SWNOVELS Chapter Chapter Six: May I Have This Dance?
“I found out what happened at the mall today.” Boone said as he held the passenger door to his car open for her.
She frowned as she climbed into his car. He closed the door and quickly ran to the driver’s side and jumped in.
“No one will believe them.” He said as he started the car.
“What gave them the idea anyway?” She asked as she looked out the passenger window.
“From what I gathered…” He paused as he took a quick peek at her. “Kendra started the rumor.”
She quickly looked at him. “Kendra? But why?” Kendra was the one girl of the group, she had ever actually considered a friend.
“From what I gathered, she’s trying to date Pryce, and you’re in the way.”
“What?!” She squealed.
He shrugged his shoulders. “Are you in the way?” He asked as he looked at her.
“Hell no.” She said with anger. “He’s a low life no good two-timing…”
He raised a hand to stop her with a laugh. “I get the picture. So, he cheated on you, huh?”
She nodded. “I caught him under the bleachers making out with another girl.”
He nodded. “Sounds like his type.”
“What do you mean, his type?” She asked confused.
“His type of person.” He said as he glanced at her.
“Oh.” She whispered as she went back to looking out the passenger window.
The rest of the ride to the school was in silence. After he found a place to park, he jumped out and ran around to her door and opened it. He smiled as he held his hand out to her. She smiled back as she took his hand and he helped her out of the car. He pushed the door closed, then wrapped her hand around his arm and headed towards the school’s gym.
~*~
Sammy looked around the packed gym. Everyone looked amazing in their dresses and tuxedos. Boone had left her side to get them some punch and she felt odd standing there by herself, she was so used to her girls being around her. She sighed, but were they her girls anymore?
“Sammy, you look amazing. I knew that dress would look good on you.” Tracy said as she walked up to Sammy and kissed her cheek.
“Thanks. You look great too.” Sammy said with a smile.
“Thanks. Where’s your date?” She asked as she looked around for Boone.
“Getting us some punch.” Sammy said with a smile.
“I guess he’s a forgiving man.” Tisha said with a chuckle as she joined them.
“Forgiving for what?” Boone’s voice made all three girls jump and turn to him.
Boone smiled as he handed Sammy her punch. She may be his mortal enemy, but he didn’t like how The Circle, was treating her, their supposed leader.
“For last night of course.” Tisha said as she beamed up at him.
“What was there to forgive?” He asked as he took a drink of his punch.
“Don’t.” Sammy said as she looked up at him.
He looked down at her with a wink, before he continued. “I would have done it again, but maybe hurt him a bit more.”
“I don’t think I could ever forgive someone for cheating on me.” Tisha said with a shake of her head.
Sammy felt a tear slide down her cheek.
Boone saw the tear and felt anger build up inside him. He needed to keep himself calm. He smiled as he placed his arm over Sammy’s shoulders. The sparks of electricity he had felt earlier at her house, flamed up around them again. He cleared his throat, so he could talk.
“For one, we aren’t dating.” He said as he pulled Sammy closer to him when she started to pull away. “And for another. Your information is wrong. I didn’t find her cheating on me; she was being attacked by a rapist. I saved her.”
The twins stared at them; their eyes open wide.
Tracy was the first to talk. “Oh, Sammy!” She cried out as she hugged Sammy tight before she backed up, shaking her head. “Are you okay?”
“Just a few stitches in the back of my head.” Sammy said as she touched the stitches.
Tisha looked at the back of Sammy’s head with a shake of her head. “I’m sorry.”
Sammy stared at them. Were they for real? Something was up, but she pushed it to the back of her mind and smiled at them.
“I never even lost my clothes. Boone pulled him off me before…” She stopped talking as memories rushed through her mind.
“No need to say more.” Tracy said with a nod, as though she understood.
“Hey girls.” Sarah said as she joined them.
A nice slow song started to play, and Boone took her drink from her hand and set both cups on a table, then held his hand out to her.
“May I have this dance?”
Sammy felt her cheeks burn as she took his hand and let him lead her out to the middle of the dance floor. She noticed the stares around them and felt her cheeks become even hotter. She knew the others didn’t know the true story of what had happened last night, and it made her cry. Her reputation was shot.
“Don’t let them bother you.” He whispered into her ear.
“What bother who?” She asked as she looked at all the faces staring at her.
He chuckled. “Look at me, Sammy.”
She looked up at him and sucked in a breath. He was so close, just one little movement and she’d be kissing him.
“Just look at me, we are the only ones who exist. Just you, me, and the music.”
She nodded as she kept her eyes on his face and moved with his body, to the music. But as much as she looked at him, she could still feel the others staring at her, judging her… She shouldn’t have come.
Boone watched the emotions play across her face. If he could make things better, he would. The rumor had spread quickly. He had fixed as much of it as he could, but he didn’t get to enough of them before it spread even deeper. Even though she was his enemy, he felt a surge of protective energy towards her. Right now, her in his arms, as they moved to the music, she didn’t feel like his enemy.
“You’re a good dancer.” She whispered.
The feel of her breath on his face had parts of him doing things they weren’t supposed to do, not with someone like her.
“Sammy.” He whispered.
A commotion at the entrance had them both turning to watch Pryce and Kendra enter the gym. Sammy sucked in a surprised breath. Boone could see what she was surprised at, Kendra was wearing the exact same dress as Sammy.
“Bitch.” Sammy whispered.
