Lily, still young for her age, was just happy to see Lincoln's face. She ran up to him and hugged his leg, giggling.
The happy gathering was interrupted by Leni's voice from the family laptop on the living room table. "Can we see Lincoln's face too?"
Lincoln sat down and mouthed a hello to his distant sisters. Lori, whimpering at the sight of her brother, waved over Bobby, her boyfriend, to come to the screen.
"It's good to see you again, lil' bro," Bobby said, smiling. "Ronnie Anne would love to meet you again too."
Leni squealed in excitement. "Lincoln, you've gotten so cute!"
Luna, traveling the country with her girlfriend Sam and bandmates the Moon Goats, wiped away tears of happiness. She stayed silent, mirroring Lincoln's quiet demeanor.
Luan, joyous as ever, couldn't resist making pun jokes about muteness and masks. "Hey, Lincoln, why don't you ever talk? Because you're a 'silent knight'!" she quipped, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
Lincoln felt the warmth of his family, the connection he had cut off now rekindling. However, a part of his mind still held some resentment for the betrayal of his family's trust all those years ago. His mask had symbolized his fear to cover his good looks, the same look that got him into trouble. Now unmask, a fear he no longer carries. Meanwhile, his mute nature symbolized the broken bond and trust from the people that matters to him. Not wanting to ruin the moment, Lincoln held these thoughts silent, hoping to find a way to let his voice be heard someday.