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Prom Night Promise	By : Trillhouse Category: +G through L > The Loud House Views: 3578 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own The Loud House, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
Chapter 2 - What could possibly go wrong?

The week flew by too quickly for Lincoln's liking. He'd hoped that six days would be enough to calm his nerves, but he only found himself growing more stressed as Saturday loomed ever closer. His sisters weren't helping matters; most had offered their assistance in preparing Lincoln for the prom, and, as usual, did more harm than good. Luna and Lynn, for example, had attempted to teach Lincoln how to dance. While Luna's idea of dancing seemed to be better suited for a mosh pit, Lynn initially surprised him with her knowledge of ballroom dancing; that is, until her lesson devolved into a one-sided wrestling match.
Luan, on the other hand, had been a nightmare all week. As soon as she realized how uncomfortable he was about the situation, she wasted no time in ribbing him mercilessly. 'Have some potatoes Lincoln,' she'd said during dinner, 'I incest. Get it?' And that was just one of the clean ones.
Still, it was worth it; Leni had been positively giddy all week, enthusiastically planning out what she would wear down to the smallest detail. She'd dragged Lincoln in to get his opinion several times now, only for these sessions to inevitably drag on for hours as a new inspiration struck her. Lincoln didn't mind. She was happy, and Lincoln couldn't help but feel happy for her.
But now the day had come. Lincoln stood red-faced in the living room as his mother straightened his tie; he was wearing the same suit he had worn for Lori's graduation, which Leni had taken upon herself to adjust for him. Lincoln usually found suits to be too stifling, but he had to admit that it was surprisingly comfortable. For all her airheaded moments, Leni definitely had talent.
"Mom, quit it," Lincoln mumbled as his mother fussed over him.
"Oh, hush." Came the response as she tried to smooth down a particularly stubborn lock of hair. "Goodness… Lynn, you wouldn't happen to have any hair gel, would you?" She called to her husband, who was seated nearby, face buried in a newspaper.
"Now, dear," Lynn Sr. chuckled. "Don't smother the boy. Although…" He lowered the paper, beaming at his son. "I suppose you're more of a man now, aren't you?" Lincoln only groaned in response.
"There. Oh, my little boy looks so handsome… although…" Rita frowned as she ran a thumb under his tired eyes. "Would you look at those bags. Sweetie, I thought I told you to get a good night's rest?"
"You can thank Lucy for that…" Lincoln sighed. His sister had convinced him to watch Carrie with her the night before, promising him it would be informative. Of course, it wasn't, and the only thing he'd taken away from it was a sleepless night. "I'm fine though. Already caught my second wind."
"Ahem," Lori cleared her throat from the top of the stairs. "May I present the lady of the evening…" Rita stepped aside, giving Lincoln a full view of the stairs… and then his breath caught in his throat.
Lincoln wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but it hadn't been this. Leni looked absolutely stunning, clad in a strapless, sequined seafoam dress that hugged her curves perfectly. She wore long gloves that reached her elbows, white to match the heeled sandals on her feet. Her usual sunglasses were nowhere to be seen, and her golden hair hung loosely around her shoulders. She was… perfect.
"Ooohhh, sweetie, you look beautiful~!" Rita practically shrieked, hugging her daughter tightly as she reached the bottom of the stairs. "Don't you agree, Lincoln?"
"Y-yeah…" Lincoln stammered; somehow his collar felt more stifling than it had just a few moments ago. "You look… great, Leni."
"Thank you, Linky~" Leni giggled. "So do you. But you're just missing oooone thing…" It was then that Lincoln noticed the rose boutonnière in her hand. As she leaned in close to place it on his lapel, he couldn't help but notice how good she smelled.
"There." Lincoln was snapped out of his daze as Leni stood back upright. "Totes perfect." She smiled warmly at him. For a few moments, neither said anything. In fact, nobody said anything. And it was then that Lincoln vaguely recalled that there was something he was supposed to do.
"Lincoln." Lori hissed quietly from behind Leni, gesturing towards her left wrist.
"O-oh! Right…" Lincoln coughed, a bit embarrassed. He produced a white corsage from inside his jacket; he had picked it out himself, and it wasn't anything fancy… but Leni's eyes nonetheless sparkled as he slid it on her wrist. She smiled brightly, holding it up to her face to get a better look.
