Elena's P.O.V.
Last week was prom night. In spite of the fact that the gym was hackneyed decorated and looking like a cheap and trite party, I still spruced up for the event - heck, I even bought a one-time expensive ball gown!
Normally, I avoid such social gathering and wasting my time and money on depressing stuff like that.
Yes, I understand how pessimistic I sound like, but if you could just have seen how awful the school arranges the annual prom, you would not have even given a regard in the matter.
In fact, consider yourself lucky to never have attended such a cringy event.
And this 'ball' wouldn't have been any different from the others, had it not been for the fact that I was asked out by a certain guy.
Even though I shouldn't nor understood why I was so excited to go to prom with Adam, I was still enthusiastic about the entire thing. A buzzing sensation woke the bustle in me whenever I thought about it in the moments of boredom.
For the first time in my life, I willingly went to the prom.
It could have been the funniest and amusing school ball I have ever attended - even less cringy if you ignored the seventh-grade eyeshadow everyone was wearing.
Keyword: could.
'Why? What happened?' You might ask, and I'll reveal the teeny-weeny, itsy-bitsy, little, minor detail in my story that will answer your query.
Adam ditched me.
And to be honest, I'm still not sure who I'm madder at; the football player who discarded me, or myself for going so far for the heavy attire.
But on the other hand, at least I got to see Hazel and Emil dance together and watch how weightless the boy displayed. To see how happy the black-haired boy looked like almost made me forget about my pathetic situation.
Additionally, there was free food - so, I wouldn't say that everything was in vain.
However, there is this small issue that has now occurred, and instead of facing it like a mature person, I'm avoiding and hiding from it.
Literally.
I am hiding and avoiding Adam who desperately wants to explain his lack of presence. Not my best plan, I can admit that, but I can't stop now considering that I have been hiding for over a week now.
The hide and seek game is strong, let me tell you that.
"Elena!"
And I'm so not backing down and solve the situation like an adult.
I ran as quickly as I could out of the school building, irritated over the fact that Adam figured out when I have my piano lessons - God, he's so desperate that he's staying past school day to corner me.
The backdoors slammed open with me flying out of the gap like a burning comet. It wasn't before I found myself in the parking lot that I could feel the panic hitting my chest.
Where do I hide? Where do I hide? Where do I hide?
I frantically looked around, trying to find a spot that could give me cover. No cars - perfect, just perfect! The only occupying setting in this scene was a small group of guys who were surrounded by their motorcycles.
Glancing back at the doors and hearing the distant footsteps growing closer, I bit into the sour, acid apple and ran towards the gang consisting of three people.
I can already feel the regret.
"Hey, strangers, I'm just going to cut to the chase; you don't know who I am, and I don't know who you are but I need a favor - so it would be really nice if I could just hide behind your vehicles for a little while, thank you!" Every word was rushed, causing my entire speech to almost be incomprehensible.
The three boys wearing matching leather jackets did not even have the chance to reply as I threw myself behind their newly polished motorcycles, out of the picture - and just in time, too.
"Elena!" I heard the door slam, followed by racing footsteps that echoed across the deserted parking lot. With careful movements, I sneaked a glance from the massive vehicle I was standing behind, looking at a bewildered and frustrated football player. It wasn't before he turned his head towards the three frames that I ducked behind my interim shield. "Excuse me," Adam started, his voice growing louder and clearer. "Have you guys seen anyone coming out here?"
"We have seen many people," one of them immediately replied, his words bathing in artifice.
Dammit, I knew I would regret this, I shook my head, slowly positioning myself in a spot so I could have an overview of the scene.
"You have? Where-"
"Here," the first guy answered again, shrugging and smiling from where I could see. He nodded towards the school building as he swiped his long and onyx dark hair out of his eyes. "First we saw the students leave, then the teachers and-"
"No, I mean, have you seen someone around here at this moment?" Adam reconstructed his sentence, looking beyond frustrated.
"We've seen you."
Okay, I have to admit: that was quite hilarious. That's my kind of avoidance.
Adam, on the other hand, did not find it as amusing as the rest of us did. Instead of laughing, he rolled his eyes and seethed. "Just forget it," he walked away with the knowledge of defeat hanging over him like dark clouds.
