by Raathi Chota
“But thanks, guys, for getting into trouble with me,” I said after we recovered from the laugh. I looked at each of them as they smiled.
“No problem. That was gold, by the way,” Marcus said as he high-fived me.
“Yeah, someone recorded it, and the video went viral!” Aidan exclaimed as he scrolled through his phone. We watched the video as we saw Jennifer walk up the stage and “Anaconda” by Nicki Minaj played. We laughed as we watched mash-ups of the video—it was hilarious. The video already had eighty thousand views. I looked around at everyone; this was how it was supposed to be. I wouldn’t say eighteen hours ago they were on the verge of going to prison. They looked like their typical idiot selves who fooled around but didn’t let anyone in too deep.
Chapter Twelve
Lana
Note to self: never get into trouble with Principal West again. Jennifer and Kelly went overboard. I had to sweep, set up, lay tables, decorate, and Jennifer even had a rehearsal for when she’d win the Homecoming queen. Kelly and Jennifer fought as they played with the crown and almost fell off the stage; I wished I’d recorded it. I looked at my watch to see that it was four p.m. I walked out of the school building and got ready for a long walk home.
“Need a ride?” a familiar voice asked behind me. I turned around to see Blake Gunner as he leaned against his motorcycle. He had a cigarette between his lips as he stared at me. “Admiring my beauty?” Blake smirked as I walked closer. I rolled my eyes as I watched him get on the bike; he scooted to the front to make room for me to sit.
“Aren’t you supposed to be at the diner with everyone else?” I asked. He didn’t start the motorcycle yet; instead, he put his hands on his lap. He threw the cigarette to the ground and crushed it.
“I thought I’d wait for you,” Blake mumbled as he put the key in the ignition.
“So you waited for a whole hour? What if they’re already gone?” I yelled as he started the engine. He ignored me, and I locked my arms around his waist as the bike sped off.
Ten minutes later, we arrived at the diner. Blake got off the motorcycle and motioned me to stay where I was. I didn’t know what he was up to, so I stayed seated. Five minutes later, he came out of the diner with a brown bag. I assumed it was takeout since the bag had the diner’s name and logo on it. He also had two drinks in his other hand. I got off his motorcycle and set the helmet on the seat.
“What’s this?” I blurted out.
“We’re going to have a little picnic.” Blake grinned as he walked past me.
“In the fall?” I asked as I caught up to him. The trees were already a lovely shade of red and brown, and some leaves were on the ground. “Where?” I asked. He didn’t say anything as he looked straight. I followed his gaze to the park; it was one of those parks where it’s built for everyone. It had a playground, skate ramp, picnic area, and a pond. It was my favorite park to come to as a kid, and since there’s a diner in place now opposite the park, it would always be busy. We walked for another five minutes until Blake stopped under a big tree. It was in the middle of the park and not too far from the playground. Thankfully, the grass was soft as we sat down. He reached inside the large bag, and out came two burgers along with a box of fries. “You didn’t have to,” I explained as he set out the burgers. He took the burger paper and put it on the grass and used it as a plate. Blake placed our burgers on the papers and the box of fries in the middle.
“I figured you’d be hungry. You barely ate lunch.” He smiled, then held up two cups with straws. “Chocolate or strawberry?”
“Strawberry.” I grinned as he handed me the strawberry milkshake.
“Okay, Gunner, tell me about yourself,” I blurted out as I took a fry. Besides the fact that he had a mother and an older brother, I barely knew him.
“Okay, I’m eighteen years old, I have brown hair, brown eyes, a lot of tattoo—”
“I know all of that! I mean, like what your favorite movie is? Or hobbies? Favorite band?”
“What about you, Willson? I barely know you, yet you’re here eating burgers with a guy you barely know.”
“Fine, my favorite movie is Mad Max. My hobbies are reading, swimming, painting, doing math for fun, and my favorite band is My Chemical Romance,” I stated, then took a bite out of my chicken burger.
“You do realize My Chemical Rom—”
“Don’t! Speak of it!” I raised my finger as I glared at him. He threw his head back and laughed, then sipped his milkshake.
“Wow, I’ve never met a person who enjoys math.”
“Well, since I have Mr. Bronx, he makes it fun.”
