The Class Reject: A Damsel in Disguise (Featured Story)

Chapter 28

"I'm not doing this."

"Yes you are."

"No."

"If I have to, then so do you."

"Well, in that case," Miren said mockingly, spoiling her face in Jeno's direction. He was still wearing a suit. She wasn't. It should have been a welcomed change, but her uniform was her protection—the shell that hid her from sight. She tugged on the hem of her frilly, gothic dress. This was cruel and unusual punishment, even by her standards. And this would get her caught.

"Aren't you worried everyone'll find out?" she asked, her eyes against the glass door leading to the mess hall. Jeno shrugged, adjusting the collar of his king costume.

"How would they? It's not like you're the only one dressed like that." He motioned to the other victims sporting girly gowns. Cliff looked the silliest, with his chubby stomach protruding against the lime-green fabric. He wasn't fat, but the dress definitely made him look that way.

Jeno put a plastic king crown on his head. "And besides, this should be the least of your worries. Tonight we execute the plan."

Miren sighed, trying to balance herself in her heels. Even as a girl she never wore the things. "I know. But why the hell do we have to do this?"

"Because it's tradition," Levi said, emerging from behind them. "Homecoming king nominees get to choose their drag queens." He was sporting the same look as Jeno, only his crown was sitting lopsided on his head. It matched his grin.

"You look pretty." He was looking directly at Miren. She fought the urge to look away when he curled a lock of the aqua blue wig on her head. "You might be the least ugly person to do this," he concluded, studying her ruby lipstick and mascara.

"Really now?" Miren's eyes narrowed. She knew that the slightest trepidation on her face could set Levi off. But would he really come to the conclusion that she was a girl attending an all-boy school? She doubted it.

"Don't look too close," Jeno said, shifting in front of Miren, his eyes leveled with the boy. "It might bring out a gayer side of you."

"As if," Levi scoffed, though he flashed a toothy grin. "You kids have fun out there." With a wave, he walked off to his drag queen.

"Well, that was pleasant," Miren said, surprised she wasn't as nervous as she thought she would be. Even with Parker and some of the others just steps away. However, that didn't stop her annoyance from spiking. It was the night before homecoming. She should have expected some sort of ridiculous rally like this, but she didn't. And Jeno and Wallace didn't warn her.  "How much longer do we have to wait?"

"Not long," Jeno offered, his eyes on the door of the mess hall, where the humiliating festivity would be held. "Wallace is probably still helping them set up." Miren nodded. Wallace had been doing a lot so far. And although she didn't totally agree with him lying to Parker and Artemis, it was essential for the plan. Which she couldn't wait to get over with.

"Kings and," Adam paused to let out a laugh, "Queens, you're up. Stand to the side of your partner and follow me."

Aligning in a near perfect line, they went into the hall. There, the tables were pushed back to make room for the propped stage to the opposite side of the kitchen. Miren held her breath, watching the small crowd of three hundred or so before them. With refreshments in hand, the boys were pointing and smirking wildly. Miren knew that it could only be directed at her costume.

The homecoming king candidates looked relatively regal if you ignored their plastic crowns and their tacky velvet capes. She didn't have to look in the mirror to know that she and the other prince candidates looked like aliens that had descended from the planet of Frou-Frou. Or like the renaissance version of Marge Simpson.