Once Upon A Time...

A few days later…

I carefully tiptoed trying to tape the heart-shaped pink balloon onto the wall somehow. I looked around the gym as I got down from the ladder. There were party lights going across from wall to wall. The place was dark, except for the pink and red stage lights illuminating the room. There were tables with pink paper tablecloth, and on it were bowls of fruit punch and sweets and such. The dance was in two days, and Leadership, like always was in charge to organize it.

“Alright, well, my job here in the gym is done. You guys should probably just make sure everything will run smoothly and take care of the small details while I go sell the roses and tickets to the dance and all,” everyone nodded, agreeing to my statement.

“Lizzy? You know what to do right?” I asked.

“Huh? Oh yeah, I’ll go hand out the flyers.”

“Alright, great, lets get going then.”

****

Lizzy and I decided to set up a stand passing out roses, sweets, tickets, and flyers all in one instead of going around the whole school handing it out.

I gave out another rose and two tickets to a guy as Lizzy and I talked. That’s how it worked. The guy would buy a rose and give it to the girl, asking her to accompany her to the dance. Lizzy handed out the flyers for details such as dress code and time and place (the big gym) and we also sold sweets just for fun.

It was actually kind of weird. Me and Lizzy’s “friendship” I guess you could call it. She was very outgoing and happy all the time, but also naïve. I now doubt she knows of my supposed feeling for Harry. Although, she could be a handful. She would always secretly complain about how hard her life is and how no one loves her, and that really annoyed me considering she knows so many people who tell her they love her and hug her and her best friend Theresa she tell everything to and not to mention her fucking boyfriend, and she still complains whereas I seriously have no one.

I dreaded next week, considering the Valentine’s dance would be over and I had to concentrate on doing the live music for the soccer game. The cheerleading squad decided to go with a very upbeat song, showing the emphasis of “friendship”. Whatever.

The girls had already put together their routine, but they still need to add the finishing touches.

I glanced at Lizzy as she happily handed a small box of chocolates to a blonde girl in exchange for the small amount of money. I couldn’t help it. I had to ask her.

“So, are you going to the dance?”

She froze, “I don’t know. Ask Harry,” she scoffed.

“Is something wrong?” I couldn’t deny the fact I was a bit happy. Sorry, not sorry.

“Well, me and Theresa went dress shopping like 2 weeks ago so I would be prepare but he still hasn’t asked me. I mean, can you believe that?”

“Uh oh, I smell trouble in paradise,” I joked.

She just rolled her eyes and got back to selling the chocolates.

“There was no paradise to begin with.” She muttered

******

Light music swayed in the background as couples slowly danced to the song. I thought I caught a glimpse of Harry and Lizzy, but then again I could be wrong.

As the song ended, a black-haired girl –Theresa: Lizzy’s best friend- also from Leadership, approached the small stage we set up in the gym just for the dance and started speaking, “Alright, everyone find a dance partner!”

I quickly stepped back, nearing the fruit punch, as I really didn’t want to dance with anyone but Harry, but we all know that’s not gonna happen.

“Will you do me the honor of dancing with me?”

“Didn’t you come here with someone else?” I asked, not having to turn around from pouring myself a drink since I already knew whom the voice belonged to.

“Actually, I came here for patrol. Coach requested so, however one dance wouldn’t hurt,” I turned around finally to see him holding out his hand for mine as I crossed one arm and held my drink in the other.

I thought about it a bit. I was kind of desperate for Harry to notice me, and what other way to get him to at least pay attention to me a bit more if I danced with his best friend, Brandon, also captain of the soccer team. I’m sure the only reason he knows me now is because Brandon spilled to him about his crush on me.

“Alright,” I defiantly said, taking a big gulp of my punch before crumpling up the cup and throwing it into the trash can without looking before taking his hand.

“Nice shot,”

“Thanks,” I smiled a bit forced. I really wasn’t into this.

The song began playing as each couple stood in front of each other in a row. We danced and twirled a bit, like they do in those old sophisticated movies, before having to bump into someone else’s partner and dance with them for a few seconds. Mine happened to be Harry. His hands tightened around my waste as my arms wrapped around his neck and we swayed to the music. I tried to look anywhere but his eyes and my own fell upon the sight of Brandon and Lizzy doing the same as us. Good, now Lizzy wouldn’t be able to get jealous me for dancing like this with Harry, even though if anyone should be jealous, it should be me.

“You know,” Harry smirked, “I couldn’t help but notice how good of a dancer you are,”

“Thanks,” I lightly stuttered, being caught off guard by the compliment, “I used to take salsa and stuff and I’m in the hip hop crew.”

“But this is neither Latino dancing nor hip hop,” he countered.

I sighed and rolled my eyes, “My family comes from a long blood-line of nobles from Europe, ok?” He raised his eyebrows as if saying “impressive” but before he could actually reply, he spun me again and I ended up back in Brandon’s arms.

“Having fun?” he smiled, asking.

“Yeah,” I answered, lightly meaning it this time.

