I frantically searched for Liz, but I couldn’t find her. I eventually spotted her by the refreshments table with Nathan and Ben. Nathan was feeding her chips. How sweet.
“Liz, I need you,” I said, grabbing her hand, and practically dragging her away.
“What is your problem?” she asked, pulling up the straps of her dress that had come down by my manhandling.
I pulled her into the hallway where our lockers were. It felt weird to be there at night.
“I have a big problem. Remember how we were looking at Teen Idol magazine, and there was that picture of Chase and Alicia Spark. It said they had been ‘frolicking’ on the beach, but I didn’t think that it was true…”
“I get remember,” she interrupted, putting up her hand. “Skip to the problem part.”
“Well, Alicia Spark is here at the dance, and she is very upset that her boyfriend of six months has just dumped her for an ordinary school girl.”
Liz’s eyes widened. “Wow, this night just keeps getting crazier and crazier. It’s like there’s something in the punch.”
“Hmm, a love potion perhaps…So what should I do?” I asked helplessly.
“Where is she now?”
“She ran to the ladies’ room.”
“Maybe you should go talk to her, and see how she’s feeling.”
I would rather have gone into the ladies’ room and dunked my head in the toilet. But I knew that I had to see if she was ok. Her two bodyguards stood on either side of the ladies’ room door. There was a long line of girls, but the bodyguards, or rather the bouncers, wouldn’t let anyone in.
“Hello, I really need to go in.” They shook their heads. Alicia had barricaded herself in there, and the girls were getting desperate. “I’m Chase Carson’s date,” I tried.
They stepped aside.
Alicia was in a stall with the door locked. I could hear her crying loudly, and blowing her nose.
“Umm, Alicia, it’s Phoebe, Chase’s date.”
“What do you want? You’ve already stolen the love of my life. Do you know that he gave me a promise ring?” she said emotionally.
“I wanted to say that I’m very sorry about what happened. I didn’t know that you two were together.”
“That’s because of his manager. We can’t be seen in public together because then his fans will get upset. He has to maintain an aura of mystery, so that every teen girl can carry on dreaming that they have a chance with him. Why can’t they just enjoy his music?”
I felt ashamed because I had been one of those teen girls living in a dream world. “I suppose it’s because he’s a ‘teen idol,’” I offered weakly.
She opened the door and came out. Her mascara had run all over her cheeks. She was more upset, than angry. “Do you know what it’s like not to even be able to go to the movies with your boyfriend? I couldn’t even take him as my date to the Teen Choice Awards. I had to pretend that I hardly knew him, when really, I love him so much.” She burst into tears again.
“I didn’t know that you were so sensitive. Your songs always talk about playing the field and things like that.”
“That’s the music business. My record label has created an image for me, of the sexy, flirtatious pop star. But it’s all an illusion. I’m really a romantic.”
I moved towards her and hugged her, while she blew her nose. Underneath all her expensive clothes, make-up and hair extensions, she was just a vulnerable teen girl like the rest of us.
After she had fixed her make-up, I convinced her to come out of hiding and exit the ladies room, at least so that the line of girls wouldn’t break the door down.
#
As soon as we came out, I spotted Liz, Ben, and Nathan’s table. I held Alicia’s hand and led her there.
“Everyone, I’d like you to meet Alicia.”
“Alicia, this is Liz, Nathan, and Ben.” Nathan looked like a deer in the headlights.
“Hi, everyone, I hope that you don’t mind if I sit down for a minute, I need to catch my breath and regroup.”
“Of course we don’t mind,” Liz and Nathan said in unison.
They even talking alike, which meant that they really were a couple.
Chase was occupied signing autographs on the stage. Some girls were even asking him to sign body parts, like their arms and legs. When he saw me, his face lit up, and he ran over.
“Ben, dance with me,” I blurted, in an effort to avoid Chase and his zombiness. I grabbed Ben’s hand and pulled him to his feet.
