Homecoming with Prince Charming.

Whispers broke out.

I could see some angry faces and I felt guilty as I saw a girl holding a letter, behind Chris, burst into tears.

She had probably spent the whole night writing it to Chris.

She looked at me like I had stepped hard on her toe.

Every eye was on me.

" Don't run." Chris said to me.

Just as if he read my mind.

I was planning that. Running away was always my remedy.

Plus, this wasn't my school, I could always hide forever.

Chris put his arm round me and led me out and at that moment, I could tell Chris had many crushers.

(Hehe wrong English, right. Get used to me using the word 'crushers')

He led me out of the school building, and was about to walk me to my school building when we heard Val's voice.

" Chris, get down here and tell Sam to leave me alone!" She shouted as she kept on bobbing in and out of sight like someone was attempting to drag her away.

" Oh, not Val, doesn't the dude know how much Mera likes him? She spent the whole damn night planning on how to ask him out." Chris said and ran in Val's direction.

*Wow, so Mera liked Sam, and she always acted chill around him.* I thought and right then and there, as I walked, I began to daydream.

* If I had a crush, and loved him so much, and then he liked Jane and not me….* and so it went from one thought to another until it jumped to thoughts of me dating Chris, and then I shook my head and hit it.

It was then, I realized I had been going the wrong way all along.

I ended up at the back of the school.

" So, are you writing songs for me for homecoming?" I heard a voice and out of curiosity, I turned and peeped.

I had heard and recognized the second voice before I saw the face.

" I'm really busy. How on earth am I to form a song?"

That was Mike's voice, and the other was Whitney.

So, they were dating.

Wow, I never imagined that.

" Oh come on, Mike. My friends are all getting something special, and I don't need anything right now. I just need lots of PDA (Public Display of Affection)."

" I'll do a PDA anytime, but not now. I've got a lot on my mind now. It's like, I could go crazy."

" Well, add me to that lot you have on your mind if you really care about me." She said, and stormed off in the opposite direction.

For some reason, I got angry.

She was pressuring him! She didn't even know what he was going through and was being so demanding.

He looked at his feet for a while, before going in the direction she passed.

After I was certain that I wasn't going to meet any of them on the road, I found my way out to the school.

As I passed the corridors feeling so happy about homecoming and guessing what my dress was going to look like, a girl running bumped into me and I fell.

" Ouch!"

"I'm sorry. Truly sorry. Wait! You're Pris right?" The girl asked.

" Yeah, I am." I said, rubbing my buttock as I stood.

" Tryouts start during break! What are you doing here?" She asked, and I remembered the dance team tryouts!

We both ran…

" Where is it?" I asked.

" Next to the basketball court."

" We ran through halls and corridors and finally, we got there

She opened the doors and we entered.

" So, these two are the last for today. No more pleading." An older girl said, looking at us.

I sighed out of relief.

"Here for tryouts, am I right?" She asked.

"Yeah" we said.

" One at a time. Step forward." She said, and I stepped forward.

Instantly, I became the center of attention.

All around, girls and guys looked at me and stared.

And then the music started.

" 5… 4… 3… 2…1 Lego!…"

I started to dance from jumping, to twirling, to twisting, to whining, to twerking, to handsprings, fantastic leg moves, and completely slow twisting and whining, I danced until sweat poured out of every part of my head and body.

I was a good dancer. I knew it.

Cam always told me whenever she took videos of my dance moves…

What a pity. The Song was finally over, while I had more to show.

Applause broke out, and I was guided to one of the pavements to seat.

Then the other girl started.

It seemed like her main dance move was breaking as she kept on breaking her body and adding some other nice moves.

"Now, we have come to an end of the tryouts, and only twelve people out of twenty-four made it." The older girl said, after the song had come to an end and she and the other girls discussed in whispers.

" Britney Stone, Calby Waters, Genevra White…"

I could see shining faces etched with worry and some breaking into relief as their names were called.

