Labeled

Chapter 16

I walked up to Naomi, for the first time in history of the world. "Well, isn't it little Miss Priss."

"First of all, we are the same age. I am not a small anything. And there is no way your messing with me. Not any freaking more." I said through gritted teeth. I really have had enough of this girl.

She shook her head. "I have no idea what your talking about." She replied and fake smiled at me.

"Your funny, but that bucket trick, you're gonna have to do better than that." I threatened. She was about to say something until she froze.

What came out of her mouth was slightly shocked me. She looked behind me and said, "Hey, Luke."

I angled my head, yup, she was right. He was coming over here.

"Naomi," He said nicely. But then again he's always nice to other people. He turned to me, "You ready?"

In my head I was Ready for what? It took me several seconds to remember. We were gonna do study session with the guys today. "Yeah," I sighed and took his hand. He turned back to Naomi.

"Naomi, you can-" He started. I squeezed his hand really hard and gave the smallest shake of my head.

Naomi stood there waiting."Can what?"

"Ummm," he stalled. "Nevermind." We turned around. I looked back at Naomi. She was still standing there. She gave me the death glare. I returned the gesture. Then I snapped my head forward. "Are you okay?" Luke asked me.

I just nodded. "It's fine."

***

"Does anyone know anything about the Kansas-Nebraska Act?" Carter asked, staring at his textbook. Studying is always so hard, but with all the test we have tomorrow, American History, Geometry, and Spanish, this study meeting was overly necessary.

I flipped through my textbook. "Isn't it like... I know it had something to do with slavery." I tried.

"Stephan A. Douglas, came up with repealing the Missouri Compromise and making the territories in the West Kansas and Nebraska... To build some railroad." Kira read off her paper.

We all looked at her. It was dead silent until... "Show-off." Chase muttered. Kira was not a nerd. At least, not outside our circle. To the rest of the world she is a happy goth. She nudged Chase and started laughing.

"And that's why you're my 'date'," Brian said.

Then all of us laughed. "How do you know that?" Luke asked. He didn't really know about our group and cliques.

Kira shrugged. I leaned over to whisper in his ear. "She's a nerd."

"I thought she was gothic." He said louder than necessary. That got laughs again, even from Kira.

"She's a definite nerd. We've done enough studying together to know that. But the reps of nerds aren't as good as goth." Brian replied.

Everyone was coming off the laugh attack. "Yeah, Naomi leaves you alone." Kira added.

"Speaking of leaving," Carter said looking at his watch, then at Luke, "We've gotta go." Luke gave him a quick nod and picked up his backpack. Although, he didn't leave me without a quick kiss on the lips.

"Ahhh, get a room." Brain complained.

We sat in silence for awhile after they left. I was scribbling answers on my paper when Tessa said, "They made the formal a Masquerade Ball." Tessa was on the dance comittee.

Laila sighed. "You're not serious?" Kira asked. Tessa nodded.

"So we have to go buy masks?" Brain questioned. Tessa nodded again.

"Ugh, I hate Masquerades." Laila said. "You see what goes on whenever they have one on TV. The girl gets thought of as someone else. Mistaken identity is bound to happen."

I just shrugged, "At least the formal is still happening." I'm can sometimes, rarely is more likely, a glass half-full person.

"I just remembered," Tessa began."Luke is gonna win Spring King. And Naomi so far is Flower Queen."

Laila's jaw dropped. She was the only one surprised. "You guys aren't worried?" She asked when none of us reacted the same as her.

"I knew none of us were gonna win. Tessa? Kira? Brian?" I went around. They all nodded.

Laila continued with shock. "You should, Syd, you are Luke's girlfriend."

I shrugged. We've never really made the relationship public, besides my friends. People know Luke has a girlfriend because he kissed me once, next to a corner. Someone caught a picture, I guess, or saw us. But you couldn't see me because I was on the other side. I think. But as Naomi's friend said way earlier, no one know it's me.

"Why do we even have a court? It's not even a prom. It's just a formal." Brian stated.

Tessa sighed and cradled her chin on her hands. "It was voted on. Since most of the committee is followers of Naomi, we have a king and queen."

Laila started up again. "What about the king and queen dancing? You're not worried about that?" she obviously was in her own world. I shrugged again, my indifference irritated her. At the rate things were going on voting, I only cared about half of the royal couple, that's it.