I thought that he would protest the way Liz had when I dragged to the hallway, but he didn’t. He came with me freely.
As we found a spot as far away from Chase as possible, a slow song filled the room. It was Murphy’s Law. I wanted to walk off again because I hadn’t expected a slow song. Just as I started to turn around, Ben reached out, and put my arms around his neck. His arms encircled my waist. He smelt so good, so fresh. I put my head on his shoulder, and a content, safe feeling washed over me. I suddenly felt drawn to him, like he was a magnet.
“Phoebe, look at me…” He gently lifted my chin, so that our eyes met. His tender brown eyes pierced right into my soul. “You look beautiful tonight. I wanted to tell you the moment I saw.”
It sounded so much better coming from Ben than Chase. It was sincere and genuine. He looked so sophisticated, so gorgeous. Why had I never noticed how strong, yet gentle his face was? It was a good thing that he was holding me tightly, because my knees felt so weak, like I could collapse at any minute. Ben had always been my support, my anchor, my rock. I knew that if I ever needed anything, he would always be there. That knowledge made me feel safe.
We swayed to the sweet music. He gently brushed a strand of hair off my neck. My heart beat seemed so loud, I was sure that he could hear it. It felt like we were the only two people in the room.
“Aren’t you going to say anything?” he whispered in my ear, and shivers ran up my whole body, like a cold wind had caressed me.
“You look incredible…” I said nervously.
“Thanks,” he blushed, and his smile melted my heart. “So, what’s happening with Chase?” He asked softly, nodding in the direction our table. Chase was glaring at us with his arms folded. Alicia looked like she was trying to win a food eating contest at a state fair.
“We’ve driven a pop princess to binge eat,” I said, shaking my head.
He laughed lightly. I was grateful that he hadn’t asked me why Chase Carson had suddenly become my stalker. I think that he knew that some things were better left unsaid. But others weren’t. “I know that you love him and now he loves you too. So I guess I missed my chance…” He looked away.
“Ben…” I couldn’t finish because his lips were on mine. He kissed me and we floated up on a cloud. My head swirled, and I felt high. My whole body turned to jelly in his arms.
“I’m in love with you,” he whispered when he pulled away. “I’ve always loved you, but for a long time, I’ve been in love with you.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but Chase had marched over when he saw Ben kiss me.
“Get off of her!” he shoved Ben.
I quickly stood in between them before Chase threw a punch.
“No need to get excited. Chase, I think that you should take Alicia outside and have a talk with her. She looks like she could do with some fresh air.” I said, pointing to her devouring yet another plate of snacks.
“Fine, I won’t be long,” he said through gritted teeth. He shot Ben an aggressive look.
“I need to go to the ladies’ room,” I said to Ben, and quickly ran over to where Liz and Nathan were slow dancing.
“Liz, may I please borrow your lipstick in the ladies room?” I gestured with my head.
“Sure, let’s go, but don’t drag me this time. I’ll be right back,” she said to Nathan.
When safely inside the ladies’ room, I checked under the stall doors to make sure that we were alone.
“It’s amazing, isn’t it?”
she asked cheerfully.
“In a disastrous kind of way…”
Her smile disappeared. “What do you mean? This is what you wanted. Not many people get their wish granted.”
“Chase is crazy in love with me.”
“That’s what you wished for. I, Cupid, granted your wish.”
“But now that my wish has come true, I don’t know if it’s what I really want. I don’t feel anything for the real flesh and blood Chase. In fact, his cheesy pick-up lines are really getting on my nerves.”
She laughed.
“It’s not funny. He’s a stalker.”
She was laughing uncontrollably. “I’m sorry, it’s just so ironic. He’ just lovesessed with you”
I rolled my eyes. “No, he’s not lovesessed, he’s obsessed, and it’s creepy.”
“But isn’t this what you wanted?”
