Ending 0.5 - Betrayal

Ending 0.5 - Betrayal
Title: Ending 0.5 - Betrayal
Status: Complete
Characters: Anon, Fang, Naser, Naomi
Rating: SFW
Classification: One Shot
Author: Anonymous
Leaving Naomi in the kitchen, I go back out and rejoin Lucy and the others getting ready to head over to Prom. Lucy’s mom has finally managed to get Naser and Lucy together for some pictures; Naser’s white blazer and sunglasses making him look like something out of Swamp City in Stone Theft Auto III, Lucy’s radiant white dress making her eyes shimmer like jewels. She catches me staring and sticks her tongue out at me with a smile, ruining the picture that her mom was just about to take. Fang’s dad is not amused, cracking his knuckles ominously. Gulping hard, I go take Lucy’s hand to escort to the door, Naomi following suit as she wraps herself around Nasar’s arm. With a quick promise to have fun and to be back by midnight, the four of us set off for Volcano High.
Traffic this time of night is good, and we arrive in the parking lot only a few minutes later. There’s a steady stream of students making their way to the gymnasium, couples holding each other’s hand in nervous anticipation. Naser and Naomi head right off, joining another group of friends as the chat excitedly about the dance. Lucy and I hold back, Lucy nervously fidgeting with the flower and I plucked for her. I move to take her hands in mind, holding them in front of her chest as we stand face-to-face.
“It’s going to be okay, Lucy, let’s just have fun tonight!” I try my best to assure her nothing will go wrong, that tonight will be totally safe. Lucy gives me a weak smile, moving her head to my chest as she hugs me tightly.
“I’m…I’m just worried about seeing Naomi and Reed again. The way things ended with the band, I don’t know if I’m ready just yet…” I can feel the tension in her body as I hold her tight against my chest, kissing the top of her head lightly.
“Don’t worry, Sugar Lips,” I mumble into her hair, smiling as she pokes me in the ribs in retaliation for her pet name. “I’ll make sure nothing like that happens.” Shifting slightly to place her hands on my chest, Lucy stares up at me, smiling, her amber eyes trusting every word I say.
“Okay, Anon.”
The dance music assaults our ears the moment I open the door for Lucy. Students are milling about the dance floor, some dancing, others just chatting over their plates of hors d’ordeves. Scanning the crowd quickly, I spot Trish and Reed over in the corner, the little trigger dejectedly picking at her plate as Reed is inhaling…something. Making sure to keep myself between them and Lucy, I steer her over to the food table, where Naomi and Naser are waiting.
“There you two are! Oh. My. GOSH! Isn’t this just the greatest prom EVER?!” Naomi’s exultations nearly split my ears, and a likewise wince from Lucy prompts Naser to step in.
“Hey, Babe, didn’t we have that thing to finish up for the prom committee?” Naser wraps his arm around the still-gushing Naomi, steering her off in the direction of the stage. With a final glance over her shoulder at us, Naomi slips her arms around Naser’s once more, the two of them disappearing in to the crowd.
“Ugh, thank god that bitch is gone. I still don’t know what Naser sees in her, ya’know?” Lucy has returned from her scavenging mission, handing me a plate piled high of food, plucking a dino-nuggie from her own and swallowing it in one bite. She fixes me with a smile before setting her plate down on a nearby chair. “Come on Anon, I wanna dance with you!” Before I can protest that I’ve hardly had anything to eat, Lucy drags me out onto the dance floor, finding a small opening for us away from the other students. An upbeat pop number is playing now: Definitely not Lucy’s type of music, but she pistons my arms in time to the beat anyway, popping along to the music. Before long I’m right there with her, displaying the best moves I’ve got. The Sprinkler was a huge hit, forcing Lucy to cover her mouth to keep from laughing, and she even joined in on the Q-Tip during the second song. As the third song, a more heavy pop-rock piece, fades, we’re both sweating underneath the flashing lights of the dance floor, having the time of our lives.
Smiling, Lucy wraps her arms around me, head leaning on my chest, still humming the words to the last song softly under her breath. No other song has risen to replace the last one, and as Principal Spears mounts the stage, it must be time for the prom royalty announcement.
