Homecoming.

" Woah!" I exclaimed in shock.

" You're not falling." He said, and I turned pink.

He carried me out the door into the front lawn, where I saw a black Rolls-Royce standing there.

" Where did you get that?" I asked not looking at him because if I looked, then our faces would be so close.

" It's my little baby that I kept hidden for months, now it's going to roll, with you in it, and you'll be the first to ride it."

My heart leaped, and I had this mad urge to smile.

" Whatever, just… just put me down."

" Yeah, I will… Only in the car." he said, and he brought out a little remote, pressed it and the car door flew open, and he put me inside, next to the driver's seat.

Then, he went round and entered through the other door.

The car smelt new.

" Is it new?" I asked

" Yeah… I had been saving up for it for months."

" But… but you're not Eighteen."

" Ha… There's no prob with that, no one's going to ask." he said, pulling out of the lawn and once we were out on the road, he zoomed so fast.

Where did Chris learn to drive?

He wasn't Eighteen.

" Should I open the roof?" He asked and I looked up.

" No, no... my hair, it's going to get all… You know, rough." I said, and his eyes lingered on my hair.

" Oh, Chris, watch it!" I said, he had almost hit the side way.

Those were the signs that a minor was driving.

We pulled back into the main road, and he looked at me again.

" Your hair's really nice… who taught you how to do these pretty things?"

" Uh, no one, learned them myself"

" That's really nice. Era's going to be shocked. She's met her match." he said, smiling and looking at the road.

" I'm not competing with Mera for anything." I said immediately.

" I know… I meant she's going to be happy to have someone to discuss fashion with, apart from clueless Val." he said and I laughed.

I liked Chris… I was also comfortable with him, now I had two boy friends, one was Mike and the other was Chris…

As we got closer to school, my heart was beating faster. I felt as though something heavy had been put inside me, and I had a sickly feeling.

Most people were standing outside, watching the cars arrive.

I saw a car pull up in front of us, and as two people stepped out, whispers and stares followed them as they entered the main building.

Chris chuckled.

" And there's Guy handsome." he said with a playful smile.

" Guy handsome? Where? Where?" I said trying to see.

" Come on, calm down. You'll see him." he said gently with that charming smile.

As Chris pulled up in front of the crowd, I couldn't breathe. When he stepped out of the car, I saw the girls open their mouths.

Well, Chris was looking really handsome in his sparkling white suit and shoes with his gold wristwatch and neck chain.

Not only that, he had styled his hair in a way that, the sides were clean while the front stayed full, and his smile, Jeez… he gave a cool wave to the girls who giggled and screamed, he looked like a model.

No, he was a model!

A freaking hot one.

Meanwhile, in all the screams and all, I had found my way to the boot of the car.

No homecoming for me, like, have you ever felt that way?

You've waited for something but, you can't do that thing when the moment for it comes.

It's like, meeting my first love who became a top model and was asking me out to a Movie premiere with him.

Chris opened the car door and couldn't find me.

He shut it close, after probably giving a puzzled look.

I held my breath and then, the boot opened.

I gasped as cold air and Chris's handsome face surrounded me.

" Seriously, Priscilla, you're one funny girl. Should I do the carrying, or can you do the walking?" He asked, smiling and I sat up.

" I'll do the walking, but Chris, I forgot… I have this appointment with a depressed maniac, and he wants me to, you know, help him out… so if… you don't need to drive me back, I'll find a taxi…" I said, and he laughed.

" No maniac from the school is out there… They're all here, and you're going nowhere. You'll be everywhere, with me" he said and carried me out of the boot.

" Okay PUT ME DOWN" I said in a rushed whisper.

" Why?"

" Because my heart's going to jump out any moment soon! I've never done something like this, and all those eyes are going to make me fall!" I said in a rushed tone, and he looked at me for a while before laughing his 'handsome boy' laugh, then he put me down and held out his hand.

" Hold my hand and promise you won't let it go." He said.

" Chris, why do you have to talk that way? It's like…"

" Talk what way?"

" Like you're… you're you know, reading a love poem." I said, and he laughed again.

