OUTCAST: A Stepbrother Romance (21 page)

T
he area looked marvelous
. It didn’t look like a basketball arena at all. The floors were carpeted, the bleachers were curtained off, and a lot of pretty lights dangled from the rafters. The dance area had a gigantic disco ball hanging over its space. Buffet tables were set up on one corner, and judging from how expansive the tables were, there wouldn’t be any shortage of food that night. Just as he mentioned, a big bowl of what looked like orange juice was at the end of the said corner... spiked, as some of those who were already merrymaking with drinks at hand surely discovered. There was a makeshift stage that actually looked quite intricate. A band was playing a cover of Whiz Kalifa’s
When I See You Again
, minus the rapping parts. Above them was a giant projector screen, the width of which covered the entire stage. An MTV of some sort was being shown while the band was performing. It was a nice touch.

“
T
his is fabulous
, Finn,” I congratulated him. “Your committee did a splendid job!”

“
I
can’t take
the credit,” he replied. “I just attended the meetings. All of these were the girls’ ideas. Melanie, Betty, Charice, Kyla, and... and...”

H
e didn’t continue
to mention her name. He didn’t have to. Jaynie was the head of the committee.

A
s soon as
we entered the gym, a lot of the people who were already there turned their heads to look at us.
Us
would be too presumptuous a term. They were looking at Finn... the school’s favorite son... their soon-to-be-crowned Homecoming King.

O
r so I thought
.

W
hen a number
of them approached us, they didn’t greet him. They said their hi’s and hello’s to me.
Me!
I knew that the incident with Martin caused quite a stir... but I never expected people who I didn’t know... people from batches lower than ours... to actually salute me.

T
he program started soon thereafter
. The welcoming remarks were delivered by Principal Hendricks, and it lasted a tad longer than expected. Ten minutes into his speech, Mr. Schumeister had to approach him and whisper something to his ear. Principal Hendricks nodded and wrapped up his talk.

T
hen the band started playing
, covers of hits from the not too distant past. Everyone started dancing. A lot of the students approached the bowl of spiked orange juice, most probably with an inkling of its alcoholic secret, and each enjoyed a cup or two... or even more...

“
R
elax
,” Finn reminded as he saw through me, through my facade of tranquility... unraveling a young girl drowning in discomfiture, not used to the revelry around her.

I
looked
at him and smiled.

“
I
t’s a party
,” he added. “Have fun!”

I
tried
.

I
allowed
myself to sway to the music - OneRepublic’s Love Runs Out. My movements were calculated... forced... unnatural. But as the band played on, as the beat took over my soul, as the lyrics penetrated my heart... I began to dance. Where I stood, I danced. With my feet planted on the ground, I danced. With my fingers snapping to the rhythm of the song, I danced. With my hands swinging freely but carefully, I danced.

F
inn saw me
, and he gave me that
‘oh my goodness, you’re so adorable’
look he always showered me with when we were a couple. He probably wanted to dance with me, to shake his pelvis, to swivel his torso, to wave his hands in the air... but he didn’t. Then I remembered... Finn never wanted to dance in public. Despite the popularity he enjoyed, he always remained to be that shy kid from SoCal.

S
o I teased
him by bumping his hips with mine. He pretended to lose his balance, only to dismiss my gesture with a laugh.

H
e still didn’t dance
.

“
I
t’s a party
, Finn,” it was my turn to remind him. “Have fun!”

F
or three straight songs
, we just stood there, in the middle of the entrance hall and the buffet table. I was bopping to the music of Paramore, Pink and Maroon 5, while he was just contented being by my side, watching me relish the band’s performance.

W
hen the band
played the fifth song, I saw some of the students get restless.
I’m hungry
, someone said.
When are we going to eat
, cried another.
Serve the fucking food
, someone even screamed.

M
any of the
students probably got thirsty, as I saw a longer queue at the orange juice counter.

I
had
to go to the restroom so I excused myself. Finn offered to go with me and wait outside the door. I told him I was okay and that I was going to be quick.

T
he restroom was
at the opposite corner of the gymnasium. I passed by several groups of people... some I knew, some I didn’t... and many of them turned to greet me.

“
A
ndrea
! You’re here! Yey!”

“
H
ey
, hey, hey... look guys... it’s Andrea!”

“
I
s
that Andrea Higgins from 4-C?”

I
responded
to their words with a polite smile. Someone even approached me - a sophomore - and asked if I she could take a selfie with me. I didn’t know how to react. Before I can even answer, she snapped her phone’s camera and thanked me profusely.

T
he way they treated me
, like some sort of a heroine from a Greek myth, made me feel uncomfortable, yes. But somehow, I felt a semblance of joy. I wasn’t used to being admired. But I discovered that it wasn’t something that I hated.

B
efore I entered
the Ladies room, I looked at my watch to check the time. 8:17 P.M, it read. It was still early. My folks probably haven’t left the movie house yet. Nash, I thought, just finished eating the dinner that Aunt Susan prepared.