"I love it," She said softly. "Thank you, Lincoln." Her voice was so sincere that it made Lincoln's heart flutter.
"Look here, you two." Spoke Lynn Sr., phone in hand. Leni stood beside Lincoln, taking his hand in hers and smiling brightly for the camera. Lincoln did his best to look natural before the camera flashed. His father smiled before showing the photo to Rita.
"Oh, that is just precious." Rita cooed softly. Precious wasn't the word Lincoln would have chosen… he was bright red and clammy, with a shaky, uneven smile plastered across his face. He looked as though he were in the midst of some existential nightmare.
"Alright, you two, c'mon." Lori said, fishing out her car keys. "You wouldn't want to be late for your big night." Lincoln gulped. Well Linc, it's go time, he told himself.
The three said their goodbyes, and as they walked to the car Lori put her arm around Lincoln's shoulders, giving him a small hug. "Lookin' good, twerp. Thanks again for doing this." She said quietly.
"S'no problem..." Lincoln said sheepishly.
"Don't be so nervous," Lori encouraged him. "You'll be fine… heck, Leni's literally having a good time already." Lincoln smirked. That much was true; she walked with a noticeable spring in her step, humming to herself cheerfully. That's right, Lincoln thought, this is to make her happy.
With that in mind, Lincoln strode ahead and opened the car door for Leni. "Such a gentleman," she said with a giggle, pecking his cheek before getting in. 'Nice,' Lori mouthed silently, giving him a thumbs-up. He got in on the other side and sat down, settling into the seat; Lori's car was old, but boy was it more comfortable than Vanzilla.
The silence was broken by quiet murmurs of frustration from Leni, as she tried to buckle her seatbelt into… the middle seatbelt. "Loriiii~" She whined, "Your car's all, like... weird." Lincoln sighed before taking it from her hands and buckling it properly. Leni blinked a few times before giving Lincoln a grateful smile. "You're so smart, Linky."
"I try," Lincoln replied with a chuckle.
The ride to Royal Woods High School was mostly quiet and uneventful. Leni and Lori chatted about various girl things while Lincoln half-listened and stared out the window. House. House. Stop sign. Apparently Becky's boyfriend popped the question, how about that? Bakery. Stop sign. Lincoln grumbled under his breath, now whishing he'd remembered his phone. He tore his gaze from the passing scenery and looked at Leni. She really was beautiful. Leni had always taken good care of her appearance, but she had gone the extra mile tonight.
He used to think makeup was silly, but having spent so much time with Leni over the years had taught him to appreciate it. There was a delicate balance to it, he had learned; an art, even. He supposed Leni was an artist, in a way. Whenever he watched her apply makeup, he could only think of a painter standing before a canvas, crafting their vision with measured precision. The way she would follow the contours smoothly, accentuating her features without exaggerating them. The way she would apply just the right amount of blush, blending it in seamlessly. He'd even gone to her for help himself, when puberty started taking hold. Not even Clyde had noticed the massive zit on his chin.
Tonight, Leni's makeup was better than ever. Lincoln couldn't help but feel a bit guilty, as though he didn't deserve it. Leni put in all that effort… for him? Why? There's no way that nobody asked her to the prom… she's the prettiest girl Lincoln knows. Surely at least one of them must have caught her eye?
Or… was she just trying to make him feel better?
Before he could dwell on that thought, they arrived. Lincoln pushed aside his doubts; It doesn't matter now, he told himself. We're here, and I'm gonna make this fun for Leni.
"Like, thanks for driving us, sis." Leni said as Lori pulled in front of the school.
"Don't mention it. Just gimme a call when you're ready to come home." Lori smirked at Lincoln. "You better take good care of her, twerp." She gave him a playful wink.
Lincoln ignored the heat in his cheeks and got out. He could already hear the muffled sounds of music from within the school as he opened the door for Leni, offering her a hand for support.
"Thank you Linky~" She said cheerfully, taking his hand and trying to get out, only to be jerked back to her seat. "Lori, I'm stuuuuck…" She whined in confusion.
"Seatbelt, Leni…" Lori sighed, leaning over and pressing the release button. Leni grinned sheepishly before getting up. "Have fun, you two." Lincoln smiled in return before closing the door, and Lori drove off.
