Silence.

Chapter 17

Romeo

It's half past 6 when I knock on Daniella's door on Saturday, adjusting the tight collar of my tux. Her dad opened the door, giving me the same disgruntled expression he usually does before widening the door. "Dani, your boyfriend is here!" He shuts the door in my face, and I sigh at the familiar motion. He never speaks to me.

Daniella opened the door, grinning broadly. She looked beautiful, as she always does. Her pale blue dress went to her knees, the bottom half made of tulle which flounced with every movement. Her hair was pulled back in a loose pouf. I smiled back at her, raising my eyebrows. "You look gorgeous, baby," I went to hand her her corsage and she yanked away, making a face.

"That's all you have to say? It took me three hours to get ready," she rolled her eyes, leaning into the house and grabbing her clutch. "Whatever, let's just go," I shook my head, walking back to my car. I didn't bother opening her door for her, which of course only fueled her attitude. Cass and Kena were in the back seat, getting too touchy for my liking. I don't even know why Cassiopiea brought Kena, knowing that seeing them together would just hurt Shawna even worse.

"You look pretty, Cass," Dani said, grudgingly. Cass just rolled her eyes, continuing her heated makeout session with Kena as though they had never been interrupted.

The ride to the coliseum was short and full of tension. Nobody spoke, cracked a joke, or even a smile at eachother. It was agonizing.

When we made our way into the huge area, I was taken aback at how well the decorations were done. Pastel balloons accompanied by pale gold streamers, all brought together by glittery accessories everywhere. It was nice, for our school anyway.

"Oh my god, Rome, look!" Cass pointed off to my left, and that's when I saw her.

Her dress was form fitting, mermaid style, covered in pale gold glitter that made her skin look darker and more bronze than usual. The fabric scooped at her back and chest. Her slim body was accentuated and showed off curves nobody knew she had. Her normally straight hair was curled and slicked on one side, and her makeup was done like I had never seen it before. My heart stopped, and I could barely form her name on my lips.

Myah.

I almost lunged for her, but Dani yanked me back. "Romeo! The music is starting!" Myah and I locked eyes as I was pulled away, and she smiled sadly at me before turning into the arms of-

Jorie fucking Forrest.

His tux was simple and fit him nicely, his tie a pale gold that matched Myah's dress to a T. Even I could admit that he and Myah together looked like a dream couple, but that didn't stop the incessant aching in my stomach as Dani pressed herself against me.

Cass and Kena went off somewhere, and it was a long time before the shit really got lit.

-

The DJ was some old white guy, but damn, his playlist was not a reflection of his looks. After a couple of slow songs he picked up the pace, and as soon as the beginning beats of Bounce Back started playing, the group formed a large circle. Dani had gone to get something to drink, and I heard a Shawna yelling from the middle of the large circle. I push my way through the wall of people, who were all loud and relatively drunk, and received the shock of my life.

Shawna had Myah bent over in the middle of the circle, and Myah was throwing her barely existent ass like a stripper with the rent due. Both of them were laughing, and Shawna could barely keep a grip on Myah's hips. Someone threw a one on Myah's ass, and before I knew what was happening she was being showered in bills, her eyes lighting up.

Jorie was the main one hyping her up, on one knee throwing bills after bills on Myah and Shawna. "Go Myah! Go Myah! Go, go, go, go!"

She was laughing so hard, I imagined once again what her laugh would really sound like. The song ended and she turned around and kissed Shawna on the cheeks, which Shawna returned gleefully. "Damn, I didn't know you had that in you!" She said to her, and Myah, still grinning, shook her head. She turned to Jorie and we made brief eye contact. Smirking, she winked at me, causing my stomach to flutter oddly.

Jorie was saying something to her, which made her smile, before he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her forehead. Shawna was making her way over to me, her cheeks still red and her flawlessly straightened hair thrown in a ponytail. I felt the familiar yank and sharpness of stiletto nails in my arm, and turned to see Dani. "So you just sat there and watched the whole show, huh? Fuck you Rome! If you want that dumb mute bitch, go and ge-" She was cut off by a rough shove from Shawna, who raised an eyebrow at her menacingly.

"Shut the fuck up, Daniella, you always got some shit to say!" Dani's mouth dropped, as did everybody's in the surrounding area. Shawna was known for being passive and sweet, but I knew from experience that her temper was nothing to play with. "You're just gonna let her push me like that?!" Daniella screamed, and I put up my hands, shaking my head. "I'm not in this."

Dani's face turned so red, I thought she was gonna explode, and she turned around and stomped out of the coliseum. Part of me knew I should go after her, but the other part of me didn't give a fuck. Shawna nudged me and smiled before walking off, subsequently by Kena and Cass. She didn't give them a second look, merely sashayed by them as though they didn't even exist. Cass watched her walk away, a sad look on her face. Kena drew her attention back to her by grinding against her, and Cass, grudgingly, obliged.

-

The rest of the night was a blur. I downed more and more bottles of vodka disguised as water bottles. I watched Myah and Jorie like a hawk, and I know they both noticed. She looked so happy in his arms, and I even saw them communicating using a bit of sign language. He must be learning it for her.

She looks so beautiful and I want nothing more than to hug her, caress her, and hold her. That should be me, not Jorie, that she's grinding against. That should be me, not Jorie, kissing down her neck and holding her small waist.

I sit in a chair against the wall, feeling the alcohol inside my head. Everything turned dark, and I succumbed to the blissful silence,