How Could This Be Real?

67. Surprise!

I strolled down the hall on Friday morning, ignoring the guys that were cat calling me and the jealous looks I was getting from a lot of girls. I'd never considered myself pretty, but then again I'd never really tried to be. Now that I'd dressed up and done something with my hair and makeup, people were starting to take notice of me and I wasn't sure if I liked it.

I let out a sigh of relief when I finally saw my friends and grinned as I went up to them. Cam was giving me a goofy smirk and Zach was trying really hard to keep him jaw from falling to the ground, but Mindy and Megan were scowling at me.

"What?" I asked them.

"Where is your tiara?" Mindy scolded.

"Don't worry, I didn't forget it. It's safely stashed in my locker for the party." They gave me a "seriously?" look and I raised an eyebrow, "What, you expected me to wear it around school?"

"Uh, yeah!" Megan said.

"Why would I do that? I'm already getting enough attention as it is."

Mindy pointed back the way I'd come, "Go put your stinkin' crown on girl." I opened my mouth to protest but she said, "Now!"

I huffed and turned on my heel, muttering about how stupid this was to myself. As I walked away, I heard Zach say in disbelief, "Since when did she get so-"

"Do not finish that sentence!" Mindy practically yelled at him.

"I'm just saying she looks really-"

I heard a smack, "Shut up!"

"Wait, were you checking her out?" Cam asked. There was a pause and I could imagine Zach shrugging. "Dude! She's my best friend! Do not even go there right now!"

I chuckled as their voices finally faded away. I made it to my locker and took the box off the top shelf after I'd put in my combination. I lifted the lid and sighed happily when my tiara shined up at me. Oh David, you know me so well. I took it off of its bed of velvet and situated it on my head. I glanced in the small mirror I had on the inside of my locker door and couldn't help smiling at my reflection. I locked it again and made my way back to my friends, getting even more stares this time.

The girls nodded approvingly, "Much better."

Cam grinned, "All hail Elsie! The princess of YouTube!"

"All hail Elsie!" the others repeated and I shook my head at them.

Cam lowered his voice and gave me a wink, "And the princess of squids."

I laughed, "Only one squid, but yes."

He flung an arm around my shoulders and started walking confidently down the hall. "Make way!" he called to everyone we passed. "Princess coming through!"

"Cam!" I groaned, but he ignored me. Well, this isn't embarrassing at all... I glanced behind me to the girls, "What's the meaning of this?" They just grinned and shrugged innocently. I mentally facepalmed, Maybe I should reevaluate having these guys as my friends...

He opened the door to my classroom with a flourish, "Your princess, has arrived!" Everyone gave me "wtf" looks and I just shrugged helplessly. He guided me over to my desk and bowed as I sat down. "The princess takes her throne!"

"Okay... I think you're done now," I said and waved him away. He just kept grinning like an idiot and stayed put. I turned to Zach, hoping that he'd be able to snap him out of it, but he was just staring at me behind Mindy's back. I sighed and turned to the girls, gesturing to Cam. "Can you please do something about him?"