" Adelaide Sterling, Juni Bell, Hayden Smith, Bianca Jones, Kelly Donn, Miranda Hawks, Flynn Campbell, Priscilla Davids and Maybelle Whitehead"

I held my face in my hands and a tear escaped my eye.

* Just kidding, no tear escaped my eye*

I loved it whenever I was able to meet the requirements of something.

They gave me the Archville dance team jacket, which was lavender. My favorite color.

It was a hoodie with Archville girls written at the back in bold, gold letters and then on the sides of the zip at the front was Archville written in curly golden letters.

I was so proud of it. It smelled nice, and then I walked with it in my arms to the class.

I sat down.

" So, have you gotten a date for homecoming?" Drake, my seat partner, asked me.

" Yeah… did you?"

" With the look you had on your face, I thought you were scared to, so I denied the list of girls asking me."

" What? You denied them?" I asked.

" Not really. Some wrote letters so, I could write back and get anyone if I wanted to."

" Oh." I said.

" Got a boyfriend yet?" He asked me.

" Um… no." I said.

Did he want to ask me out???

" Wow, be expecting one soon."

"Why"

" You were the topic yesterday" he said and my heart leapt.

" I was?" I asked in surprise.

" All the guys think you're cute." He said with a smile, and the red color seeped onto my face.

" In class?"

" Some from class, some not from here, and some from the high school."

" The high school?"

Just as I was about to ask for more details, a teacher entered.

The students started to protest that the break was not over and then, the bell rang, and the teacher pointed to the clock with her lips tight.

Everyone groaned and brought out their books.

" So, have you seen anyone you like?" He asked me.

I blushed.

" Nope, not yet, but soon." I said because I was well known back at home for falling for different guys the way butterflies perched on different flowers.

When it was closing, I ran to the class I and Mike met for the first time, in hopes of him being there and yeah, he was.

I peeped from the door.

He was sitting on the ground with his knee raised, and a paper was lying against it while he head the head of his pen in his mouth.

I read what he had written on the paper.

*You mean everything to me,

You're my little world and everything in it*

I could see that he was really trying to think of something to write, so I opened the door wider and entered the class. He looked at me and I stretched out my hand.

" Give it to me. I'll help you." I said, and he gave me a puzzled look.

" I heard Whitney telling you to make her a song, so, just give it to me."

He kept on staring at me, so, I sat next to him and took the paper and began to write.

" When you come around.

I go blank like a sheet of paper

With only you on my mind" I sang as I wrote.

" Wow… that's a… that's a nice talent you got there, Pris"

" Thanks. So, tell me how you feel about her." I said.

" Hmm, when she's upset, I feel like I'm in trouble and can't breathe. Like, you know, when you like someone so much, and then the person gets mad at you."

" I think I'd cry. But you're a guy, of course, so, let's put it this way. 'You take my every breath away when I can't do nothing but see you mad at me…' how's that?" I asked

" I love it! Okay, okay. I want her to know she's pretty and I… I get butterflies when I think of her…" he said in an excited tone.

" And you're as enchanting as the moon and pretty as a star,

so much you make my heart flutter" I sang.

" Seriously, how do you make everything rhyme?"

" Don't know… it comes to me naturally."

" Okay, so I'll give you the beat, and you sing the song."

He started drumming with his palms and fists, and it made a nice rhythm and I sang in my nice voice.

" You mean everything to me,

You're my little world and everything in it.

"When you come around,

"I go blank like a sheet of paper with only you on my mind

"You take my every breath away when I can't do nothing

"But see you mad at me

"And you're as enchanting as the moon and pretty as a star

"So much you make my heart flutter." I sang

" Let's make more. I like it." he said, and we began to add more words, and we laughed at everything from the tone, to the words and the rhyme and altogether, I had a great time.

" Thanks for the song." He said when we finally wrapped it up.

