Afterschool...
Walking out of school with Lyra at my side, we walk down the street to the parade. It hasn't started yet; everyone is setting up their stations and putting on their costumes. Besides the St. Helena lights, this is the 2nd biggest event that happens here. The Mayor, Bethany Spencer, makes a speech about the success of the town and what great of a job we did on the parade. After that the St. Helena Choir sings a song, while the band plays with them. Then the parade gets started.
In the front are the Killer Bats, the cheerleaders. Then the band, dance team, homecoming court, and finally the Batcaver's float which me and Lyra will be driving.
"Quinneth, I don't want to be in the control center." Lyra pouts turning around to me.
"Lyra, you have to. Your way smaller than me I can't fit." I tell her. She's been harassing me all day about not wanting to be in the control center. One person has to actually drive the float, while the other person controls it and tells the person driving what directions to turn at.
"Damn you and your hips." She scowls me while smacking my hips.
"Ow!" I semi scream at her. "That hurt."
"It was supposed to." She gives me a wink as we walk to the main booth.
As we arrive to the booth were faced with Tara Tang and Sara Wong, The Blondes. Funny thing about them being called 'The Blondes', neither of them are actually blonde. Tara has strawberry hair and Sara has Jet-black hair.
"Well, well well if it isn't Lyra and her lap dog." Tara spits out while looking us up and down.
"Bite me." Lyra replies back.
"Never in a million years." Sara says chiming in. "What are you both doing here?"
"Were driving the float." I speak.
Tara and Sara both look towards each other and laugh. "Ewe imagine." Sara chuckles out.
"I don't want to. Me and Sara are on the homecoming court." Tara speaks. I look at both their outfits. Sara is wearing a long yellow dress with thin spaghetti straps. Tara is wearing a light purple dress with jewels around the waist area. I may despise them, but they both actually look nice.
"We have to go were actually important." As they walk past us, they shove our shoulder. We stumble back a little.
"God, I wish I could wring their necks." Lyra spats out while imagining herself choking them.
"Ditto." I say agreeing with her.
"Where have you both been?" We turn around to see Dana rushing over to us. Her hair flows in the wind while her eyes stay stuck on us.
"We've been at the booth." Lyra says pointing to the booth behind us.
"You were supposed to be at your float already. Here take these headsets and controllers." She hands us the stuff while pushing us towards the float's direction. "Hurry, the Mayor is about to give her speech."
We both start walking through the stuffed crowd to the float.
"You sure you don't want to switch?" Lyra asked again. I point to the control center telling her to get in. "Ugh fine." While she gets in the control center booth I enter through the back of the bat. It's rather narrow in here, in front of me is the steering wheel and I can see out of the bats nose. I put on my headset and turn on the float.
Looking through the bat's nose I see everyone getting in position. In the front of us I see the homecoming court lining up with their dates. Sara's with Jason, Katherine is with Lopez, Cynthia paired with Timothy and lastly Tara with Myers. Wait WHAT!
I squint my eyes closer trying to make sure I saw what I think I saw. It's definitely Myers with Tara. I haven't him since the bathroom incident, when did he come back? All the bruises that Alexander gave him are gone, like it never happened.
Lots of questions swarm in my mind. Is he back for me? Why hasn't he tried to come see me? If he does who is going to protect me from him? Immediately my thoughts are put on hold once the Mayor starts talking.
"Hello fellow St. Helenians." The crowd burst out in cheers. "Thank you to our sponsors and volunteers that have helped put everything together, it looks amazing. The parade will start right now." She says finishing up.
"You ready?" I asked Lyra.
"Yeah." I reply.
I push on the gas lightly as the float starts to move. The crowd starts to cheer as we descend down the street.
"Let's shine light on our Batcaver's Homecoming Court. We have our first couple Sara Wong and Jason Johnson. Next is Katherine York and Lopez Hope. Right next to them is Cynthia Roberts and Timothy Gilbert. Last couple is Tara Tang with Star Football Player Myer's Gibson." They all wave to the crowd with smiles on their face.
I focus my eyes on Tara and Myers. If she knew her date was going to be Myers, why wouldn't she brag to me about it? Maybe just wanted me to find it out for myself. With me thinking too much about Tara and Myers I forgot that I was steering.
“QUINN! We're drifting to the left turn!” Lyra screams into the ear set. I look outside the bats nose to see people’s eyes widening pointing to the right. Opps.
“Sorry.” I say to Lyra while turning to the right putting the car back on track. If I didn’t hear Lyra in time, we maybe would have hit some people. I start to flap my arms, it’s fairly hot in here. I have no idea how the kid last year who drove this could sit in here. It’s like a Sauna in here.
“Looks like the Batcaver’s float is trying to fly off.” The Mayor chuckles out trying to ease the situation. “Now coming up are the Killer Bats look at him cheer, such beautiful girls. Behind them is The Band, and our football players sitting in the bed of the truck. In the middle is our star quarterback and Captain Jack Thompson.” I can’t see Jack’s whole body just his hand waving.
“Damn, I can’t see Jack. What does he look like Quinn?” Lyra asked.
“I can’t see him either, just his hand waving.” I tell her. She grunts into the headset mumbling things under her breath I would rather not want to repeat.
The parade went on for 30 more minutes. I turn to the side to park the float. Walking out the back of the bat I was greeted by cool air. God, it should be illegal for us to be in that bat for that long. As soon as I get home, I’m taking a long bath. Jumping down from the float I see Lyra climbing out the control room.
“We are never doing that again.” She said stretching her arms and legs.
“Agreed, tickets next year.” I speak.
“Tickets.” We go to sit on the curb. While we sit there and try to catch our breath Dana comes over to us enraged.
“What the hell what that!” She screamed to us. Her pale face starts to turn red.
“Sorry Dana I couldn’t hear through the head set.” I mutter out.
“Mhm. Next year you two will not be driving the float, you almost killed innocent civilians.” She points to me and Lyra. Huffing she walks off in haste.
“Never thought Dana could get angry.” Lyra says.
“Me either.” In the distance I see Lyle walking over to us.
“Hey, what was that out there you almost killed some people.” He says chuckling while combing back his hair with his fingers.
“Lack of communication.” I utter out sticking my hands in my pockets.
“Hey Lyle.” Lyra says poking her head out behind me.
“Hi.” He responds to her.
“You alright here Quinn? I’m about to go find Jack.”
“Yeah, I’m fine. See you later.” She ruffles my hair while running off. Once she leaves, I turn my head back to Lyle. Behind him I see Myers standing with Tara, he looks over to me his beady eyes staring in mines. Lyle follows my gaze to him.
“Who’s that?” He asked.
“Myers, ex-boyfriend.” I awkwardly say.
“Wait... the guy in the diner isn't your boyfriend?”
“Nope, just a friend.” I respond.
"Why did you guys break up?" He asked awaiting my answer. “I don’t mean to be intrusive.”
“No, it’s alright. He thought that I wanted Alexander and I didn’t.”
“And did you?” He asked.
“Did I what?” I looked at him with a confused expression on my face.
“Did you want Alexander?” That’s very bold of him to ask such a question.
“I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did.”
I scoff at his boldness. He knows nothing of me and Alexander’s relationship. If I liked him when I was with Myers or not. Still, I was intrigued by what he would have to say. “How do you know?”
“I saw the way you looked at him. Like you couldn’t go another day without being in his presence. Longing for the most delicate touch.” He says in a whisper. My breath hitches in my throat, we barely know each other how does he know all this?
“That’s only from one point of view. Also, looks can be deceiving.”
“I guess.”