Chapter 3 Homecoming

With the school year slowly dragging on, it was time for the homecoming dance to commence, students were whispering among themselves as the anticipation fir the first school event of the year began to build.

CJ has kept true to his promise, ever since Zander had arrived at school CJ had been watching closely over him, he didn't have any friends yet apart from CJ, in fact CJ began to have the impression that he didn't want friends. Nonetheless CJ made at least a little bit of effort to introduce him to his best friends.

CJ walked into the cafeteria with Zoey by his side, she was ranting about the Homecoming dance and what they should wear.

"So I was thinking since this year's theme is Night Under The Stars, I could wear my black gown with all those sparkles on it and you could borrow my white dre..."

"Woah hold on, who said I'd be wearing a dress"

"I thought your kind of people...."

"Dude no, I'm wearing a suit okay, can you imagine me in a dress, that's all kinds of wrong"

They both started laughing.

"Anyway as I was saying...."

CJ stopped listening at this time, he saw Zander at a table alone eating a sandwich.

"Should I go sit with him ?" thought CJ.

"Hey are you listening to me" asked Zoey.

When she didn't receive an answer she traced his line of sight.

"Isn't that the new kid ?" asked Zoey.

"Yeah, he looks so alone" said CJ.

"Yeah, oh well" she walked but was dragged back by CJ.

"C'mon let's go sit with him" said CJ.

"What, no way, why us ?"

"If we don't who will"

Zoey sighed and rolled her eyes obediently following her best friend.

"Hey Zander" said CJ.

Zander looked up to see CJ, his eyes lit up for a second but went dim when he noticed someone was with him.

"Hi" said Zander.

"This is my good friend Zoey, Zoey this is Zander, the guy I was telling you about"

"Hey nice to meet you" said Zoey extending her hand and putting on her signature smile.

"Hey" said Zander, he looked at the hand for a while before he took it.

There was an awkward silence as Zoey and CJ were still standing, then surprisingly Zander broke the silence.

"Aren't you two gonna take a seat"

"Yeah of course" said CJ.

They both sat down and began eating, CJ didn't realize that this would be so hard, apparently introduce two different people who have never met before but happen to be your friends was not child's play.

"So we were just talking about the dance, are you coming" asked Zoey.

"No"

"Why"

"I don't want to"

"Why"

"Cause I don't want to"

"Okay" said CJ breaking up the conversation before Zoey went all savage on Zander.

"Wow will you look at the time I think we got to go" said CJ.

"What are you talking about lunch just started, and I'm about to...."

"Okay Zoey that's enough, let's go"

"Whatever" said Zoey, she followed after CJ cursing under her breath.

After lunch they both went to class, leaving Zander to himself.

"Is he always like that" asked Zoey as they were walking through the hallway.

"Sometimes"

"He's an asshole"

"He's new"

"Quit defending him, you know he's being an asshole"

CJ kept silent.

"Whatever I'll see you later" said Zoey as she went to Biology class.

School went on as usual and ended, CJ waited at Zander's locker, when he spotted him he walked up to him.

"Zander" said CJ

Zander looked at him and ignored him, he walked to his locker and opened it.

"Hey Zander I was talking to you" said CJ as he walked closer.

"So.."

"So.. I don't like the way you treated my friend earlier"

"Sorry"

"Don't apologize to me apologize to her"

"Look you don't tell me what to do, it's my mouth"

"You know you're being a real asshole right now"

"So..."

"What do you mean "so", this isn't you"

Zander gave a sarcastic laugh.

"You're acting like you know me"

"That's because I do"

"No you don't, no one does, so stop lying to yourself"

"But..., I thought we're friends"

"Friends, dude I just met you, that's not how you make friends, besides I don't even believe that little facade you tried to pull off"

"Facade, you think I pretending, where is all this coming from"

"Just forget it, stay away from me"

"Zander!!"

Zander once again ignored him and walked away.

CJ rolled his mom eyes and went to his car, he didn't see Zoey and Micheal there so he figured they got tired of waiting for him and left.

He got into his car, slammed the door and drove off.

In the car, somehow, he couldn't figure out why Zander was suddenly behaving hostile, was it something he had said. CJ tried to push the topic to the back of his mind but couldn't no matter how hard he tried. He sighed and parked into the garage at home, he stayed in his car for some time in order to calm himself down, after that he got down and went straight to his room, he was staring at his ceiling, thinking, when his phone vibrated,

#Zoey: What happened today I didn't see you after school.

#CJ: Sorry I had some things to take care of.

#Zoey: Okay if you say so, anyways who are you taking to the dance.

#CJ: Idk, I don't really know anyone I could go with.

#Zoey: Well I heard Lucious is completely Ng back before Homecoming.

#CJ: Please don't talk about Lucious.

#Zoey: You can't be serious, you know he didn't do anything, he just went off to college"

#CJ: Exactly !, in New York, without telling me!

#Zoey: Okay you make a good point, but still that doesn't mean you should give up on making the right choice.

#CJ: Which is ?

#Zoey: Talking it out with him.

#CJ: Yeah I'm doing that, enough about me, what about you who are you going with.

#Zoey: Idk either

#CJ: Why don't we go together.

