(39) The Grand March

In all the hubbub of homecoming and her nomination, Makennah inconveniently didn't realize that Theo's ex girlfriend was nominated on senior court and was in the running for the crown and title.

For some absolutely unknown reason, Theo wastage to take pictures for the 2018 yearbook and for the town paper. That alone made her head spin. The town paper cared a crap ton about Braxton High Academy's homecoming to make their way to the school during the middle of the day to take pictures to accompany a cute little story about whoever won the crown.

Her head was already spinning from all of the festivities. That day she was dressed in a beautiful silky navy blue dress with a scoop neck and tight bodice. She was instructed to wear a dress of the school colors for pictures. When she arrived on the football field for said pictures, a freshman yearbook editor veiled her with a white sash that read "Homecoming Attendant."

All of these things drove her nuts and also unnerved her. Then she figured out that Theo's ex was in attendance for all of the festivities because her charming and graceful personality was actually voted to be here. For some reason, she was finding it really hard to stand in her presence without Theo ad a buffer.

Really, Makennah desired more than anything for Theo to show her a little attention and drive his ex bonkers.

Was that selfish of her? Totally. She didn't care.

Rebekah Allensby. She just sounded rich.

Regretfully, she could admit that she stalked Rebekah extensively on all social media platforms and then texted Meredith and Grace immediately afterwards to confirm that she was prettier than Rebekah. Meredith agreed and then teased her restlessly for even caring. Grace played childish games and also made fun of her for liking Theo.

Since Makennah arrived, she clustered together with her soccer friend, Tina or Christina to everyone who wasn't on the team, and avoided everyone else that she didn't know. Of course, she talked to her brothers. However, everywhere she turned or looked, she felt Rebekah's eyes trained on her with hatred.

Makennah didn't do the drama or gossip. She actively avoided it. Naturally, as a young teenage girl in high school, her life employed a certain level of drama but as far as she could control it, Makennah steered clear.

Unfortunately, Rebekah Allensby was doing everything she could to disrupt the natural balance of things by dishing out a whole lot of glares, rude smirks, and eye rolls.

"Okay here we go!" The yearbook supervisor, Miss Tallenti, clapped her hands to gather everyone's attention. "We'll start with the freshman portraits and work our way up!"

Theo filed in line with the seniors, dressed in slacks, and checkered navy blue and white shirt, and a matching dress coat. His brown belt matched his shoes and Fossil watch. Straight up eye candy. Makennah selfishly devoured him with her eyeballs, wondering if he felt her checking him out.

It must have worked because Theo lifted his head and glanced over the crowd, presumably looking for her. When he found her, his mouth split out in a huge grin reserved solely for her. His grin made her think of his lips and many other things that happened to them other than smiling. Including her own mouth plastered to his.

When it was her turn, Makennah was poised against a hearty tree. One of the student yearbook photographers positioned her and fixed her hair. She even plumped her dress and straightened her sash. "You look great!" She exclaimed.

"Thank you," Makennah said gratefully. She didn't like all of this attention. Not at all. It made her so uncomfortable. But she smiled gracefully anyways.

Then she had to take a few pictures with the freshman and sophomore girl court attendants before she was dismissed.

She waited tirelessly on the track surrounding the soccer field while the seniors took their pictures. Thank God Theo wasn't paired up with Rebekah or she might have had a permanent scowl plastered on her face.

"Makennah? Makennah Thomas?"

At the sound of her name, she spun around. "Yes?"

A young girl with thick black glasses and a camera slung around her neck approached Makennah with a genuine smile under a cute button nose. "My name is Hanna Foster. I'm a reporter for the Braxton High Report, the school newspaper. I was wondering if I could speak to you about a possible article I'd like to write?"

Trying to hide her confusion, Makennah uncrossed her arms to not seem so stand-offish. "Sure."

Hanna awkwardly laughed and tucked her hair behind her ears. "Okay so um...we do a sport's feature every year in the fall and spring. Usually, we do football or volleyball. But I talked to my editor and they pre-approved an article on a soccer star. And the reason they approved it is because of you."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Your an incredible new addition to the team," Hanna gushed. "You're only a junior and you're already drawing so much attention."