The hours passed by, and slowly a few people began leaving, though many remained. I looked around, searching for Brandon, but instead I saw him talking to Harry who looked quite pissed and upset. I quickly tried to find Lizzy, and once I did, I saw her crying into the arms of Becca, another cheerleader. Where the fuck is Theresa, then? Once I saw an image of black hair passing by, I quickly followed behind, knowing it was probably Theresa. I stopped once I saw she was crying too, holding on for dear life onto Mike, the Coach’s son who also attends this high school but isn’t in the soccer team. How does she know Mike? I always got a bad vibe from him somehow.

I looked around, noticing the only people left were probably 2 dozen girls and 10 guys? What was going on? I saw Lizzy head to the bathroom, leaving Becca alone. I approached her, wanting to know what was going on.

“Hey, Becca, why is everyone so sad? Is the dance not good or something?” I questioned.

“Oh no,” she shook her head,” the dance is perfect, it’s just…” she looked around as if afraid someone would hear her, “Some of the boys decided to play the girls for bets. Some were planning on having the girls do the deed for them tonight, but someone spilled the beans, and now the ‘nice guy’ act they were all putting on is gone. They were all just using the girls. Idiots,” she muttered the last part, “I mean, how heartless can you be to...” she continued to babble but I wasn’t paying attention anymore.

This couldn’t include Harry could it? I mean, him and Lizzy have been friends since elementary. I looked around, seeing everyone this upset killed my mood. I glanced back at Mike, noticing Theresa wasn’t with him anymore. Before I could realize what was going on, I heard a scream.

“You bitch!” What? That sounded like Lizzy…

“Oh, so this is my fault?” a voice shouted back.

I followed the voices as everyone crowded around them. Lizzy and Theresa. It was one epic catfight, I must admit. They were one each other, pounding and pulling hair. It took everything in me not too laugh despite the situation. I caught Harry approaching, taking one look at them, then disappearing again.

Too soon, Becca and Mike pulled them off each other and they too disappeared. Now, there were only probably 20 people in all, others were outside. Most looked very sad and disappointed. There was one girl crying her eyes out as her friends tried to comfort her. I’d like to cuss out whoever boys did this, but I don’t even know who they exactly are. Not knowing what else to do, I went up onto the set up stage and picked up a mic. If some boys messed with us, I would be sure to show the girls we could do the same.

People started gathering in the gym as I slowly began to sing and dance. I did a few different voices to give variety to the song. The track I had put in just before started playing and I started, trying to cheer everyone up.

“Ladies all across the world
Listen up, we're looking for recruits
If you're with me, lemme see your hands
Stand up and salute
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots
Representing all the women, salute, salute!

Ladies all across the world
Listen up, we're looking for recruits
If you're with me, lemme see your hands
Stand up and salute
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots
Representing all the women, salute, salute!

It's who we are
We don't need no camouflage
It's the female federal
And we're taking off
If you with me, women lemme hear you say

Ladies all across the world
Listen up, we're looking for recruits
If you're with me, lemme see your hands
Stand up and salute
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots
Representing all the women, salute, salute!

Attention! (Salute)
Attention! (Salute)
Attention! (Huh!)
Representing all the women, salute, salute!

Sisters we are everywhere
Warriors, your country needs you
If you're ready ladies, better keep steady
Ready, aim, shoot
Don't need ammunition, on a mission
And we'll hit you with the truth
Divas, queens, we don't need no man, salute!

Sisters we are everywhere
Warriors, your country needs you
If you're ready ladies, better keep steady
Ready, aim, shoot
Don't need ammunition. On a mission
And we'll hit you with the truth
Representing all the women, salute, salute!

It's who we are
We don't need no camouflage
It's the female federal
And we're taking off,
If you with me, women lemme hear you say

Ladies all across the world
Listen up, we're looking for recruits
If you're with me, lemme see your hands
Stand up and salute
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots
Representing all the women, salute, salute!

Attention! (Salute)
Attention! (Salute)
Attention! (Huh!)
Representing all the women, salute, salute!

You think we're just pretty things
You couldn't be more wrong
(We're standing strong, we carry on)
Knock us but we keep moving up (we're moving up, yeah)
Can't stop a hurricane, ladies it's time to awake (yeah!)

Attention!
Attention!
Individuals!
Originals!
Huh!
Lemme hear you say,

Ladies all across the world
Listen up, we're looking for recruits
If you're with me, lemme see your hands
Stand up and salute
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots
Representing all the women, salute, salute!

Attention! (Salute)
Attention! (Salute)
Attention! (Huh!)
Representing all the women, salute, salute
Ladies, the time has come, the war has begun. Let us stand together.
And remember, men fight great, but women are great fighters

Huh!
Representing all the women, salute, salute!”

Notes

Ok, i'm gnna start leaving hints and questions at the end of each chapter. So...

• Do you think Harry was apart of what the boys did?
• Why were Theresa and Lizzy fighting?
• Who do you ship? Liz/Harry, Rion/Harry, or Rion/Brandon?
• What are some good ship names?