spaghetti-strap dress. For her hair, she had gathered it into a half-pony tail and secured it
with a sparkly barrette that was the color of her dress. Lance stood up and grabbed
Raven's hand; leading her to a spot in front of the stage.
Coincidentally, the couple ended up standing next to Amber and her date; brown-haired,
hazel eyed, Brad Scala, the star actor of Bronson Alcott with also the ego of one. Raven
caught Amber's eye and she glared at her, mouthing the words: "You're going down".
Raven smirked and turned her attention back towards Stacey.
"The nominees are: Amber Anderson, Claudia Campbell, Tyra Taylor and Raven
Kenzington", Stacey announced, as if reading from a cue card. Polite cheers and claps
followed for Claudia and Tyra and cat calls, cheers and whistles after Amber. But as soon
as Stacey said the word Raven, the gym swelled with the sounds of yells, cheers, claps and
whistles. Raven glanced over at Lance and laughed, who offered her a grin back. Stacey
waited a few minutes for the crowd to settle down, and then spoke again.
"This year's homecoming queen race has been a head to head competition with
unpredictable results. But tonight, I hold those results in my hand", she continued. She
held the white envelope up as evidence.
"Your 2002 homecoming queen is...."
The pause of Stacey opening the envelope was filled in by The Vixen's drummer playing a
drum roll. Raven felt her heart rate increase and her palms started to sweat. She had
thought she would win the crown hands down but now she wasn't so sure. The suspense
was killing her. Everything seemed to be in slow motion as Stacey pulled out the piece of
paper and then let her lips curl into a huge smile. Her eyes scanned the paper and then
locked onto the sea of students.
"I'm happy to say that the 2002, Bronson Alcott homecoming queen is Raven
Kenzington!!!" she shouted. Raven was drowned in relieved cheers and claps, which
overpowered the hisses of boo's from Amber's small following. A tidal wave of relief
washed over Raven and then was replaced with pure joy.
{I won! I really won!}
Raven took a peek at Amber's face, which was completely shocked and tempestuous. Her
eyes were shooting fireballs at Stacey and if actual fire had been able to come out of her
eyes, then Stacey would have died on the spot. Raven laughed and looked at Lance, who's
face was even more happy than herself. His eyes caught her's.
"Congratulations", he replied. Raven smiled.
"Thanks", she answered. He leaned down, lightly kissed her and then gave her a little push
on the small of her back towards the stage. People made way for her as she fought
through the crowd, an unreadable grin on her face.
The new, shiny homecoming queen crown and a bouquet of red roses was in Stacey's
hands, which someone had given to her a few minutes before. Raven finally found her way
on stage and stood next to Stacey.
"Good job!" Stacey sincerely replied with a smile.
"Thanks", Raven proudly replied. Stacey handed Raven the roses and then carefully placed
the crown ontop of her head.
{I had thought that I wouldn't win. But I guess fate had something different in store for
me. I didn't expect to feel so happy when Stacey called my name, either}, Raven thought.
"Great job Raven and good effort to the other contestants", Stacey announced, trying to
be heard over the commotion. She then took the microphone off the stand and then gave it
to Raven. Raven cleared her throat, trying to figure out how to piece together all her
emotions and thoughts to form a thank-you speech.
"Well, I'd just like to say, a big, big thank you to everyone that voted for me! I know I'm
not your average vision of a homecoming queen and I know I never will be. But I'm
guessing maybe that's why you all chose me; because you were tired of the same, old
thing. I know I came off as confident about winning the crown, but I seriously thought I
was gonna go home empty handed. But I guess not, huh? Anyway, like I said again, a
huge thank you to everyone that voted for me. I'd also like to take this time to say a
special thank you to Lance. You don't know how much you mean to me and how much
you've changed my life."
The cheers had gone down and all eyes and ears were intently on Raven. Her eyes swept
over the crowd and then landed on Lance. He smiled at her and she felt her heart soar. She
weakly smiled back and then looked at the crowd again. She took a deep breath,
summoning all the courage to say the next sentence.
"And I'd also like to say; Lance, I love you."
She placed the microphone back in the stand and claps, cheers and 'awwwwwws' then
immediately began. Raven beamed; feeding off the tremendous energy of the crowd. It felt
good to finally be cheered for instead of cheered against. She just hoped Lance didn't mind
her little declaration of love. She then started to walk off stage when all of a sudden, a
blond dressed in hot pink raced up the stairs, shoved her backwards and snatched the
microphone from the stand; her eyes blazing. It was the only person who would try to
steal the spotlight from Raven.
It was Amber.
Amber began pacing up and down the stairs, growing more and more annoyed with each
cheer for her enemy.
"Will all of you just like, shut the hell up?!" she screeched. The crowd quieted down a bit,
curious to see what Amber had up her sleeve.
"That's much better. Anyway, like are all of you on crack or something?! Like, why in the
world would you vote for Miss Antisocial over here, if you like, can have me?! I'm like,
the most popular girl in this pathetic excuse for a school and like, she's a freak! And like,
DAMNIT, I should like, have won!!!" she shrieked.
She then stopped pacing and looked back at Raven, shooting her an expression of pure
hatred. She angrily pointed her finger at her face.