Makennah contained her blush and scratched her nose uncomfortably. "Um...thanks."

"Your stats...I mean don't even get me started. You make almost every single shot that you take at the goal. That's amazing!!" Hannah sucked in a breath and calmed herself down. "Sorry I'm kind of a huge fan of soccer. I've got two left feet, so I can't play. But I love to watch."

Makennah smiled to calm Hannah's nerves although Makennah need a tranquilizer herself. These sorts of things made her so uncomfortable. She wanted to be invisible. So, so invisible.

"Anyways, I would love to write our feature piece about you! We would conduct and interview and I'd come to some games to get a good few pictures of you. It's all pretty informal...no stress or anything."

Makennah gulped. "Can I think about it?"

Hanna smiled. "Yeah of course! I didn't mean to bombard you, sorry. I work for the yearbook too. I didn't mean to startle you. I just figured now would be a good time to catch you while we are both here."

Makennah shrugged. "It's no problem."

"Oh one more thing. No pressure but...I'm intending to submit this piece to a local competition. The winner is published in the city newspaper. I mean...if you agree to do the interview. And I'm really looking forward to it so...yeah. I'll see you later." Before things got anymore awkward, Hanna waved goodbye and walked away before Makennah could deny her proposition because that's kind of how she was feeling.

For a girl who loved the shadows, she was sure doing a lot of time in the limelight.

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The homecoming charades didn't end after yearbook pictures near the end of the school day. As soon as Makennah arrived at home, Carolynn was waiting for her with a tall glass of water and snacks galore laid out in the kitchen. Carolynn said she had to "hydrate" and "eat for sustenance." Makennah thought she was being a little dramatic until the second phase of homecoming began.

At homecoming football game, the school hosted a Grand March for all of the guys and girls who were nominated for court. It was hosted somewhat like a pageant is what Carolynn told her. All of the courts attendants and their dates marched across the field on a red carpet for the entire stadium and were gifted with legitimate homecoming court sashes with their initials printed on them. At the end, the homecoming king and queen were crowned before the game. Then, all of the girl attendants sat on a special stage that was raised up and looked over the field for the entirety of the game so they could be shown off to everyone considering they were required to wear an evening/prom style gown that deserved to be seen.

Carolynn wasn't kidding. She needed water. And she needed snacks. She got her hair done by a sweet girl fresh out of cosmetology school whom Carolynn hired for the whole weekend. Her make up done. Her toes painted. Her fingers painted. Carolynn steamed her dress and made her try it on again to make sure it fit perfectly.

By the time she made it to the stadium around 5:45, she was almost exhausted. She was surviving on adrenaline and hairspray.

Jonah and Carolynn walked her around the track around the football field with a long coat wrapped around her, concealing most of her dress before the Grand March. There was a cordoned off area under a tent where all of the attendants waited for the march to begin. Most of the girls were already there.

"Okay kill em!" Jonah fist bumped her and squeezed her torso in a quick hug.

"You're gonna do fantastic, honey!" Carolynn cupped her shoulder and gently squeezed.

"Thanks," she smiled genuinely because she thought this might actually be one of those moments she might succeed and do fantastic just as Carolynn said. She had never felt so beautiful.

"Don't forget to kick the dress out when you walk so that you don't trip," Carolynn suggested.

"I know," she said politely.

"And smile the whole time. Very important for pictures!"

"Mom," Jonah groaned.

"Are the boys okay?" Makennah asked, to distract Carolynn.

Carolynn sneered. "Oh please. They're boys. They don't care. They don't even know what's going on."

Makennah snickered while Jonah rolled his eyes. "Mom, let's go!" He tugged on her arm relentlessly.

Carolynn grabbed Makennah for a quick hug. "Oh I'm so proud of you!" She squealed. "You look so beautiful, Makennah!"

"Mom!" Jonah shouted.

Makennah patted her back while drawing away from the embrace. Carolynn's classic scent of lavender and vanilla soothes her nerves and reminded her that Carolynn did everything in her power to make Makennah succeed. Now she just had to snatch up the chance and make Carolynn proud.