" Your cousin is a mad Romantica, so deal with it." he said and held my hand and jeez!

Aaaah!

I died a million times under the intense stare of a thousand eyes.

It was dead silent as we passed.

No whispers, but the minute we entered the school building…

Loud whispers and murmuring broke out, but they weren't louder than the beating in my chest!

Chris looked at me and refused to stop staring.

" Why are you staring, Chris? You're adding to my current situation." I said, not looking at him.

" I'm just staring because all my life with girls, I've never heard one's heart beat like the way yours is doing now." He said, and I gave an anxious laugh as I turned to him.

" Tell me… What are you? A werewolf?" I said sarcastically.

" All right, even if I can't hear it, I can feel and see it.

"Your pulse isn't steady, and here at your neck, It's beating really fast, you're also breathing fast, and your pupils are dilated.

"So, my guess is: Your heart is beating out of control" He said, and I yanked my hand out of his and walked ahead.

" You're….you're wrong."

" There you go. Stammering away, and I think it's adorable." He said.

" Chris! Don't… don't…don't you say a word till… until we leave and quit teasing me!" I said and looked away.

I heard him laugh. It really wasn't my fault I stammered when I was flustered.

"Aye captain" he said.

We went to a classroom where some guys, and their dates, were hanging out.

" When is the football match ending?" Chris asked as he opened the door.

" Yo Chris!"

"Hey Chris" some girls said, batting their eyelids flirtatiously even though their dates were right next to them.

" Lovely date man… It's ending soon, only some students are up there watching."

" So, the school choir is singing too?" He asked

" Yeah and after that, it's time for the dance." a guy said.

" Never seen her before." another guy said, staring at me.

" Of course you've seen her, she's the girl with that super loud voice who asked Chris to homecoming." a girl said, and I felt my face grow hot.

" You're kidding. No way! She looks so different." he said, and that was that.

I endured that time hearing about football matches, the worse team, the better team and all that blah blah blah…

And finally, we entered into the real deal.

Numerous girls and guys, colored lights flashed all around and all the seats were placed in one direction of the stadium in the field but, students were rarely seen on the seats. They were all dancing. Chris bent and shouted into my ear.

" Should we take the top seats?!"

" Yeah! I like the top seats! " I replied, and then we wove our way through the sea of bodies, and we climbed to the top seats.

As we sat down, a man with a microphone spoke.

"It is time to hear the school's choir."

After that, people climbed to get seats and as everywhere became quiet once more, the school choir went up stage, they were all in matching outfits and after taking their positions, they began to sing.

They sang a beautiful Love Song and performed a choreography of it.

After the Song, I found myself singing.

" No matter what I do, all I think about is you…"

" You've got a really nice voice." A guy next to me said.

He was black but really handsome.

*I must date a black guy!* I thought.

There was something about his eyes and the way he stared at me.

" Th...thanks." I said.

" So, who did you come with?" He asked.

" Uh… Chris." I said looking sideways, but Chris had already left my side and was talking to a really pretty girl who had her blonde hair in a white bun.

So much for all the flirting.

I don't know how I felt, but I felt like, going there and pushing the girl away from him.

" Chris? He's nice, but I think he's got a real problem with ladies." He said, looking at Chris. I turned to him.

" You do?" I said and looked at Chris again, who was already making the girl laugh hysterically.

Then, he took a handful of her hair gently in his hand, and looked at it while running the length of it, and he said something that made the girl blush badly.

Then, a loud bugle horn sounded and every one in pairs of a boy and a girl went down the seats to gather in front of the stage.

" What are they doing?" I asked the guy.

" It's time for the dance." he said

"Oh"

" Aren't you dancing with your date?" He asked me.

"Um…" I looked around for Chris's white suit, and I saw the girl dragging him to the dance floor.

He stood with his hands on her waist and hers round his neck while they continued to talk.

" I don't see you going with your date to the dance floor." I said to him.

"I don't have a date." he said.

" Why? No girl asked you?" I asked and he chuckled.