A sigh of relief left my dry lips when the football player's presence went cold - finally!
"Thank you so much," I started, getting out of the lent hiding place. "I owe all of you a huge favor."
Just as I was stepping out of their small circle, the one who had been talking blocked the gap, shaking his head. "Not so fast," his hazel orbs narrowed as he spoke.
Yeah, I am so regretting this now.
"Listen-" My eyes wandered to his dark-colored jacket, reading off the name tattooed on the leather. "-Lucas, I have a piano lesson that starts in five minutes, I don't have time-"
"That's not my problem," he interrupted and crossed his arms, giving me a churlish glance in an attempt to look fearsome. "Tell me why you were running away from the school's sweetheart, because last time I checked, it's usually the other way around."
Instead of letting his threatening posture frighten or intimidate me, I gave him a snorting smile and took a step forward. "None of your business."
He blocked my path again when I tried another escape route. "Not the answer I was looking for."
"Hey, wait a minute," the guy with the brown hair started, his blue eyes squinting as he neared me with a pointed finger. "Aren't you that girl who fell down that hill in the woods?"
I will always be recognized as that clumsy person, won't I?
With narrowed eyes aimed at the nameless boy, I replied, "No comment."
He laughed, "Well, now we know the answer to that question."
Quickly, I fished the phone out of the pocket, checking the clock to see how late I would be for my lesson.
However, before I could begin to curse them out for preventing me from attending my class, Lucas swiftly took the phone out of my hands, looking at the case.
"Hey!" I protested, already lunging after the device. "Give it back!"
"Hold on," he started, touching and investigating the plastic case on my phone with his two friends looking over his shoulders. It wasn't before he finally lifted his head that I saw the surprise swimming in his eyes. "This is the King of Parties' phone case, how did you get it?"
My eyebrows scrunched in perplex, and I had to think five times before I could understand what he was trying to say.
He was talking about the idiot next door.
"Is that what Carl has been calling himself? The 'King of Parties'? Really?" I made air quotations to the silly nickname, writing down a mental note that I have to confront him about it later.
"So, you know him." The black-haired boy handed me my device, his question sounding too firm to be a query. "Or how else would you have his phone case."
I felt like I was being interrogated - almost accused of stealing the orange case Carl gave to me.
"He's my neighbor," I answered, quickly sliding my phone into my back pocket. "Listen, I am running out late - just tell me what you want so I can leave."
They shared a sly look with each other, their boyish grins twisted in an acerbic smile.
"Well," Lucas started, sitting down on his motorcycle with crossed arms. "You could make a quick phone call."
And that, my friends, was the big regret.
***
"There you are!" Franny's voice called out, echoing across the empty classroom. Impatience painted his face, but it quickly disappeared as it drowned in relief. "For a minute there, I thought that you had forgotten about today's lesson."
I gave him a nervous chuckle, "I'm sorry, I was a bit busy with a gang and a stubborn person."
A very rigid 'king' if I say so.
The old man shook his head, bewildered over my explanation. "It does not matter, just take your place on the scene, please - Emil will give you the lyrics."
Throwing my bag on one of the red seats, I hurriedly obeyed his request. "Hey, Emil," I smiled when I reached the dark-haired boy, taking the papers he handed me without a word.
His raised eyebrow revealed his silent question, waiting for me to tell the rest of the story.
Irritation left footsteps in the air I blew out of my nostrils, "Fine. I was hiding from him again, and you know me; I'm not good at handling this kind of situation."
He gave me resigned look, almost rolling his eyes at my answer.
"Oh, please, as if you could have dealt with it any better," I whispered, ignoring the amusement twinkling in his eyes.
Emil responded to my comment with crossed arms, his body language throwing a silent and coded retort.
"Are you guys ready?" Franny asked, cutting off the silent fight I was having with the lanky boy.
"Yes, sir," Emil nodded along, still not utilizing his voice in any way - not even after months of friendship.
I wonder if I will ever hear him talk, I thought to myself, glancing at the mute boy who was tuning the guitar.
Weeks upon weeks have I been observing how he has advanced to the better. His flinching has decreased a lot, and I see his glowing happiness more often.