"Okay okay!" Carolynn huffed before dipping out of the tent to return to the stands where Will was supposed to meet them.

Until absolutely necessary, Makennah kept her coat tucked around her. She was sizing herself up compared to the other girls. Every single one of them looked stunning, shining as bright as the sun. Their hair curled gorgeously down their backs. Their make up was impeccable. Every dress was so beautiful. Makennah knew that Carolynn had prepared her for this, but she still felt inadequate.

Because everyone else took their coat off, Makennah did too, dumping it over a chair. It was very cold outside but apparently that didn't matter. The show must go on. Strapless dresses and all.

"Makennah, you look amazing!" Hanna Foster stood at her side, admiring her dress. "I love the blue of this dress. So unique."

Makennah felt uncomfortable in her presence simply because she hadn't given Hanna an answer about the article she wanted to write. But Hanna didn't seem to think that was a big deal at the moment, so she said, "Thank you. I do love the color."

"Good luck out there. Break a leg!" Hanna smiled brightly and circled the room, snapping pictures for the yearbook.

Rebekah Allensby huddled together with the other senior girls. Her mother was floating around her, pruning Rebekah for the Grand March. Every so often she rolled her eyes and slapped her mother's hands away rudely. Oh to be so privileged.

Miss Talenti clapped her hands robustly. "Okay five minutes until we line up! Do everything you need to do now! No waiting!"

Makennah sneaked through the crowd and started to stand in the general area where she belonged. She would wait here for Theo. She was told that the football players wouldn't be arriving until last minute because they were required to hide away in the locker room. They also had to walk across the field in their uniform but Makennah thought that was kind of cute.

"Uh just give me my Powerade, Mom!" Rebekah shrieked and bumped into Makennah.

Her soul was probably supposed to shrivel up and die at the deathly cold stabbing glare that Rebekah shot at her. Like she was scum of the earth. Makennah merely shook it off and stepped away so that it wouldn't happen again. Without a doubt, she wasn't a fan of Rebekah but she wouldn't act childishly like she was.

"Oops!" Rebekah yelled and tipped her Powerade bottle as she faked a trip over a chair.

Red Powerade spilled out of the bottle and poured over the skirt of Makennah's dress. Rebekah gasped at the same time that Makennah let out and sound of utter disbelief.

The Powerade instantly settled in the fabric and stained the once beautiful blue dress an awful color.

With wide eyes, she stared at her dress, holding out her arms to avoid making anything worse. She swore she heard Rebekah laugh except she couldn't really tell over the sound of her blood rushing to her head and filling her ears.

Without even thinking, Makennah grabbed her coat and phone and ditched out of the tent. She couldn't do this. She wasn't prepared for ultra mean girls. There was no way she could dm the Grand March with a huge red stain all over her dress. She looked ridiculous!!

Immediately she called Carolynn. "Carolynn!"

"Honey, what's wrong?"

Tears clogged her throat. "Rebekah Allensby ruined my dress! She poured red Powerade all over me! What do I do?!"

Carolynn gasped. "You're kidding me!!"

"No!" Makennah yelled. "I left!"

She heard Carolynn breathing heavily as if she were running. "I'm coming! I see you! Keep walking this way!" In a split second, they were off the phone and Carolynn was wrapping her arm around Makennah's shoulders and guiding her out of the stadium that was quickly filling with patrons. "I cannot believe this. Why would she do that?!"

"She used to date Theo. She hates me," Makennah explained.

"What an absolute witch!" Carolynn exclaimed.

"What are we doing to do?!" Makennah was so close to crying. The march was going to start at any second.

Carolynn stopped Makennah and whipped out her phone. "I just remembered! The other dresses we tried on are in the car! I'm taking them back tomorrow! I'll call Will and he can pull up the car!"

Makennah covered her heart with her hand. "Oh my gosh."

"Will! Get the car up here now! This is an emergency! Do not mess around!" Carolynn paused while Will responded. "I don't care if you have to run over any children! Hurry up!" Carolynn hung up and guided Makennah to the entrance where the cars were pulling up and dropping people off.