" Nah… Just wanted some time alone, without a girl." he said and after some minutes of watching Chris and the Blondie swaying to the rhythm, he spoke…

" Girls are drawn to him because of his charm, while girls are drawn to you know, Guy handsome, because of the aura he carries around him." He said, and I looked at Chris and then the girl who was probably head over heels in love with Chris.

" So, wanna dance?" I asked, feeling that I couldn't be left out of the dance.

Because my date left me, didn't mean I wasn't going to have fun.

" Hmm, let's get to it." he said and took my hand.

We went down the stairs and then once on the dance floor, he put his hands on my waist and I put mine round his neck.

My cheeks lit up from the feeling of being so close with a guy.

" You're not bad." he said as we danced slowly.

" Thanks." I replied, looking up at him.

And, oh gosh, I don't know… It felt like 'Romeo and Juliet' with us staring at each other like we were meant for each other…

I felt like I was on fire.

The night was alive, loud, soft music, people dancing and talking everywhere, the stars twinkling brightly.

We danced and I twirled… Everything the old style, with him in his wine suit and white shirt, which he buttoned halfway.

And the moment the music stopped, everybody stood there talking and laughing, still in position while some were already leaving…

"You're a great dancer. Pity your date didn't know that." He said, and I looked into his brown eyes with a smile.

I wanted to say something, but I had nothing to say. For the second time that night, I realized he was really good-looking!

And I knew it…

I knew we were going to kiss.

I felt we were communicating with our eyes, and I wanted so much for this guy to be my first kiss.

His eyes seemed to be saying.

*Can I kiss you?*

And my eyes were screaming.

* Yes, please. I've never kissed before. Everyone says it's a great feeling. I want to try it.*

And at that moment when I knew just a second more, and he would bend to kiss me, Chris tapped him from behind and I broke out of the hazy dreamy state I was in.

" Sorry, the dance is over, can I have my girl back?" He asked gently and politely, but the look in his eyes looked nothing like his words.

" Yeah… She's all yours. You got a beautiful date." He said with a cool smile and left with his hands in his pockets, while I blushed.

And then Chris lifted me in his arms.

" Oh my God, Chris, what are you doing?" I whispered fiercely.

" Is it everything every guy says, that makes you blush?" he whispered, not looking at me, which was better since practically everybody was staring at us, at me!

He took me past the building, then out to my school field, and he sat me down on the pavement.

" Chris, I'm not a person who likes PDA." I said immediately he dropped me.

" If you don't like it, then you should probably avoid making me jealous." He said, and I couldn't believe I was blushing.

" I didn't make you jealous." I said playing with my fingers.

I made a guy jealous!

Oh, I love Archville already.

"There you are blushing again, are you a blushing machine or what? Or maybe you've got a blushing disease… and who's not going to get jealous when his cute and stunningly beautiful date looks like she's going to kiss some other guy?" He said, and I blushed more and looked away.

" We weren't about to kiss." I lied.

Was it that obvious?!

And then, minutes of absurd silence descended like a blanket upon us.

" I'm sorry." he said suddenly, and I looked at him.

" I should be the one apologizing since I was… you know…" I was saying, but he sighed.

"I apologize for leaving you… I shouldn't have danced with another girl, jeez, she isn't even as pretty as you." he said and I smiled.

"Hmm"

" So do you forgive me, so we can have our private dance here? Right here, right now?" He asked,

" Gee, I forgive you, but we don't need to dance a private dance…"

I said because that was going to be like, WEIRD.

" You're kidding… we need to."

He brought out his phone and put it on the pavement and started a video.

I looked up at the sky.

Never, in all my life that I've known Chris, have I imagined dancing with him under the moonlight.

The thought made me smile.

" What are you thinking about?" He asked as he pulled me off the pavement.

He put his hands on my waist, and I put mine round his neck.

I couldn't look up at him.

It was too intense, and the surrounding silence made me feel so awkward…

We were dancing… yeah, just like that, without music, and it was … what can I call it? It was… wait… It was romantic!

This was the kind of romantic moment I'd always dreamed of.

"Why do you keep smiling but not looking at me?" He asked and I gave a little cough.