But just as I can spot the elation, I also detect the heavy shackles. There is always an empty look flashing from time to time - there is invariably an obstacle preventing Emil from enjoying a moment to its fullest.
He has yet to erase all of the darkness' color.
"Elena?"
I snapped out of my ocean of pensive, blinking away my worried thoughts. "Hmm?"
Although Emil might not have caught my perturbed stares, Franny did not let it go unnoticed as he gave me a sad smile.
"Let us start, shall we?" He said softly, sharing the same concern but not any information about the boy's past.
With a nod aimed towards Franny who was sitting ready on the piano, I met Emil's eyes and silently counted down to the beginning of the song.
"When you hold me in the street
And you kiss me on the dance floor
I wish that it could be like that
Why can't it be like that?
'Cause I'm yours." I started, singing into the microphone that was connected to the speakers.
"We keep behind closed doors
Every time I see you I die a little more
Stolen moments that we steal as the curtain falls
It'll never be enough."
It'll never be enough, I could hear the tensed playing from Emil at that part, sharing his downcast feeling with me when lyrics come to life.
"It's obvious you're meant for me
Every piece of you it just fits perfectly
Every second, every thought, I'm in so deep
But I'll never show it on my face.
"But we know this
We got a love that is hopeless." I took the microphone out of its holder, causing a small adrenaline to spark.
"Why can't you hold me in the street?
Why can't I kiss you on the dancefloor?
I wish that it could be like that
Why can't we be like that?
'Cause I'm yours.
"As you drive me to my house
I can't stop these silent tears from rolling down
You and I both have to hide on the outside
Where I can't be yours and you can't be mine."
In the middle of the song, the door opened slowly, letting a ray of the light walk into the dark room. Franny and Emil seemed unbothered by it, but I couldn't let it go unnoticed as the beam caught my eye.
"But I know this, we got a love that is homeless.
"Why can't you hold me in the street?
Why can't I kiss you on the dance floor?
I wish that it could be like that
Why can't we be like that?
'Cause I'm yours.
"I don't wanna live love this way
I don't wanna hide us away
I wonder if it ever will change
I'm living for that day, someday.
"When you hold me in the street
And you kiss me on the dance floor
I wish that we could be like that
Why can't we be like that?
'Cause I'm yours, I'm yours." Both Franny and Emil muted their instruments the moment the verse entered the air. It caused an effect, making the lyrics clearer.
And then every component in the song awakened in the end, the voices of the guitar and piano singing in harmony.
"Oh, why can't you hold me in the street?
"Why can't I kiss you on the dance floor?
I wish that it could be like that
Why can't it be like that? 'Cause I'm yours
Why can't I say that I'm in love?
I wanna shout it from the rooftops
I wish that it could be like that
Why can't we be like that? 'Cause I'm yours." I held the last tone for as long as I could, feeling the song's emotions in every part of my body.
And then the silence grew again as the final lines were nearing.
"Why can't we be like that?
Wish we could be like that." The piano melody continued to live for a couple of more notes before it fell into the shadows.
"Oh, that was lovely! It was marvelous! Bravo to the both of you - bravo!" Franny applauded, giving Emil and me a bright smile as he began to talk about how we had to perform on the school's musical.
I was listening to some degree, but his words quickly faded out when I caught the glimpse of movement between the dark theater seats. With narrowed eyes, I walked closer to the edge of the stage, trying to make out the dark silhouette.
And then I met the familiar blue eyes that widened upon the encounter. With swift and hastily movements, the person ran out of the room with their long, blood-like hair trailing after.
Neither Emil or Franny noticed the small audience that fled.
I wanted to run after her, I wanted to ask questions about her absence and her well-being, but most of all, I wanted to make sure that she was okay.
Because when I saw her eyes, I saw nothing but tears covering her weeping orbs. She looked so sick at heart, so miserable.
Never in my life did I ever think that I would see the blistering girl lack so much color. Her face did not contain any sort of warm hue, and there were only scratches of mournful that could be seen.
And even if I didn't know her on an emotional level or had any mild connection with her, it still pained me to see how splintered Annie was.