“Are we all having a good time?!” For once, Spears’ roar matches the atmosphere of the room as hundreds of students shout their assent back at him. Lucy even gives a sharp whistle as the monolithic man waves his hands for silence once more. “You’ve partied hard Volcano High, but now it’s time to meeeeeeeeeeet your. Prom. ROYALTY!” Cheers erupt from the crowd, overriding the boos from Lucy as she protests this outdated and sexist tradition. I stay quiet, my eyes locked onto the stage.
“Now, without further delay, your winners are…” Spears reaches into his breast pocket, ripping open the garish envelope displaying the school colors. Unfolding the small paper within, the Principal adjusts his glasses for dramatic effect, before bellowing: “NAOMI AND NAAAAAAAASER!”
Cheers erupt once more from the assembled student body, barely covering an excited shriek from Naomi. As the couple mounts the stage, I clap along with the other students, eliciting a questioning look from Lucy as she’s shifted suddenly from my chest.
“Anon, what the hell are you doing?!” Lucy asks, crossing her arms and glaring up at me. I say nothing in response, simply nodding my head up to the stage where Naomi is quickly adjusting the microphone stand.
“Is this thing on? Okay. THANK YOU VOLCANO HIGH!” More cheers erupt from the crowd, and I add my own to the mix this time. Lucy’s eyes are flickering back and forth between the couple on stage and me, confusion spreading across her face. “Naser and I are SOOOOO happy to be your Prom Royalty this year! We would like to thank alllllllll the organizers who made this event possible!”
Another pause for cheers. I’m staring at Naomi now, a broad smile on my face. Glancing out of the corner of my eye, I can see Lucy staring fully at me now, utterly bewildered. Her mouth works silently for words as Naomi’s thanks prattle on.
“Finally, I’ve got one special thank you to give out. Where’s Anon? Anon? Oh! There, there you are! Wave to everyone Anon!” A spotlight is turned on me as I wave eagerly to the assembled crowd. Distant shouts of “weeb!” and “loser!” can be heard from the crowd, but I pay them little attention as I slowly turn to face Lucy. My date’s eyes plead me for some explanation as she takes a half-step back from me, the hard light of the spotlight reflecting off her perfect white dress.
“Without Anon, none of this would’ve been possible. Without Anon, Naser’s bitch of a sister would’ve still been in our way, messing things up like always. Is that “Fang” standing next to you, Anon? Good, she needs to hear this too.” Naomi’s air-quotes around Lucy’s other name seem to bite into her, causing her to flinch at the sound. She still hasn’t taken her eyes off of me.
“Did you really think Anon liked you, “Fang”? Maybe even loved you? Ha! No one could love a loser like you, “Fang”! I needed someone to get you out of Naser’s hair, and Anon volunteered for us just after your little concert on his first day!” Up on stage, Naser’s face is split in an evil grin, matching my own as she too stares at his sister. All eyes are on the two of us now, the crowd going silent as our plan is read out-loud. Tears are brimming in Lucy’s eyes now, and quiet whispers of “no” can be heard underneath Naomi’s taunts and jeers.
“That’s right “Fang”! You’re such a loser, we needed the new kid to pretend to be your friend! Isn’t that hilarious, everyone? She’s such a loser, no one in the school who knew you could even pretend to like you! Hahahaha!”
Naomi’s shrill laughter is quickly joined by others from the assembled students, and before long the air is filled with the jeers and cackles of the assembled students, all directed at Lucy. I alone remain quiet among the students on the dance floor, my grin never faltering as I watch Lucy’s face become more and more distraught, the river of tears spilling across her face leaving back rivulets of mascara as she continues to stare at me. She’s no longer whispering under her breath, but her hands have found their way to her wings, a cascade of bloody feathers falling around her as she begins to preen. Lucy moves to take a half-step back towards me by instinct, desperately seeking the one source of comfort she had found in these last few weeks.
I take a step back from her.
Lucy stopped suddenly, her eyes no longer seeing me, seeing anything. Her hands worked methodically, pulling fistfuls of feathers out as she sank to her knees, still staring off into space as the crowd’s laughter echoed through the gymnasium. Unable to hold it in any longer, I join the rest of the students, pointing at Lucy and laughing until I can barely stand up straight. All the while Lucy just sat there, staring at nothing, tears flowing from her eyes even as her now-bloody hands tore into her wings.
My last words to her were “who could ever love someone like you?”