~Dedicated to finding your Mr Right~

Chapter Twenty-Two

I was in the school cafeteria with Juliet, while we stood in line for the day’s special; pizza with a side of salad. Everything had gone back to normal and by normal I meant that Sean had kept his distance except for when I was tutoring him and Dave seemed happy that I was back which made me rethink the whole him wanting to dump me thing. Jessica had gone back to hanging around the popular cheerleaders who seemed to have their noses stuck in the air, but on the plus side, Jessica had toned down a lot since the school trip.

“I can’t believe this line,” Juliet groaned, “I’m starving!”

I eyed my best friend who had tied her hair up into a messy bun and donned plain jeans and a tank top as she complained rather loudly about the poor staff of our school café. I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help but laugh, Juliet was really something when she was hungry. As we inched our way closer to the front of the queue, Juliet was interrupted from her complaints by a loud speaker phone.

All eyes turned to the sound where we spotted School Body President, Angelica Harvey, standing at the doorway of the cafeteria with a younger girl behind her, carrying in her arms a red pillow covered with three crowns. Instantly I knew what they were for and had to fight the urge to look at Jessica who was probably starry eyed right about now. Angelica Harvey was chosen as the school president after a skiing accident with her brother and after that, everyone referred to her as ‘Angelica the ski girl’.

With her long black hair and lively green eyes, she turned tons of heads and after a dropout of the presidential elections by none other than Jessica, Angelica had won by default. In my opinion, Angelica was doing a great job at being president but somehow the whole ‘being in charge’ thing seemed to have gotten to her head as soon as she got the title and after only a few weeks of being elected, Angelica had snubbed more than half of the school for being too immature about things.

“Attention everybody,” Angelica shouted over the noise, grabbing my attention.

Once everyone had settled down, Angelica flashed a smile before continuing, “Okay Redwood High today is the day you get to see the people whom you have nominated for Prom Queen.”

A  series of cheers took hold the back of the cafeteria where Jessica sat and I had to fight the disgust away when I noticed Matt sitting there with a large grin on his face. I couldn’t believe that he was the guy I had wasted nearly all my life crushing on only for my feelings to be hurt and my eyes to open to see the real Matt under there, the jerk that seemed to think he was God’s given gift to any female in walking distance.

“The first nominee is,” Angelica read out from an envelope, “Jessica Hubert!”

Jessica stood up and easily made her way towards Angelica with a wide smile against her lips. She shook hands with Angelica, who then placed a silver crown on Jessica’s head. Most people clapped while a few others just rolled their eyes and watched with boredom. After gushing about how she was going to win, Jessica turned and made her way back to her table, flashing a smile at everyone she looked at.

“That girl has no modesty,” Juliet mumbled under breath.

I began to reply but was interrupted by Angelica who spoke again, “And the next nominee is,” Angelica wrinkled her nose in annoyance before she replied, “Whoever nominated themselves as Sherlock Holmes, you’re to see Mrs Bright in her office immediately!”

Juliet sniggered next to me, “I didn’t think she’d actually get the nomination.”

I raised my eyebrows at Juliet before gasping, “You did that?”

“Why not,” Juliet asked with a grin, “Someone had to teach Miss Prissy a lesson.”

“And the final nominee is Vivienne Lanter,” Angelica called.

I stood still and after a few seconds I grinned as I told Juliet, “You know for a moment it sounded as though she called my-”

“Vivienne Lanter?” Angelica called.

“That’s you,” Juliet hissed, shoving me forward with a grin.

I turned to stare wide-eyed at Juliet, “No, there has to be a mistake, I’m…who would sign me up for Prom Queen?”

“Who cares,” Juliet retorted, “Just go and get your crown!”

Numbly I walked towards Angelica who smiled at me as she took a crown and placed it on my head. I swallowed down a gulp and felt my cheeks heating up in a furious blush. I could feel everyone staring at me and for a moment I felt sick, before I forced the feeling away and smiled slightly and made my way back to Juliet who threw her arms around me in enthusiasm.

“Look at you Viv,” she gushed, “a candidate for Prom Queen!”

I shrugged, feeling uncomfortable, “Yeah, who would have thought?”

“Come on,” Juliet replied seriously, “be happy! You’re finally getting what you wanted right?”

