Nap Queen

Thirty Four

Dinner goes spectacularly well. I thought it would be much harder to get the guys to get along but they slip easily into camaraderie even eating bites from each others plates. Lauren and Mia are in love with Sam by dessert I swear. 

Liam's hand stayed firmly on my thigh the whole of the meal and he even fed me a bit of his ravioli. Asher and Camille can't keep their eyes off each other and it warms my heart. I'm excited for tonight. Everyone is getting along and it's all good. 

When we get to the dance, it's already in full swing with people inside dancing and outside cooling down. People instantly begin to whisper and gossip about everything. Ollie and Sam, Camille and Asher, and most popularly Liam and Me. Snippets of hushed comments follow us all the way to the doors. 

"Ignore them," Liam whispers to me. "You're mine and nothing they say will change that."

I smile at him. The lights and loud music have me feeling overwhelmed the moment we step in, Brandon notices and gives me concerned eyes. I fumble in my clutch and subtly jab myself with epinephrine. It will keep me alert all night.  

All that matters is that I'm here. At a dance, for the first time in forever. With Liam's arm snaked around my waist. Once we check our coats and bags everyone disperses to dance to the first slow song of the night which doesn't surprise me. 

Liam pulls me into the gaggle of people dancing and hold me close to him. I rest my head on his chest and close my eyes while we sway. This. This is normalcy, this is perfection, this is what I want. His head rests on mine. I stop dancing causing him to look at me. My hands go to his hair and I kiss him. Right here in front of everyone. 

It takes him by surprise but he quickly moves to pull me closer. The song ends morphing back into crazy EDM tracks. This time I know what to do. 

The night is spent in a feverish state of happiness. A layer of smoke coats the room and I stay firmly planted against Liam for at least an hour. It awakens something in me that was sleeping before. In the haze I'm pulling Liam closer and grinding on him. Showering him with kisses and him returning in kind, and he's rising to the occasion.

Tonight, I'm normal. There is no base difference between myself and the other sweaty bodies around me. The pleasure brought to me at his hands is the same I'm giving him. My hair falls down and I throw my head back with laughter dancing with Mia while the boys look on. The bass stomps in time with the beat of my heart. 

Like the flip of a switch I'm brought back to reality when the lights come on hours later. I drift to the side with Liam grabbing some water on the way and meet with the rest of the friends equally disheveled as myself.

In the light the debauchery of the night is revealed as Asher has the stain of Camille's lipstick on his mouth and a whimsical look on his face. Brandon, oh god, has a hickey on his neck. And Boston and Lauren well, everyone knows what those two were up to.

The music stops and microphone feedback screeches. I was under the impression that there were no adults here given the activities that had ensued not minutes before but there before us was Principal Kim.

"Good evening, Spartans!" She shouts jollily. "We're taking a break to announce this year's Snow Ball Royal Court." 

Royal Court as in the Queen, King, Prince, and Princess. Despite never coming, I'd been a runner-up in past years according to Brandon.  

"Alright, students. Drum roll please!" No one drum rolls but she pauses anyways. "This year's King and Queen: once again Boston Johnson and Lauren Elliot!" 

I'm not surprised. The room erupts in applause and cheers as the two of them make their way to the stage. From the looks of it, the crown is fitted especially for Lauren's head the way it slips on. Boston has the entire boys lacrosse team shouting for him when he dramatically accepts his crown. 

"Quiet please!" She continues. "Now the Prince and Princess: Sam Milligan and Evangelina Walker!"

I freeze up. Everyone resumes their applause and Sam grins coming up behind me and grabbing my hand pulling me away from Liam. I laugh, if not Liam I'm glad it's a friend that gets to be my Prince. Choruses of "Sam, Sam, Sam!" cheer us to the stage where he let's me go.

"Princess," he waves a hand and bows letting me go up the stairs first. 

My eyes are on Liam as the tiara is set on my head. He's smiling and clapping for me. Sam is blowing kisses to his admirers and I can see Ollie shaking his head over the rim of a cup.

"Let the dances begin!" People shout. Sam jumps off the stages and helps me down as well. I giggle. 

A slow song starts and space is cleared in the middle of the crowd. Boston and Lauren are molded together swinging each other around. Sam gives me another bow and spins me in circles in a ridiculous mockery of the waltz steps that we're meant to be doing. His hands go to my waist and toss me into the air, he's stronger than he looks. 

I can't hide my smile. I'm glad that his being with Ollie hasn't changed him from that crazy funny kid that sat next to me in Gov last week. 

When the song ends he dips me and waves to the masses. The music morphs back into the dancing kind and the dance floor is flooded again. Liam comes to me and pulls me towards the coat check.

"You really are a Princess," He whispers giving me a kiss. "Let's get out of here, everyone else will come later." 

We get our coats and hop on his bike, everyone watches us zoom out of the parking lot.