" You're welcome." I said, and I looked at my fingers since there was nothing to say.

" You know… you really helped me a lot, since you came.

"Actually, I'm not the smoking type, I just felt so bitter and let's say the day you saw me was the third day of me smoking.

"And strangely, I've had a reason to hold on, to come to school and that strolling part has really been helping…

" It's like you're the only one who notices I'm not fine. And you know, Whitney's starting to think I'm not showing her enough love, and there's this guy who seems to be competing with me for her love.

"And I can't tell Whitney that I'm feeling jealous every now and then. She doesn't even notice it. It's like… like, she likes him back, he's always buying stuff and…" I patted him on the back slowly, and I could tell he didn't expect it because he shook slightly.

" She'll come around. Find a day to tell her how you feel, and if she really loves you, she'll try to change. Yeah, she can't avoid the guy, but, she'll limit some things and hang out with you more. Just don't force yourself though, when you feel ready to, just do it." I said in my gentlest voice.

" Yeah, you're right. Really. I should talk to her about it."

" So, anything else on your mind?"

" Not really, but I have this severe mood swings, at first, it was only at home, but, now it happens in school too.

"Sometimes, I get cranky, moody, angry, sad and I just don't get it, I yelled at my friends to leave me alone a while ago because they kept bugging me to have fun with them.

" Now I feel guilty, what do you think is wrong with me?" He asked, turning to me, and I turned to him.

" Everything, I think you're zooming fast into a state of depression, and you know depression kills, right? Just, don't try anything stupid. Take a stroll."

" I can't" he said, looking away.

" Why? I thought you said it works."

" I almost hit my mum last night, and my dad had to see that. So, I was grounded. Only school. The drivers are going to take me immediately after school, they're waiting right now, so I won't do anything stupid like running away and also, my phone has been seized." he said,

" Why would they seize your phone?"

" So I can feel the remorse I'm never going to feel in a thousand years?" He said.

" First thing tomorrow… tell me everything that happened at home, okay."

" Yes boss." he said and laughed.

I smiled.

It felt great for someone to confide in me.

And It felt great to feel like I had a bestie, maybe I even had a bestie.

As we stepped out of the corridors, and down the stairs, we saw Whitney running towards us with her hair flying behind her.

I looked at Mike, and he turned away, and I laughed.

" You made it! And, oh, have you met my boyfriend? He's cute, isn't he?"

" Yeah, just the guy for you." I said, and she blushed and came in between us, putting her hands round our elbows.

" I'm so glad you're now in the dance team, you were awesome, like, wow, with a body like that, you can do all sorts of dances? Sunshine will never be able to beat us. Mikey, don't you smell something?" She asked

" Like what?"

" Hmm… so you can't smell a thing."

" Just tell me what I'm supposed to smell."

" My hair, I used your favorite shampoo to wash it in the girl's bathroom!" She said, and I thought she was rather cute.

" Really? I think I smell it now."

" So, homecoming?" She asked, and I knew she was talking about the song.

" I'm going to blow your mind." he said, and she looked excited.

" Oh really? Can't wait! So, Pris have you gotten a date for homecoming?" She asked.

" Yeah I have" I said.

" Who? Drake?" She said with a brow raised.

" Woah, oh no. It's my cousin, Chris" I said

" Chris is your cousin?" Mike asked me.

"Yeah"

" You mean Prince Charming who's competing with Guy Handsome?" Whitney asked.

" Who's Guy Handsome?"

" Oh, you'll know him soon." Whitney said.

Guy Handsome. Weird name.

It was then I realized why everyone stared when I entered the high school building with Chris holding my hand.

He was well known in the school.

When I got home, Mera and Val came bouncing to my side.

" So you asked Chris to homecoming with your loudest voice?" Mera asked unbelievably.

" Uh… it was a mistake." I said in a small voice.

