If Opposites Attract, Then We Were Meant to Be

It was nice to have another girl in the group. In away Starr was like my twin separated at birth. For example: we are the same height (5” 6’ if your curious…stalker). We are both vegetarians, we are both the same age (18, almost 19), and we like the same kind of music! It would have been weird if we had the same birthday and lived next door to each other (inside joke)!
Prom night came and went and I got drunk and lost my virginity to some guy I didn’t know and … I’m just kidding, did you believe me. Ha ha I know you did!
Actually we were on the, I guess eve of prom night and not to seem like an obsessive teenie; you know all bright and bubbly, but I was really excited. I didn’t go out and get and orange tan, or go get waxed all over or that stuff that most fru-fru girls do. In fact I look bad tanned, faux-tanned I mean, a little sum and I’m okay but if I lay out I look like a lobster. My dad said I was almost black-Irish, because of my really pale skin, dark hair and blue eyes; which was pretty much his way of saying, “You’re actually prettier pale instead of looking like a piece of toast.”
I tweezed and experimented with shadows and liners trying to decide which would look better with the dress. I washed off the runner ups and set out the winner so I could apply when it was closer to prom time. Bored I gave myself a French manicure, and watched some old home videos.
In many of the videos my mom was singing to a gurgling version of me, or a temper-tantrum throwing toddler that was my brother. I smiled at the sound of her light voice, she sand just about everything. That was probably why my father fell in love and married her. She was very beautiful and seemed to never be upset. In fact one of the only times I remember her being anything but happy was when I broke the window, but she hadn’t been angry, more disappointed than anything it took a lot to get her angry.
It was about an hour and half till Billie had said he would be arriving. I took a shower and then blow dried my hair. I made sure it was straight before going to put on my make-up. I spread foundation then did my eye lids with a light grey and dark purple. I then neatly lined my eyes with onyx, applied a light pink lip-gloss, finishing with a few sweeps of mascara. Hopefully it gave the smoky look I was going for.
I slid into my dress and heels checking the mirror once more. My dad insisted on bombarding me with photo-ops as I came down the stairs. The doorbell rang and my gather answered it, stepping aside so Billie could enter the house.
“…Wow!” he breathed as he looked at me. My dress was black (obviously) with spaghetti straps and several layers on the skirt. The two inner layers were a pale beige and the single layer on top was a black almost satiny-mesh material. Unlike some of the other dresses this one only came down to the middle part of my calves, instead of all the way to the ground.
Billie, still staring at me with wide eyes handed me a white rose corsage, helping me tie it to my wrist. He wore a white pressed dress shirt and a black tuxedo jacket. Billie had vouched to wear a skinny red tie, instead of the traditional black bow tie, which both would have suited him but the tie set him apart. His pants were his black skinny jeans that he wore all the time. All clean cut and dressy (for the most part) he looked very handsome, even though his hair was still in spiky all over dreadlocks.
My dad took a few pictures and sent us on our way. We took my Impala but Billie insisted on driving, and opening the door for me. When we reached the school’s gym he took my arm in his while we entered laughing. Trè and Mike were already inside with Trè’s many dates and Mike’s one date. No one was dancing yet, though some swayed by the punch bowl. And then the Preppies arrived. They were a bunch of girls who were plastic replicas of each other and literally called themselves the Pretty Preppies. The Preppies were lead by Barbie, no I’m not being sarcastic that is her name and that is just asking for your daughter to be a mean drone. My surprise came when she showed up with Derek, remember him psychotic, abusive, ex-boyfriend. I guess Barbie had dumped Ken, (I swear those two were made for each other).
Derek walked up to me and Billie and snaked his arm around Barbie’s waist. I was shocked by his sudden courage because shortly after hitting me he had avoided not only me but Billie as well, after all word around the school was that the second Billie saw Derek he was going to kick the tar out of him. About two-thirds into the school year he’d transferred to John Swett High School, mainly to avoid getting beat up. I could feel Billie close his fist and clench his jaw, his temple pulsing as he stared at Derek, those cold eyes visible once again.
In attempt to be sexy he waltzed up to us and flipped his shaggy bangs out of his eyes (something that I did at one point used to think was pretty hot), Barbie going along with it giggled flirtatiously. They made out sloppily, which didn’t make me jealous whatsoever, I actually gagged at the thought of kissing him.
The couple strolled away still playing tonsil hockey as Trè and Mike and his date came over. “Dude isn’t that that guy you said you were gonna bash his skull in if you saw him,” Trè questioned, jerking his thumb over his shoulder towards Barbie and Derek.
“Yeah,” Billie growled still mesmerized by Derek’s silhouette.
“Trè, where are your dates?” I asked confused, but really trying to change the subject.
