"It's prom season."
I laugh at this. Every girl dreams of going to prom. Aphmau dismisses it, saying it feels like a normal dance, but the twinkle in her eyes when she talks about it begs to differ. I know I will not be going to prom because only my boyfriend can take me, and that's definitely not happening.
"I don't know why you're so concerned about this. We're sophomores. We can't go unless asked by an upperclassman." I look over at Kandi before shrugging. "Nevermind. You're Kandi, a Ro'meave, and you're hot. They'll be lines of boys willing to ask you to prom. I can do your makeup if you'd like."
"Oh please, you'll be going too," Kandi retorts, shutting her locker with her foot. The sound of slamming metal is something I've grown accustomed to. "Besides, you're Alex, a Zvahl, and you're not too bad on the eyes yourself."
I roll my eyes, dismissing this. Even if someone else would ask me, I'd have to deny them. It'd be awkward in more ways than one.
"My last name isn't going to get me places. It's a good name, but it isn't like yours."
Comparing last names has never gotten any of us far. Some have last names oozing in power, and the rest of us. . . well, it's just us. Typically, this isn't something we do. It causes any conversation to go downhill, so it's surprising that this one stayed upright for as long as it had. Maybe it was the joking tone that set it off.
I don't often talk to Zane, so there isn't a need to bring up the Ro'meave name. It can be a hit or miss with Vylad and Kandi. It really depends on how it's being brought about and what the topic is for. But the one person I don't bring it up to is Garroth. He becomes finicky with it because he's the eldest. Inheriting a large company isn't something he wants, but what his father wants for him.
"I wonder if someone will ask me to prom," Aphmau peeps up, sitting herself down at the lunch table. The boys typically fall into the table after us. They take a little while getting here from their lockers and last class.
"Now that Aaron's gone, it could be anyone," Katelyn comments. She stabs at the mashed potatoes on her plate before mixing in corn. My nose scrunches up at the action in disgust. She notices this, but this is a normal thing I do, so she doesn't care. While she does that, I toss around my salad to equally coat the lettuce with dressing. "Maybe even Garroth."
The bite in my mouth begins to taste like sand. I have to force myself to swallow it. I have to force myself to continue eating it, too. "Yeah, maybe even Garroth." It's hard to prevent myself from sounding bitter, so I question if I should've stayed quiet. No one questions my words, and the conversation continues without the mood changing, so they must've come off well.
I take a bite from my salad and force a smile as I eat it. I would kill for anything else at this point. . . or nothing at all, but I have to eat or else Laurance will yell at me. If I'm not quickly shoveling food into my mouth to get rid of it, I'm pushing it side to side with my fork.
"What are you ladies talking about?" Garroth asks, pushing his tray onto the table and sitting down. Laurance and Dante follow after him. It's like they're in a little pack and Garroth is somehow the leader.
"Prom and finding dates," I comment, looking up at him. I feel like my next words are a dig to him. "Though, some of us are hopeless."
He flinches slightly. Others don't notice it, but I do. I was expecting it, so I was looking for it.
"Proms over a month away," Laurance laughs, shaking his head before looking at Kandi and I. "Did you get a date, Al? What about you, Kandi?"
I look over to Kandi and improperly place my elbow on the table. I rest my chin on the back of it to get a better look at her, my chest facing her.
"As of right now, we're sitting at home in our pajamas on the couch unless we're asked," she jokes, sending a soft glare at me. Laurance asked about us, not the other girls. There's obviously an intention towards Kandi. What did I say before? She's going. It just depended on which guy she accepts.
"I'd take you if I could," Vylad comments from beside me. I give him a sad smile. "But we're both in the same boat."
When I look forward again, I lock eyes with Garroth. My hand reaches out for my water as a distraction. He was looking at me first and was waiting for me to return the gaze.
"I'd take you," Garroth says, shrugging as if it's not going to get one of us killed. How can he be so calm about this? I nearly choke on my water, and this causes the other side of the table to look in our direction. I wipe the excess water from my lips and chin from my surprise. "That is, if Laurance would agree not to kill me for doing so."
Laurence's eyes bore on my choking state. He finds my dismantled state to be utterly hilarious. "I'm thinking about it. Don't touch her ass when you dance."
Garroth nods and smiles softly at me. There's a knowing look in his eye. He just fooled Laurance into giving us his permission, and he doesn't know it yet.
"Hold on. You can't just assume I'll go with you," I comment, becoming sassy. "You have to ask. And if you ask right now, I will say no."
"What my sister wants, she gets."
That's not true in the slightest.
