"I'm not doing this."
"Yes you are."
"No."
"If I have to, then so do you."
"Well, in that case," Miren said mockingly, spoiling her face in Jeno's direction. He was still wearing a suit. She wasn't. It should have been a welcomed change, but her uniform was her protectionâthe shell that hid her from sight. She tugged on the hem of her frilly, gothic dress. This was cruel and unusual punishment, even by her standards. And this would get her caught.
"Aren't you worried everyone'll find out?" she asked, her eyes against the glass door leading to the mess hall. Jeno shrugged, adjusting the collar of his king costume.
"How would they? It's not like you're the only one dressed like that." He motioned to the other victims sporting girly gowns. Cliff looked the silliest, with his chubby stomach protruding against the lime-green fabric. He wasn't fat, but the dress definitely made him look that way.
Jeno put a plastic king crown on his head. "And besides, this should be the least of your worries. Tonight we execute the plan."
Miren sighed, trying to balance herself in her heels. Even as a girl she never wore the things. "I know. But why the hell do we have to do this?"
"Because it's tradition," Levi said, emerging from behind them. "Homecoming king nominees get to choose their drag queens." He was sporting the same look as Jeno, only his crown was sitting lopsided on his head. It matched his grin.
"You look pretty." He was looking directly at Miren. She fought the urge to look away when he curled a lock of the aqua blue wig on her head. "You might be the least ugly person to do this," he concluded, studying her ruby lipstick and mascara.
"Really now?" Miren's eyes narrowed. She knew that the slightest trepidation on her face could set Levi off. But would he really come to the conclusion that she was a girl attending an all-boy school? She doubted it.
"Don't look too close," Jeno said, shifting in front of Miren, his eyes leveled with the boy. "It might bring out a gayer side of you."
"As if," Levi scoffed, though he flashed a toothy grin. "You kids have fun out there." With a wave, he walked off to his drag queen.
"Well, that was pleasant," Miren said, surprised she wasn't as nervous as she thought she would be. Even with Parker and some of the others just steps away. However, that didn't stop her annoyance from spiking. It was the night before homecoming. She should have expected some sort of ridiculous rally like this, but she didn't. And Jeno and Wallace didn't warn her. "How much longer do we have to wait?"
"Not long," Jeno offered, his eyes on the door of the mess hall, where the humiliating festivity would be held. "Wallace is probably still helping them set up." Miren nodded. Wallace had been doing a lot so far. And although she didn't totally agree with him lying to Parker and Artemis, it was essential for the plan. Which she couldn't wait to get over with.
"Kings and," Adam paused to let out a laugh, "Queens, you're up. Stand to the side of your partner and follow me."
Aligning in a near perfect line, they went into the hall. There, the tables were pushed back to make room for the propped stage to the opposite side of the kitchen. Miren held her breath, watching the small crowd of three hundred or so before them. With refreshments in hand, the boys were pointing and smirking wildly. Miren knew that it could only be directed at her costume.
The homecoming king candidates looked relatively regal if you ignored their plastic crowns and their tacky velvet capes. She didn't have to look in the mirror to know that she and the other prince candidates looked like aliens that had descended from the planet of Frou-Frou. Or like the renaissance version of Marge Simpson.
Miren's eyes then fell on Headmaster Edsel. He sat proudly in a plushy antique chair. Next to him was Ms. Cowdry in a chair of equal plush-itude. Miren rolled her eyes. Who brought the bitch?
"Amuse us!" the headmaster demanded, banging a peridot-encrusted scepter against the black marble floor. "Amuse us you fools!" Ms. Cowdry giggled next to him. That's funny. Miren didn't know the woman was capable of laughter.
"Alright then," Adam spoke into the microphone. He stretched a hand out to the nominees on stage. "One of these young men will be your king." His green eyes flickered over them briefly. "But as we all know, honor comes with a price. Thus their drag queens will be acknowledging their greatness for our sick amusement. Based on their performance, Headmaster Edsel and Ms. Cowdry will be administering awards." Miren rolled her eyes. But it was all in good fun, so that meant that she didn't have to worry about anything, right?
Wrong. There was that whole identity thing she had to keep under wraps. And now that she thought about it, she was completely exposed. She was a girl in front of everyone. How could they not tell?
"Finnegan, you can begin charming King Levi," Adam said, addressing the first group to the right. Miren tried to relax. They were a couple groups behind them. At least she didn't have to be humiliated first.
The smaller boy, who actually looked quite cute in his gown, went on to serenade Levi, strumming an invisible lute to accompany his off tune singing. The students were laughing, but Headmaster Edsel hit his scepter against the ground. Apparently he was not amused. "Fail! Take him to the dungeon!"
Miren let herself laugh as the night continued on. Three groups went up, including Parker, but the headmaster only offered modest praise to Soren's drag queen. Then they were up. Miren could feel her stomach drop and knot at the same time. She approached center stage with Jeno, a usual look of indifference casted over his face. She expected to see a slight level of amusement in his eyes maybe, but they were narrowed, as if to hide his irritation towards all of this.
"Oh, lighten up, Jeno!" Parker called out from the crowd, his green eyes as bright as his expression.
"This is foolish," was his only reply.
"Care to begin, Miles?" Adam asked. Miren nodded once, taking a deep breath. She didn't have stage fright; she was the debate captain at Rosemunde. But debating was simply stating facts with occasional critical thinking. But she had to be charming here. Princess Charming.
