Diplomat High

Chapter 22.1 - Homecoming with Barack

Your heart is thundering in your chest, and you're considering if maybe you should just turn around and make a quick escape home. But no, you were going to do this. And you could remember that Barack wanted to go with you, and all you had to say was yes. But you were nervous out of your mind.

You don't even know where you're going. You don't even know where to find him. Not to mention, you look pretty dumb wandering the halls. But most of the school already thought you were weird, save Barack. You probably should have waited until the end of the school day, because then you'd know where to find him, but it was too late now. And with how frantic you were, you doubted you could make it to the end of the day.

But to your luck---or maybe slight misfortune considering the state you were in---you catch him walking down the hall. "Barack, hey!" you greet, maybe a little too enthusiastically. Or should you have been more enthusiastic? Why was this so hard?

He smiles at you. "Hey, y/n, what's going on?"

Just act normal. "Uh, can we walk and talk, y'know?" God, you were a mess.

"Yeah, of course. I wasn't doing much else." 

The two of you begin an aimless walk down the hall as you wonder who turned the thermostat up 1,000 degrees. Or maybe it was just that hot flash thing old people were always talking about. Rather, you were just trying to distract yourself.

You clear your throat. "So, how have you been?"

"Good, good, and you?"

"Fine, just bouncing around. Avoiding being crushed by signs and whatnot," you say.

He laughs. "Just a typical Friday." His expression grows serious. "But, um, about tomorrow. Have you... given it thought?"

"I have," you say, "and I want to go with you."

A smile spreads across his face. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that. Truly, I thought I'd fumbled it."

"Really? After saving me from being run over by a car and letting me go to your favorite pizza place? You think I'd just abandon you?"

He chuckles. "I guess that's not what's happening now." He pauses and turns to you. "But I'll see you there? Do you want me to pick you up? Anything like that? Just ask."

You already knew where Homecoming was, and you didn't really want Barack to pick you up, because you'd have to do your pre-game pep talk, and you think that maybe he'd change his mind if he heard or saw that. You wave him off. "No, I'll be fine. Thank you, though. I'll meet you there!"

He grins. "Great, I'm looking forward to it."

And you were, too, as long as you didn't somehow drown in your own vomit on your own time.

But you carry on through the rest of the day, and as you do, you realize that today is your last day to submit a vote. With a smile on your face, you submit your vote for Barack.

Afterschool, you head shopping for what you're wearing to Homecoming. In all that time, you're in semi disbelief that you're actually going to Homecoming. You'd never gone before, because you'd never had anyone to go with. And now you had someone. You actually had a choice of who you wanted to go with, and you chose Barack. 

But here you are, very unsure of how far you come. And then you remind yourself that you're supposed to be enjoying it. And you would.

All dressed up you head down to the Harbor and see that for the most part, the aura is warm. There are colorful string lights, music, people dancing and talking, and much more. To say you never imagined yourself being in such an environment is an understatement.