Captains

Chapter 15

As soon as we get to the school, I change out of my heels and into my Vans. Rider just laughs, and offers his arm. I take it, and we walk into the gym.

I never had paid attention to the recent announcements about homecoming, but I am pleasantly surprised by the design. There are fake gold column everywhere with navy panels in between them. It hits me almost instantly what the theme of homecoming is, Beauty and the Beast. It's the famous ballroom. I can tell just from glancing around, that there are about 20 girls in gold dresses, and I'm glad I have on black.

"I'm so glad you're not in gold." Rider says beside me, reading my mind.

"Why am I here again?" I say, sarcastic dripping in my voice.

"Because you like me." He jokes.

"I don't think that's it." And I drag him to the dance floor.

**************

After about an hour of dancing, I decide I need a break. Rider and I go sit down at a table with Brooklyn, Cali, Trystan, and Flynn, who have been dancing with us most of the time.

I don't know if I'm happy or not about the fact that a slow song has yet to come on.

Obviously the universe makes the decision for me, because the next song that comes on is Imagination my Shawn Mendes. Rider stands up, grabs my hand and drags me to the dance floor.

"You're doing it wrong. You're supposed to ask me." I laugh.

He puts one hand around my waist and keeps my hand in his other. "I'm not asking you. I know you're answer is yes." He smiles, then, to my surprise, starts singing softly.

"Oh, there she goes again, Every morning it's the same. You walk on by my house. I wanna call out your name. I want to tell you how beautiful you are from where I'm standing. You got me thinking what we could be 'cause, I keep craving, craving, you don't know it but it's true. Can't get my mouth to say the words they want to say to you. This is typical of love. Can't wait anymore, I won't wait, I need to tell you how I feel when I see us together forever. In my dreams you're with me, We'll be everything I want us to be. And from there, who knows, maybe this will be the night that we kiss for the first time, Or is that just me and my imagination. We walk, we laugh, we spend our time walking by the ocean side. Our hands are gently intertwined. A feeling I just can't describe. All this time we spent alone, thinking we could not belong to something so damn beautiful. So damn beautiful. I keep craving, craving, you don't know it, but it's true. Can't get my mouth to say the words they want to say to you. This is typical of love. Can't wait anymore, I won't wait I need to tell you how I feel when I see us together forever. In my dreams, you're with me, We'll be everything I want us to be. And from there, who knows, maybe this will be the night that we kiss for the first time, Or is that just me and my imagination. Imagination. Imagination. In my dreams, you're with me, We'll be everything I want us to be. And from there, who knows, maybe this will be the night that we kiss for the first time, Or is that just me and my imagination. I keep craving, craving, you don't know it, but it's true. Can't get my mouth to say the words they want to say to you."

As the music stops, I look at him. Really look at him. He starts to lean in. I'm going to let this guy, who has taken me by surprise every single day that I have known him, since that stupid dare, kiss me. As his lips brush mine, we are torn apart by some of his buddies coming up and surrounding us, as a new song comes on.

After a few more songs, Brooklyn, Trystan, Cali, and Flynn join us, just as one of my favorite songs comes on. Me, Brooklyn, and Cali know this song too well.

We all grab our dates' hand and start singing, kind of dancing around. "Yeah you! Yeah you! I used to wanna be, Living like there's only me, But now I spend my time, Thinking 'bout a way to get you off my mind (Yeah you!) I used to be so tough, Never really gave enough, And then you caught my eye, Giving me the feeling of a lightning strike, (Yeah you!) Look at me now, I'm falling, I can't even talk, still stuttering, This ground of mine keeps shaking, Oh oh oh, now!, All I wanna be, yeah all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah, Is somebody to you, All I wanna be, yeah all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah, Is somebody to you, Everybody's tryna be a billionaire, But every time I look at you I just don't care, 'Cause all I wanna be, yeah all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah, Is somebody to you, (Yeah you!) I used to ride around, I didn't wanna settle down, But now I wake each day, Looking for a way that I can see your face, (Yeah you!), I've got your photograph, But baby I need more than that, I need to know your lips, Nothing ever mattered to me more than this (Yeah you!) Look at me now, I'm falling, I can't even talk, still stuttering, This ground of mine keeps shaking, Oh oh oh, now!"

 By then, the guys have caught in, and start singing along, and were all in a circle singing and dancing, "All I wanna be, yeah all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah, Is somebody to you, All I wanna be, yeah all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah, Is somebody to you, Everybody's tryna be a billionaire, But every time I look at you I just don't care, 'Cause all I wanna be, yeah all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah, Is somebody to you (Yeah you!) Look at me now, I'm falling, I can't even talk, still stuttering, All I wanna be, yeah all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, (Yeah you!) All I wanna be, yeah all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah, Is somebody to you, All I wanna be, yeah all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah,Is somebody to you, (Yeah you!), All I wanna be, yeah all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah, Is somebody to you, All I wanna be, yeah all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah, Is somebody to you (Yeah you!) Everybody's trying to be a billionaire, But every time I look at you I just don't care 'Cause all I wanna be, yeah all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah, Is somebody to you (Yeah you!) 'Cause all I wanna be, yeah all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah, Is somebody to you (Yeah you!) Yeah you!"

"I need to use the restroom." I say, and head to it in the gym lobby. There is an insane line. It takes me 10 minutes before I even get to use it.

As I go into it, Kayla walks by and smiles at me. "I like your dress, Sterling." I smile and continue on my way.

When I walk back into the gym, I automatically find Cali. "Where is everyone?"

Cali smiles. "Rider's looking for you. Everyone else is at the table."

I head toward back toward the lobby, and see the last thing I would ever expect, although I can't say I'm surprised. Kayla is walking into the lobby, holding onto the jacket sleeve of Rider, with him looking behind him, around the gym, but missing me.

My world stops. The look on Kayla's face, pure mischief and joy, is unmistakable. I can't believe this. I run for the back of the gym, and rush out the doors. I can't stop the tears. I let them flow freely. I fall against the wall, and slide down it, wrapping my arms around my knees, and sob. Not 10 seconds later, Cali and Brooklyn come outside, find me, and drop down with me.

"What happened?" Brooklyn asks, petting my hair like a child.

I laugh. "I opened up. I fucking fell in love with him, and, like I should have expected, he broke my heart. This whole thing is my fault."

"This is not your fault. What happened?"

"He just left. With Kayla."

Brooklyn stands up. "That motherfucker."

I stand up. "Whatever. I'm going home. I can't believe this." Then I look at Brooklyn. "Did I say what I think I said?"

Brooklyn and Cali slowly nod their heads. "You're in love with him."

"Oh. My. God. No no no no no. I can't be," I say, trying to somehow justify this. But I can't. "I love him. Oh my god."

"Come on. We're going back to my house." Brooklyn says, grabbing my and Cali's arm, and heading inside.

When we get through the gym, Flynn and Trystan catch up. Trystan looks at me, and shocked is the only word to describe his expression. "What happened?"

Brooklyn kisses his cheek. "I'm taking your car. Come get it tomorrow." And we're out the door.

We're almost to the car, and I hear fast footsteps behind me. "Sterling! I've been looking for you! Wait. Where are you going? What's wrong? What happened?" He grabs my arm, gently trying to turn me.

As soon as I look at his face, I punch him right in the jaw. He stumbles back holding his jaw, but looking at me. "What's wrong? What did I do? What's going on?"

I sit in Trystan's truck, and slam the door, and the window is down. "Fuck you, Rider Calloway. Never talk to me again." And Brooklyn spins the tires, and we're out of the parking lot.