“How old is he? He looks twenty-two.”
“He’s thirty-eight, you idiot!”
“The Breakfast Club, listening to music, pool table, and The Killers,” he said after a while.
“What?” I looked at him in confusion as he smiled.
“You wanted to know more about me, so now you know,” he said, then traced the tattoos on his arms.
“How do you know the guys?”
“Aidan’s my cousin.”
“He’s your…cousin?” I breathed out as my eyes widened.
“Yeah, we grew up here, but I moved,” he stated. My urge to laugh soon disappeared, as it was a chance to find out more about him.
“Why did you come back?” I asked as I looked at him. Blake got up and threw the rubbish in the trashcan.
“My dad passed away a few years back; we couldn’t afford to live in Minnesota anymore, so we moved back here. Aidan is my first cousin since his mom and my dad were siblings. My dad’s will helped us, but only for a while, because one day all that money just…disappeared. So we moved back here and started again. My mom works for this company, and Axel is wasting his life,” Blake mumbled. We walked in silence then sat down on swings. I twirled my milkshake in my hand, then turned to him.
“I’m sorry for whatever happened to your dad.”
“It’s all right, Willson. It isn’t your fault.”
“Yeah, but I’m sorry that you’re sad and that he’s gone,” I whispered. I’d experienced death in my family, but none of them were close to me.
“I miss him. I miss him so fucking much, Lana,” Blake croaked as he shut his eyes. I got off my swing and stood in front of him. I noticed he tried not to look affected by it as it’d ruin his whole façade. Blake looked up at me, and I saw how his eyes darkened. I crouched down on my knees to face him. Blake must not cry; I couldn’t handle people who cried. It made me want to cry too, plus I’d never imagined him crying in front of me.
“Hey, there’s a reason why things happen, Blake. I’m sure he was a very nice man, but remember he’s always with you in here,” I said, then pointed to his heart. I stared into his eyes. They might look dull and boring, but they were filled with loss and emptiness. He blinked a few times to get the feeling away, and a blank expression filled his face.
“Thanks, Willson.” A forced smile appeared on his lips as he stared at me.
“Why do you stare at me?” I asked as I returned to my seat.
“You’re beautiful, Lana. How can anyone not get hypnotized by your beauty?” he asked. My cheeks flushed as I sheepishly looked away.
“Whatever, Gunner,” I muttered, then stood up. I threw my cup in the trash can, and so did Blake. As we walked back to his motorcycle, he lit a cigarette, and we shared it.
“How do you know how to smoke?” he asked. I knew that question was bound to come up sooner or later.
“I watch a lot of movies, I guess.” I shrugged. I wasn’t ready to tell him why, because that’d lead to many other questions, even though the guy almost cried in front of me. I took one last drag of the cigarette and threw it on the ground. I crushed it with my foot then followed him.
The whole drive home I thought about what he had told me. I was surprised Blake and Aidan were cousins and even more surprised that Blake almost cried in front of me. He must’ve really loved his father if that topic made him sensitive. We
arrived at my house, and Blake helped me off his motorcycle.
“So I’ll see you tomorrow?” he casually asked as we walked up to my porch. Dad wasn’t here, so it was safe for Blake to at least walk me to the door.
“Yeah, I guess,” I mumbled as I stuffed my hands in my jacket. Blake did the same, but he shoved his hands in his jeans. We stood at my door and waited for one another to speak. I looked up to see him stare, but this time I felt comfortable as I stared back at him. It must’ve been a while as I stared into his chocolate brown eyes, because I didn’t notice my mother by the doorstep.
“Evening, Mrs. Willson.” Blake turned to her.
“Hi, Blake. Returning my daughter in one piece?” she asked with a stern look on her face. I let out a sigh as I bit the inside of my cheek.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, then turned to me. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Lana. Have a good night, Mrs. Willson.”
We watched him get on his motorcycle and put on the helmet; the engine made that loud noise that could wake up the whole neighborhood. I watched him speed down the street until he was a tiny figure.
“Tattoos, huh?” Mom wiggled her brows as we stepped inside.
“Ugh, Mom!”
