TOUGH LOVE

THE HOMECOMING

Kathy was a pro at makeup, she had all the pallets and brushes and she watched a whole bunch of Gurus. However it was still my first time wearing makeup so, of course I was nervous.

"Don't worry, Girl! I know what I'm doing" Kathy says trying to reassure me.

"I know that, Kathy. I've just never had makeup on my entire face."

"I know, you're going to look even more beautiful. Just let me work my magic." Kathy said with a wink.

"It's starts at 7, right?" I ask.

"Well it starts at 6 but we're going at 7, why do you ask?"

"I just don't know when to message Nick, since you know he's giving me a ride."

"It's 4 right now so maybe in half an hour" Kathy said while applying makeup on my face.

"Oh okay" I answered.

*30 minutes later*

"All done" says Kathy as she steps away from my face.

I looked at myself in the mirror and for the first time didn't hate what I saw.

"Thank you so much, Kathy" I say giving Kathy a hug. I was so grateful to have a friend like her.

"No problem, babe. Now go text your date while I get ready"

"Alright"

I checked my phone and I saw a notification from Nick.

(Nick)

Hey, I'm sorry but something came up tonight and I can't make it. Pls don't message me anymore.

I stared at my phone until Kathy snapped me back by asking

"what's wrong babe?"

I couldn't say anything so I just turned my phone towards her and showed her the message.

"What the fuck" says Kathy after she finished reading Nick's message.

"You know what, fuck that" she continues "you don't need him to have a good time."

I look at her with tears in my eyes. I wanted to cry so badly but I couldn't.

"Can I use your restroom?" I ask Kathy and she simply just nods understanding that I need some space.

I'm in her restroom and I am just staring at my reflection. Kathy was right. I don't need Nick to have a good time. I have my friends and that's enough. After a couple of minutes in the restroom I come out and Kathy asks
"Do you still want to go?"

I answer with a reassuring smile "Hell yeah"

Everyone agreed that we would meet at Kathys house to take pictures. Since Nick isn't coming Kathy said I could go with Tre and her. It was already 6:30 and Kathy and I were ready when her doorbell rang.

"Looking handsome guys" Said Kathy as she opened the door for Daniel and Lenny. They both looked so cute with their tuxedos.

"Wow, Rider" says Lenny as he walks up to me giving me a hug.

"How beautiful" says Daniel giving me a hug after Lenny.

"Thanks guys"

"So where's you're lucky date?" asks Daniel.

Kathy gives him a death glare, making me uncomfortable more than the actual question.

"Oh it's just going to be me tonight" I say with a smile trying to lighten up the mood.

"We'll dance the entire night together" says Lenny giving me a side hug trying to comfort me.

That's when there was another knock at the door.

"Beautiful as ever, baby" says Tre entering Kathys house.

"Thanks babe. You look amazing" says Kathy while giving Tre a kiss on the cheek.

"Rider, you look great" he tells me while he's giving a side hug to Kathy.

"Thanks, you too" I tell him.

"So lets take some pictures then we can leave, right?" asks Tre. I'm assuming Kathy messaged him about Nick because Tre didn't even mention anything about him.

After we had a mini photo shoot in Kathys backyard we made our way to the dance. They had a low budget this year so it's in our gymnasium.

I decided to ride with Lenny and Daniel, mostly because they offered but also because they have a better playlist.
We danced in the car till we made it to school. I was nervous to walk in and have people stare at me but Daniel noticed and held my hand on our way inside.

When we walked into the gym, music was blasting and it was decorated like if it was the 1920's since the theme was Great Gatsby. I was to busy staring at the decorations, that I didn't even realize half of the student body was staring in our direction.

We quickly took an empty table and waited for Kathy and Tre to arrive.

"Don't look now but Jimmy James is looking right at you" Lenny says as he leans towards me.
" I don't think he's looking at me" I say sincerely. I turn my head slightly and noticed that James was in fact staring at me but not in a way a girl wants to be stared at. He looked angry.

"Come on, Rider. When we walked in everyone's eyes were on you." says Daniel chiming into our conversation.

"Oh, please! They weren't even staring and if they were it was probably at you two" I say to Daniel and Lenny.

"Damn, you guys got a nice table." Tre says as he walks up to us holding Kathys hand.

"So when are we dancing?" asks Kathy with excitement in her sweet voice.

"When they play a good song!" says Lenny.
As soon as Lenny said that the DJ began playing Tongue Tied by Grouplove. I got a flashback of when Lenny, Tre and I were in middle school and we were dancing our asses off to this song in our living room.

"Looks like the DJ heard you" I say as we all get up making our way to the dance floor.
We danced this song and many others. I felt like we were dancing for hours until the DJ played a slow song. I told them I needed to go to the restroom when in reality I just didn't want to stand there alone.

I was making my way to the restroom when I felt my arm get pulled strongly by something into a dark room. It took some time for my eyes to adjust but the person that had pulled me in here was Jimmy James and he did not look happy.

"what the fuck, James" i tell him while he's standing right in front of me.

He looked so mad and concentrated, I have never seen him like this, I was actually very scared. 'He probably dragged me in here to beat me up' I thought to myself.

"Listen James, id you're going to hit m-" I was saying but I was rudely interrupted my James lips on mine. He was smashing his face with mine and I did not like it. I pushed him off immediately.

"James, what the fuck was that?!?" I yell at him with anger while my cheeks are incredibly red.

"I don't know, okay!"