“…Dates, Mike where did they go?” Trè quipped spinning around trying to find them, even lifting up his feet. You know just incase he stepped on them!
“I don’t know,” Mike answered with a sigh, not surprised that Trè had lost about seven girls.
“How could you lose them all?” Billie questioned giving Trè a look that said: “You’re-such-a-moron-why-do-I-hang-out-with- you?”
“Let me tell you it is surprisingly easy,” he stated with a shrug. We rolled our eyes at our dim-witted friend. Trè continued to search for them, dragging Mike and his date with him. I didn’t know much about Mike’s date besides she was in his gym class and her name was Anastasia. I had seen her around school with the occasional “Hi, how are you?” but we weren’t that close. She was pretty and I could tell Mike really liked her even though he never talked about her until he had asked her out. Trè remained fixated on not one but every girl, insisting each had a burning desire to have him. I scoffed at the thought, I mean Trè wasn’t unattractive in the least, but not every girl wanted him.
More and more peers began to show up in rented limos and their normal cars. There were even a few from other schools, who if they had no date that went to Pinole Valley were kicked out. A few stealthy ones made it in and began to blend in claiming that their proms were the pits. I knew one of the stealthy who managed to sneak in the back door to the locker rooms, Starr. She wore a red mid-calf dress that displayed her slight curves. Her still pink hair did make her stick out but thankfully the teachers did not seem to notice with all the wild hair cuts in the room. “What are you doing here!?!” I cried hugging her in pleasant surprise. “Well John Swett cannot throw a prom so I thought I’d see what kind of action Pinole Valley had,” she replied glancing at a distraught Trè who was still searching for the girls.
“Oooh Starr likes Trè,” I whispered in a sing-song tone.
“Do not,” she blushed furiously.
“You so do”
“…Okay maybe I like him a little. But don’t tell anyone or I’ll use my assorted collection of sharp boomerangs on you” she threatened, (it’s not just you I thought boomerangs were a little odd to collect too). I gulped using a zipper motion across my lips locking them with an invisible key and swallowing it. “Good Sam” she patted the top of my head as a reward.
Billie and I danced to a slow ballad, his hands on my waist and mine around his neck. Around the time the song was half way done I lay my head against his shoulder smelling him, the scent of cigarettes and mint leaves that oddly made me relax at the feel of his callused fingers on my hips guiding us as we swayed to the music.
*** Billie’s P.O.V. ***
Her hair smells like vanilla. I’m still in shock that I’m here at prom with Sam, dancing to a song that only couples dance to! I love her I really do but I can’t tell her, not tonight at least. I plan on telling her when we’re on tour this summer. I promised myself I would ask her to come then mid-tour I’ll ask her to be my girlfriend, genius right!?! I don’t know how I didn’t think of it before! Trè and Mike seem to be really hitting it off with girls. Mike has his tongue shoved down Anastasia’s throat and Trè is chatting with Starr. Honestly I think Trè needs someone like Starr, for one she is like his match, she balances him out but she’s still as crazy as he is, and two I’d rather have him with and Starr end up together then him and Sam! I know I sound jealous but it’s hard not to when that green-eyed monster takes over.
*** Starr’s P.O.V. ***
I CAN’T BELIEVE I’M TALKING TO TRÈ YAY!!!!!
*** Trè’s P.O.V. ***
Oh hey P.O.V. thing wait don’t go here this’ll be funny and honest: LyKe OmG I’m tAlKiNg tO *! Heh heh I sound like Barbie’s diary or something. I really like her better than other girls what were their names? You know I think one of Billie’s sisters came with me…
*** Mike’s P.O.V. ***
Hey P.O.V. thing can you come back later? I’m kinda busy at the moment, thanks!
*** Sam’s P.O.V. ***
As we continued dancing I felt uneasy as the people around us whispered and snickered. I heard the click of a camera before the flash erupted in the dim gym. “Oooh this is ca-ute! Definitely yearbook material, hey maybe if your lucky you and Billy Jo will win second cutest couple next to me and Ken or Derek of course!” Before I even turned around I recognized that annoyingly high-pitched nasally voice.
“Barbie,” I breathed, her name making me feel sour.
“Not her again,” Billie groaned we had stopped dancing and all eyes were on us, as if the spotlight shone down on us, come to think of it- it was…weird. The uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach grew as she and Derek came closer. I knew Billie was picturing himself beating the snot out of Derek. He knew that Derek had not cared if he hurt me. I knew that Billie truly cared if I was okay, hurt, or just not really there. I didn’t know if it was a brotherly: I’m looking out for you kiddo or a form of saying I love you like in The Princess Bride, you know how Westley always told Buttercup “As you wish,” when he really meant “I love you”. In my mind I focused on the first idea rather than the latter, believing that he was not my Westley, who would always come to my rescue and I was not his Buttercup, no matter how much I wanted to be. And so the stare off began only breaking for a moment, by the one and only Trè Cool of course! He ran through the gym separating Derek and Barbie from Billie and me.