“I’m not against it! He looks fierce and brave in tattoos; I’m just confused, dear. You said that you have that blond boy, Carter,” Mom said as we entered the kitchen. I opened the fridge and took out a can of soda.
“I don’t ‘have’ anyone, Mom. They’re friends. Plus, Carter is my date to Homecoming.”
“Oh no, dear, Blake isn’t a friend. You two had matching outfits! And the way you two looked at each other—inseparable,” Mom cheered as she came next to me. She shoved her phone in my face like a teenager who showed her friend that her boyfriend cheated on her. I glanced at the picture and saw Blake and me walk up the porch steps. I watched in amusement as she swiped to the next image. That one was worse because it was moments ago when Blake and I stared at each other.
“Really, Mom?”
“Lana, sweetie, all I can say is you’ll be breaking and fixing hearts before you graduate!”
I rolled my eyes as I walked upstairs and into my bedroom. I didn’t have time to clean up yesterday because I was too tired, so my room looked like a mess. I collapsed on my bed and groaned. Tomorrow was Homecoming, and the bet would come to an end soon. I wondered what would happen after that if I lost…there’s a chance we’d still be friends since I’d be their puppet the rest of senior year. If I won, we’d be friends since they’d protect me from Benny and Kelly. My thoughts got interrupted when I felt something under my pillow. I grabbed it and pulled it out, only to reveal a pack of cigarettes. Not any pack of cigarettes, Blake’s pack of cigarettes. I’d become so addicted lately that I couldn’t help myself last night when Blake kissed me. My hands went behind his back and pulled out the box; thankfully, the guys always kept two packs of cigarettes because they shared with me. He didn’t ask any questions or notice that his pack was gone. My dad confiscated all their cigarettes, and he probably went to buy new ones this morning. I couldn’t help myself; I knew if my parents found it, they’d blame the guys and I’d be homeschooled for the rest of senior year. I immediately got up and searched my room for the perfect place to put it. I went to my desk and shoved it between my workbooks; Mom knew not to touch them because I liked them in order and neatly placed on my desk. Afterward, I took my books and put them into one of my drawers.
That night we had dinner together, but it still felt a bit awkward as Dad glanced at me. Mom talked about the Radcliffs coming for Christmas, which only made things more awkward.
***
We didn’t do much work because people talked about the upcoming dance tonight so much that the teachers gave up. I barely talked to the guys today except for Carter, who was incredibly excited and couldn’t wait to see me tonight. Blake, on the other hand, was distant.
“Come on, Lana! My dress is already in the car,” Miranda exclaimed as she dragged me out of the school building. My best friend was extremely excited for Homecoming, yet I couldn’t wait for it to be over. Miranda forced me into the car as she got into the driver’s seat. I looked behind to see her Homecoming dress, makeup kit, and heels. Marcus and Carter would pick us up from my house, so we decided to get ready there. I suggested Miranda’s house, but she said her mother wasn’t in a good state, so it wasn’t a good idea to go there. I didn’t question it since I knew her mother drank. For the next two hours, we got ready. I sat in front of the mirror while Miranda did my hair. She was ready; all she had to do was put on her makeup. She looked beautiful with or without makeup, and Marcus was a lucky guy.
“Okay, since your dress is a closed neck and opens in the back, I’ll try this,” she said. I felt my hair being pulled, combed, dried, and even curled. “Okay, here’s the result.” She picked up the mirror and held it behind me so I could see what she had done to my dead hair. I wasn’t even sure it was my hair; it looked so elegant and cute. It was a little bun made into a French plait, a few strands of hair stood out, but it seemed right. I stood up, being ever so careful with my dress. I stood in front of my full-length mirror and gasped. Even though we went shopping for the dress before they announced the theme, I felt a bit too formal for a Starlight Fairytale. Yet Miranda said Carter and I would stand out.
“Wow, Miranda, thank you,” I exclaimed as she stood next to me. My sleeveless light pink dress hugged my chest, a floral belt around my waist as it flowed from there. It was long and elegant yet matched my hairstyle perfectly. Miranda stood beside me in her silver dress. She looked like a princess with her blonde hair curled. Her dress was also long, but hers was a long sleeve that outlined her body well.
