Me and Us

chapter six - homecoming queen

I've been nominated for homecoming court twice. In Freshman year, I went up against Claire Brown, Fernanda Lopez, and Kat. 

Kat won. 

In Junior year I was up against Evelyn Hein, Nadia, and Kat. 

Nadia took that year, and Kat still sort of hates her for it. 

Nothing is like homecoming queen, though. That's the most popular, beautiful, talented Senior, who usually ends up as the frontrunner for prom queen in the Spring. I'm sure it'll be Kat. Not only is she beloved by all, she rules the school, literally. Class president, president of the eco club, president of the drama club, head of almost every single committee. 

My dad loves that I'm friends with Kat, he thinks she's a good example of a girl who takes control. I think he wishes I was more into leadership, but I'm content watching my best friend rise. 

"What do you guys think of the homecoming themes?" She asks, sitting down at our lunch table. 

"Madam president is already hard at work, I see." I remark, seeing her professional clipboard. Oliver snorts into his salad. 

"I'm serious." She says, peeling off the wrapper from her granola bar. "I need a proposal by the end of the next week and everyone on the committee is hopeless. Except for..." She stops abruptly. 

"Except for who?" I ask, and everyone looks very interested in their food all of a sudden. 

"Grace is vice president, and she's being pretty helpful." Kat says, then clears her throat. Nadia gives her a look and she returns it with one that seems to say 'what was I supposed to do?'

"You can talk about Grace." I say. "I'm totally over the whole thing anyways."

Kat gives me a disbelieving look, and then goes back to her papers. "Our options are 'Under the Sea,' or 'One Magical Evening,' or 'The Roaring 20s."

"Which one is the cheapest?" Oliver leans over to see her work, which she promptly pulls away. 

"Why does that matter?" She asks, slightly offended. 

"Well I don't know about the rest of you, but I would rather that prom is amazing and I don't really care if homecoming is mediocre." Nadia nods, and even Marco looks up and pats Oliver on the back. 

"Easy for you guys to say." Kat says, pouting. "None of you have a shot at homecoming king or queen."

"What?" Nadia looks mad. "Why don't we have chances?"

Kat at least has the decency to look a little guilty. "Well it's just that none of you really have leadership positions. The king and queen are always super involved."

Nadia looks pissed. "I'm gonna be head cheerleader." 

"You might be head cheerleader." The stare off between the two of them is so intense, it's miraculous lasers aren't shooting out of their eyes. 

"I like 'The Roaring 20s" I try to break the tension. "We could all dress as flappers, it would be fun." 

Oliver and Marco send me thankful glances. 

"I can't believe you're not more mad about this." Nadia turns to me now. "Don't you want to be queen?" 

Both girls turn towards to me expectantly. I feel for Nadia, but this shouldn't be a huge wake up call. I've known Kat was going to be homecoming queen since freshman year. 

"Kat does deserve it." I say. If I have to pick a side, I will always choose my best friend. "She does so much work for the school."

"Whatever." Nadia walks off in a huff. "I have to talk to Georgia about cheer tryouts." 

"Thanks." Kat looks at me and smiles, and I smile back. 

"What classes do you guys have for the rest of the day?" I ask, hoping that if Adam is in any of them, at least I can have a buffer. 

"Phy Ed, Art, Study Hall." Marco says. It's not surprising, he's a consistent slacker. 

"I have Calculus, Bio, and AP Lit." Oliver shudders at the last class on his list. He's definitely a STEM guy. 

"We have Lit together!" I remark, happy to share it with someone besides my ex boyfriend, he who must not be named. 

"I've got History, Economic, and AP Bio." Kat looks over her pristine schedule. She laminated it. 

"I have history too!" I'm glad for my friends, and the fact that they can give me something to concentrate on in classes. History with Kat, Literature with Oliver, and only French to go at alone. 

Oh well, we all need to go alone sometimes. 

***

The rest of the day goes by in a blur. I see Adam way too much and Kat way to little, but overall a solid first day of school. I can't help but pay extra attention to a certain blonde haired who sits right next to me in French. 

"Want to come over?" Kat asks as I pack up my stuff to go home. 

"I wish, I have to bring the car back so Ella can use it." 

"You really need to get your own car." Kat rolls her eyes. "I hope you're happy, I'm gonna have to apologize to Nadia now." She winks at me. 

"Poor Kat." I say, smiling tightly. 

"I know, right?" She laughs, and I clench my books a little less tightly. "See you tomorrow?"

"Sounds good." I say, and watch her blonde ponytail make its way down the hall. 

I start my walk out to the parking lot, after double checking that I have everything I need. Ella's car is easy to spot, a bright orange impreza. It's an eyesore, but I like it. Dad and I call it "The Great Pumpkin" which drives Ella crazy. 

"Hey, Bambi!" Someone shouts. I turn to see who they're talking to. 

It's Flynn Carraway, and he's coming over to me. 

"What did you call me?" I turn towards him and laugh. 

"I called you Bambi." He says, his lips perk up adorably, I can't help but lick mine. "You have those big doe eyes..." 

"Are we on nickname level already?" I joke, and start heading closer to him. The entire student body does not need to hear whatever conversation this is. "Anyways, you can just call me Lily. It's the same amount of syllables."

"What's the fun in that?" His eyes are shining, this is the first I've really seen of them in daylight. 

He's beautiful.

"What do you want?" I ask, hoping not to sound too scared. No matter how nice he is, he's a drug dealer. I have no idea what he's capable of. 

"You're about to get into my car." He says, smirking. 

I look around confused, and see that this orange impreza doesn't have a Lilo and Stitch pendant draped across the mirror. In fact, it's frighteningly neat. 

"I'm sorry!" I call, looking around the lot. "I literally have the exact same car." I catch sight of it a few rows away, and shyly smile at him. 

"No worries." He says. "It's a good one." 

I step away as he hops into the driver's seat. 'Don't let him leave' I tell myself. I need to get over Adam somehow, and Flynn Carraway won't exit my mind. 

"Are you going to Zane's tomorrow?" I ask, right before he can shut the door. 

"I think so." He says, looking at me curiously. "He invited you?"

"Yeah." I say, suddenly embarrassed. Maybe I'm just stupid and there's no connection at all. It doesn't even seem like he wants me there. 

"I guess I'll see you there." He smiles and me and then shuts the door, I walk away before he can pull out of the lot. 

'You are so fucking stupid' I tell myself as I walk to my own car. 'He's a drug dealer, and he's not even into you.' 

Even so, I can't help but watch him pull out, running his hands through his luscious hair.