NOT HIS TYPE

CHAPTER 3: THE NOMINATION

*Scene 1: Monday Morning

The prom committee posters went up overnight.

Maya saw them first thing, plastered on the hallway walls in gold glitter and cursive font.

_Prom 2026: A Night Under the Stars._

_Nominations for Prom King & Queen now open._

Kendall was already standing in front of the biggest poster, taking selfies with Chloe and Jess.

“Obviously I’m running,” Kendall said loud enough for half the hallway to hear. “Who else would win?”

Maya kept walking. She didn’t care about prom. She cared about the physics test on Thursday.

“Hey, nerd!”

Kade caught up to her, slinging an arm over her shoulders like he did now. It still made her heart skip.

“You see the posters?” Kade asked.

Maya nodded. “Yeah. Kendall’s already campaigning.”

Kade rolled his eyes. “Of course she is.”

Maya shrugged. “Let her have it, Kade. I don’t care.”

Kade frowned. “You sure? Because I saw your name on the nomination sheet.”

Maya stopped walking. “What?”

Kade pulled out his phone and showed her a picture. A screenshot of the digital nomination form.

Under _Prom Princess Nominees_, it said: _Maya Okoro._

Maya stared at it. “That’s a mistake.”

Kade grinned. “Maybe not.”

Maya shook her head. “Kade, I didn’t sign up for this. I don’t want to run.”

Kade bumped her shoulder. “Maybe someone thinks you should.”

Before Maya could answer, Kendall’s voice cut through the hallway.

“Well, well. Look who’s famous.”

Kendall stood there with her phone out, smirking.

Maya felt her stomach drop. “What do you want, Kendall?”

Kendall scrolled through her phone. “Just saw the nominations. You’re running for prom princess, Maya. That’s cute.”

Kade stepped in front of Maya. “Back off, Kendall.”

Kendall ignored him. “You really think you have a chance, Maya? Against me?”

Maya met her eyes. “I don’t want to run, Kendall. So you win.”

Kendall’s smirk widened. “Good. Stay in your lane, nerd.”

She walked off, laughing.

Kade turned to Maya. “You okay?”

Maya nodded, but her hands were shaking. “Yeah. Just… delete that screenshot, Kade.”

Kade hesitated, then did it. “If you want out, I’ll help you get out.”

Maya nodded. “Thanks, Kade.”

*Scene 2: Lunch, Courtyard

Maya spent lunch avoiding the courtyard.

She sat in the library with Priya instead, pretending to study.

“Someone nominated you, Maya,” Priya said, scrolling through her phone. “The forum’s talking about it.”

Maya groaned. “I know. I didn’t do it.”

Priya looked up. “Doesn’t matter. You’re in it now. And honestly? You should run.”

Maya stared at her. “Are you serious, Priya?”

Priya nodded. “Yeah. Why not? Kendall thinks she owns this school. It’d be good to see her lose.”

Maya shook her head. “I’m not running against Kendall, Priya. I don’t want the attention.”

Priya sighed. “Fine. But don’t let her scare you out of it.”

Maya didn’t answer.

When the bell rang, Maya found Kade waiting outside the library.

“How’d you know I’d be here?” Maya asked.

Kade grinned. “I know you, Maya.”

Maya smiled faintly. “What do you want, Kade?”

Kade held out a flyer.

It was handmade, simple, with Maya’s name and a picture of her from the science fair last year.

_Vote Maya Okoro for Prom Princess._

_Smart. Kind. Real._

Maya stared at it. “Kade…”

Kade shrugged. “I made it. If you’re running, you should have a campaign.”

Maya looked up at him. “I’m not running, Kade.”

Kade’s face fell. “Oh.”

Maya took the flyer anyway. “But thank you, Kade. For doing this.”

Kade nodded. “Anytime, Maya.”

They walked to class together, and Maya slipped the flyer into her backpack.

*Scene 3: The Talk, After School

Maya found Kade in the empty classroom they used for detention.

He was sitting on a desk, spinning a pen between his fingers.

“Hey,” Maya said quietly.

Kade looked up. “Hey, Maya.”

Maya sat down beside him. “I thought about what you said.”