#Zoey: Oh my god, are you asking me out.

#CJ: Noo!, we're going as friends dom ass 😂

#Zoey: 😂

#CJ: Anyway I got some studying to do, see you tomorrow.

#Zoey: Good night.

And with that they both went offline, CJ continued staring at the ceiling and smiled before going to bed.

2 weeks later....

CJ looked in the mirror and was satisfied with his look, he wore a white collar shirt and dark blue tie with a matching suit jacket, he put on his dark blue formal trousers and blue oxfords. On his suit jacket w

there were sparkly designs, he wore a hat on his head with the same design, he sighed and grabbed his phone to check the time, he went downstairs. There he met his mom and dad watching TV.

They both turned away from the TV and looked his way.

"Oh my god, my baby boy is all grown up" said his mom.

"Uggh, mom do you have to be so dramatic"

"Well you do look amazing, who's the lucky girl" said his dad.

"No one I'm going as a bachelor"

"Oh right well good luck with that"

Just then Hilda came downstairs, she wore something a blue mermaid dress a shade lighter than CJ's blue, she had on sparkly eyeshadow and wore a silver bracelet and necklace, she also wore blue heels.

"Meanwhile at least one twin is making us proud tonight, you see your amazing twin sister has a date to the dance"said his dad as he admired his daughter.

"Oh wow Hilda you look amazing"

"Thanks mom"

Just then a horn was hard outside.

"That must be him, see you guys later" said Hilda

"Bye, don't do anything I wouldn't do" yelled Mrs Johnson.

"Okay" yell Hilda back.

And with that she left.

"I should get going too, bye"

"Remember be back before 12"

"Okay"

CJ got into his car and carefully placed his jacket in the backseat, he made his way to Zoey's house to pick her up, she wore exactly what she said she would wear, her long black dress with sparkles on it, she also had on glossy lipstick, she was stunning.

"Oh wow" said CJ as he set his eyes on Zoey.

"What" said Zoey blushing a little.

"No you look.... beautiful"

"Yeah whatever let's go, c'mon"

"Wait, you don't want to take a picture"

"No of course not, I told my parents I don't have a date, if they see you, they'll think you're my date"

"Okay then let's go"

They both got in the car and drove off to school, the place was already buzzing with students in either blue, black or white clothes, music was blaring from the speakers on the school soccer field, since the theme was Night Under The Stars, they were literally dancing outside, under the stars!

CJ smiled as he got down from his car, he walked with Zoey, they holding hands like a couple as they made there way to the soccer field, on their way there they saw punch tables and snack bars, even a cupcake tower.

"Wow the school's really putting a lot of investment for the students this year" said CJ as he admired the setting.

"Yeah, ever since Micheal entered the student council he's been able to convince the school to do more for the students" said Zoey.

"Speak of the devil" said CJ as he spotted Micheal at one if the punch tables.

"Hey Micheal" yelled CJ.

Micheal almost choked on his drink as he saw CJ walking towards him.

"Hey CJ, wha..um...what are you doing here"

"I go to school here" said CJ confused.

"And Zoey's fine too thanks for asking" said Zoey.

"Sorry Zo"

"So who're you here with"

"I...."

Just then Hilda came to the punch table.

"Mikey, what is taking you so long with the drinks"

"Mikey????" said CJ and Zoey in unison.

"Uh, Hilda could you excuse me for a....."

"Hey CJ, you didn't tell me Zoey was your girlfriend"

"She's not, she's my friend and what is this little game you guys are playing" asked CJ.

"What game, he's my date" said Hilda.

"Date??" said CJ.

"Hilda could you excuse us for a minute" said Micheal.

"Yeah sure you know where I'll be" said Hilda.

After she left....

"Look in my defense she asked me, so" said Micheal.

"Yeah cause that makes everything better, dude I told you to lay off"

"I tried, she's just too irresistible" said Micheal.

"Eww" said CJ.

"Look I really like her, would you rather her date someone like Lucas for example"

CJ sighed.

"Okay I'm cool with it, but you know what happens if you break her heart"

"Yeah Yeah, anyway we gotta get going it's time to have some fun"

CJ,Zoey and Micheal made there way to the soccer field, students were dancing everywhere, girls were twerking and boys were staring, the teachers seemed to be oblivious as they were in a corner of the field probably sharing a meaningful conversation or drugs.

"Damn look at that sky" said Zoey.

She was right the moon was full and bright and the stars shone no less, they walked towards the dance floor or the middle of the field filled with students and started dancing, Micheal had gone to meet Hilda and so it was only CJ and Zoey and they were having a blast, a few people had come to them and complimented their outfits, some even thought they were a couple because of their chemistry but CJ and Zoey were oblivious to this.

"Dude I'm having so much fun" said Zoey as she ruffled her hair like a crazy person.

"That's great I'm gonna go and take a break"

"Whatever you say" said Zoey as she continued dancing.

CJ walked into the hallways and got some punch he was lightly sipping it when he had the shock of his life, literally, because right in front of him in a tuxedo, was Lucious Manchester.

"Hey" said Lucious with a nervous smile.

But CJ didn't talk, he didn't move, he couldn't, all he could do was stare.