The Popularity Project (Originally on Quotev)

Chapter Seventeen

I put on a mask of confusion I had perfected recently, "Um no. My name is Abby." I glanced up at Kyle and made sure to steady the expression, "I've heard of her before. Who is she?" I took Kyle's hand and continued leading him to the little photo part of the room.
 
"Oh she's just this girl who left like a week before you came. I never really knew her though." I looked back to try to locate Liam's ginger hair. He was still sat on the floor with a dazed face staring at us. I'm fairly certain he saw me mouth 'Matt' because he abruptly stood up and stalked off in the opposite direction we were heading.
 
There was only one other couple in front of us in the line so we wouldn't have to wait long, "So she looked like me and had my middle name? Weird."
 
"Yeah I guess so. Like I said I never really got to know her enough though we've been going to school together since forever. She went through this really weird change in grade nine. One day she was wearing skirts and hanging around with people like Amber and the next second she kind of transformed into a tom boy. After a while she started hanging out with that kid just then and his friends and the rest is history." We shuffled forward in the line.
 
"Did you think she was pretty?" Kyle scrunched up his eyebrows. "I mean like either way did you think she was pretty? I don't care. I'm just curious."
 
The photographer motioned us forward and told us how to position ourselves, "Yeah. She was beautiful either way. She never seemed like my type though and when you came, well it was amazing. You looked like her but were exactly the kind of girl I like, flirty but kind, the sort of girl who wouldn't mind getting a little dirt on her and loves to dress up."
 
The guilty feeling was back and as strong as ever. It felt like someone was punching my gut, "Yep. Well that's me." The camera flashes were bothering my eyes and making my smile waver. When the man shooed us away I discovered that the gym was now fully packed. Music was blasting at such a high volume I could barely think. "Want to dance?"
 
Kyle nodded and took my hand, weaving through the entire senior class. The song that was playing ended and a familiar tune started up. We grinned a each other as we both realized what song it was, Still Into You by Paramore. He spun me as I was shouting the lyrics. He joined in at the second chorus,

"I should be over all the butterflies
But I'm into you (I'm into you)
And baby even on our worst nights
I'm into you (I'm into you)
Let 'em wonder how we got this far
'Cause I don't really need to wonder at all
Yeah after all this time I'm still into you."

 
The gym clapped and hooted when it finished. The DJ switched to a slow song next and Kyle tugged me towards him, "Remember our first date?"
 
"How could I forget? It's not everyday someone else will sing Paramore at the top of their voices with me." I laid my head on his chest and hummed along to the song.
 
"Mind if I cut in?" I lifted my head to see who was talking and almost tripped over my high heels.
 
Kyle moved protectively in front of me, "Nathan there is no need for trouble, just walk away." I saw Meg approaching with a curious look on her face and I knew Kyle saw her too when he nudged me in her direction. I backed away before hurrying the rest of the way to her.
 
"Hey, I thought I'd come talk to you. Dylan is with a couple of his buddies. What's going on?" She gestured to where Nathan and Kyle still stood, almost unmoving. People were occasionally bumping into them while dancing but they were too locked in their stare off to care.
 
The music turned upbeat again and I nearly laughed to find that they were playing the Macarena. We started doing the dance and I was nervously flicking glances in their direction ever few seconds. Eventually the crowd got too close to them and they backed off. I breathed out a sigh of relief and focused on the moves: Hand, hand, hand, hand, shoulder, shoulder, head, head, hip, hip, butt, butt, jump, clap, repeat. There was a circle forming around us, kind of like a dance battle thing.
 
Meg and I leaped again and faced each other. She was laughed as she did the dance whereas I was concentrating. I didn't want to mess up with a huge audience watching. Eventually the music faded and the cluster of people dispersed. Instead of another song, the microphone was tapped. "Excuse me. Students?" Kyle appeared besides me as a hush fell over the gym. "It's time for the prom court to be announced. The nominees for this years prom king are as followed: Grant Miller, Kyle Bennett, Nathan Burns and Dylan Stone."
 