She gave a curtsey and forced a smiled at Jeno. "My dear King Jeno, Iâ"
"Use a girl voice!" The headmaster commanded, banging his scepter again. Ms. Cowdry laughed. Miren clenched her jaw. She thought of using her natural voice until she realized that it was practically the same as her guy voice. It wasn't shrill and girly. So she decided to use one. She cleared her throat.
"Dear, King Jeno. My days in the kingdom have been filled with immense joy and happiness. Everyday is like pixie sparkles and fairy dust!" The crowd was laughing. Miren turned to them, feeling her confidence rise. She flipped her wig hair over her shoulders, returning her gaze to Jeno, who couldn't hide the amusement in his eyes. She started twirling and prancing like an enchanted unicorn. "I was a damsel in distress and you rescued me. For that, I am eternally grateful. It will be an honor serving as your drag queen." She curtseyed again, listening to the laughing and clapping filling the air.
"Wonderful!" Ms. Cowdry said this time, rising to her feet. "Although I don't particularly care for your depiction of women as sharp-voiced airheads, it was certainly the most entertaining performance. Well done, Mr. Ellison."
Miren grinned, but she wanted to roll her eyes. It was nice to see that animosity the woman had for her had died down. Or maybe she was acting all calm and accepting because she was sitting with Headmaster Edsel. She had been making googly eyes at him all night...
"You may remain on stage," Headmaster Edsel said. "You were successful at amusing us."
So they did. Jeno nudged her shoulder. "Not bad." Miren allowed herself to smile.
"I guess I'm not as uptight as we both thought," she said. Her eyes flashed against the candidates now assuming center stage, Axel and Cliff.
"Axel, my King," Cliff said, bringing the boy into a hug. "I love you, baby!" He pecked the boy on the forehead. "LOVE ME!"
"Get the hell away!" Axel said, pushing the heavier male away from him. But Cliff held on tight.
"Not until I finish confessing my true love for you!" Cliff said, his voice both shrill and husky. The crowd started jeering. Headmaster Edsel banged his scepter.
"That will be all," he said, a laugh escaping his lips. "You have amused us. You may also stay."
Cliff threw a fist in the air. Miren wrinkled her nose. So the four of them were finalists. She didn't know what that meant. For the past half-hour they had humiliated themselves beyond repair. And her feet were beginning to hurt from standing in her too tight heels. Where the hell did they get these? But she didn't want to know. She just wanted this event to be over.
"We will be awarding two prizes," Ms. Cowdry said, walking up to the stage. Her blue eyes lit with excitement and she held three sashes in her hand. "For our best act..." There was a drum roll. "...Axel and Cliff!"
Clapping seized the air as the comical boys were awarded. Ms. Cowdry nodded. "Now, for our most queenly drag queen...Miles Ellison!"
Miren waved, though she felt ridiculous. She failed to see the point in all of this, but she didn't mind being recognized for being pretty.
Ms. Cowdry clasped her hands. "That will conclude the night's entertainment," she turned toward the homecoming court. "Please make your way for some refreshments and mingling. You deserve it."
With that, the woman assumed her position with the headmaster, and what remained of the court began to walk off the stage platform. But as Miren did so, she felt uncomfortable. She instinctively turned to her left, only to see the source of her uneasiness staring at her. Or more specifically, her chest.
Miren's eyes widened as Axel caught her gaze.
"They look so real..." Axel said, stretching his arm to touch her. Miren slapped his hand away. She had forgotten that he was the biggest pervert in Rinzen. The world.
"Ow," Axel said. Jeno rolled his eyes at the boy's gross efforts. The other prince candidates had oranges for breasts, but they slouched awkwardly in unusual angles. Miren thought about concealing her chest with her hands. But that would only make her look guilty. Or very protective of her citrus tits.
"God, can't you keep your hands to yourself?" Jeno then said. But when his gaze met Miren's bust, his eyes couldn't help but linger.
"I didn't know you had boobs."
"Shut up."
"I know, right!" Axel exclaimed, his hands in the air. "Those damn drama kids did a good job with his costume."
Miren tried not to roll her eyes. Those damn drama kids were Mother Nature. It was official. For the first time in her life, she actually wished she was still wearing gauze. Eventually Axel left for his friends, and Jeno and Miren were left in a crowd of nameless students.
"So what do we do now?" Miren said, releasing a yawn. It was only ten, but the night had dragged on and she was tired of everything.
"Well, you should probably get some coffee in you," Jeno said, maneuvering through the stomach of the crowd. "The night's not over yet."
Miren groaned. She widened her eyes, forcing herself to stay alert. She wasn't particularly sleepy, but that didn't mean that she had the energy to pull a midnight mission. "Fine," she reluctantly agreed. "Where's Wallace?"
"Right here." The younger boy emerged from the pack. "Good job, Miles. I almost thought you were really a girl." He couldn't hide his sarcasm.
"Thanks. I think," Miren said, shaking her head. "Anyway, when do we get started?"
"In an hour," Wallace said, his eyes retreating to his wristwatch. "We'll set up positions at the gazebo behind Woodley. From there we'll go forward with the break-down of the plan."
Jeno nodded. "We can discuss it further on the way there." He turned to Miren. "You have everything you need, right?"
"Yes." They were the masterminds and she was the executor. And although she preferred their role, she knew she was the only one who could physically carry out the mission.
"Let's do this."