Love Lie ( COMPLETED)

21.Homecoming

     The tension that I felt when Landon picked me up is pushed to the back of my mind as we drive to the dance. He comments several times about how amazing I look and how perfect my dress is. We are running pretty late to the dance because mom and dad insisted on taking pictures of the two of us together before we were allowed to leave.

     I'm actually relieved that almost everyone has already made their way inside by now. I don't want to draw any extra attention to us. Landon comes around the car and opens my door for me, holding a hand out for me. I take his hand and we walk into the dance together.

     Everything is going great; Landon and I have been dancing and having a really good time. The music is nothing like we would have selected but we decide to make the most of it and just let loose. It feels really good to be able to just goof around with him after the way things have been for the last week. I can feel things turning around and, in this moment, I don't feel quite as scared about the future of our relationship.

     This homecoming experience is much different than what I was expecting, and I am so glad that Landon convinced me to come. A slow song comes on and he bows down in a goofy way with his hand outstretched. I laugh at his gesture and take his hand. He pulls me close and we move together to the song.

     I pull back a little, so I can look up at him. "I'm so glad you talked me into coming tonight. I'm having a really good time" I tell him. He responds that he is having a good time as well and then leans down and gently lets his lips find mine. This is the first time he has kissed me all night and I feel like it ignites every cell in my body.

     Every ounce of doubt and worry that I had felt about our relationship recently melts away and in is place is only the intense feelings that I feel for this boy. Everyone around us disappears and we dance, wrapped in each other's for a long time. I could stay like this for an eternity, but we are drawn out of our little bubble as we hear an announcement being made from the stage.

     We both look up towards the stage trying to see what is going on. It appears like it is time for them to handle the homecoming court. With everything else going on lately I hadn't even paid attention to who was on the court. I know there had been posters and flyers plastered all over the walls of the school for weeks now.

     As the music makes a subtle shift, the announcer introduces the candidates for homecoming king and as expected a line of football and basketball players make their way to the stage. Next the announcer calls for the candidates for homecoming queen. I think back briefly to last year when I was in this group at Summit, I shake the thought from my head. Most of the queen candidates are cheerleaders with a few other girls that I recognize from classes scattered in there. Standing right in the middle of the group is Brooklyn.

     I find myself hoping with all my might that she loses but even with the recent changes at Glendale I am not remotely surprised when she is crowned queen. I watch as she stands on the stage having the crown placed on her head and a small pang of jealousy shoots through me. The announcer asks that the king and queens dates meet them in the middle of the dance floor for their first dance. Brooklyn makes her way to the center of the dance floor and is met by none other than Ethan.

     I try to hide my reaction as I feel like the wind is knocked from me at the sight of them together. I gather my composure and ask Landon to dance. I can tell he is really trying to pretend he didn't see my reaction to Ethan being here. He takes my hand and begins dancing with me again. I try my hardest but can't seem to pull my eyes away from them. I can barely make out someone saying something to me, the next second Landon is looking down at me and I can tell by the look on his face that he just caught me staring. He drops my hand and turns away from me and I feel the world come crashing down around me. What did I just do?

Hey guys!

Poor Landon! I feel so bad for him in this chapter. He has tried so hard to be there for Sadie and to be understanding of what she went through but there is only so much a guy can take. ☹