" Is it important to look at your face?"

"Did you see the way you were looking at Peter?"

" Who's peter? Oh, that guy... how come you know everybody?"I asked

"I'm a star." he said and I laughed.

"If you're a star that knows everybody, and I know nobody, then what am I? I asked him.

"Hm, the moon you're the moon shining so bright I can't help but stay around you." he said.

"I thought you meant celebrity."

"I decided to change it." He said with a smile, and I accidentally looked up at him.

We were so close and gosh! He's handsome.

Pris, thoughts like this would drive you crazy. Be normal, for once.

I pulled away from him, but he pulled me back and this time not into a dancing position, but into a hug.

My mouth was left hanging open with no one to close it.

It may seem weird but…

I'VE NEVER HUGGED A BOY!

"You're not that bad, you know? Who do you think is going to be your first boyfriend? I'd like to choose him for you. My little sis must have the best boyfriend." he said, and I pushed him away.

" Hey, what did I say?" He asked with a confused look on his face.

Everything was going well, until he had to call me his little sis!

Did he really think of me that way? NO, I've not been thinking of him that way and tonight, he definitely did not treat me like a little sis, but then, I remembered when he said he wasn't going to treat me like his cousin.

Oh, Pris, wouldn't dating Chris be weird?

" Pris!" He called to snap me out of my thoughts.

" Don't call me… I'm going off to find Mera and Val!" I shouted and took off.

After wandering about for a while… I found Val.

"Hey Val, where's Mera?" I asked.

"Oh jeez, she's probably crying her heart out." Val said, her eyes filled with worry.

" Why? What happened?" I asked.

" Sam said he's not interested in her. He only wants friends."

" What?"

" Yeah, and Mera likes him so much."

" I'm really sorry."

" You won't need to be… When she comes out, she won't be all teary." She said, and just then, I saw Sam coming out.

He looked at Val, then at me.

"Is she okay?" Val asked him

" Of course, who can break Mera's heart?" He asked, still looking at me.

Then he left.

" You can." Val said as he left.

After a while, we saw Mera's head popping out of the door.

" Is he gone?" She asked.

" Yeah."

"Phew." she said coming out…

She wore a tight red mini gown, that exposed much of her breasts, and it had strings for arms…

I wondered how she was able to go out like that.

It was really short, and she wore high heels that made her look really tall, while Val wore a short silver gown that was fitted from the chest and pleated from the waist down.

Even though their outfits stood out too much, they still looked beautiful.

"Wow! You look splendid!" Mera said, and Val reviewed me.

" Chris loves stuff like this. He must have been so happy." Val said.

"Oh, you guys should stop staring, I'm getting goosebumps." I said, and they laughed.

I hung out with Mera and Val, throughout the night.

It was fun as guys checked us out, and sent themselves to ask us out.

Anytime I caught a glance of Chris, I disappeared and had to find Mera and Val all over again.

But I couldn't avoid him forever, as I stood in front of his Rolls-Royce with Mera and Val, he took my hand from behind and turned me to him.

" Now you can't hide." he said

" Was I hiding? I wasn't."

" If you say so." he said, smiling.

" I never knew you bought this, Chris. This is outrageous. You're not Eighteen." Val said.

" I wish I could drive it" I said smiling.

" You could." Chris said.

"This is where all your money went to, this is why you've been begging for and borrowing my money." Mera said as she went around the car.

" I don't know how to drive." I said to Chris.

" If you want to drive it, you can." He said with a nasty smile.

" How?" I asked.

" Get in the car, girls." Chris said, and as I turned around to go to the other door, he held my hand and pulled me back.

" What?" I asked.

" You said you wanted to drive…"

" Yeah, I did."

I watched as Val got in the seat next to the driver's seat while Mera got in the back seat, threw her bag on the floor and removed her hair tie.

Her hair came down freely, and she kicked off her heels, zipped down her dress and I saw in full view her cleavages with a golden bra.

Oh my God! What was she doing with Chris in the car?

" Woah, don't tell me you're trying to tempt this handsome guy." Chris said trying to pick his phone, which had fallen when he got in.