I turned my attention to the crowd which had dispersed then back to my best friend and smiled. Juliet was right. I was getting what I always wanted, to fit in and become popular. I wasn’t going to be the geek that everyone laughed at behind my back and there was no way that I was going back to any of my baggy clothes or blushing whenever I spoke to a guy. And anyways, it wasn’t like I had a chance at winning the whole title of Prom Queen…right?

“How is a bad thing?” Sean asked, staring at me quizzically while I sat cross-legged in front of the TV.

I narrowed my eyes at him, watching as he fiddled with his pen, instead of actually solving the Maths problem in his book. He caught my glare and shrugged sheepishly before turning his attention to the book while I continued to watch NCIS. I didn’t know why, but I seemed to have grown fond of the crime show. I mean, how awesome was it to solve crimes that seemed to have no evidence at all?

“It’s a bad thing,” I replied, “because Jessica’s always wanted to be Prom Queen.”

Sean snorted, “And since when did you care about her Lanter?”

I sighed, “I don’t care about her, it’s just that I feel bad because her mother’s-”

“Dead,” Sean finished for me, “So what? She still has popularity and the whole cheerleading thing for college.”

“But-”

Sean cut me off, “No buts Lanter, you deserve to be in the limelight for once.”

I bit my lower lip then glanced down at my fingers before asking, “You really mean that?”

“You know I do,” Sean replied with sincerity lacing his voice.

I looked up, my eyes locking with his. I felt my breathing hitch and the silly tumbling start in my stomach again. My skin crawled with desire and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Sean’s handsome face. I let my eyes drift down to his body that was sprawled casually on the living room couch while textbooks were piled next to him. I supressed a sigh as my eyes moved to his lips that were full and calling to be kissed, causing my skin to burn up with desire.

“Vivienne,” my mother called.

I snapped out of my trance and was glad for the interruption by my mother. I stood and stuttered incoherently to Sean about doing his Maths before I sprinted out of the room only to be greeted by my mother who was carrying a large takeout bag. I took a deep breath, smelling the delicious aromas of spicy chicken and oriental rice. It looked like my mother was feeling slightly Indian.

“Mum,” I greeted with a smile, before taking the packet of food from her, “You’re home early.”

My mother smiled in return as she replied, “Yes, I thought I might spend the night with my daughter.”

I raised an eyebrow at her before asking, “Are you pregnant or something?”

“What?” my mother gasped, “No!” she laughed slightly, “What gave you that idea?”

“Well you’re acting weird,” I commented, noticing my mother’s flushed cheeks and the way she moved around the kitchen nervously.

My mother paused, before she took a bottle of water out of the fridge. I watched as she unscrewed the cap and downed nearly half the bottle in one gulp. My eyes widened slightly as I asked, “Mum, are you okay?”

My mother laughed, but it sounded forced, “Yes honey.”

I studied my mother in silence before asking, “Is this about Jeff?”

When my mother didn’t offer another laugh, I felt disappointment. Jeff had been a decent guy in a long time and if he broke up with my mother, she’d definitely go back to dating those crazy men who worked at the library or even worse, the butchery. I shuddered at the memory of one of her ex’s that thought a great birthday gift would be a pig’s head on a metal hook. Needless to say, the man was never seen from again.

“Do you want me to bring up the chocolate ice-cream?” I asked.

My mother shook her head and finally smiled widely, “No! Oh Viv, it’s not like that.”

I frowned in confusion when I finally caught sight of my mother’s hand where a large diamond ring nestled against her ring finger. My jaw fell before I closed my mouth then opened it again but found myself a loss for words. There was no doubt in my mind that I resembled a gaping fish standing there while I stared at what I didn’t need confirmation to be my mother’s engagement ring.

“Jeff asked me to marry him!” my mother beamed.

Finally, I found my voice, “He did?”

My mother nodded, a wide smile taking over her lips, “You’ve been getting on well with him haven’t you Viv? And Holly’s really taken a liking to you and well, I wouldn’t have said yes if I didn’t think you would mind.”

“Mind?” I asked, “Of course I don’t mind Mum!”

My mother gave me a relieved smile, “Oh Viv, you don’t how happy you’ve just made me.”

Our conversation was interrupted when Sean poked his head through the door, “Hi Mrs-”

“Sean,” my mother greeted, “Please; it’s Katherine to you.”