I
missed them
.

I
t may sound banal
... melodramatic, even... but at that particular moment, I actually found myself yearning for their company.

B
efore I could look up
, someone opened the door and hurriedly went out. She bumped into me. I quickly apologized. It was my fault for not looking at where I was going.

M
y penitence quickly dissipated
, however, when I saw who she was.

“
W
ell
, well,” Kyla Sanders started to say. “Talk about
deja vu
...”

I
tried to ignore her
. I proceeded to walk towards the restroom. But before I could pass her by, she drew her head near my ear and whispered something...

“
I
t’s going
to be an unforgettable night,” she muttered.

F
rom the corner
of my eye, I saw her flash a devious smile.

I
quickened
my pace and went straight to one of the cubicles. I closed the door and started to regulate my breathing.

I
nhale
... exhale... inhale... exhale... calm yourself, Andrea... you’re a strong girl...

W
hat did
she mean by that, I asked myself repeatedly, as if I haven’t gotten used to her riddles.

I
t’s nothing
, Andrea. She’s just playing with your head. What could she possibly do that would be worse than the things you have already endured?

I
went
out of the restroom with newfound confidence. Indeed, I have been through hell and back. Kyla Sanders wouldn’t be able to top any of the bad things that have happened to me the past month.

T
he people
who continued to greet me as I walked across the gymnasium further boosted my self-esteem, and in so doing, gave me more strength to carry on despite Kyla Sanders’ newest missive in a long series of thinly veiled
threats
.

F
inn greeted
me back with a playful tap on my shoulder.

“
I
missed you
, kid,” he amorously said.

I
just smiled at him
. I couldn’t return his affectionate banter. I didn’t want to give him false hope.

“
L
adies and gentlemen
,” someone’s voice blared all over the gym, magnified by huge speakers on every side of the area. It was Principal Hendricks once again. “I know you’re all hungry...”

E
veryone screamed their agreement
. Some even pumped their fists in the air.

“
O
kay
, okay...” he continued, “I guess that’s my cue to hurry this thing up. At this point in the evening, we would like to announce results of the voting for the Homecoming Court.”

C
heers resounded everywhere
. Everyone was excited to know who would be this year’s most heralded couple. Even Finn, shy and reserved most of the time, showed a tinge of thrill. I felt him take a deep breath, one which I think he forgot to exhale.

“
F
irst
, the Homecoming King,” Principal Hendricks spoke and everyone fell silent. He clumsily opened an envelope and read its content. “Ha! As if there was any doubt! I don’t think a vote was necessary for this one. What a waste of good paper...”

“
H
urry up
, gramps!” someone shouted from the crowd and everyone bursted into laughter.

P
rincipal Hendricks pretended
that he didn’t hear it. Or was he pretending? With his age, perhaps his hearing has diminished.

“
O
kay
...” he began to speak once more. “Delfin Henshaw, come over here, you won!” he anticlimactically exclaimed.

E
veryone applauded
. Some hooted. The school’s favorite son has finally been given the crown.

B
ut instead of
looking at the adoring masses, Finn’s gaze turned to me. He had that strange look on his face... he seemed like he was nervous... like he was ashamed... like he was unsure... like... like he was lost...

“
G
o get ‘em
, Finn,” I egged him on.

I
t was
what he needed to hear, I guess... encouraging words from me, words that told him it was alright to bask in the glory that was bestowed upon him by the people he grew up with. Finn heaved a sigh, then started to walk towards the stage. The crowd parted, forming a path for the newly-crowned king who was about to ascend to his throne.

A
s he reached the stage
, he was met by some of the teachers as well as a few members of the organizing committee. Jaynie was there and she was the one who put the crown on his head. Principal Hendricks gave him his scepter as a female instructor placed a sash around his torso. Once his ensemble was complete, the audience roared again. Finn looked at them with a sheepish smile, then he raised his scepter, and the audience screamed louder.

I
found
it all very amusing... the most popular boy in school didn’t even desire the attention he always managed to receive, without even trying. He looked so disoriented up there. He was merely going through the motions, praying hard for that part of the ceremonies to end.

T
hen he looked
at me and gave me an awkward-looking, crooked grin... and I was able to confirm right there and then that he would’ve preferred to stay on the floor with me than up there under the bright spotlights of fame.

“
O
kidoki
,” Principal Hendricks interjected, drawing some groans of disbelief from the crowd. Who says
okidoki
in 2015? “I know it’s a little lonely to be there, Delfin, so let’s go on and announce who your queen is going to be.”

T
he audience
excitedly clapped their hands.

S
omeone
from one corner of the room shouted Jaynie Martell’s name. But instead of being met with cheers, her name was swamped with boos. It was surreal. Jaynie... who everybody loved... was being jeered?

W
hy
?

W
hen I tried
to answer that question, my body stiffened as fear started to engulf my soul.