Originally Published: August 18, 2023
I sighed as I grew frustrated with my mess of curly, blonde hair. It naturally did this and it looked nice, but it was impossible to brush through some days. I wanted to look extra nice because it was rumored a celebrity would be attending our school. It was for a show, where they would go to a normal high school, and then pick one of the students to attend prom with at the end of the year. I had no idea who had been selected, only it was an eligible bachelor from Los Angeles. I decided to just put my hair into pigtail braids, since it was a wild mess by the time I got it brushed. I knew I had looked cuter before, but it was the best I could do with the bus coming any minute.
"Hey, do you think Brad Pitt could be the mystery guy," my little sister, Ruth, questioned as we went to the bus stop.
"I doubt it. I think he's busy with some movie right now," I absentmindedly answered. Even though she was younger than me it was only by two years, so she was a freshman, while I was a junior. We got along fairly well for siblings, and even fangirled over the same boys sometimes. I just wasn't in the mood for guessing games when I felt ugly this morning. I was jealous how she had gotten cute, naturally wavy hair instead of difficult curls. It was still blonde like mine though, only she had her bangs parted to the side, while I had a fringe. We ended up having to sit together, since it was extra crowded on the vehicle.
"Do you want me to fix your hair? I could tell you were frustrated with it this morning. I heard you sighing from the hallway," she pointed out.
"No, it's in place now, so I don't want to mess with it."
"You still look cute. Maybe this celebrity guy will ask you to the prom."
"Not with how I look today," I groaned, just not in the right headspace to accept compliments. I leaned my head against the cool window, just staring at the passing greenery.
When we finally got to the building I left my sister in a flash, too anxious to find out about the new guy to wait any longer. Everyone was gathering in the main lobby after a limousine was spotted outside. The teachers ushered us to our lockers though, reassuring us we would all find out about him with the morning announcements. I sat by myself in History, used to not having specific friends. I had gotten used to it ever since my best friend moved to San Francisco, which was a year ago. The room went dead silent when the television was turned on at the front of the class. It was the usual popular students giving out the news, and I could tell the girl was more anxious than normal. She had her legs crossed and kept jiggling them, while her hands rested on top of her jean covered knee.
"So, as many of you have been waiting for... The male celebrity that will be attending our school this year will not be a mystery anymore," she read off a sheet of paper as though her life depended on it. "He will step into the camera now, for I don't think he needs any introduction."
It was obvious she didn't even know who he was beforehand, since her hand flew over her mouth when I saw an arm. She was literally crying as she tried to catch her breath, me able to see a tall torso, until the guy bent over a little to see into the camera. The broadcasters were seated, so that's why it wasn't aimed higher. My jaw dropped along with every other single person. A pair of ocean eyes was grinning adorably into the lenses, his curtain bangs falling perfectly over his face.
"Hi," he waved, the girl running off as she freaked out.
"This is Leonardo DiCaprio in case some of you didn't know," the original guy in there informed us. I felt numb instead of the way I expected. I think I was in a state of shock, and it was harder to believe since I had always seen him on a television screen. "Now, please treat him like a normal person. First off, we don't want to overcrowd him, and second, it will be better for the documentary."