Sean smiled a charming smile, before he noticed the engagement ring, “Mr Andrews finally decided to pop the question?”

My mother beamed, “Yes he did.”

Sean glanced at me with a raised eyebrow and I frowned as he mouthed ‘You cool?’ at me. I nodded slightly then glanced at my mother who had pulled out three plates and glasses. She glanced at Sean with a warm smile as she asked, “You do eat Indian food right?”

Sean began to protest, “No I should be getting home now-”

“Nonsense,” my mother cut him off, “And besides, you should be glad that I’m not offering you to eat my cooking.”

I grinned at that, “You don’t ever cook Mum.”

My mother scoffed, “I do; you’re just never willing to eat any of my cooking.”

Sean laughed, before he finally agreed, “I guess I could stay for a little while.”

I yawned slightly as I removed the contact lenses from my eyes and pulled on my trusted glasses I didn’t have the heart to throw out. Sure they were big and chunky, but they still let me see perfectly fine. I plonked down against my dressing table chair and began to brush my hair. The door to my room suddenly opened a crack and my mother walked in, wearing her red satin robe while her hair was pulled up into a loose bun that rested at the nape of her neck. She carried two mugs with her and smiled when she spotted me in my glasses.

“Viv honey, I thought you might need a cup of hot chocolate?” my mother said.

I grinned at my mother and graciously accepted the warm, cocoa filled goodness, “Thanks Mum.”

My mother touched my hair lightly before she sat down on my bed and spoke, “Honey, you are fine with Jeff right?”

I sipped the hot drink before I replied with a smile, “Of course I am Mum. I mean he is the first guy you’ve dated that hasn’t offered to give you a pig head or a guide on men and their anatomy-”

My mother cut me off with a scowl and faint blush rising to her cheeks, “Okay I get the point.”

I laughed, “But in all honesty, I’m glad you’re finally getting married.”

My mother’s eyes glistened with something I could only describe as love before she answered, her voice welling with emotions, “Thank you honey, that’s really the only thing I could hope from you.”

I smiled before a frown took hold of my lips, “Wait, so you’re here for something else?”

“Well can’t a mother have quality time with her daughter?” my mother sniffed.

“Yeah…” I trailed off, not knowing where she was going.

Smiling, she replied, “Good, because I want you to tell me everything about Dave and Sean.”

I felt heat rushing to my cheeks and I busied myself with drinking the hot chocolate and averted my gaze from my mother as I answered, “Nothing.”

My mother snorted before speaking, “The way that boy looked at you tonight was not nothing Viv.”

“Mum,” I groaned.

My mother laughed, “Oh what Viv? Don’t act like you don’t know what I mean.”

“But I’m dating Dave,” I complained.

“And I’m marrying Jeff but you don’t see that stopping me from commenting on Johnny Depp’s beautiful booty.”

“Mum!” I exclaimed, horrified.

My mother chuckled to herself as she made her way out of my room, “Fine, I won’t pester you but just keep in mind that the right guy is the one you least expect it to be.”

As soon as my mother was gone I sighed. I couldn’t help but feel that she was right and I was being either really stupid or really smart. Dave was the right guy, it was obvious because I mean, he did come asking for me while I was gone and-

Who are you kidding Viv? You like Sean! Just admit it to yourself more than anybody. Hello, even Mum noticed him looking at you and why do you always want to kiss him? That’s not what normal girls do at all and let’s not forget the whole butterflies in your stomach whenever you stare at him for too long. And come on! Who doesn’t like bad boys that ride bikes and speak with a slight British accent all with the name of Sean Gregory?

I turned to Mr Wiggles and sighed, “At least I know you’re my Mr Right.”

A/N So hi Geeklings! How are you? I know this wasn't that much of an eventful chapter, it's more of a filler and like a sort of chapter to set the mood for the rest of the events that are going to come :) What did you think about the Prom Queen business? Did you love finding about the wedding to come with Viv's mummy? And lastly, who do you truly think should be Viv's Mr Right? I'd love to hear from you guys! Remember to vote, comment and spread the word!

xoxo

Mona-Mae

PS: What do you guys think of cliche yet super romantic/humour hitched in Vegas type stories...because I may write one soon...just saying :))