Someday, Who Knows?

Chapter 22: The Altercation

The school buzzed with excitement as preparations for the upcoming prom were in full swing. The theme this year was "A Night Under the Stars," and the gym was being transformed into a celestial wonderland. Twinkling fairy lights were strung from the ceiling, giving the impression of a starlit sky, while silver and gold decorations shimmered throughout the room. Students worked on creating an ethereal atmosphere, with soft music playing in the background and everyone eagerly discussing their plans and outfits.

One afternoon, Ellie was sitting in a quiet corner of the school library, reading her notes. Her concentration was broken when she heard a familiar voice from a nearby table.

"Are you not going to ask me as your date to the prom?" Ress's voice floated over.

Ellie looked up, her heart skipping a beat. She noticed Ress standing in front of Charlie, who was seated a few tables away. Charlie's eyes found hers immediately. "I already asked someone," he confirmed, his gaze steady. "Right, Ellie?"

Ellie raised her head fully, feeling Ress's intense gaze. She walked toward her, "sorry, I probably missed your name. I'm Ress," she said, extending her hand.

Ellie smiled awkwardly, shaking it. "Ellie."

"If Charlie invited you, you must be someone he's interested in. I'm so jealous. He used to be so obsessed with me, and now he's invited someone else to prom. That's been my dream ever since, you know, to have this moment with Charlie," she narrated, her voice dripping with nostalgia.

Ellie glanced at Charlie, noticing the flare in his eyes. "That's enough, Ress," he warned.

Ress turned her head slowly, following Charlie's. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at Ellie again, running up and down as if judging her. Ellie felt a shiver run down her spine, interpreting the look as one of scrutiny and dismissal.

Ress pouted, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Ellie gulped, "Why don't you just take Ress to prom, Charlie? Jeremy also invited me, so..." Ellie cut her words short, feeling the tension rise.

Charlie's face darkened with disappointment. "I invited you first, Ellie..." he whispered, but his words were interrupted when Ress exclaimed.

"Oh Ellie, you're an angel! Charlie, I look forward to our date." She smiled sweetly and walked away.

Charlie's eyes didn't move away from Ellie, making her feel worse. "Do you want me to be with her at prom?" he asked, and Ellie felt the loud beating of her heart.

How am I supposed to answer that? Ellie thought, her mind racing.

Ellie felt a lump in her throat, emotions swirling inside her. "Do you want to be with her?" she asked back.

Charlie smiled, but it was a pained expression, his eyes reflecting both frustration and hurt. "I invited you in good faith, excited to spend time with you," he said, his voice tinged with sadness. "But you just drop me off to be with Ress, a blatant excuse so you can be with Jeremy?"

Ellie felt the weight of his words. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing thoughts. "It's not like that, Charlie," she said softly, struggling to find the right words. "I just... I didn't want to come between you two. I saw how much she means to you."

Am I wrong?

Charlie shook his head, his expression one of disbelief. "You don't know what I feel, Ellie. It makes me sad that you've already decided what's best for me, even though that's not what I want."

"But she's your first love!" Ellie blurted out, unable to contain her thoughts any longer.

Charlie's face darkened, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Did Jeremy tell you that?" he asked, his voice low and tense.