Given The Same Reputation (Labels)

Chapter 33 - Paxton Lenox

This morning during health class, I told Faye I would meet her at our usual lunch table, instead of waiting for her by her locker like I always did.

It was now lunch time as I made my way over to my history class.

I knocked on the door, since it was locked. My history teacher opened the door and quickly let me inside.

He walked over to his desk and retrieved a bouquet of flowers from under it.

"Here you go, Paxton." He handed me the flowers.

The flowers still looked good, since he kept them in water.

"Thank you so much for holding them for me."

He nodded his head. "Good luck."

I thanked him and walked out of the classroom. I made my way to one of the restrooms.

There were a few guys in there already. They quickly exited, once they saw me walk in.

I placed the bouquet of flowers on the sink, to my right.

With each second that passed, I could feel my heart beating just a little bit faster. My hands got sweaty. The nerves radiated through my whole body.

"Breathe in, breathe out." I tried to calm myself down.

I paced back and forth. I put my hands on one of the sinks and looked at myself through the mirror.

"Calm down, Paxton, you can do this." I tried to reassure myself.

Damn. I was so nervous, and I couldn't shake the feeling. All this because of Faye. She made me feel this way.

Every time, when it came to her, I felt nervous. Damn. She made me weak. Thing is: I wouldn't want it any other way. I wouldn't want this feeling with anyone else.

I heard the restroom door open. I looked to my left and saw a guy walk in.

"Uhh..."

"Out." I pointed towards the door.

He rushed out.

"Now or never." I straightened up and adjusted the collar on my gray short sleeve button-up then dusted away some lint on my black jeans.

I retrieved the bouquet of flowers that I had rested on one of the sinks. I held them in my hand and walked out of the restroom.

Some guys were waiting in a line to go into the restroom.

"Go ahead," I spoke.

They quickly walked in.

I walked down a hallway and made my way outside where the outdoor lunch tables were.

"Hey, Paxton, are you ready?" Thomas walked up to me.

"Yeah," I spoke. "Are the guys ready?"

"Yeah, Ivan, and Luis are ready. We already set up the instruments.

"Alright, let's go." We walked over to the outdoor stage that was in front of the lunch tables.

Luis was already standing up there with a bass. Ivan was standing behind a keyboard piano.

Thomas walked over to the drums and sat on the small stool. I walked over to Luis. He handed me the electric guitar.

"Thanks, man," I said, then made my way over to the front of the stage and stood behind a standing microphone.

I placed the bouquet of flowers down on the ground beside me.

I looked around. Some people started to gather around. Others simply stared at us and probably wondered what we were up to.

I looked at the guys behind me. They all gave me a thumbs up. We were good to go.

I took a deep breath.

"Faye," I spoke into the microphone. "This is for you."

After I spoke, Ivan started playing the piano. I soon followed with singing the song and playing the guitar. Luis and Thomas followed with their instruments.

"You, you sat there, under that shady tree, reading your everlasting book. You, you were so different, my very own breath of fresh air. I tried my best but I couldn't help but stare. To my dismay, I couldn't get your attention, but you had me fixated, making me feel like there was a connection. Intrigued, very much pleased, I could finally see. Ever since that day, I haven't been the same, and I haven't been able to get you out of my mind 'cause girl you shine," I started to sing.

She stood from the usual lunch table we usually sat at. Her red hair stood out. She had barely dyed it which caused me to change a lyric in the song.

"'Cause, girl, I love that blue hair you wear, that purple hair it made me stare, that red hair so vibrant, I just had to share. 'Cause you, you are the one that makes me lose my mind, you don't even have to try," I sang some more.

She made her way towards the stage and stood right in the front of everyone else.

"Baby, you've got me, you've got me, you've got me losing my mind and going crazy..." I sang.

She was smiling.

"Baby, I want to, I want to hold you right in my arms. I want to protect you from all harm. Baby, you are the only one I see and I need you to believe. Oh, honey, you're the only one I see, the only one that matters to me. And I want to shout it, and I want the world to know, I want everyone to know. I want them to know that I love you, I love you, and only you. 'Cause, baby, I've fallin' for you. 'Cause, baby, I've fallin' for that blue hair you wear, that purple hair that absolutely makes me stop and stare, that red hair I've got the need to share. 'Cause you, girl, you are the only person that can make me lose my mind, and you don't even have to try."

Everyone cheered when the song was over. I handed the guitar to Luis and walked over to pick up the bouquet of flowers. I jumped off the stage and landed right in front of Faye.

I smiled at her.

She bit her lip in an attempt to hide her smile.

"Faye Lenards, will you do me the honor of going to prom with me?" I asked.

My heart was beating at an alarmingly fast rate; I could hear it in my ears. I felt as if it were going to leap out of my chest at any moment.

I waited for her response.

"Yes!" she smiled.

The crowd cheered.

She instantly hugged me. I hugged her back and lifted her a few feet off the ground.

"Baby, I'm so glad." I hugged her even tighter.

My heartbeat seemed to calm down a bit. It was now at normal speed.

"These are for you." We pulled away from our embrace, and I handed her the bouquet of flowers.

"They're beautiful." She smiled.

"But they don't compare to your beauty."

She looked up at me and rolled her eyes, in a playful manner. I leaned into her and kissed her.

"I didn't know you could sing like that. You really held back when you sang in the car," she spoke. "I've never heard that song before. Who is it by?"

I chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Yours truly."

Her eyes widened. "No. Did you really write a song just for the promposal?"

"No. It was for you. It took me a while to write it, and I finished it just in time." I rubbed the back of my neck.

She wrapped her arms around me. "I loved it so much. Best promposal ever!"

I smiled upon hearing that.

"Anything for you, baby."