Us seniors applauded as Uncle Sam continued, "The nominees for prom queen are: Abigail Taylor, Meg Hyde, Amber Chance and Daphne Hays. Please make sure you cast your vote in the next two minutes before we count and determine who is this years prom king and queen. That is all, enjoy your night." I knew Meg, Amber and I had been nominated but I was fairly surprised by Daphne being so. She was just an average girl who wasn't really on the social scale, she was always on time for class and had her homework finished on time. No boys were exactly clambering to date her but she was pretty in the girl next door way. I wonder why people would nominate her.
 
"Oh hi girls. I'm just here to wish you luck." I always seem to hear Amber's stuck up, high pitched voice before I see her. "You know because it's obvious I'm going to win and you'll need all the luck you can get until these two minutes are over."
 
I raised an eyebrow, "We'll see Amber. Girls with ugly nose jobs are never in high demand for prom queen these days." Her hand flew up to her nose that no one but those who were there when she changed it would have noticed. She sent me a death glare before stomping off. A couple of my classmates who were around me gave me a high five. Talking back to Amber wasn't even going to compare to her face when I make my speech. I wasn't positive I was going to win but I put a safe guard in with Uncle Sam that if I didn't he would pretend to be sick and tell me to make the announcement instead.
 
"That was pretty awesome Abs." Kyle spun me in a circle and I suppressed a giggle. "Now that the wicked witch is gone would you lovely ladies care to dance?"
 
Meg and I curtsied then danced along to the sound of What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction. When Harry's solo came on we faced each other in all seriousness and sang terribly off key. I suppose this is what having a best friend who is a girl was like. It was actually really fun, guys don't exactly fan girl over their favorite boy bands or hot guys or anything. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed my uncle was making his way up to the podium. A smug smile pushed it's way up to my lips, all I could think was 'take that Amber'.
 
"Hello. The votes have been counted. Can I have all of the prom court up on stage please?" I grabbed Meg and Kyle's hands and we shuffled through the bodies to get to the make-shift stage they must have set up earlier today. I stood second in line beside Daphne and Meg.
 
While my uncle Sam was going on about how close the result was Meg leaned closer to me and whispered, "How did you know Amber's nose was fake?"
 
"I didn't, but judging by her reaction my gabble was dead on." We smiled at each other in a way that I wonder what Amber ever did to her. They'd been in the same group since it was decided who was cool. I guess everyone has their enemies in the end.
 
"Your prom king is-" Everyone in the room was staring impatiently at the principal. "Grant Miller." The room was instantly filled with the sound of clapping hands. I put my hand into fists by my side to restrain my excitement. This just made it all the much better, prom king and queen had to dance together in a spotlight after their speeches.
 
Grant waved and came up to the podium, "Thank you so much everyone. I hope I meet your expectations for royalty. Go Loch Ness Monsters!" It was true that Lockton had the cheesiest team name ever. I had complained about it constantly to my uncle but he never budged. Granted there was nothing he could really do for it, the t-shirts and banner had already been made an extremely long time ago.
 
"Yes, go team!" Uncle Sam fist pumped the air awkwardly then coughed and straightened out his tie, "And now we have the 2013 prom queen!" The crowd was on the tips of their toes and no one was even whispering. "Abigail Taylor!" Amber went to strut up to make her probably well thought out speech and paused. I shrugged at her as I moved from my place almost as if saying, 'What can you do?'
 
I took a deep breath and gave a dazzling smile as Miss Rosemary came toddling up to the edge of the stage, "Wow, prom queen! What an honor. I can hardly think of what I have done to deserve this!" I let my eyes flicker across all of the familiar faces I have known for years. I found Matt and the guys not far from the center of the room. They put their thumbs up and I knew that Matt had told them what was going on.
 
"Now, I have a confession to make."