Cleats and Tiaras

Chapter 2 Part 1

Charlie’s POV

“Are you ready to go in?” James asked. Charlie shook her head.

“Can I just have a minute? I’m nervous about wearing this dress. It doesn’t feel like me.” she told him. James looked at her as if she had just said the earth orbited Mars.

“What are you talking about? You look fantastic Charlotte! You’ll be the envy of every other girl here.” Charlie visibly flinched as he used her real name again.

“You go ahead, I just need a minute to breathe before I go in.” She said, James nodded and strolled towards the doors of the school gymnasium. Once his suffocating presence was gone Charlie breathed deeply.

“Mom, Dad, I wish you two were here. I have no idea what I am doing, but shouldn’t I be happy? I am finally on my first date and all I can think is that I would rather be here alone, wearing my jersey like the rest of the team. I only wore this stupid dress because I could tell James didn’t like the idea of me wearing my jersey, but I admit I loved watching Aunt Maddie as she helped me get ready. I think I’ll have to let her take me shopping soon. I might even shop in the girls section for once. Can you two stay close tonight? I don’t feel like me. I hope you guys aren’t upset that I’m doing all this for someone else.” Charlie spoke into the air. She wasn’t sure if her parents could hear her, but the warm breeze that ruffled her hair felt familiar. She chose to believe that meant her parents were here just like she had asked them to be. Charlie stayed leaning against the ranger for a few more minutes, building her courage to walk inside. No matter what Charlie would never be the girl that she looked like tonight. With that thought she straightened her back and walked through the doors.

In an attempt to emulate some teen romance movie, the school had decided to have everyone enter from the top gym, making them walk down the stairs to the larger gym that was used for basketball games. Charlie dreaded walking down the stairs in these heels, but she was confident that her coordination wouldn’t let her down. Her right hand on the railing, Charlie slowly walked toward the chaos of homecoming. She stared at her feet as she stepped from foot to foot, afraid that she would fall. Her fear seemed to encase her because the buzzing of conversation seemed to die in her ears. Charlie looked up for a moment, startled to find that her fear wasn’t the cause of the silence. Every student in the gym was staring at her. Charlie swore quietly and rushed down the remaining stairs. This was not how she wanted to be the center of attention. Once she reached the level floor of the gym she saw two figures walking towards her. One was her date, James, the guy that she should be able to like. The other, Joey, her best friend, the guy that she shouldn’t like. Both boys reached her at the same time.

“Do you want to dance Charlotte?” James asked. Joey snapped his head towards James, then to Charlie.

“James is your date? I didn’t even know that you liked him. Also why didn’t you tell me dude?” Joey questioned the pair. Before she could answer James replied, “I didn’t tell you because of all the crap you’ve given every other guy that has tried to ask Charlotte on a date. I didn’t feel like having to fight with my best friend for the right to ask a girl out.”

“What?” Charlie said. Joey looked at her guiltily.

“Joey told every guy in school that you were off limits because none of us are good enough for you. Matt and Ryan both tried to ask you out last year and Joey beat the crap out of them for it,” James told her. Charlie moved her gaze to Joey, pleading with him to tell her that it was a lie. Instead she was met with silence and a look of shame.

“You had NO right to do that! I should be able to decide if I want to go out with someone. You can’t just decide for me Joey! Here I thought I was some unlikeable loser because I was the only girl in school that had never been asked on a date, but it wasn’t because of me. For a second I even thought that everyone believed the rumors that YOUR girlfriend started about me actually being a dude. You don’t just get to control my life!” Charlie yelled at him. The people closest to them had heard the entire conversation and began whispering to one another. Charlie knew that this would be the gossip of the month for their school. Joey and Charlie never fought. Joey opened his mouth to say something but Charlie shot him a glare that made him remain silent.

“Yes, James, I would like to dance.” she said as she took his hand and walked toward the makeshift dance floor. Even though every fiber of her being was telling her that this was wrong she was determined to have the first date that she deserved.

About twenty minutes later, more and more guys were coming up to ask Charlie to dance. She politely refused them all. None of them felt any different to her than James did, and she was here with him. It felt rude to leave him on his own.

“Don’t forget to cast your homecoming votes for king and queen! We will be closing the voting in 10 minutes!” the principal announced over the speakers of the sound system. Charlie rolled her eyes. She wasn’t sure why they even had a vote. Everyone knew that Joey and Savannah were going to win. The captain of the football team and the head cheerleader was a cliche for a reason. Charlie was sitting at a table with James by her side. She had already danced with him multiple times, but he kept asking her to slow dance. It wasn’t that she hated slow dancing, it just felt too intimate of an activity to do with someone you didn’t want to be with.

“Hey, uh Char can we talk?” Joey’s voice sounded from behind her. She turned to look at him ready to yell at him again but paused when she saw the sorrow in his eyes.

“James, could you get me something to drink while I talk to Joey for a minute?” She asked sweetly. James smiled at her.

“Anything for you Charlotte, can we have that dance when I get back?” James asked hopefully.

“Talk about it after you’ve gotten Charlotte some punch loverboy” Joey spat. Charlie couldn’t help but smile at the way he made it clear that she didn’t like James using her real name. James looked at Charlie as if he expected her to defend him, but she stayed silent. Realizing that she wouldn’t be speaking up, he left.

“Thank you, he has been calling me Charlotte since he picked me up and it's been driving me crazy.” She said gratefully.

“I want to say that I am sorry. You’re right I can’t make your decisions for you Char. I was only trying to protect you though. I hear how these guys talk about girls in the locker rooms. You are so much better than that. You aren’t like Savannah and the others, trying to find the hottest guy. The problem is that these stupid guys don’t see that. They would play with your feelings just like they do all the other girls, and I can’t watch that happen. Yes I did fight Matt and Ryan, but you didn’t hear what they said. They were taking bets on if you were a virgin or if I had ‘already used you up’ It was disgusting.They wanted to make it a game to see who could find out. I wasn’t going to stand by and let them use you like that.” He said in a rush. Charlie felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. She considered Matt and Ryan to be her friends, like the rest of the team. She had no idea that they thought of her like that, and definitely not that they talked about her in the locker room. Charlie was suddenly realizing that there was an entire world in high school that she hadn’t known existed. Joey had saved her from becoming like all the other girls that cried in the bathrooms when they got dumped. She threw her arms around Joey.

“Thank you. I am so sorry that I didn’t take the time to talk to you about it. I was just angry because I thought you kept me from dating even though you’ve been dating girls since freshman year. I should have known that you would have a good reason.” She choked out. Tears were threatening to spill from her eyes.

“Babe, they’re about to announce the king and queen. We have to be ready.” Savannah interrupted. Charlie let go of Joey and looked to Savannah. Even though she hated this girl she would be nice for Joey’s sake.

“You look great Savannah. You and Joey will make a really cute king and queen.” Charlie offered the compliment.

“Duh. We are the best in the school. You can play dress up all you want, Charles, but you’ll never be as beautiful as me.” Savannah hurled the insult at Charlie. Joey started to defend her but Charlie shook her head. It wasn’t worth it.

“I am just gonna grab my spare sneakers from the girls locker room and head home. You guys have a good time.” Charlie said as she stood. Savannah pulled Joey away before he could say a word.

“Okay, it's time! Your 2024 Homecoming king is,” the principal stopped as he opened the envelope, “Joseph Ridgeway!” He yelled as if it were the shock of the century. Joey walked up to the makeshift stage and the guidance counselor, Ms. Starnick, placed a plastic crown on his head. Charlie stayed long enough to cheer for her best friend before heading across the gym to where the door to the girls locker room was.