" A lovely mistake! I can't wait to see Ella Badlapur's face when she realized a cute girl from nowhere took her crush away." Val said, using a finger to stroke my chin and I blushed and brushed it away.

The next day, which was Thursday, I met Mike at the gate, and he put his arm round me.

" So, nothing happened at home, I slept."

" Just like that?" I asked

" You know how I managed it?" He asked

" How?" I said and he chuckled.

" I thought of you." he said, and I blushed scarlet

" Me?"

" I imagined you telling me to go to bed in that gentle voice, telling me that everything will be alright, I managed to sleep even with my mum's crazy sounds coming from the living room." he said smiling.

" Really, shouldn't you do something about that?" I said.

" There's nothing to do except to wait until my dad's alright. Then, I'll break the bomb." he said, smiling and I laughed.

Thursday passed just like that and someone fast-forwarded the clock to Friday evening when I was checking dresses for homecoming.

I searched all around for my party dresses and then I decided to go for shopping because my date was Chris and I had to look good to match his Prince Charming looks and who knows, I could be called Princess Beautiful.

<<<

I bought a dress!

And honestly, It's beautiful, but, I'm gonna save its description for later!

It's totally crazy, and I have never dreamed of wearing something like it!

Home coming starts at 5:00pm, but most of the students arrive at 6:00pm, so Chris decided we leave by 6:30pm.

Mera had gone to Sam's house while Val was going with her friends since her date was at school.

So only I, and Chris were left at home.

And now, he's knocking.

" Get ready. I know girls take an hour to dress up." he said and left.

Well, he didn't tell a lie. The time was 5:40pm and I still had to straighten my hair. At least, only for the night.

I took my bath, so I could look prettier, and sat in my towel in front of my dressing mirror.

I brought out my hair straightener and straightened my wavy hair out till, it was as smooth as silk and as straight as a ruler.

Not only that, but I looked different.

Likewise, I used sweet-scented oils which smelled like lovely flowers to rub my hair and I, myself, fell in love with the scent.

After that, I brought out the shining silver heels with little diamonds hitched on them.

And finally, my dress!

It was a deep purple with no arms and the top part was shaped like a 'm'.

At the back were purple strings connecting to each other, exposing my back through their lines.

It was a really fitting gown and was covered in studs, but the best part of it was the slit that ran down my lap to the floor.

I looked like a movie star. Immediately I saw the dress, I knew I'd love to try it on.

I plaited my hair into a single braid, leaving some hair on the left side of my face, and rolled it into a bun and completed it with a silver hairpin.

"My neck seems bare. What do I put?" I asked myself as I went through my drawer.

"Ooh yeah." I said and put on a silver colored choker that had a large silver heart dangling from it.

"Okay, this is pretty." I said, smiling to myself in the mirror. "Oh wait. Snacks."

I packed my little purse with snacks that I knew I'd love to eat and sprayed my body with a sweet smelling body spray.

When I was done, the time was almost 6:40pm.

I walked down the stairs gingerly and called.

" Chris?"

He turned around in his sparkling white suit and took me in with his eyes.

His mouth wasn't open, but his eyes were.

He looked at me slowly from up to down, and he couldn't tear his eyes away, and I knew that he was more than impressed.

He walked up to me coolly without taking his eyes off me for once, while my heart drummed the national anthem in my chest.

Not only that, but he held my waist.

" You look beautiful… beyond beautiful." He said with a charming smile.

" Uh… yeah, thanks… you look… you look handsome." I said blushing.

" Tonight, you're not my cousin, you're Priscilla, my date." He said.

My heart did a high jump and I choked on my spit.

Cough cough cough.

" Are you okay?" He asked and I nodded quickly.

" Yeah, yeah I'm fine."

" Did you hear that? You're not my cousin. You're my girl, and you don't deserve to be walking, you're too pretty for that. He said. I finally understood why he was called Prince charming.

And in one move he swept me off my feet and carried me in his arms.