"Linky, how do I look?" Leni asked, looking down at her dress and smoothing it out a bit.
"Great. Uh…" Lincoln glanced down at his suit. "How 'bout me."
"Hmm~" Leni let out a soft hum, tapping her chin in thought. "You look totes handsome." She finished, smiling sweetly.
Lincoln looked aside, clearing his throat as another wave of heat spread across his face. "W-well then," He said at last, offering her his arm. "Shall we?"
Leni giggled. "Of course." She gently grasped his arm and allowed him to lead her inside.
It was weird being in an empty school. If it weren't for the music echoing through the halls, Lincoln might have suspected that they were actually trespassing. The prom was being held in the gymnasium, and thankfully there were signs leading the way; Leni couldn't actually remember how to get there. As the music grew louder, Lincoln could feel Leni's hand trembling excitedly.
The trembling stopped immediately upon setting foot in the gymnasium. Lori's eyes were wide and bright as she wordlessly took it all in. The gym was fully decked out in blue and silver, with tall stacks of balloons that almost reached the ceiling. "Oh wooow~" She gasped in awe as she looked around. "Linky, isn't it pretty?"
"Uh… yeah. It's nice." Lincoln stated plainly. Truthfully, it was about what he expected; he'd watched enough television to get a rough idea of what a prom looked like. "Very… prom-y." It seemed as though things had been in swing for a while; most students were dancing or otherwise mingling, while some just kind of… sat around. Lincoln smirked coyly as he glanced around for… a-ha! Of course, there it is. One table was tucked away in the corner, as far from the action as possible… the outcast table. Every party had one. Five nerds huddled at one end, faces buried in their handheld consoles of choice… no doubt pressured into coming by their parents. At the other end, three Goths sat facing the crowd, watching with disinterest. Clearly, they were here ironically.
"Leni~!" Five shrill voices shrieked in unison, piercing Lincoln's poor eardrums. Five girls that Lincoln recognized rushed over, pulling Leni into a group hug. "You made it!" They were Leni's best friends-
Huh.
It suddenly struck Lincoln that he didn't actually know any of their names.
"Hey girls!" Leni said happily, returning the hug. "You all remember my little brother Lincoln, right?"
"Huh?" The girls finally took notice of Lincoln, who gave a bashful wave. "Oh," Said one, "My," said another, "GOSH." Finished a third. He didn't even see them move; in what felt like the blink of an eye, he was surrounded.
"You brought your little brother?!"
"That is adorbz."
"Totes adorbz."
"He is so cute," Said the one with black hair, pinching his cheek. "I could just eat him up~"
Lincoln's face was red as a tomato. He could do nothing but stammer weakly as the girls fawned over him. Part of him wanted to just curl up and disappear, while another part… kind of wanted this to never stop.
"Why, is that Leni Loud?" A cool, feminine voice cut through the chatter. In almost an instant, the girls went quiet. Even among the noise of the crowd, the change in mood was unmistakable. Leni's friends parted as a girl Lincoln had never seen before approached. She was attractive, with straight jet-black hair held back with a white band. She walked with a confident strut, suiting the flashy gold dress she wore, with golden heels to match. Her ruby lips were pulled into a confident smirk. She was flanked by two other girls, trailing slightly behind her; they wore similarly flashy clothes, but not as well… they were too gaudy. Too off balance. Clearly, the girl in front was their leader.
Lincoln had seen enough teen comedies to know where this was going.
"Well I'll be. It is," The girl said, her voice dripping with mock sincerity. "I must say, I'm surprised… I wasn't sure you were going to make it this time." Lincoln shuddered. God, that voice. It was friendly enough on the surface, but Lincoln could feel the venom hidden underneath. He'd never heard a voice so cold, so… effortlessly cunty.
For a second, those blue eyes snapped towards Leni's friends, and Lincoln swore he could hear one of them gasp. "U-um… anyway, we'll talk to you later, Leni." "Yeah… love ya gurl~!" And with that, they scurried away. Lincoln could feel Leni's grip tighten around his arm. Just who was this girl?
