Moonstruck ⟡ HS

27

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link: bit.ly/3JSc97t
SHADES OF COOL | LANA DEL REY
MANIAC | MICHAEL SEMBELLO
SHE WILL ALWAYS BE A BROKEN GIRL | SHE WANTS REVENGE
MIRRORBALL | TAYLOR SWIFT

"You have got to be joking me."

Deeply sighing with a shake of her head, she truly couldn't believe her eyes. She reads over her name once, twice, and then four more times before reading other names that were listed above and below her own. She thought this kind of thing was completely and utterly ridiculous, she didn't want other people in her class thinking this was something important, but she knew she didn't really have a choice at this point. It was already established, already printed and ready to go, and now all she had to do was face the music.

"What do you mean?" Alice questions, "Everyone in the school loves you, Josie, of course you're going to be nominated for prom queen."

Prom queen—she thought it was such a pompous title to have as a teenage girl, even the nomination alone was enough to make her squirm. Sure, she liked to be friendly with everyone, kindness was her first approach to everything, and she knew almost everyone in school by name; but she didn't think that alluded to a vast amount of popularity, or something as materialistic or as pointless as being prom queen. She liked being kind and friendly because that's just who she was, not so she can win prom queen and win some cheap crown.

"It's stupid." She deadpans, causing Alice to laugh as she crumbles up the ballot in her hand before tossing it in a nearby trash bin. "You know I'm right, Alice, nothing good can come out of a popularity contest like this. One person wins, everyone else gets their hopes up and their dreams crushed, and then all the attention is on one person despite no one else really caring."

"Well, when you put it that way—"

"Hey, Josephine! Alice!" A voice called out from behind them, causing them to spin around and see Robbie Norman and his friend, Jake, making their way towards them.

She hasn't seen or talked to Robbie in a little over a week, when he tried to ask her out and got interrupted by Harry's intimidating presence—although, she wasn't mad at him shutting it down, she didn't like hurting anyone's feelings. She thought he was avoiding her at all costs after what happened, but now that he was catching her attention like this, she didn't know what idea he had in mind. Maybe he had head trauma and forgot about what happened, she thinks to herself while glancing over at Alice, who looked just as bewildered as she did.

"Hi, Robbie. Jake." She nods, offering a kind smile despite feeling a little weird. "What's up?"

"I heard you were nominated for prom queen, congrats—although, I can't say I'm surprised. I don't think anyone has anything bad to say about you." Robbie says with a smile that made her feel a little uneasy.

"Told you so—ow!" Alice begins and gets cut off by her elbow nudging her in the side.

"So . . ." Robbie swallows, "do you have a date—like, to prom?"

"Well—"

"Yes, she does. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have to—umm . . . get to class."  Alice cuts in with a forced smile, grabbing her arm before walking past the two boys and pulling her away. "God, that was awkward." Alice mumbles with an eye roll.

"Alice, he was just trying to be nice—"

"He was just trying to get in your jeans, Josie." Alice interrupts with a head shake, "I love that you always want to see the good in people, but Robbie's a douche like the rest of his friends. You have no business being his date to prom."