He chuckled. “Don’t worry, you look better in it then she does. Her skin tone makes it look like she’s wearing a cake…”
She laughed and hid her face against his chest. “I thought she was my friend.” She whispered against him.
He sighed. “None of them are your true friends, Sammy, and the sooner you figure that out, the sooner you will find your true friend.”
She nodded as they swayed to the music together. The song changed to a fast one, but they stayed in each other’s arms as they moved at the same pace.
When it was time to announce the King and Queen, Boone whispered into Sammy’s ear.
“Aren’t you in the running for Queen?”
She looked up at him and nodded. But she doubted she was going to get it this year, what with the rumor that she had been found having sex on campus, with some man.
“And we have the winner of the Homecoming King.” The principal said as she held up the envelope. “And this year’s Homecoming King is…”
Sammy looked over and found Pryce pumping his arms in excitement, ready to take the crown.
“Our very own football star…”
“Hurry up.” Pryce said with a laugh.
“Boone Zimmer.”
Sammy stared up at Boone. She hadn’t even known he was in the running for Homecoming King. And by the look on his face, neither had he.
“Congratulations.” She said as she leaned up and kissed his cheek.
He shook his head as everyone cheered for him to go on stage and be crowned.
“Go.” She whispered.
He looked at her then turned and headed up onto the stage.
“That’s not fair, he played the sympathy card!” Pryce hollered.
Sammy watched as all eyes turned on her. Yeah, she’s not getting crowned Queen.
She watched as the Principal crowned Boone, then turn back to the mic.
“And the Homecoming Queen is…”
Sammy took in a deep breath. She had been crowned Queen last year and the year before. The only reason she would want it now, was because Boone is King.
“Kendra Berkley.” The Principal announced.
Sammy watched Kendra approach the stage with a huge grin on her face. Sammy had an odd feeling that Kendra had started the rumor for exactly this.
“Now, if everyone would back up, please. The King and Queen will have their royal dance.” The principal announced.
Sammy grunted as she backed up with the others. She wanted to scratch Kendra’s eyes out, when she saw the grin on her face, as she walked down to the dance floor with Boone. Sammy took a deep breath. Just remember that he is here with you, not her.
“So, I hear you got caught cheating.”
Sammy spun around to face her accuser. She had known it was Pryce and she glared at him.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Pryce snorted. “You slam me for cheating on you, then you turn around and…”
“I didn’t cheat, Boone and I aren’t even dating.” She said fuming.
“So, you just like doing it with random guys…”
“That’s not what happened.” She said as she took a step back from him.
“Sure.” He said, his eyes blazing with anger, and…
She tried to turn away from him, but he caught her by the wrist.
“Not so fast, apparently you can only do something if you’re not dating…”
She turned around and slapped him across the face so hard, everyone in the gym turned to stare at them. It had been so loud that everyone had heard it over the music. Too stunned and embarrassed to say anything, Pryce let go of her wrist and stepped back away from her, as his hand went to his reddening cheek.
With tears streaming down her cheeks, Sammy took off out of the gym.
“What a bitch.” Someone said as she passed them.
That just made Sammy cry even harder as she ran out into the parking lot. Boone left his dance with Kendra and chased after her.
All music stopped as everyone watched Boone run after the girl, he had found in the shadows with another man.
“Guess it’s hard to accept it when you’re a tramp.” Kendra said with a laugh.
“What are you talking about?” The principal asked as she walked off the stage.
“Boone found her on campus with another man. Beat the man up pretty good, no one has seen him since…”
The principal looked at the student who had said that and shook her head. “If you have never been raped, don’t judge.” She told everyone in the gym.
“What?” Someone asked.
“Raped?” Another asked with panic in her voice.
“It’s not my business to say this, but Samantha Prescott was attacked last night. If Boone hadn’t heard her screams, the man would have brutally raped her and left her for dead, as he had several other women. The man is in prison and will be there for a very long time.” The Principal informed them.
Everyone looked at Kendra as they realized the horrible thing, she had done to her friend, by spreading her rumors.
“Okay, back to the dance.” The Principal said as she clapped her hands over her head.
The music came back on, and people moved away from Kendra, ashamed of their Homecoming Queen.
~*~
“Sammy.” Boone whispered as he approached her. “You shouldn’t be alone, especially after last night.”
“I know.” She said with a cry.
“Come here.” He said as he pulled her into his arms.
She went willingly and cried against him, wetting his shirt.
“Don’t let them get to you.” He said as he set his chin on the top of her head.
“It’s hard when they think I’m a slut.” She said on a sob.
“Things will get better.” He promised.
“I don’t know.” She said as she shook her head.
“Trust me.”
She looked up at him and his heart almost leaped out of his chest.
“Can we get out of here?” She asked, making his throat dry.
“Uh…” He cleared his throat. “Sure.” He said as he looked at his watch. “We still have four hours until your parents expect you home.”
“Can we find something else to do, away from them?” She asked with a pleading look in her eyes.
He sighed; how could he deny her anything, when she looked at him like that?
“Alright, where do you want to go?”
“How about pizza?” She asked with a big smile.
He laughed. “Sounds good.”
She nodded as she wiped her eyes. They turned from the school and headed for his car.
If she had asked him to take her to the deepest part of hell, he would have gladly done it, with a skip in his step. Was her plan to destroy him? Because that was the only thing that could explain what was happening. She had somehow gotten control of him and wasn’t going to let him go.
But honesty, did he even want her to?