out onstage, forgetting how bright the lights were. The nerves I had in my stomach last week are replaced with feeling of desperation. I just want to get the hell out of here. Don’t squint, don’t squint. And then I realize something. Why do I care if I squint or not? I allow myself to squint and I feel Courtney’s burning eyes glare at me. I smile at her and pose in the center.
“Okay, let’s start the bidding at $500.”
And that’s when the mayhem starts. About 12 guys jump up calling $550 and 10 more jump up calling $600. Courtney picks the guy she hears say the highest number. I don’t know how she keeps up with all of them, but somehow she does. My cheeks start to hurt from smiling once the number gets to 1,050. The number of seniors bidding gets cut in half. Only about 10 guys keep bidding. The price gets to $1,500, the price Luke spent, and three more guys sit down. The seven left were all seniors I had never seen before. How creepy.
“Do I hear $1,800?” Courtney voice booms out of the speakers.
“1,900!” a familiar voice calls out. I squint and try to see more than just the outline of the person. I could see a little bit of a red glow illuminating off the guy’s pants. I feel a sharp stab in my stomach as I realize who had just bid. Lance.
Why would Lance bid on me? Jessica is still staying with him! She’s his girlfriend. I remember when he kissed me and wonder why I am so surprised now that he would do this.
“$2,100!” another familiar voice calls. This one was the opposite of Lance’. It was deep and husky. From the outline, I could see the shape of his hair and instantly knew it was Zac. I felt myself smile for real. The creepy guys I didn’t know all sat back down and I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders.
It came crushing back down as Lance yelled, “$2,250!”
Do they not hear the numbers coming out of their mouths?
“$2,300!” Zac counters.
“$2,500!”
I see Zac’s outline look at Lance’. He slowly sits down. I look at him pleadingly and see him shrug apologetically. I sigh and nod, accepting my fate.
“$2,500,” Courtney nearly sings, “going once, going twice -.”
“$3,000!” a look back up into the audience, surprised. By the murmur coming from the crowd, I could tell I wasn’t the only one.
“$3,000, going once, going twice? Sold to Hayden Sharpe!”
Chapter 19: Mediocre
Last week, if I had heard his name being called by Courtney, I probably would have broken down on the stage. But now, just hearing the name Hayden got rid of all the strange feelings in my stomach. I felt an involuntary smile grow on my face.
My heart fluttered in my chest as I watched his silhouette walk between the aisles of seats, making his way up to the stage. As he got closer, I could see the gorgeous smile appear on his lips, bringing me out of this world and into another. I forgot about Lance, Zac, and even about Luke. I didn’t even hear the disappointed sighs from people in the audience. I didn’t hear the principal say thank you to everyone for coming and that he hoped to see them next year through. Nope. I kept my eyes on Hayden, noting every little move he made; from him pulling out his wallet to him signing the check. I didn’t even notice Courtney flirtatiously lean over the podium to try to get him to glance down her shirt. Okay, maybe I did notice that, but I noticed even more when he didn’t react. He just combed his hand through his hair and turned to me.
I walked over to him and he snaked his arms around my waist, pulling my close in a hug. He lifted me by the small of my back and I floated in the air for a few seconds before he put me down.
“I got scared you changed your mind,” I say as I look into his emerald eyes.
His dimples slowly appear, “No, I keep my promises.”
“Jessica!” I call to her as our lunch table came into view. She broke contact with Lance’s face to look over at me. She smiles and stands up to walk over to
“Okay, let’s start the bidding at $500.”
And that’s when the mayhem starts. About 12 guys jump up calling $550 and 10 more jump up calling $600. Courtney picks the guy she hears say the highest number. I don’t know how she keeps up with all of them, but somehow she does. My cheeks start to hurt from smiling once the number gets to 1,050. The number of seniors bidding gets cut in half. Only about 10 guys keep bidding. The price gets to $1,500, the price Luke spent, and three more guys sit down. The seven left were all seniors I had never seen before. How creepy.
“Do I hear $1,800?” Courtney voice booms out of the speakers.
“1,900!” a familiar voice calls out. I squint and try to see more than just the outline of the person. I could see a little bit of a red glow illuminating off the guy’s pants. I feel a sharp stab in my stomach as I realize who had just bid. Lance.
Why would Lance bid on me? Jessica is still staying with him! She’s his girlfriend. I remember when he kissed me and wonder why I am so surprised now that he would do this.
“$2,100!” another familiar voice calls. This one was the opposite of Lance’. It was deep and husky. From the outline, I could see the shape of his hair and instantly knew it was Zac. I felt myself smile for real. The creepy guys I didn’t know all sat back down and I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders.
It came crushing back down as Lance yelled, “$2,250!”
Do they not hear the numbers coming out of their mouths?
“$2,300!” Zac counters.
“$2,500!”
I see Zac’s outline look at Lance’. He slowly sits down. I look at him pleadingly and see him shrug apologetically. I sigh and nod, accepting my fate.
“$2,500,” Courtney nearly sings, “going once, going twice -.”
“$3,000!” a look back up into the audience, surprised. By the murmur coming from the crowd, I could tell I wasn’t the only one.
“$3,000, going once, going twice? Sold to Hayden Sharpe!”
Chapter 19: Mediocre
Last week, if I had heard his name being called by Courtney, I probably would have broken down on the stage. But now, just hearing the name Hayden got rid of all the strange feelings in my stomach. I felt an involuntary smile grow on my face.
My heart fluttered in my chest as I watched his silhouette walk between the aisles of seats, making his way up to the stage. As he got closer, I could see the gorgeous smile appear on his lips, bringing me out of this world and into another. I forgot about Lance, Zac, and even about Luke. I didn’t even hear the disappointed sighs from people in the audience. I didn’t hear the principal say thank you to everyone for coming and that he hoped to see them next year through. Nope. I kept my eyes on Hayden, noting every little move he made; from him pulling out his wallet to him signing the check. I didn’t even notice Courtney flirtatiously lean over the podium to try to get him to glance down her shirt. Okay, maybe I did notice that, but I noticed even more when he didn’t react. He just combed his hand through his hair and turned to me.
I walked over to him and he snaked his arms around my waist, pulling my close in a hug. He lifted me by the small of my back and I floated in the air for a few seconds before he put me down.
“I got scared you changed your mind,” I say as I look into his emerald eyes.
His dimples slowly appear, “No, I keep my promises.”
“Jessica!” I call to her as our lunch table came into view. She broke contact with Lance’s face to look over at me. She smiles and stands up to walk over to
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