"You-"
Suddenly, she stopped and dropped her finger to her side. The anger vanished from her
face and was replaced with a worry. Amber's ivory skin turned a moldy green as she
clamped down onto her jaw. A suspicious sound of "squish, squish" echoed throughout
the now silent gym. Everyone curiously watched Amber like it was a waiting to happen
train wreck.
An ungodly smell floated across the stage, that was a mixture of a skunk and hot, wet
garbage on a summer day. Raven cringed and Stacey gagged. Then, a runny, brown blob
slid down Amber's leg and landed with a sickening splat on the stage floor.
The whole gym gasped. Amber's eyes began to get teary and Raven burst out into
hysterical laughter; her bouquet-free hand clutching her stomach as if her insides were
about to fall out. Another "squish, squish" could be heard and then a runnier, browner
blob glided down Amber's leg and crash landed on the floor.
Amber covered her hands over her face and began to sob. Raven laughed even harder. The
gym was in a state of shock; silent. Amber had been suddenly frozen in her spot, then
gazed up at masses with a runny nose. Her cheeks had salty, black streaks on them from
her mascara.
A faceless person, a phantom in the crowd then shouted out: "HEY AMBER, YOU'RE
"LIKE" A LOSER!" This was a trigger and a few people began to snicker. And then a
handful began to chuckle. And then finally, the entire gym, including The Vixens, were
involved in side-splitting laughter. Amber then fled off the stage, almost tripping over her
five inch heels, bolting straight to the bathroom.
Raven wiped away her tears of laughter and headed down the stairs and to Lance, giving a
smile, nod or "thanks" to the random congratulations thrown at her. All her laughter
dissolved as she inched closer to him. What if he was mad at her? Or worst of all, what if
he didn't feel the same way?
"If you're mad at what I said, I'm not going to apologize because it's the truth. I can't help
what I feel for you", Raven quietly replied as soon as she reached him. He gave her a smile
and shook his head.
"I'm not mad at all. Why would I be mad if I feel the same way?" he questioned. Raven's
eyes widened.
"Really?" she asked.
"Yes, really. I love you, Raven", he whispered. She gazed up into the depths of his eyes
and knew that he wasn't lying or joking. It was an overwhelming feeling to suddenly know
the person she loved, loved her in return. She sniffled and looked down for a few minutes,
hoping the urge to cry would pass.
"That's good to know", she jokingly choked out, her eyes darting up. He laughed.
The Vixen's had packed up and were long gone, leaving DJ Skribble to play the songs for
the rest of the night. He had been setting up during the homecoming queen announcement
and now that he was finished, put on a record. The sounds of Tyreese flowed through the
speakers.
"Wanna finish that dance we never started?" he asked. Raven laughed.
"Sure, let me put these flowers down", she answered. He followed her to their table,
where she carefully put the roses. Then, they walked back to the dance floor.
*Something about the way
words to describe you
I cannot say
I'm going out of my mind
Thinking of you at times*
They were silent as Lance wrapped his arms around her waist and Raven wrapped her
arms around his neck.
*Cause you make me feel
So wonderful
My heart is willing
Won't you stay with me
Promise to love me
For always*
"You make a really beautiful queen", Lance complimented. Raven smiled, almost a little
shy. She still hadn't gotten used to all his compliments when all she usually got from those
type of guys were put-downs.
"Thanks", was all she could say.
*You know there's nothing
I won't do for you
I want you in my life
For always
You were made for my touch
No one but you
Ever loved me this much
You are one of a kind
Someone I'm truly blessed to find*
"What are you thinking?" Raven softly questioned.
"How lucky I am that I have you", Lance seriously replied. Raven smiled.
"You must be a mind reader because I was thinking the same thing."
He chuckled and careful not to poke or scratch him with her crown, Raven rested her head
on his shoulder, pulling them closer together. Raven sighed. Tonight certainly had been
one to remember. After all three years of bull shit, her last and final year of high school
was finally starting to make sense. Her *life* was starting to make sense. Even though she
had a crown, Raven really did feel like a queen. The world was going to end? Who cared.
The President was missing? So what. She had found her prince that was charming enough
to make all those Disney princess jealous. She was in love with the guy who loved her and
it was the best feeling in the world. It was one weird but exciting journey that she had
gone through these past six weeks and despite the fact the road sometimes got tough, she
had survived.
Raven lifted her head, her eyes boring into his. He gave her a warm smile and closed the
distance between their faces, giving her a tender but powerful kiss. They broke apart and
Raven lightly rested her forehead on his. The sparkling lights of the gym captured them in
a glittering wonderland ripped straight out of a fairy tale masquerade, creating the illusion
that they were the only ones on the dance floor.
*So much happiness
I've found with you
My heart is willing
Won't you stay with me
Promise to love me
For always
Baby you, have taken your love
And made a dream come true
I've found it in you*
"Dude, that was a pretty disgusting scene with Amber", he replied, referring to earlier
events. Raven laughed and wickedly grinned.
"She's such a party pooper-literally!" Lance laughed and kissed her again.
*Promise me
you'll stay with me
Forever and always*
Little did they know, the magical fairy tale would end in a matter of heart-wrenching
minutes, all due to a little thing called being at the wrong place at the wrong time. The end
result? Twisting the events into a nightmare from hell.
*~*~*~*
A/N: The song used was by Tyreese and it's called "For Always" off of his 2000 Watts
CD.
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