Kade frowned. “About running?”

Maya nodded. “Yeah. I don’t want to run against Kendall, Kade. Not like that.”

Kade nodded slowly. “Okay.”

Maya looked down at her hands. “But I don’t want her to think she can bully me out of everything either.”

Kade smiled faintly. “So what do you want to do?”

Maya met his eyes. “I want to take my name off the list, Kade. But I want to do it my way.”

Kade sat up straighter. “What do you mean?”

Maya took a deep breath. “I mean I’m going to make a speech. At the assembly tomorrow. I’ll tell everyone why I’m stepping down. And why it doesn’t matter.”

Kade stared at her. “Maya, that’s… bold.”

Maya smiled faintly. “I know. But I’m tired of hiding, Kade.”

Kade reached out and took her hand. “I’ll be there, Maya. Front row.”

Maya squeezed his hand back. “Thanks, Kade.”

*Scene 4: The Assembly, Tuesday

The auditorium was packed.

Maya stood backstage, hands shaking, holding a single index card with her speech written on it.

Kade was in the front row, hood down, watching her like she was the only person in the room.

Principal Lewis called her name.

Maya walked onto the stage.

The auditorium went quiet.

Maya looked out at everyone—Kendall in the front row with her perfect smile, Priya giving her a thumbs up, Kade nodding at her to go on.

Maya took a deep breath and started reading.

“Hi. I’m Maya Okoro. Some of you know me. Most of you don’t.

Last week, my name appeared on the prom princess nomination list. I didn’t put it there. I didn’t ask for it.

And I’m here to take it off.

I’m not running for prom princess. Not because I’m scared of losing. Not because I’m scared of Kendall.

I’m stepping down because prom isn’t who I am.

I’m the girl who stays late in the lab. The girl who tutors Kade in physics. The girl who would rather spend Saturday night coding than at a party.

And that’s okay.

You don’t have to be loud to matter. You don’t have to be popular to be seen.

So vote for whoever you want. But know this: I’m not running, but I’m not hiding anymore either.”

Maya folded the card and walked off stage.

The auditorium was silent for three seconds.

Then Priya started clapping.

Then Kade.

Then the whole room.

Maya didn’t look back. She walked straight to Kade and sat down beside him.

Kade pulled her into a hug. “That was amazing, Maya.”

Maya whispered, “Thanks, Kade.”

*Scene 5: The Aftermath, Wednesday

The speech went viral.

Not in a bad way.

Kids were posting clips of it with captions like _Maya Okoro for real_ and _Not everyone needs a crown._

Kendall won the nomination anyway. Of course she did.

But something had changed.

People stopped calling Maya “the nerd” like it was an insult. They started calling her “Maya.”

Kendall didn’t try anything else. Not directly.

But Maya noticed her watching. Always watching.

Kade noticed too.

“You’re different, Maya,” Kade said one afternoon in the library.

Maya looked up from her book. “Different how?”

Kade shrugged. “Lighter. Like you stopped carrying something.”

Maya smiled faintly. “Maybe I did.”

Kade reached across the table and took her hand. “Good. Keep it that way.”

Maya nodded. “I will, Kade.”

*Scene 6: The Date, Friday Night

Kade picked Maya up at 7:00pm.

He was wearing a button-up shirt and jeans. No hoodie. No attitude.

Maya opened the door in a simple blue dress.

Kade stared for a second, then said, “You look amazing, Maya.”

Maya smiled. “Thanks, Kade. You too.”

They went to the planetarium.

Maya had been talking about it for weeks.

Kade listened the whole time, asking questions, pointing out constellations she hadn’t noticed.

At the end of the show, they sat on the grass outside, looking up at the real stars.

“It’s beautiful,” Maya whispered.

Kade nodded. “Yeah. It is.”

Maya glanced at him. “Kade, can I ask you something?”

Kade nodded. “Anything, Maya.”

Maya hesitated. “Are you happy, Kade? With us?”

Kade looked at her seriously. “Maya, I’ve never been happier.”

Maya smiled. “Me too, Kade.”

Kade leaned forward and kissed her softly.