“Why’s the freak wearing the punch bowl on his head?” Barbie asked.
“Trè why are you wearing the punch bowl on your head?” I said trying to get some answers for the question we were all wondering about.
“WHOO!” he replied.
“What does that mean?” I quipped.
“It means he’s like a fa-reak.” Barbie answered placing a hand on her cocked hip.
“It means somebody gave Trè some Jurassic Monkeys,” Billie smirked.
“Is this true Trè” I resolved acting like a mother.
“Hmm…NO!” he screamed before waving at Starr who appeared from behind him out of breath.
“How did you get here,” she puffed at Trè.
“I went in the locker room’s back door, ran into the table dunking my head into the punch bowl, and now I’m here being questioned if I’m on drugs or not while I contemplate whether its safe or not to repel off the roof with no cord,” he shouted then whooping again.
“…oh” she turned to me and raised an eyebrow all I could do was shrug.
“So like why’d you like put your head in the like punch bowl?” Barbie spoke, that little blonde head of hers just didn’t get it.
“Actually I thought this party needed a little shaking up and why shouldn’t it involve a new hair color to match Starr’s,” he said smiling at her. She blushed.
“I’m not sure whether to be offended or take that as a compliment,” she ran a hand through her pink hair.
“Trè Cool tends to have that effect on people,” I stated.
“Like whatev’s. You know Samantha you make a like ha-uge mistake.” Barbie shrieked.
“Oh yeah, and what would that be” I shot back at her smirking face.
“Dropping the Hero and getting with the Zero!” she laughed pointing at Billie who blushed frivolously.
“Don’t call him that!” I screamed lunging at her bleach-blond locks.
“Der-rek like help” she squawked as I pulled on her extensions. Derek joined the fight by grabbing my waist and tossing me backwards then walking over and slapping my face.
“DON’T YOU TOUCH HER!” Billie roared diving onto Derek and knocking him to the gym floor he began to repeatedly punching him in the face. By now all eyes that weren’t on us before were. Forming a circle they began to chant: “FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!” Teachers came running from all directions trying to break though the impenetrable walls of the mob and stop the brawl. The beatings were very extensive now; Trè and Mike were attacking two of Derek’s friends who had come to help him. Starr and one of the Preppies were hitting each other. I was still busy with Barbie, as was Billie with Derek.
“Stop this immediately!” Mr. Lincoln yelled, he was the first to get past the crowds chanting ring.
“Get off of him this instant” Mrs. Daley tugged on the back of Billie’s jacket, which was now torn. Coach Brown and Coach Cline jerked Billie off of Derek and held him back as two other administrators did the same for Derek. Slowly everyone was pulled apart and the chaos subsided. Bruised and bloody everyone was hauled off some moaning (Derek and Company), some crying (Barbie and Preppie), and some laughing (Trè and Starr). Everyone else was just trying to wipe off their nice clothes and fresh cuts. I triumphantly waved Barbie’s extensions at her before tossing them on the floor.
Our prom rumble was the talk for much time; it even made it onto the school news which is broadcasted into homes. I taped it and laughed at Barbie’s feeble attempts to save her hair.
*** Billie’s P.O.V. ***
We did end up getting suspended fro two days after the fight, but beating that rat was worth it. The prom madness actually made us legends.
*** Flashback ***
We were ‘gently’ escorted out of the building as everyone cheered and clapped. Trè and Starr being the goofs that they are slipped out of ‘custody’ and went back; Starr bowing and Trè curtsying, both basking in our ‘newfound glory’. We were given a stern talking to and sent skipping all the way home. The teachers may have thought we were feeling bad about what we did, but we were actually pretty darn proud!
“Dude we should have come to more dances,” Trè laughed.
“Seriously if we did that at every dance I’d be a much more pleasant person.” I agreed. “Sam you really kicked butt back there, are you alright?” I asked walking up beside her and putting my arm around her shoulders.
“…I think I’m adrenaline high,” she paused before continuing. “Yeah that was awesome! Ow!” she yelped as she threw up her arm in glee.
“Oh God, Sam your wrist is pretty banged up,” Mike stated joining up with the group after going back to get Anastasia, who was the only one not involved in the fight, though she did cheer us on the whole time.
“Naw dip Sherlock,” she answered flatly examining her swollen wrist. We parted ways buzzing with the night’s excitement.
I drove Sam to her house insisting that she get herself checked out. I walked her up to the door and kissing her lightly whispered: “I’ll never let anyone hurt you again.” She smiled and kissed my cheek before letting herself into the dark house.
-End Flashback