“Aww, you look beautiful,” Mother cooed as she came into the room. Miranda and I smiled at each other as Mom sat on my bed. Miranda finished her makeup while I put on my shoes. Miranda said I should wear heels, so I did…nothing fancy, just a pair of silver heels. We heard the doorbell ring, and I immediately got nervous. I turned to my mother, who smiled as she walked downstairs. I looked back at Miranda, who stuffed things into her purse; I didn’t want a bag tonight, so I gave her my phone to keep. She slipped on her red heels, and with a last look in the mirror, we strolled downstairs. Miranda walked down the stairs first, and all eyes were on her as she walked down. I saw Carter, then Marcus, who stood nervously and commented on her. I slowly walked down as I gripped the rail. I wasn’t used to heels, so I raised my dress and walked down. Once I was downstairs, I greeted Marcus, who had his arm around Miranda; he wore a black tuxedo and a bow tie, his brown hair styled. He grinned. I glanced over to my date, Carter Halls, and he looked gorgeous. He wore a blue jacket, black bowtie, white shirt, black trousers, and shoes. The blue coat blended into his eyes as an illusion of never-ending waves.
“You look beautiful, Lana,” he breathed out as he held my hand.
“Thanks, you too.” I grinned as he rubbed circles on my hand.
“Pictures, you lovebirds!” Mom cheered as she brought out her phone. I blushed as I stood next to Miranda. After a group photo, my mother took one of Carter and me, then of Marcus and Miranda.
“Okay, Mom, let’s go,” I urged, then took Carter by the hand.
We arrived at the school gym and saw couples go in. The place looked amazing, a real fairy-tale theme. The entrance door was decorated as an entrance you’d go to when entering a castle. Girls dressed as Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Snow White surrounded the place. I was glad we didn’t come as a Disney couple; we stood out. We entered the gym, and it was packed with people.
“I’ll get us some drinks,” Carter said over the loud music.
“I’ll come with you,” Marcus said.
“Isn’t this place amazing?” Miranda exclaimed as she squeezed my hands. The stage had two large chairs to make it look like thrones for the Homecoming king and queen; it seemed like a Frozen theme with its blue lights and white decorations.
“It’s beautiful,” I mumble
d. I felt a tap on my shoulder and spun around to see Aidan. He wore a full black suit and had a smirk on his face.
“Hey, Lana, you’re looking lovely tonight.”
“Thanks, Aidan, you look good too. Love the black.”
“Thanks. So where’s Halls? He’s not a very good date, so I suggest—”
“Beat it, Aidan. She’s mine,” a deep voice grunted beside us. I glanced up to see Carter as he held two cups. “Where’s your date? She finally realized how ugly you are and ran away?” Carter asked as he put an arm around my waist.
“Hilarious. She’s right over there,” Aidan said, then pointed across the gym where a girl and guy spoke.
“Your date is Tiffany? Isn’t that her overprotective twin brother, Tommy?” I asked. It looked like Tiffany and Tommy were arguing.
“Yeah, but I’ve known Tommy since fourth grade. He trusts me with his sister.” Aidan waved off as Tiffany walked toward us. She wore an elegant white ball gown, her red hair curled and bouncing as she walked.
“Hey, Aidan, Carter, and…whoa, Lana, you look beautiful,” Tiffany said in her southern accent.
“Thanks, Tiffany, you look gorgeous as well.”
“Wanna get something to eat? I heard people are scooping up the shrimp!” Tiffany motioned to a bunch of jocks devouring the food table.
“Let’s go!” Aidan cheered as he locked arms with Tiffany.
“Would you like to dance, Miss Willson?” Carter asked in a failed British accent.
“Why, of course, Mr. Halls.” I smiled as I put my hand out. He chuckled as he took my hand and led me to the dance floor. RnB music played, and we joined Miranda and Marcus. I couldn’t dance, but it didn’t matter; Carter and Marcus made us laugh by making silly dance moves. I had such a good time that I didn’t notice that Miranda stopped. She put her hand on her hip as she looked past me.
“That can’t be right,” Miranda said as she raised her brow. We followed her gaze, and I bit the inside of my cheek as I looked at the front doors. Jennifer and Kelly entered the building, accompanied by their dates, Ethan and Blake.