My heart sank. “It is what I wanted, well, I mean, what I thought I wanted, but now I don’t know what I want.” I leaned against the wall for support. “I’m a home wrecker, and now I’ve turned the most famous pop princess in the world into a binge eater. If she carries on like this, she’ll have to retire, and she’s only 15,” I said hopelessly.
“Don’t be so dramatic Phoebes. So, I take it you don’t love Chase anymore?”
I hesitated. “I don’t think that I ever really loved him. I think that it was infatuation, as you explained to me. Maybe it was the chemicals or the chemistry screwing with my mind. Now the chemicals have screwed with Chase’s mind, and he’s a love zombie.”
She laughed, and held my hand. “He seems really into you, and maybe it’s meant to be.”
“I don’t think so Liz. If it was meant to be, then it should have happened without the help of a love potion.”
“You’re probably right, Phoebes. But maybe you should milk it for all it’s worth.”
“Huh? Are you calling Chase a cow?”
“No, silly, I mean that you should enjoy your newfound popularity, dare I say, fame.”
“I wish that I could. I always thought that Chase loving me and being popular would make me happy. I thought that I knew how I would feel. But I don’t feel like that. It doesn’t feel like I thought it would, because I know that it’s not real. I want someone to fall head over heels in love with me. I want them to do it because they love me for me, not because they have been forced to by our Chemistry experiment.”
“You mean the way Ben loves you…” she concluded.
I nodded because I couldn’t speak as the words caught in my throat, and the tears wet my face.
*****
10. True Love
“Ok, I can fix this,” Liz said resolutely.
I perked up, and dabbed my eyes with a tissue. “Please be right.”
“After I saw how nuts Chase acted at school, I mixed an antidote for the love potion, just in case something like this happened at the dance.” She opened her black clutch purse, and pulled out a plastic vile the size of a thumb.
“All we have to do is get Chase to drink this, and he will be back to his old self.”
“Liz you are the most brilliant 14-year-old who ever lived!”
“Nah, I just look really good for a 40-year-old,” she joked.
“I never thought I’d say this, but I all I want, is for Chase not to love me. So if he drinks the anti-dote, he won’t be lovesessed with me anymore?”
“Right, he will remember everything that happened, but he will no longer be infatuated with you. I say ‘infatuated,’ because it’s obvious that he wasn’t really ‘in love’ with you.”
“You’re preaching to the choir. I know that it’s not real love, it’s artificial. I don’t want creepy, stalker, zombie love.”
“Not cool,” she said, shaking her head.
“Ben kissed me by the way,” I said blushing.
“Wow, really, your first kiss! I’m glad it was with Ben, and not Chase.”
“You know what, me too. I see Ben with new eyes tonight. I actually think that he looks better than Chase. I can’t believe I never realized how cute Ben was.”
“Earth to Phoebe…Come in Phoebe,” she said as though she was on Star Trek.
“I just hope we can fix this whole love potion fiasco. I feel really bad about the mess it’s caused.”
“Go get Chase a glass of punch, and slip the antidote in the punch. Then make sure he drinks it.”
“Ok, sounds easy enough.” I held the anti-love potion tightly in my hand. “This had better work.”
I walked quickly to the refreshment table, and poured a glass of punch. Making sure that no-one was looking, I opened the vile of anti-love potion, and poured it in the punch. As soon as I had finished, Chase came up behind me. I jumped. “Oh hi, I was just getting you some punch.” I handed it to him.
“That’s my job,” he said, winking. “But thanks, I’m really thirsty.” He downed the whole glass of punch.
I kept one hand with my fingers crossed behind my back.
“Did I tell you that you are the most beautiful girl in the whole world?”
“Uh, yes, several times…” I wondered why the anti-love potion wasn’t working. Maybe Liz hadn’t made it right?
“Your eyes are like the ocean, and baby, I'm lost at sea.”
“Er…thanks,” I stammered.
“I must be in heaven because I see an angel…” He froze, and looked around like he had just woken up from sleep walking. He paused for a few seconds and shook his head. “Umm, I’m sorry, but I don’t know what was wrong with me today, or why I was acting like that. I don’t even know you.”