In one agonizing minute as the announcer started to prepare the crowd for the Grand March by giving a three minute heads up, Will whipped the car around and threw it in park. He hopped out, holding two other dresses that Makennah had tried on at the house that Carolynn ordered but didn't like as much as the blue one. "This one!" Carolynn reached for the sparkly grey dress and Will gave it to her.

"What's going on?" Will asked.

"Get a blanket, Will. From the car!" Carolynn ushered Makennah behind a nearby building that wasn't in use. "You're gonna have to change here!"

Makennah ripped off her coat. "It's okay!"

Will returned with the blanket. "What should I do? What happened?"

"Rebekah Allensby spilled red powderade on my dress," Makennah explained while unzipping the dress.

"Will, hold up the blanket so no one can see Makennah change. Okay, here we go! I'll skip this over your head and you let that dress drop. I am going to rip that girl to shreds! She is just like her mother!"

Will positioned the blanket to cover all the open area so no one could see her naked body. "She seriously did that?"

"Yes! I will be speaking with someone...someone important immediately! I don't care who but they will get an earful! That is not the actions a proper queen would take! She should be disqualified!" Carolynn yelled while helping Makennah shimmy into the new dress.

"They're announcing the freshmen! We have to hurry!" Makennah yelled. She still had to run all the way across the field.

"Will? Where's Makennah?" She heard Theo's voice. "They're looking for her."

"Rebekah spilled red Powerade on Makennah! She's changing her dress!" Carolynn informed him.

"You're kidding me!" Theo May have even cursed a little bit. All the adults ignored it.

"What a little rat! I can't even believe it!" Carolynn tsked and shook her head, zipping the back of her dress. "I can't lie...I liked this dress better. I feel good about this."

"They're staring the sophomores!" Theo informed them.

Will dropped the blanket.

Makennah smoothed her hands over the dress and stepped into the light. The dress shimmered in the light, capturing all of the attention immediately.

"Sophomores are getting ready to go!" Theo yelled. "Let's go!"

Taking his arm, Makennah started to run as fast as she could in her heels. "Hurry!"

"Go, baby! We got you!" Carolynn yelled after her. "Don't worry about a thing!"

"You got it, killer!" Will shouted, giving her a thumbs up.

"We won't make it across the field in time." Theo grabbed her hand and whisked her through the crowd. People moved out of the way when they realized who she was. At the gate to the field, Makennah and Theo stood there angrily. "They're going." On the field, the sophomore attendants and their dates walked across the field in the red carpet as the lines shone brightly on them and the announcer gave a little blurbs about who they were.

"We won't make it!" Makennah cried. "The fastest way is across the field and it's wet. My heels will sink in. It will take forever."

Without answering, Theo dragged Makennah across the black tarmac of the track, elbowing players and coaches out of the way. "You're walking. There's no way Rebekah wins right now!" Theo looked pissed. Downright angry. He was scowling and shooting glares to everyone who got in his way.

"Ladies and gentleman, we may have to wait just a moment. There's been a pause in the march as they're looking for the next attendant," the announcer's voice boomed through the stadium.

"Trust me?" Theo said, facing her with a little smile on his face.

Makennah looked into his eyes. "Yes." With this. With everything. She trusted him.

"These sophomores sure do look lovely though! Let's give them a round of applause, ladies and gentleman!" To fill the awkward silence while they all waited on her, the crowd clapped and cheered as the announcer indicated they should.

"Okay, let's go." Suddenly, Theo lifted one of her arms over his shoulder and scooped her up bridal style into his arms. She gasped a little as he adjusted to her weight and he started to walk across the field to the tent where the attendants hid behind a huge black curtain before they were revealed to the crowd for the March.

"Theo!" She clutched his neck in her arms and clung onto him.

"While you're here..." Theo smiled, looking at her intimately, seeing the dress but everything underneath. "You look stunning."

Their nearness made her heart pound. "Thank you. Uh...was this necessary?"

He nodded his head. "Definitely. Gotta get you to that carpet." He was determined and marched faster for the entrance.

"Ah here they are! Seems our junior attendant and her escort are walking across the field right now! Or I guess I should clarify, our escort is carrying the attendant across the field! There was a little mix up but it looks like she's going to make it folks!" The announcer told the entire stadium.

