The Class Reject: A Damsel in Disguise (Featured Story)

Chapter 31

As the cars and other various floats entered their respective campuses, Miren could feel her excitement, like the parade, fade as well. That was fun.

Time to get back to reality.

"Miles!" Miren spun around to see Chara jogging up to her, hand-in-hand with Wallace, who had already changed out of his homecoming nomination suit.

"Wasn't Wallaby awesome at the parade?" Chara said, her usual grin plastered on her face. 

"Oh, very awesome." Miren's voice was sarcastic. "I'm sure it took a lot of effort just sitting there."

"Someone sounds bitter..." Wallace's eyes were mocking as they landed on the decorated gates of Rinzen. Within the open space there were some festive booths. And when Miren breathed in the air, which was filled with the scent of barbeque and sweets, she remembered she hadn't eaten all day. "Anyway, we're going to kick it here for a little while. I suggest you find a life too."

"Ha."

"Am I interrupting something?" Just then, Jeno appeared. Although Miren had just spoken to him two hours ago, he looked different. Exhilarated. Boarder-line happy. Somehow more striking in his suit that made him look like a younger 007.

"Not unless you include Wallace's attempt at making a joke," Miren said, tugging her clipboard over her arm.

Jeno nodded, before turning to him. "How about your side of the plan? When will you be modifying the dance hall?"

"Whenever Miles goes." Wallace's eyes pressed against Miren's. "When will you be decorating?"

Her eyes widened. She had almost forgotten about that. "Now, I suppose. But most of the work was  done yesterday."

"Well, it's almost three," Jeno said to Wallace, eyeing his watch. "I don't see any harm in indulging in some of the activities. But make sure you don't waste too much time."

"Wasn't that great?" Levi then said, approaching them. His voice was in a smile, and his actual smile was bigger than life. "If only we could've actually driven the cars. Then the parade would have been interesting."

"You would have killed yourself," Jeno mocked, though his voice was almost flat.

"Lighten up, would you?" Levi said, not letting Jeno's dimness get to him. "It's homecoming, and you're the favorite to win. Behind me, of course." Jeno rolled his eyes.

"Great."

"Well, as nice as this pointless discussion has been..." Miren interjected, realizing Wallace and Chara had already wandered off. "...I have to go. You ladies have fun."

"Coming from the homecoming drag queen?" Axel said this time, joining the space. He batted his eyes at her before howling in laughter with Cliff. She rolled her eyes.

"Great. Well, I'm still going." She turned to Jeno. "Talk to you all later."

"No, wait," he said, removing himself from the company that had pooled around them. "I'll walk with you." He was beside her now, and Miren found comfort in his presence. "Besides, I need to talk to Theodora."

Her heart fell slightly at his comment. Does anyone actually want my company? Or am I just here by association?

She lifted her gaze to evaluate Jeno from the corner of her eye. How would he look at me if I weren't a cause for revenge? How would the others look at me?

It was stupid to think like this, but the thought had reasonable implications. What about Artemis or Parker? Did they even really care about her? Or were they just trying to look like heroes?

"There's a football game," Jeno then said, as they passed the main office. "That's why Levi was talking about a prank a few weeks ago. There's a game between Rinzen and St. Elms Prep in a little bit. If we win, we get a class picnic in the spring. If we don't, Rosemunde does. This year we put laxatives in St. Elm's Gatorade supply, so we'll see how that goes."

Miren nodded to that, though she was somewhat confused by his random share session. "Thanks for the info?"

"I don't hate you or anything," Jeno replied, detecting mild hesitation in her voice. "It's just that you're sort of hard to like as you are now."

Her eyes broadened at his statement. "What the hell does that mean? I thought you didn't like anyone."

"I don't for the most part," he considered as they passed a few festival stations. The pop music around them was blasted on high, but they were close enough to hear each other. "But after today, things will change. For the better."

Miren pursed her lips. "And how can you be so sure?"

"Has Wallace shown you Penelope's file?" She shook her head. 

"Well, he should," Jeno said. "There are some pretty interesting things in there."

"Like what?"

"Things that can ruin Penelope."

"Like what?" she repeated.

"You'll see soon enough," he offered, moving ahead of her. Miren wrinkled her nose as small bouts of anxiety shot through her veins. Had she known the file held something incriminating, she would have memorized it by now. Why didn't I just look at it before?

"I also have a surprise for you. You'll get it at the dance," Jeno then said.

"Good thing I love surprises." It wasn't an understatement to say that she hated surprises. She hated them almost as much as she hated Penelope. But that didn't explain why Jeno did. Her eyes found his. "Hey, I know why I hate the bitch, but what's your gripe with her?"

"We'll talk about it when this is all over," he offered as they entered the mess hall. "Besides, we're here."

It didn't take long for Theodora to march up to them. She smiled briefly at Jeno before giving Miren an impatient look. "Miles! Where the hell have you been?

Theodora definitely was the exception to the notion that girls took forever and a year to get ready. Or un-ready. Despite being a homecoming queen nominee, her dolled up hair was now in a very messy ponytail, and she dawned a pair of paint-splattered overalls. There were also speckles of black glitter on her hands and face. She looked like she just got out of a glitzy game of paint-ball. Behind her was a group of students hard at work, assembling and decorating cardboard structures. Miren would have felt bad, but she mostly felt that putting this amount of effort on a dance was an epic waste of time.

"Sorry," Miren said. "I'll go change. Be back in ten minutes."

"You have five!" Theodora practically barked. Miren's face spoiled. Put a dance on the line and even the most polite girl in the world gets an attitude?

"I'll see you later," Jeno called out to Miren. But his gaze was far more serious than usual. She could tell he was urging her to be ready the next time she saw him. She nodded before heading out, closing her eyes when the chill outside air hit her. It's just a dance, she reassured herself. 

Just get through the damn dance.