No sooner was Gage back at Christy's side when the president of the Homecoming Committee took the stage. “The moment you've all been waiting for. Thanks for bearing with us this year when we decided to try something new and announce it now instead of at the game. Last night was about the football team, it seemed fitting to keep the focus on them and wow, did our guys rock or what?” Cheers filled the gymnasium and she had to wait for it to die down before she could continue. “Will the nominations for Homecoming King and Queen take the stage?” She waited until the four pairs were on stage then announced the second and third runners up. There was applause for the two couples but everyone was really waiting to see who got the crown. “Okay, okay, I've tortured y'all long enough. This year's Homecoming King and Queen are...Gage Delacroix and Christy Telgard!”
Mia
When Gage first snarled at her about her dress being so short, Mia felt a fleeting moment of pleasure. He wouldn't have said anything if he didn't care, right? Then she remembered. She was like a sister to him. It wasn't like he was jealous because he thought someone else might actually ask her out. He proved that when he went back to Christy and draped his arm over her shoulder. She found a table while Julius got them both a glass of punch and sat to watch everyone. Several guys stopped at the table to flirt with her, which was nice, but she knew that come Monday they would look right past her again. They didn't seeher,they saw her dress.
She was playing with her cup when Gage approached. “...dance wit' me and let me make it up to you.” She was only partially listening because she'd started regretting her decision to attend the dance. It took a little cajoling on his part but Mia finally let Gage lead her onto the dance floor.
She tried to keep her body stiff but when he pulled her close so there was little space between them she felt herself all but melting into his loose embrace. Why did she have to have such a crush on him? Why couldn't she have liked someone who wasn't so...gorgeous? She felt tongue-tied until he gave her a backwards compliment.
Of course she 'looked better' in a dress that showed off her boobs. He was a boy, that was all he could see; boobs. If she'd worn something that covered her up more, would Gage have even approached her the first time? By the time the song was over she felt...glum. No, he wouldn't have approached her. The only reason he had was because of her dress. He didn't even seeher, not really. Not the way she wanted him too. “I voted for you, you know.” Why oh why did she tell him that? What was she thinking giving him that kind of power over her? She wanted to take the words back but she couldn't.
“A'course you did. You're my number one fan.”
Mia felt like her heart was breaking. He had no idea how right he was and she just knew he would never see her the same way. Some might say she was too young to know what love was, but Mia disagreed. She loved Gage Delacroix. She had for years. When he looked at her though, he didn't see Mia Lafleur, the girl who was crazy about him. He saw his 'pal', Mia, the girl who liked to fish and play ball like she was one of the guys.
Sitting back at the table, Mia tuned out the announcement of the second and third runners' up for the Homecoming Court. It wasn't until the King and Queen were announced that she pulled herself out of her own thoughts. “Okay, okay, I've tortured y'all long enough. This year's Homecoming King and Queen are...Gage Delacroix and Christy Telgard!”
After the cheers died down Mia looked over at her twin. “Can we go home now? I just really don't wanna be here anymore.”
Julius nodded. “Yeah. I tink I'm over my Cody crush.” Seeing him acting like an ass to some of the other kids at the dance who weren't as dressed up as everyone else had killed the 'Oh, I like him' buzz.
Mia spared one last glance at the stage where Gage stood grinning with his arm around Christy before she slipped out of the gym. She let Julius call Beau for their ride home and leaned against the side of the building while they waited. What had started out as a fun night had turned into a depressing one but she only had herself to blame for that. She was the one who'd convinced herself that maybe, if she dressed up, Gage would finallyseeher and want her as much as she wanted him. She'd been such a fool.
Gage
When they were finally able to get off the stage, and he was able to extract himself from Christy, Gage went to look for Mia. For some odd reason he felt the need to see her, to know what she thought of him winning Homecoming King. The table she and Jules were sitting at was empty and after a quick look he realized they'd left. He felt...hurt and disappointed. She'd said she voted for him but she didn't stick around to congratulate him.
For the first time in a long time, when some of the guys asked if he was going to the party that was planned after the dance, he said no. There was always a party happening on Saturday night but he really didn't feel like drinking with his buddies. He didn't even want what he knew he could easily get from Christy. It seemed a lot of the girls at school were ready and willing to put out as long as you were a jock. “I've got some stuff I gotta do early in da mornin' so I can't be out partyin' all night.”
“Dude, you're gonna miss all the fun,” Cole Ambrose said.
“You'll have to fill me in den.” Gage headed for his car before he could let himself be talked into going after all. He knew Mia would be up early. She often spent her mornings away from the compound at a lean-to they'd put up when they were kids. It gave her a quiet space to do the one thing that she really enjoyed; paint. He wanted to talk to her before she got too absorbed in her art.
The sun was just beginning it's climb when Gage dragged himself out of bed, got a quick shower, and dressed. He grabbed a cup of coffee and a biscuit from the counter where his mama was already up working on breakfast, and headed for the door. “I'll be back for breakfast,” he assured his mother before she could say something to him about needing more than one biscuit. After he'd gotten home last night he'd had a hard time falling asleep and as a result he was dragging a bit this morning.
Gage slipped inside the lean-to and sat to wait for Mia's arrival. He tapped his fingers against his leg and kept an ear out. He didn't want to startle her and he knew if he stayed silent that was exactly what would happen.
Half an hour later the faint sounds of footsteps reached his ears. He slid out into the open and leaned against the tree the frame of the lean-to was set against. “Mornin', Mia.”
Mia blinked and frowned a little. “Mornin'. What are you doin' here? You haven't come here in forever.” That was why it had become her refuge, of sorts.
“I knew you'd be here dis mornin' and I wanted to talk to you.” He moved so she could carry her supplies inside.
“What about?” She had a sinking feeling she already knew the answer.
“Why'd you leave da dance so early?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Didn't feel like stayin' any longer. I wasn't really havin' fun and neither was Jules, so we decided to leave. I tink da only reason I went, really, was because everyone else was goin' and I didn't want to be da only one who didn't show up.”
“Oh. I guess dat makes sense. Did you stay long enough to find out who won King and Queen?”
“Yeah. Congratulations. I knew you'd get it. Ever'body likes you.”
“Thanks, Mia. I guess I should get outta here and let you paint.” He was reluctant to leave though. “Why do you do dat way out here, anyway?”
“It's quiet and no one bothers me. Only person who knows about dis place is you and you stopped comin' out here when you hit high school.”
“Oh. I guess wit' ever'ting I had goin' on, I just didn't have time to come out here anymore.”
