2010

So here I was at prom in my gorgeous designer dress that my parents spent a fortune on. Its color of deep red made my blonde hair shine and matched the flower that accentuated my coiffure. I spent hours at the spa making sure my hair and makeup were done to perfection. I could tell I was the envy of every girl in the room when I walked in on Dirk's arm. The look alone on Cassidy's face was worth every penny.

The school had rented out a hall in town and the prom committee had decked out the space with twinkling lights and silver and gold tinsel. While it definitely bordered on cheesy, I couldn't have cared less. This was my night and I was going to enjoy every minute of it.

At least that's what I kept telling myself. Because I wasn't enjoying every minute of it. My palms felt sweaty, and my heart kept doing mini palpitations whenever I thought I saw Colin. Of all the things he could have asked for, why did he have to ask for a dance? In front of all my friends? And of course, how was I supposed to say no to him after everything he just did for me. I probably wouldn't even be celebrating prom right now if it wasn't for him.

But I had already dodged one social bullet by spending a week with him. How was I supposed to dodge another by dancing with the guy? Cassidy was going to have a field day.

After a few songs, Dirk started passing around a flask that he had snuck in. I grimaced at the sight. I figured there would be drinking at the after party, but did he really have to drink here too? Last year at a party, I got so drunk that I vomited all the next morning. It was so awful that it turned me away from alcohol for good. When the flask made its way to me, I took the tiniest sip, not wanting to stand out. It burned going down my throat, making my eyes water.

Grimacing that my makeup possibly got smudged, I quickly told Dirk that I'd be right back. He gave me a glassy eyed stare that had me doubting whether he heard me or not. I started to wonder if the drinking had actually begun before the dance.

Taking my leave, I made my way out into the lobby in search of a bathroom. And that was when I saw him. He stood awkwardly at the front doors, in a navy blue suit and tie that looked too big for him. Maybe his dad's? Wherever he got it, the point was that Colin was here. And that meant he would want his dance I promised him.

Glancing around making sure no one would see me, I walked up to him. When he saw me approaching, his eyes went wide.

"Wow, you look amazing," he breathed.

I blushed. I didn't even blush when Dirk told me how hot I looked that night. But for some reason, having Colin look at me with admiration made me feel more than just desired. It made me feel beautiful. I subconsciously tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, surprised at how bashful I suddenly felt around him.

Then I remembered we were standing in a foyer where at any moment, someone could walk out and see us staring at each other. I immediately grabbed his hand and dragged him back out the front doors.

His hand felt warm whereas mine was probably still cold and clammy. Stepping out into the fresh night air felt good on my skin, slowing my heart rate to a steady rhythm. Turning back to look at Colin, I noticed our hands were still clasped together. But I didn't want to let go. I could still hear the faint streams of music drifting through the air. "Would you like to dance?" I asked tentatively, unsure if he would feel insulted by my request.

Colin looked down at our hands clasped together. Then his eyes darted back up to mine. He gave me a small smile as if he knew what I was trying to do, of how afraid I was of being seen with him. "Sure," he said, and then as if to back up his words, he stepped towards me. He let go of my hand in order to place it at my waist. My heart sped up again as he grasped my left hand.

As we slowly started to move side to side, I don't think I ever felt so nervous around a boy. It was like I had been transported into a different life. One where I wasn't sure I wanted to leave. I felt myself getting lost in his blue eyes again. It was like they could actually see me, the real me. But I wasn't even sure who the real me was.

"I told you she was out here with that creep!"

I started at the sound, and immediately stepped away from Colin. My blood ran cold when I saw Cassidy, standing with a triumphant smirk, while Dirk and his buddies stared on.

"It's not what it looks like," I stammered. But I knew it was exactly what it looked like. My social career, the one had worked so hard on my whole life, was crumbling in a matter of seconds. Panicking, I quickly tried to think of how I could undo the damage I had just caused.

"Look guys," I said, with more control in my voice, "He just wanted a dance."

Cassidy's face turned into a derisive sneer. "And you said yes? What about your boyfriend?" She held out her hand towards Dirk who was standing with a dark glare in my direction. "Or did you forget he was your date?"

There was a third problem with being queen bee, you never got off the hook easily. Especially with someone like Cassidy who was out for blood. I looked over at Colin. His hands were in his pockets, his shoulders hunched as if he were withdrawing into himself. But I could see the defiance in his eyes. I felt sorry for what I was about to do, but if someone was going to go down, it wasn't going to be me. I wasn't that selfless.

"He forced me to," I whispered, "He said he would tell the school that I had paid him to finish one of my assignments." Tears streamed down my face, but not from any acting. My heart was breaking at having just betrayed the person who had saved me from flunking out of highschool.

I couldn't even look at Colin. I kept waiting for him to step forward and call out my lie, but he stayed eerily silent. Dirk's glare transferred from me over to Colin. He stumbled towards him.

"Do you think you can threaten my girl like that and then put your greasy hands on her?" Dirk slurred.

Fear crept into my throat as I watched Dirk stumble closer and closer to Colin. I had witnessed Dirk get drunk many times but I had never known him to get overly violent. But seeing that sinister look in his eye, I wasn't so sure. Part of me wanted to run over and stand between them, to put a stop to whatever was about to happen. But with Cassidy and the onlookers nearby, I found myself paralyzed. After years of maintaining the charade, I couldn't break out of it.

When Dirk reached Colin, he shoved hard, sending Colin stumbling backwards. My heart leapt in my throat at the sight, hoping that Dirk would just give up and walk away when he saw that Colin wasn't going to fight back. I should have known better.

"What's wrong geek?" Dirk taunted, "Don't have it in you to fight back?"

Part of me wished that Colin would fight back. Even though Dirk towered over him, I couldn't stand watching Colin just stand there, like a puppy with his tail between his legs. Yet, there I stood, unwilling to intervene.

Colin just continued to stand there which seemed to infuriate Dirk all the more. Taking his fist, he lodged it into Colin's stomach. It was like I could hear all the air leaving his lungs. Falling to one knee, Colin clutched at his stomach, his eyes scrunched in pain. My mind kept screaming at me to do something. Anything. But all I could do was watch.

Colin finally looked up at Dirk from the ground, the same defiance in his eyes. It was like Dirk knew what he was trying to say. Face red with rage, Dirk threw his fist once more. This time it connected with Colin's nose.

I heard a sickening crunch. I gasped and jerked my face away, trying to unsee all the blood. Everything then went eerily quiet.

Tears stained my cheeks, and for once I didn't care if it messed up my makeup.

"Let's go babe," Dirk muttered. He sauntered back to his friends, they patted him on the back as they headed back inside. I looked at Cassidy as she stood with a smug expression. She may have never gotten the chance to take my crown, but she did get to knock me down from my throne, even if just for a moment.

Swishing her hair, Cassidy turned around without a word and sashayed back into the school. Leaving just me and Colin.

I still couldn't bring myself to look at him. And not just because of the blood. I had never felt so much shame in my life than I did at that moment. After everything Colin had done for me, I turned and betrayed him in the worst possible way. Because Colin was no longer just a nobody at my school, he had become my friend and probably my only real one.

I finally forced myself to look at him. He lay prostrated on all fours while blood flowed down his face onto the ground. I reached a tentative hand towards him, wanting to offer some sort of comfort. He flinched as if I had been the one to strike him.

"Colin..." I whispered, hoping he could hear the heartbreak in my voice.

Instead of answering me, he simply stood up, spat out some bile and walked away without looking back.

I watched him go, knowing that nothing I could say or do would fix it. All I knew was that no crown was worth this much pain.