A Beautiful Confusion

Chapter 2. The "Ball"

Charlotte and I are really close friends but not really best buddies, we have known each other from birth because she stays across the road from me. The main reason we are friends is because we have a similar sense of humor and she is one of the only girls that don't make me feel nervous.

The school day came to an end at 14:40pm and for the first time ever we all rushed home but that was obviously because of the "ball".

"Dude tonight is gonna be so lit, everyone has to leave with a date including you Cameron." Yaatie ordered as we marched down the road.

Northriding is a simple residential area filled with apartments and complexes that are set on steep-ish hills, it has a lot of trees but only because complexes and apartments decorate their exterior and interior with plants.

The part of Northriding we were walking by is a road set on a valley with a bridge at the bottom where a little river flows under it, and complexes are on both sides of the road. There is another road that goes across Hyperion (the road we were on) about a few meters after the river were the valley becomes seriously steep again. To avoid the hike my friends found a double up (short cut) along that road. It's a dodgy short cut, I swear it will be the end of me some day but for now it helps us get home swiftly.

"Nah gents I don't do those things." I said trying to avoid a dreadful situation.
"Nonsense your a charmer boy, it will be easy." Mabhena said trying to persuade me, which will never work.
"Cameron, a charmer boy. . . Haha you must be talking about someone else." Wayne laughs and reduces my confidence even more but I don't say anything, I just laugh and keep walking.

Unlike me, the other guys do not have a lot of trouble getting girls. I always end up acting weirdly around them, not creepy but I do not really act like...myself.

Or, is it just a different aspect of myself that comes when I'm around them?

We finally reach our Kasi (home town) Bloubosrand, with it's irregular street patterns that seem to flow like a river with mismatching houses on its riverbanks.

We departed to prepare for the big night ahead of us.
For a geek I think I worry too much about my appearance, I already planned my outfit. I was going to wear my white, blue and orange Nike Air Huaraches (the main colour is white, the laces and bottom of the shoe are orange and the other details are blue), I wore blue skinny jeans with a blue jean styled short sleeved shirt and a black Adidas cap. Now that I think about it, cross branding . . . is not the greatest idea.

After I was "ready" I walked to Yaatie's house once again because his parents were dropping us off.

17:00pm CAT

We arrived an hour before the ball began luckily Andrew lives in the complex across the road from the school so we chilled outside his house.

"Gents take out the drinks!" Mabhena yelled with excitement.
"Ntwana I thought you were bringing the drinks." Yaatie said disappointed at his brother.
" Niggas you do know we don't drink right?" Andrew reminds Mabhena. "But I was about to go buy some Fanta, that's a drink."
" Oh so we gonna dash the Fanta?" said Mabhena.
"Mabhena we are not even close to 18, we are all 16 turning 17 and to top it of, you look like your 13 so . . . we aren't fooling anyone." I cruelly enlightened him.
" Mxm! Voetsek." He spat.

Voetsek is a really really really rude way of saying go away, but I know Mabhena is just joking.
I think.

***

The gang decided to come about thirty minutes late to be fashionably late. When we finally arrived thinking we were too cool for school, there were about 20 other people so we just sat as music played in the background, it was about 18:30pm so the sun was still up. After all the hype it seemed like the "ball" was flat.

Mabhena and Yaatie went "hunting" while Andrew, Ken, Uveshan and I were talking about how over rated the "ball" was.

It was around 19:30 when we had given up on the stupid ball and were seriously considering going home but then the cool kids in my grade finally decided to show up, and man . . . that was an entrance, they all wore black and had the outfits of the night. There was so much drip I swear I could have slipped.

They made me feel like hiding cause what I wore compared to them, made me feel like a disgrace to fashion.
I knew all of them, they weren't my buddies but I could have a conversation with them, I occasionally have this urge to act cool, I guess it is because I want to be accepted and loved by everyone, I know it sounds like a cliché but it's true.

The party seemed to get a little better but I still felt like going home, then the grade 12 students walked in and the whole atmosphere completely changed.
As they walked towards the DJ, Mo Bamba by Sheck Wes played and immediately ALL the boys ran to the dance floor or pavement or whatever you want to call it and we started a mosh pit. It was a pretty small mosh pit compared to my first one with the whole school a few days ago but it was just as energetic (almost everyday at Northriding high is a party day). People were jumping and pushing each other around, I was doing whatever I can to avoid ending up in the middle which was the center (obviously) of action. I caught a glimpse of some friends but they quickly disappeared, eaten by the vicious crowd that moved like the ocean, it was a sea of semen.

There were only about 3 more mosh pits after that but the party was still buzzing, but even that hype died out.
I began to talk to some of the cool kids for a while as we danced away from the crowd.

"Man this party sucks, I can't wait till the after party!" Edward shouted over the music.
"Its the worst and first all teenage party I have been to!" I shouted back.
"You haven't lived my man you should come to my parties."
"Eyy, I don't know I don't do parties man."
"Come on man live a little!" He said as he run off.
I don't even know if he knew
where he was going.

Charlotte pulled me aside (I don't know if I can call her a cool kid but she is really cool to me).
"Ahh, Mr Smarty-pants made it!" She said with her brace filled smile.
"Yeah of course babe, I couldn't leave you." I laughed and gave her a hug.
"So you came to a Valentine's ball to leave without a chick?"
"Well . . . I got you." I grinned deviously.
"Be serious for once, when you getting a girlfriend?"

I hate that question, I do everything in my power to avoid it even lying which I also hate so that says something.
I have been tormented for so long, I have even tried to get a girl a few times but it's completely hopeless.

"I . . . I don't know man, I'm just not good in that department."
"Maybe you just haven't found the right one, look your a cute guy with an amazing personality there are lots of girls that like you. Just believe and stay true to yourself."
"Oh my gosh, when did you become so wise?" I was amazed at what she said "Wait, did you just say I'm cute?"
"Shut up Cameron!" She smiled and walked away.

I wonder if she's right, are there girls that like me?
And if they do why haven't they said anything.
I wonder if I could get a girl like Iris, I didn't want to admit it before but I think I have a crush on her.