When they pulled apart, Maya rested her head on his shoulder.

“Not his type, huh?” Kade murmured.

Maya smiled. “Never his type, Kade. Always yours.”

Kade laughed and pulled her closer.

*Scene 7: The Warning, Saturday

Kendall found Maya at the bookstore.

Maya was in the science section, reading a book on astrophysics.

Kendall walked up alone. No Chloe. No Jess.

Maya looked up. “Kendall.”

Kendall smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“Maya. Can we talk?”

Maya closed her book. “About what?”

Kendall sighed. “About Kade.”

Maya frowned. “What about Kade?”

Kendall lowered her voice. “Maya, Kade’s not good for you. You know that, right?”

Maya crossed her arms. “Why do you care, Kendall?”

Kendall hesitated. “Because I’ve known him longer than you have. Because I know what he’s capable of.”

Maya met her eyes. “Then tell me, Kendall. What’s he capable of?”

Kendall looked away. “Nothing good, Maya. Just… be careful.”

Maya shook her head. “I know who Kade is, Kendall. And I trust him.”

Kendall stared at her, then walked away without another word.

Maya watched her go, uneasy.

*Scene 8: The Secret, Sunday

Maya told Kade about the conversation that night.

Kade was quiet for a long time.

“What did she say exactly?” Kade asked finally.

Maya repeated it.

Kade ran a hand through his hair. “She knows, Maya.”

Maya frowned. “Knows what, Kade?”

Kade looked at her. “About my dad. About what happened that night.”

Maya sat up straighter. “Kade, you already told me that, Kade.”

Kade shook his head. “No. I told you part of it, Maya. There’s more.”

Maya’s stomach twisted. “What more, Kade?”

Kade exhaled. “My dad didn’t act alone that night, Maya. I was there. But so was someone else.”

Maya waited.

Kade looked at her. “Kendall’s brother, Maya. He was the one driving the getaway car.”

Maya’s blood went cold.

Kade continued. “Kendall doesn’t want you with me because if you stay, you’ll find out. And you’ll tell someone.”

Maya sat back, stunned.

“Why didn’t you tell me this before, Kade?”

Kade looked ashamed. “Because I was scared, Maya. Scared you’d leave me.”

Maya reached out and took his hand.

“Kade, I’m not leaving you, Kade.”

Kade looked at her, eyes red.

“You’re sure, Maya?”

Maya nodded. “I’m sure, Kade.”

Kade pulled her into a hug.

“Thank you, Maya.”

Maya hugged him back.

“Always, Kade.”

*Scene 9: The Decision, Monday

Maya didn’t sleep much that night.

She spent the morning in the library, researching.

Kade’s brother had been arrested, but the case was sealed. Juvenile record.

Kendall had been covering for him for years.

Maya printed everything out and put it in an envelope.

After school, she gave it to Priya.

“Keep this safe, Priya,” Maya said quietly.

Priya frowned. “What is it, Maya?”

Maya met her eyes. “Proof, Priya. If anything happens to me or Kade, give this to the police.”

Priya nodded, serious now. “Okay, Maya.”

Maya nodded back.

“Thanks, Priya.”

She walked out of the library and found Kade waiting for her.

Kade looked at her face and knew immediately.

“What did you do, Maya?”

Maya smiled faintly.

“I protected us, Kade.”

Kade pulled her into a hug.

“Thank you, Maya.”

Maya hugged him back.

“Always, Kade.”

*Scene 10: The Quiet Victory

Prom week arrived.

Kendall was crowned prom queen.

Maya clapped from the audience, wearing a simple blue dress and holding Kade’s hand.

Kade didn’t care about prom king. He didn’t run.

After the ceremony, they snuck out to the courtyard.

The stars were out.

Maya leaned against Kade’s chest, listening to his heartbeat.

“You did good, Maya,” Kade whispered.

Maya smiled. “We did good, Kade.”

Kade kissed the top of her head.

“Not his type, huh?”

Maya laughed softly.

“Never his type, Kade. Always yours.”

Kade pulled her closer.

“Always mine, Maya.”

They stood there under the stars, holding each other, and for once, Maya wasn’t afraid of what came next.