" Oh Shut up Chris." Mera said and threw her shoe on his head while laughing.

The shoe hit his head and he took it and dropped it, then he looked at me.

" Come in."

" Come in where?" I asked, looking around.

He turned me around and held my waist and brought me down on his lap.

" Hey, this is…"

" Have you forgotten those times when we were younger? You always loved to sit on my lap because my chest was like a soft cushion, you remember, don't you?"

" Yeah I do, but that was then… you're olde..."

" Trust me. I'm never going to feel a thing with you on my lap."

" I didn't mean it that way!" I said immediately.

" Is there any other way you can mean it apart from that? And Mera please stop thinking!" Val said

" I wasn't." Mera said, sitting up.

" Sam said he wants friends, and you can totally crush on another guy."

" No." Mera said stubbornly.

" Why on earth would you like Sam?" Val asked.

" I wouldn't know." Mera replied.

" Duh." Val said.

" Let's forget sam and move on." Chris said behind me.

" Hm." I said.

" So, put your hands on the steering wheel." He told me, and when I did, he put his hands on mine.

" First thing is ignition. So you'll start the car…"

" Oh, I know the basics." I said and turned the key and the car came to life.

" The brakes."

" Oh jeez, I know, don't be such a know-it-all." I said, even though I didn't know how to go about it.

As we drove, the sky became darker than its normal night blue, and then a chilly breeze swept into the car.

" It's about to rain, babies." Val said

" Rain?! I'm going to get out." Mera said with a bright.smile.

" You should wait until it starts raining." Val said.

" Come on, help me zip up." she said, and Val climbed over to the back seat.

In no time, large drops of water fell from the sky.

" Aaaaagh! It's raining! Exactly what I need to feel better." Mera squealed.

" You don't mean you want to play in the rain, Mera." Chris said.

" Of course I am. It's the only way I'll get this rejection out of my mind!" She screamed and opened the car door.

" Wait! The least you could do is let me stop the car!" He exclaimed and tried quickly to park the car.

Once he had stopped the car, Mera and Val jumped out.

It was already raining heavily, and I didn't have the intention of getting wet, but as the thought of I and Chris alone in that big house crossed my mind, I jumped out.

" I think I'm going to play too." I said

" You too? Well, meet me at home." he said and drove off.

The cold drops of water fell on my skin and I removed my hair pin, attached it to my cloth and pulled out my hair, and instantly it got wet…

" Aaaaah! Damn sam! I don't care anymore!" Mera shouted as she ran and jumped in puddles.

Val tried to look at the sky and I thought…

No one was around, so why not do what I had always secretly longed to do?

I looked around and sat down in the clear puddle of water behind me.

Aah, it felt good to play in the rain, and then I slept on the floor with the rain pouring on every part of me.

Mera came round and splashed water on me playfully, and that was how we began the water fight, in which Val joined in.

We pulled off our shoes and danced in the rain… I was completely soaked.

" You know what? I think I'm okay now! I don't care what Sam thinks of me, and I'll act like nothing happened when I see him tomorrow!" She screamed and ran.

" She's going to do just that." Val said and ran after her…

I looked around at the dark street and instantly got scared.

" Wait! Wait, please wait! Don't leave me!" I screamed.

When we got home, we saw Chris in a large yellow sweatshirt on the couch with his legs crossed on a wooden table in front of him.

He was sipping tea, and he looked like a model advertising tea.

" You guys are soaked …get changed." he said, looking at us with an expression that said he couldn't understand us.

" It was worth it, Chris." Val said and Mera walked up to Chris, and sprinkled water from her hands onto his face.

" Hey, hey!" Chris was saying

" Shush, shush, shush your mouth and don't say a word until I leave this place." Mera said in a singsong voice, and I smiled…

They were a happy family.

Val went up the stairs, I followed and Mera followed behind me.

And as I turned back, I saw Chris's eyes on me and after a few nanoseconds, I smiled, waved and he smiled.

It had been a lovely homecoming, and I couldn't wait to see all Archville had in store for me.

Could they satisfy my hunger for love and romance?