Thε Spαrklε Tooƒus (ACT I: Fall Term) ✓

twenty-four

The Best (and Most Embarrassing) Apology Ever Made

"This is for a special lady out here - I've done you wrong, darling. And I hope you find it in your heart to take me back."

My eyes widened as I recognized his voice. It was Damien all along on the PA system, not the principal. The fact that he was doing an Elvis-voice was no longer funny, especially knowing that 'special lady' this was meant for was none other than myself.

"Leo!" I hissed, kicking his knee with much more force than necessary. His blue eyes shot open and he sat up, rubbing his knee through his jeans like a grumpy little boy disrupted from an afternoon nap. "Make him stop!"

My voice came out squeaky and desperate as I grabbed his hand, yanking and tugging at him to do something. From the corner of my eyes, I could notice groups of people turning to where Damien, whispering and talking excitedly. Within seconds, a crowd had formed around him to see what crazy thing he'd do next, blocking him from view.

"Makayla, what do you expect me to do?" he asked, eyebrow raised. "He's already got everything he needs."

My heart was pounding erratically inside of my chest and that was when it all came crashing together. How Damien and Nick had hurried into the piano room - to plan something, to plan this. How Leo had been tailing me since then to make sure I wouldn't find out, and how he'd suggested we eat here rather than the cafeteria. He was in on this. Yet, that didn't stop me from pleading.

Getting to my feet, I turned my back on the scene behind me and started to force Leo up too. "Make him stop before he does something stupi-"

"Ohhh well since my baby left me."

I froze in my spot, blood turning cold.

"I found a new place to dwell."

The background music boomed from the speakers overhead as students all around us begun to cheer enthusiastically.

"It's down at the end of a lonely street at-"

My eyes closed, knowing what would come next, and knowing the words would be the final nail in the coffin. You don't know what this will make everyone think. You don't know what they already think. Don't sing it Damien, I beg of you.

"-Heartbreak Hotel," he purred, his deep vibrato setting off a wave of girlish screams.

While I sunk my nails into Leo's arm, meriting a sharp 'ow' from him, it gained an all together different reaction from the crowd. My eyes opened to the racket that followed - girls rushing forward from the field which I faced toward the building, and more specifically, to Damien behind me. Guys begun to clap and jog forwards, equally as thrilled at what was happening. Was I the only one who felt like I was going to hurl?

Their shouts temporarily blocked out the sound of his voice, of his serenade before it resurfaced again - louder, more passionate, more Damien-like than ever. Leo smirked at the sight behind me then placed his hands on my shoulders to turn me around. "You don't want to miss the show he's putting on for you Makayla," he said. I didn't have the strength to resist, then immediately regretted not having done so.

I almost died when my eyes flew over the scene in front of me. The crowd was parting as Damien made his way through.

"And although it's always crowded,
you still can find some room."

We were more than twenty feet apart yet his lively green eyes were fixed on me, in a way that made my toes curl. It wasn't just that he was giving me his undivided attention, completely blocking out the girls on one side swooning over his singing, and his athlete friends on the other that were thumping his back in support.