The Secret I Tried to Keep

Chapter 21

I waited nervously with Fehtra and Ben in my long Grecian teal dress as half-time at the Homecoming game began. The Homecoming Court was being introduced over the loud speaker and the males were first. I watched as they walked out to their markers and smiled. Zane was the first to walk on to the field with Presley as his escortee. The next guy was Tyler Martin. He was your typical All-American boy. He had blonde hair and blue eyes with a nice build due to being the quarterback of the football team. He was still in his red and black football uniform. 

The third guy was Damien Winters. He was pretty popular amongst the school's population. He was your typical musician type with long black hair and brown eyes. The fourth candidate was Marcus Alonzo. He was the class clown. He was always pulling pranks on some poor unsuspecting teacher or student and posting the videos on youtube. He even looked the part with spiked brown short hair and mischievous dark brown eyes. The last guy was on the football team with Tyler Martin. His name was Romero Jones. He was the running back for the team. He was very attractive with chocolate skin and light brown eyes. He was just about as good with the ladies as Zane was. The only difference being that Romero didn't entertain all the ladies he was approached by. He was still wearing his football uniform as well. 

"And your 2015 Homecoming King is... Tyler Martin!" the announcer said over the loud speaker. People cheered and the rest of the Court clapped politely as Tyler was crowned and given a sash and flowers. Tyler couldn't wear the sash because of his uniform so he just held it. I was actually happy for him. Tyler was a good guy. I'd talked to him a time or two over the past years and he was pretty nice. The guys moved off to the side of the field where the inflatable tunnel was set up and it was time to begin with the girls. 

Aria was first, escorted by her parents; then Paris, Claire, Zoey, and then me. Fehtra and Ben held on to my arms as I walked out with a smile and took my place. The stands seemed a lot bigger from the field. I was suddenly very nervous. I gripped Fehtra and Ben for dear life as my heart started pounding wildly. 

"And your 2015 Homecoming Queen is..." the announcer started before everything was blocked by a nervous ringing in my ears. The cheering was earsplitting as the announcement was given. I looked around to see the winner but I wasn't getting any clues. I didn't hear the end of the announcement because I was so nervous. I watched confused as the crown, sash and flowers came towards my end of the field. Fehtra pulled me into a hug and rubbed my back gently before Ben did the same. I was shocked to say the least. My hands covered my mouth as I realized...

It was me.

I smiled and moved my hands to my chest to try and calm my wildly beating heart. I bent my head as the sash was placed on my shoulder. The crown was lowered onto my head and the flowers placed in my arms. Aria ran over and pulled me into a hug. 

"Congratulations, Dria!" she said near my ear. I smiled and hugged her back tightly before I was led to a small float that was covered in school spirit. Tyler was already sitting on it. He offered me a hand up and I took a seat next to him. A golf cart pulled the float around the field in a victory lap as people cheered. Everything seemed to be moving on fast forward. All of this was so surreal that I still didn't believe it. Once the golf cart pulled us of the field and out of sight, we were helped off the float. The band took the field and played for the rest of halftime; replacing the cheering with music. I began walking to the building holding the locker rooms. 

"Congratulations Dria," Tyler said with a smile. I turned to see that he wasn't far behind me. I gave him a side hug as best as I could with his football pads before I adjusted my flowers. 

"You too, Tyler," I smiled. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. 

"Hey, you know how they have the opening dance for Homecoming?" he asked. I never saw it, but I've heard of it before. The opening dance was the first dance of the night. It was a slow dance shared between the Homecoming King and Queen. I shrugged and nodded. "I don't know how to dance," he admitted shyly. I chuckled before I pat his shoulder sympathetically. 

"We only have, what, a week until the dance? How about this: we make up a routine that's going to kick ass and use it for the first dance. That way we can rehearse it and perfect it so you won't have to worry about free-styling the slow dance," I suggested. We exchanged phone numbers and agreed on a time before he went to join the rest of his team in their locker room. 

"Oh, Chandria, we're so proud of you!" Fehtra said as she pulled me into a bone-crushing hug. I smiled  as I pulled away. Aria came and hugged me again, too. I knew that if she didn't have to stay with the drill team, Cassie would be down here, too. I should ask her for help with the dance choreography with Tyler. She was great with that stuff. I chatted with Fehtra and Ben for a while longer before Aria and I went to the girls' locker room. I had to stay in my dress as queen but Aria wanted to change to watch the rest of the game in comfort. 

"So have you seen Zane since the announcement, my Queen?" Aria joked. I chuckled as I unzipped her black silk dress. I sighed and sat on the bench in the middle of the room as I touched my stomach. I did that a lot when I thought about Zane of the baby. 

"No, I lost him in the chaos of everything," I answered. Aria chuckled as she pulled on a pair of shorts. 

"You're totally falling for him," she smirked after a moment. I rolled my eyes and sighed. 

"Get real, Ari. He's a friend, at most, and I get along with him because I have to," I said. 

"He's the father of your unborn child, Dria. You hang out with him all the time. You love his sister, and he gets along with your family... well, the family that you talk to anyway. And you may not see it because you're blind as a bat when it comes to these situations, but he's definitely falling for you," Aria said, pulling a tank top on and sliding her feet into her shoes. 

"Why are you saying all of this? You know just as well as I do that Zane doesn't do relationships; he's never been capable of a functional one anyway. Plus, even if he were 'falling for me', I'm not going to set myself up to get hurt. I'm allowing him in our child's life because he does share DNA with him or her and I can't help that, but I'm not letting him into my life romantically. It's not worth the heartache it'll cause in the end," I explained logically. Aria sighed and sat in front of me as she took my hand in hers and looked me straight in the eye.

"Dria... you're being safe, as always, and... let's face it: it's a little too late for that," Aria joked as she moved her hands to my stomach. I chuckled as Aria smiled. "He does love you as well as that baby. Just... do what's going to make you happy, not what you think is going to protect you. I mean, I still think the guy is a skirt-chasing turd monkey, but I can also see that he is changing because of you," she said as she rubbed my stomach gently. I laughed and shook my head at her. Leave it to Aria to want me to be with a guy because she thinks he'll make me happy even when she doesn't like him herself. 

"This is why you are the God-mother," I smirked at her. She squealed and practically sat on my lap as she hugged me tightly. 

"Oh my God, Dria! I'm going to spoil that kid rotten," she smiled as she pulled away. I chuckled before I stood. 

"I know... Come on, let's get back to the game. I have to walk around and fulfill my queenly duties or whatever," I joked as I rolled my eyes. Aria smiled before she looped her arm with mine and led me out to the stands.