Secrets: The Hero Chronicles (Volume 1) (19 page)

Cora got into her handbag and handed me some money. “Okay, here is $160 for your dinner, picture, and whatever else.”

“Cora, we’re going to McDonald’s and then to the dance. I doubt the pictures are going to be $155.”

“Just take it, Nicholas. You never know.” She shoved the folded money into my hand and got out of the truck. She was carrying a black bag with her purse. We walked up to the group.

“Nicholas is here,” someone yelled. The crowd turned and they surrounded me. I knew most of them. Some of them I had class with; others were on the JV football team. I spotted Eric right in the middle. He was wearing a black suit, his hair was slicked back into a ponytail, and he was wearing a bright pink tie.

“Whose funeral?” I said to him.

He laughed and said so only I could hear him, “All the other guys, because they don’t have a chance with the ladies. But don’t worry, Keller, you can be my wingman and have my leftovers.” Then he shouted, “Okay, now everyone get together for pictures!”

I couldn’t believe my ears or eyes. Cora was orchestrating the pictures for the groups of moms next to us. Cora pulled a professional-looking camera out of the black bag. She kept directing us to move around while all of the other moms took pictures.

“Okay, that’s enough pictures. Let’s go!” Eric said. “Nicholas, Matt, Erin, Melissa and Livi, in the purple limo with me. The rest of you divide up into the white limos.”

I knew Eric had his eye on Livi, because when she went to get into the limo, he opened the door for her and offered his hand to help her in. The rest of the girls followed with no help from Eric. Then Matt got in, leaving Eric and I outside.

“So Eric, is Livi your girl?”

He looked at me with a grin that would shame the Cheshire Cat. “She is, but she just doesn’t know it yet.” I followed him into the limo.

We rolled down the window to wave to the moms. Cora gave me a wink. Livi was tall and slender with brown hair and pale skin. She had three classes with me, and from what I could tell, she was brilliant. She always knew all of the answers. I was a little stunned that Eric liked her. I always pictured his dream girl being a not-so-bright blonde and very mature for her age. Wasn’t Livi too smart for Eric? Maybe he was trying something new.

Melissa and Erin looked pretty much identical to each other—small, brownish-blonde hair. The only difference was their hairstyles. Erin had big curly hair and Melissa’s was long and straight. These two were the same ones in biology class that wouldn’t leave me alone the first couple of weeks. I had become good at blocking out their continuous chatter.

The inside of the limo was like something out of a movie. Everything was covered in leather or gold. Eric was talking to Livi, ignoring the rest of us. I was sitting next to Melissa, who also was admiring the limo.

“So, Nicholas, were you excited to win Prince? You know, being a new student and all,” Melissa asked. Matt, Erin, and Melissa all stared at me, waiting for my answer.

“Yes, it was a surprise.”

“After Keller hit Oliver during tryouts, I knew he would represent the Sophomore Class well,” Matt said.

“I don’t know much about football, but the way you inspired the varsity team after your injury, you had to win it for sure. If a sophomore could win King, you would have,” Erin said, winking at me.

Eric and Livi were still engrossed in their own conversation, which was a relief because Eric would have made what they were saying into some huge story, probably including a damsel in a tower and a dragon with Oliver’s head on it and me saving everyone.

I started to get hot. I cracked the window to cool down. The limo was beginning to feel really small. I was not used to people talking about me, especially people I barely knew. I didn’t like it. Melissa and Erin went on about how awesome the football team had been playing.

Matt chimed in, “Yeah, it’s incredible that they’re still winning. Oliver can’t seem to score any points. If it weren’t for the defense, we would have probably lost half of those games.”

Then Livi joined the conversation, “Wasn’t Oliver supposed to be good?”

Eric answered, “He was good on JV, but for some reason he couldn’t take it to the next level.”

Then the limo stopped abruptly. Erin pretended to fall into me.

“Excuse me,” she said, batting her eyes at me.