Makennah glanced over Theo's shoulder and realized every single person was waiting on them to continue the march. "This is so embarrassing," Makennah shrieked.

The announcer continued: "This isn't the first time we've seen this duo on the field before, folks! Last Friday night under these very lights, the junior attendant accepted a homecoming proposal by her escort! I know I'm not the only one who is glad to see them again!"

Theo clutched her closely to his chest, walking as fast as possible. It was a little awkward with his protective gear on, but they made it work. "They love you, you hear?"

Makennah admired all of his handsome features. "No, they love us."

Theo's cheeks split into a wide grin. He didn't have time to respond because they reached the carpet. Because everyone had already seen her, there was no reason for the grand reveal. Miss Talenti and another yearbook student helped Makennah stand upright as Theo gently lowered her to the ground. "Is everything okay?" Miss Talenti asked. "I saw what happened."

"Yes, luckily I had another dress!" Makennah told her.

"Here we go!" The student positioned Theo and Makennah side by side.

"I'm proud to announce that the junior attendant has made it to the March! Tonight we have Junior Makennah Claire Thomas escorted by Senior Attendant Theodore Alexander Rose III! Better late than never!"

"Hold on!" The student fluffed the back of Makennah's dress, splaying our the short train. "Okay go!"

"Ready, Queen?" Theo grabbed Makennah's hand and tucked it into his elbow.

"Yes," she said with a shaky breath.

Even though the crowd was instructed not to clap until the end, the stadium roared with applause.

"Makennah Thomas is new this year to Braxton High but she's made a wonderful impression. She plays for the Braxton Lady Wolverine's soccer team," the announcer said over the applause.

Taking a deep breath, Makennah relaxed her shoulders, lifted her chin, and straightened her spine. She and Theo walked down the red carpet with all of the lights shining on them. She kicked her feet out as Carolynn instructed so that she didn't trip over her dress.

"You're sparklingly," Theo said quietly.

Glancing down at her dress, Makennah was nearly blinded by all of the glitter and sparkles radiating under the lights that lined the red carpet. She stepped assuredly to the beat of the soft pop music playing through the speakers. The dress accented her every curve and hugged her hips. The dress dazzled the crowd with its shining radiance. Makennah felt like a princess. A queen.

"Theodore Rose III is a senior graduating in 2019. He's the runningback for the Wolverines and is currently being scouted for by big schools. So watch out for him, everybody!"

In all her life, she never could have guessed this would happen. She was walking across the field in a stunning grey dress that seemed to be made for her, sparkling under the moonlight as a homecoming attendant, escorted by the sexy football player that she kissed in her bedroom at night.

Her friends cheered for her wildly on the sidelines along with Will and Carolynn.

"Makennah and Theodore look fabulous. I sure am glad they made it! Let's give them a round of applause as they receive their sashes!" The crowd cheered for the two of them as they neared the end of the red carpet. Two more students waited for them with the sashes.

Makennah bent down a little and dipped her head. Theo held her hand as she received her official sash. When they were done, Theo escorted Makennah to the stage and walked her all the way over to her chair.

She swung the dress around and relaxed into the seat. Theo loomed over her in his football uniform and pads. Bending at the waist, Theo raised her hand and kissed her palm. Her heart soared at his sweet attention. She felt like the only girl in the world. Well...the only girl in the world with all of the attention and eyes on her.

The yearbook students snapped pictures of them rapidly, capturing every second. The display of affection was beyond his usual for public, but maybe they would all think it was just for play.

"I'll see you later, King Theo."

Theo grinned widely. "Not king yet."

"You will be," she said proudly, even though other attendants were listening to their conversation. They all looked at them kind of starstruck.

"Sit there, look pretty and I'll score every time you smile at me," Theo said confidently before he walked away to wait with the other seniors for one lucky couple's crowning moment.

Makennah cleared her throat and blushed a little. She wasn't expecting that from him.

She also wasn't expecting to fall head over heels for him.

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Sorrryyyyy this chapter was so long but I didn't know how to make it shorter!

Xoxo

W. Carolina