Yeah the first big dance of senior year and I'm not going to go. It's not that I want to go, I just don't care and apparently I'm not the only one. A girl who transferred into our school half way through last year and has been watching me and trying to be sociable which is new. She's 5'7" to my now 6' tall frame and thin like me only where I am thin like a piece of wood. She's thin with some mild curves. My dirty blond hair that hangs around my ears from a lack of haircuts is a lazy mess while she has her boy cut black hair a little spiked in the front and shaved on the sides and back. Finally I'm in flannel shirts and jeans where she's cargo pants, a tank top and her black leather jacket. Today finds me eating my lunch outside and away from everyone as usual when she approaches.
"Hey Guy," Syd, short for Sydney, says, making her way to my spot in the shade.
"Hey," I keep it short since I don't like talking much.
"Are you doing well in History," she asked me about her worst subject.
"Mostly, I just don't test well sometimes," I joke a little, I'm passing all my classes easily.
My one saving grace is that without friends, family or any sort of personal obligations I'll be finishing classes by the end of January and not a soul knows about it. I'll pick up my diploma privately and be packed and gone within the week.
"Yeah, if we had the same class I'd just partner with you and we'd be able to study together," Syd informs me and I think about the actual opportunity to be close to a female who likes me.
"Yeah that'd be a good help for you, I could just let you use my notes or something," I offer but she shrugs, something is up.
"So I'm going to Homecoming," Syd informs me sitting down in the grass across from me.
"Got asked," I inquired a little curious.
"No, Mom and Dad keep telling me I 'need' to go so I can 'experience' high school," Syd states and I just absently nod," Mom even has a dress picked out for me and is adjusting it so it doesn't look too old and fit my skinny ass."
"Well I'm sure you'll get asked to dance at least once while you're there," I try to be positive for her and that's when she smiles like she knows something.
"You should go with me," I hear the words and feel the 'no' coming up from the depths of my soul," I know you don't go anywhere or do anything but we could be there together. I'll watch your back and you'll watch mine. We can just go together and hang out, hell if we have a good time we can make out in my car or something."
"It's not like I don't want to go but I really don't want to go," I explain but Syd is persistent.
"You wouldn't be alone, we'd be together I promise," Syd asks and I shrug and nod my head consenting to the date.
We work out arrangements and figure on her meeting me at 'my house' with her car and from there we'll head to the dance. I take care of tuxedo rental over the next couple of days and like everything else I do I go about it with everyone else in a state of blissful ignorance to my plans. Even at school I'm not as picked on as I usually am and figure my luck might just be changing for the better. I have everything set up and even exchange numbers with Sydney to work out details. I have my time table set up and Friday after school I take a moment to realize this is my first date ever and my nerves go from calm to shaking in a matter of seconds. I try to remember how to breathe to calm myself and after a few moments get myself under control before grabbing the stuff I need and head out. Getting through the house in a tuxedo is easy when all the girls are dressing up and doing makeup with Mom and the men are busy avoiding them. I head down to the meeting point and end up waiting a little over an hour for Sydney who finally arrives at what she thinks is my house to find me outside waiting. She's got a beat up red two door hatchback from the eighties or something. I get in and see a strapless red dress in place of Sid's usually leather jacket and jeans.
"You look amazing," I comment, not thinking but she smiles.
"Thanks, nice tux. Don't your parents want to see us first," She asks and I shake my head.
"They're busy but expect me to tell them all about it when I get home," I lie more than a little but it's for my sanity more than anything.
Sydney doesn't make an issue out of it and pulls us away from 'home' and towards the dance. We get in with the rest of the usual crowd and find a spot to sit off to the side. Everything started at eight but I was out of the house by six forty five so when Bethany and Abigail show up dressed to kill and both have dates of an 'elite' caliber on their arms I barely pay it any attention. We drink punch; dance a little and I head to the restroom passing Bethany and Abigail at their table. I don't pay any attention to them as I'm having my night. I'm washing my hands in the sink when I feel I'm being watched.
"Hey white boy what are you doing here," Hector asks behind me with a couple boys.
"Just enjoying the dance," I reply, trying to keep to myself.
I try to leave but that's when the goons grab me. Hector hasn't beat me up in a while but tonight is a special occasion as they, as quietly as they can, drag me to the dumpsters by the school. I don't get a major beating but it's enough that when they open the dumpster and drop me inside I have no way to fight it. I lay there in trash trying to get my feet under me as they leave and after what seems like a half hour struggle my way out of the dumpster. My ribs hurt and I am bleeding from my lip, nose and eyebrow as I head back into the dance. To say I'm making a scene is an understatement as I stagger in and try to find Syd. I look around, ask students and even get a girl to check the restrooms only to find she isn't here. I try to grab my phone and find it's not in my pocket. Back outside and I'm in the dumpster for another hour trying to find my device before giving up and looking for her car in the parking lot. I find the spot but the car is long gone. She must have thought I ditched her and went home but now I'm stuck with no ride at ten in the evening. I begin my walk of shame heading in the direction of the house.