I felt uneasy being around these girls.

The driver rolled down the tinted window that separated us from him. “We have arrived at McDonald’s, sir.”

“Very good,” Eric replied. I was relieved to have a chance to escape Erin’s gaze.

Eating at McDonald’s was fun. We pretty much took over the entire restaurant. Melissa and Erin followed me around like lost puppies and made sure they sat by me, just like in biology class, but a lot closer. I made sure not to give either one of them the wrong impression because I was sure they were waiting for some sign of interest.

**

When Cora and I had first arrived at the school for registration in August, I had been stunned by how elaborate the school looked. But now, I would have sworn we were somewhere else if I hadn’t seen the Winsor High School sign out front. Our school had been decorated with millions of tiny white lights. They were on every tree, bush, and flower, and even the statue in the middle of the parking lot. The moonless night made the lights shine even brighter.

The three limos pulled up in front of the school behind some of the other limos letting off groups of people. I put a couple of Tic Tacs in my mouth just to calm my nerves. The ramp to the school’s entrance had a red carpet down the middle. There were old-fashioned lampposts lining both sides of the carpet. In between the posts were incredible flower arrangements, made up mostly of white roses on large concrete pedestals. We walked down the red carpet, but I lingered a couple of feet behind everyone. I marveled at how beautiful everything looked. The rest of our group didn’t seem to notice anything. Maybe they had just come to expect this sort of thing, and the elaborate decorations were nothing new. The school never cut any corners; they always did everything first class.

The decorations outside were nothing compared to the ones inside. The long hall that led to the lunchroom had vanished. The lockers on both sides had disappeared too. There was now a cobblestone path that weaved in and out of a rolling sea of multi-colored roses. Along the path were the same lamps from outside, lighting the path with flickering candlelight. Underneath each lamp was a sitting area, each with unique wooden benches. The roses looked so inviting. I wanted to jump into them and swim in the rolling sea. The girls in our group oohed and aahed at the decor while we walked through the enchanted setting. Both Erin and Melissa were right next to me.

Up ahead was the lunchroom; well, at least that’s what it used to be. The ceiling was filled with long, white flowing silk that shone iridescently. In the center was a hanging chandelier covered by millions of tiny crystals. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were actual diamonds.

“Okay, crew.” Eric turned around to address the group. “The dance ends at 11:00 p.m. and the limos will be out front at 10:45. We will leave at 11:15. If you aren’t there by then, you’ll have to find your own ride home.” After Eric finished talking, the group split up.

“Let’s go get our pictures taken, and then we can dance and get some grub,” Matt said. I’m sure Matt was more interested in the food. He was one of the bigger guys on the JV team. At McDonald’s he ate double the amount I did.

We followed him over to the gym. It still looked like a gym, but it was set up with a couple of spots to get your picture taken.

“So how do you want to do the pictures? Together or by couple?” Livi asked.

Before anyone could speak, Eric answered, “Let’s divide up by couples so we can make our parents happy.”

I hid my smile because I knew this was part of his plan to be with Livi. He was making his move.

“Livi and I will go first.”

Eric and Livi left us and walked up to the first picture station, which was also decorated with roses. Both Erin and Melissa grabbed my arm at the same time. The girls stared at each other, trying to get the other to let go. I felt like the rope in a game of tug-of-war. I looked at Matt and his face looked shocked, obviously because he wasn’t picked.

“Okay, I’ll get my picture taken with Matt,” I said, hoping to break the tension. Both the girls laughed and so did Matt.

Melissa walked over to Matt and grabbed his arm. They walked to an open photographer. Erin put her arm under mine, triumphantly hooking us together. Erin was much shorter than me, and her brown, curly hair kept getting in my face every time she turned her head, which she did a lot. It was like her head was on a swivel, scanning everyone around her to see who was staring at us. The photographer that took Eric’s picture called, “Who’s next?”

We walked over and I gave him $40, paying for both of our pictures.

