I wear a strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline that fits me snugly to my waist and then flares out with flowy red material to the backs of my legs. The material beneath the skirt is all white and can’t be seen unless I turn.
“Do I look like a goddess?” I ask Dana with a teasing smile.
“You look like the goddess. Venus in person!” She heads for the bathroom to get herself ready, and when she comes back out, I love the sassy blue dress she’s wearing. It’s not what I would’ve expected her to pick for herself—so I suspect Laura had something to do with it.
“Sister goddess!” I exclaim happily. “We are going to have such a good time.”
There’s a knock at the door, and when Dana opens it, we see both of my boys there waiting for me. They come in, both of them with flowers for me; Blair with a corsage for my wrist and Wills with one for my dress.
There’s no time to wait. I’m anxious to get to the scene of my triumph.
We leave all together. We stop once for Dana to pick Laura up, and then all of us head to the dance.
Schools like this don’t throw dances in the gymnasium. They have a proper ballroom for that.
As soon as we step inside, it looks like we’ve walked into Zeus’ palace on Mount Olympus.
There are pseudo pillars everywhere and huge swaths of sheer white material lit from below with an ethereal glow. Two big ice sculptures sit on the tables where the drinks are; Venus and Cupid.
There are rounded faux-stone steps that lead up to a stage made to look as if it’s a marble platform, and on it there are two regal looking thrones. My throne. Even the walls have backdrops of the hills of Greece, including one with the Acropolis on it.
We all stare at it, and Wills and Blair each lean in to kiss me with smiles on their faces.
“This is so much better than the yacht party that Victoria wanted to do.” Laura shakes her head as she stares at it, stunned.
“Agreed. I feel like we are all gods and goddesses tonight!” Dana squeals, taking Laura’s hand and leading her into the room.
The dance is already going strong.
The boys and I dance together, not far from Dana and Laura. I see Victoria and Astor on the other side of the dance floor, and though he’s dancing with her, he’s staring at me. He looks amazing in his tuxedo; so refined and sexy, I have to make myself look away from him.
I just wish that I could convince my heart to forget him.
Finally, Dr. Baxter goes up onto the stage and pauses the dance. As soon as the spotlight trains on him, everyone gathers in front of the stage.
“Good evening to you, students and faculty. I hope you’re having fun. The time has come to crown your Valentine’s Day royalty!” he announces, and the crowd cheers loudly. Two teachers are beside him, holding the crowns. He peers out into the sea of faces and calls our names.
“Astor Hawthorne and Teddy White, please come to the stage!” There’s deafening applause and cheering, and each of my boys kiss me once before they let me go up without them.
Astor watches me like I’m the only person in the room when I join him, and it feels like he can see straight into me. I don’t look back at him, thinking avoidance is best. He’s crowned, and then I am crowned, and he takes my hand in his and lifts our entwined fingers up over our heads in triumph as everyone cheers.
Everyone except Victoria, who is standing near the front of the stage, burning holes into me with fiery bitterness in her eyes.
I just try to concentrate on the crowd, and not the way his hand feels intertwined with mine.
“Your king and queen!” Dr. Baxter announces happily. “And now, will the Valentine’s Day king and queen please make their way to the floor for their traditional dance of love?”
My heart stops for a moment in my chest and I look at Dr. Baxter as Astor, still holding my hand, leads me off of the stage and down the stairs toward the dance floor.
I hadn’t realized that I was going to have to dance with him. I shoot a look over to Dana and she gives me sympathetic eyes and a shrug. I am stuck. There’s no way out of this.
The other students form a wide circle around us, and a slow love song starts. Astor brings me in close to him, wrapping one arm around my waist and holding me firmly as his other hand opens to entwine his fingers with mine.
“You look so beautiful tonight,” he tells me quietly, staring down into my eyes. “I haven’t been able to stop looking at you.”
“You’ve been looking at me a lot lately,” I tell him coolly. “I wish you wouldn’t.”
The corner of his mouth turns up a little in a smile. “Do you like it?”