It had worked! The anti-love potion had worked! I thought happily.
“I have to go…” he said quickly and ran over to Alicia, who was filling up yet another plate of snacks. He picked her up and swung her around. They started making out like teenagers, which was to be expected, because that’s what they were. Then they left had in hand, followed by their bodyguards. A perfect celebrity couple, I’ll call them “Tylicia.” Maybe the tabloids would steal my name for them, if they ever found out that they were a couple.
Liz came over with Nathan. “Guessing it worked?”
“Yes, it worked perfectly.” I smiled.
Mr. Shaw tapped the microphone too loudly, causing it to make a high-pitched screeching noise. Everyone groaned at the sound. “Attention students, it’s time to announce the Valentine’s king and queen. Please come closer to the stage.”
I suddenly felt a stab of anxiety. Chase wasn’t in love with me anymore, but I was reaping the after effects – popularity.
“Our nominees are: Amber West, Britney Davis, Kimberley Morgan, and Phoebe Parker.” Everyone chanted my name like I was superstar.
The lights dimmed, and suddenly Ben was by side. We smiled at each other. Calmness washed over me.
“The king and queen of the Valentine’s dance are…”
There was a collective inhale.
“Phoebe Parke and Chase Carson,” he shouted. The spotlight fell on me. Everyone cheered.
Ben’s hand held mine. We made our way through the crowd to the stage.
Suddenly a sparkly tiara was on my head. Through the bright lights, I saw Amber and her sidekicks glaring at me. Liz beamed with pride and gave me the thumbs up. Ben stood by my side as I took the microphone.
Public speaking was my biggest fear. I felt wobbly on my feet, and just when the world started spinning, Ben put his arm around my waist. “Hi everyone,” I squeaked.
I cleared my throat, and spoke louder. “Chase had to leave because he had a rehearsal,” I lied, but it was the first thing that came to mind. “Besides, doesn’t our king have to go to our school?” I joked. Everyone laughed. “But, there is someone who does go to our school, and who is 100% deserving of being the Valentine’s king. He is the kindest, most loving person I know. Valentine’s Day is all about love. Thank you for choosing me to be your Valentine’s queen, and I’d like to choose Ben Walker to my Valentine’s king.”
Everyone cheered loudly. Ben’s smile was dazzling. He looked like a teen idol. He was my teen idol.
Ben was given a sash that said “Valentine’s king.” He had never looked so handsome.
“Please will everyone clear the dance floor for our king and queen,” Mr. Shaw announced.
“Would you like to dance?”
“More than anything,” I smiled, and took his hand.
The sweet smell of love lingered in the air. It was just like those movies I’d watched, with the happy endings. Now I had my own movie ending, and it was perfect. I sighed contentedly, and put my arms around Ben’s neck. I could have danced with him all night. Then, he kissed me. I felt weightless, like I was floating on a cloud. I looked around at all the couples who had started dancing. Liz and Nathan were locked in an embrace, and they made such a cute couple. Cupid must have struck Amber with a love potion dipped arrow. She was slow dancing with Eugene Sherman, who was smiling like he had just won the lottery. Chase and Alicia were probably slow dancing at some celebrity party. Those two were definitely made for each other. I had had a taste of the celebrity life, and it showed me that real life was so much better.
I rested my head against Ben’s chest. I had never felt happier. It felt so real, so right. Sometimes it’s not about the journey, it’s about the destination. I realized that what I had been searching for all along had been right in front of me. I had wanted someone to love me for me, and I had gotten my wish. Love worked in mysterious ways. Instead of a love potion making Chase fall in love with me, I had fallen in love with Ben. My true love had found me. I was no longer obsessed with Chase, but I was still obsessed with love, real love, the love that filled my heart with happiness. Love was everywhere and I was officially lovesessed.
*****
Lovesessed Page 7