“Why thank you, Nicholas. You’re such a gentleman,” Erin said, leaning in closer to me. I was already regretting paying for her pictures.

The photographer positioned us in the sea of flowers. Erin had repositioned herself almost entirely in front of me, not at my side like the photographer had put us. Right before he took the picture, I saw Elle pass behind the camera. My heart stopped. Oliver was right there with her. Poof, the flash went off, blinding me. I blinked a couple of times. I can’t imagine how I must have looked for the photo.

Erin asked, “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine,” I told her.

She gave me a big hug. “Well, good. I don’t want my date not feeling well,” she said loudly enough for everyone to hear.

We walked by one of the large light stands, where our group was waiting for us to finish. Elle and Oliver were next in line. Elle was staring at the ground, and didn’t look up. I was unable to see her face, but I could tell something was wrong.

We walked back into the transformed lunchroom. I was sure that when I saw Elle and Oliver together, it would ruin the entire evening, which it probably would have if I hadn’t seen that Elle was upset. My concern for her well-being suppressed any jealousy.

Erin dragged me out onto the dance floor, following Eric and Livi. Thank God my parents made me dance with them, because it turned out to be very useful. I didn’t recognize the music that was playing, but it had a good beat that I could dance to. Eric, Livi, Erin and I danced for what seemed like forever. Matt and Melissa danced to a few songs but then disappeared. I looked for Elle in the sea of dancers, but I never found her.

“Hey guys, do you want to go get something to eat?” I asked, speaking over the loud, thumping music.

“Eric, let’s go get some food,” Livi said.

“Okay, I can go for some food.”

The food area was set up on the opposite side of the lunchroom across from the gym, but all I could see was a long, tall wooden fence covered with ivy. There was a short line of people waiting to get into the small opening at the end of the fence, where a small podium stood with a glass lamp on it. At the top of the fence there were white pin lights illuminating the area where we were standing in line.

“So, Nicholas, how does this compare to your last school?” Livi asked.

“I don’t know. I didn’t go to Homecoming last year.”

Livi, Erin and Melissa gasped. Matt and Melissa had rejoined our group and were standing right behind us in line.

“Nicholas, I can’t believe it. Why not?” Erin asked.

“Well, I didn’t have anyone to go with,” I said.

Livi responded first, “I find that hard to believe. I know at least ten girls who would have killed to come to Homecoming with you tonight.” Livi looked over at Erin and Melissa.

We were just two groups away from the hostess, when Jennifer and Julie, Elle’s so-called friends, came walking out of the food area. They were both wearing identical short, skintight pink dresses. Both of them had their hair all done up in an elaborate style with diamonds pinned throughout. They were followed by their dates, and then right behind them was Oliver. He looked upset. I stood closer to the fence, hoping he wouldn’t see me standing there. Elle trailed a couple of feet behind him. He looked back at her, shook his head, and walked away quickly to catch up with Jennifer and Julie and their dates. I could only see Elle from behind.

“How many in your group?” The hostess was older, probably in her twenties. She was dressed in a black suit and a bow tie. She looked like she belonged behind a bar at a wedding reception.

Matt responded, “There are six of us.”

The woman looked at her clipboard and said, “Just a moment.”

I watched her disappear into the fenced area, which was still invisible to our group. Eric walked up to the entrance and I followed him, curious to see what was hidden behind the fence. It wasn’t just a bunch of tables with cookies and punch. There were black leather booths everywhere. Some of them were raised off the ground and others were floor level. Once again, surrounding everything was a sea of roses, but this time the roses had fountains in between shooting water from one area to another. Connecting the booths together were cobblestone paths similar to those we had seen at the entrance. Each table had an oil lamp as lighting. The lamp was only producing enough light for the people sitting there to see each other. From the outside, you couldn’t tell who was sitting at each booth. There were more people in tuxedos and black bow ties buzzing from table to table, taking orders and delivering food. This was as nice, if not nicer, than any restaurant I had ever been in.