"H-hi Joanna." Leni said softly. Lincoln's heart skipped a beat as he looked up at his sister. Her face. She was smiling, but her eyes told a different story. She looked… nervous. Scared, even. It made him feel sick.
"Love the dress," Joanna said smugly. "It's so… you." She punctuated her point with a dismissive wave of her hand. Her two betas giggled in unison, and Lincoln could hear Leni force out a small, strained chuckle. "So," she began, her cold eyes settling on Lincoln. "Is this your date? Funny, I thought you liked your men with a bit more meat on their bones."
Lincoln found himself shrinking down under the girl's gaze. This did not go unnoticed by Leni, and she gave his arm a gentle tug, pulling him just a little closer to her. "This is… my little brother, Lincoln." She said, her voice wavering slightly.
"Your brother?" Joanna's eyebrows raised slightly. "Well, how about that." She giggled joylessly. "You're such a sweet girl, Leni. Taking your baby brother to prom with you… it's cute, really." Leni simply forced a smile. It was now that Lincoln noticed that some of the surrounding teens were watching this power play with muted interest. Clearly, this is not the first time this has happened. This girl has harassed Leni before. And Leni was just… taking it. Lincoln swallowed the lump in his throat. He couldn't take this anymore. "Well?" Joanna cooed in that wicked voice of hers, "Aren't you going to introduce me?"
"Actually, we've met." Both Leni and Joanna jumped slightly as he spoke. Lincoln stepped forward, standing between the two girls. Joanna's cold eyes chilled him to the bone, but he ignored it… he wasn't going to let this girl upset his sister.
"You… have?" Leni asked, the surprise evident in her voice. Lincoln nodded.
"Yeah. At the Royal Woods thrift store, remember?" He said to Joanna, doing his best to sound genuine.
Joanna's face scrunched up in confusion. "What are you talking about..?"
"You were all excited about those knockoff Prada shoes you're wearing." Lincoln said with a cheeky grin, eliciting a gasp from Joanna's two friends. "Apparently you got a pretty good deal on them."
"W-wha… you… these are not knockoffs!" Joanna stammered, her face growing red with indignation. "And I would certainly never set foot in a… a thrift store!" A few of the teens watching had begun to snicker now; even one of her friends stifled back a laugh, nearly choking when Joanna turned and glared at her. Finally, Joanna turned away with a huff. "Whatever. Chloe, Zoe, let's go. Let's let Leni enjoy her little date." And without another word, Joanna sauntered off with a noticeable edge to her stride, her two hangers-on in tow.
Lincoln finally let out the breath he was holding. He almost couldn't believe that worked. Suddely, he found himself swept up in a tight hug, his face buried in Leni's chest. "Linkyyyy~!" She cried out, nuzzling her cheek against the top of his head. "That was totes amazing!"
"D-don't… mention it…" Lincoln gasped out, struggling against her vice-like grip. Finally, she released him, beaming down at his blushing face. He straightened himself and cleared his throught. "So… who was that, anyway?"
Leni frowned. "That's Joanna Hawthorne… she's one of the popular girls here. She, um…" Leni fidgeted slightly, looking away. "…She doesn't like me very much."
"Yeah, no kidding." Lincoln grumbled softly. Clearly, there was more to this than Leni was letting on… Lincoln knew a bully when he saw one. Leni had a bully. Why hadn't Lori told him about this? "Leni," he said seriously, "How long has this been going on?"
Leni chewed her lip, avoiding eye contact. After a few seconds, she shook her head and smiled at her brother. "That's not something you have to worry about, Lincoln."
"Leni-"
"Shhh~" She pressed a finger to his lips, smiling sweetly. "It's okay. Tonight's about having fun, not about icky bad feelings." Lincoln wanted to argue. He wanted to get to the bottom of things. But, Leni was right… he was here to show her a good time, not to upset her.
Lincoln sighed. "Later, then?" He asked, his eyes meeting his sister's. She mulled it over for a moment, then nodded cheerfully.
"Later. Pinky swear~" Leni said in a sing-song voice, raising her index finger. Lincoln chuckled. Close enough, he thought as he linked his finger with hers. "Now come on, there's someone you totes need to meet!" She exclaimed happily, dragging him off to join the party.
For nearly an hour Leni flitted about, introducing Lincoln to her friends, chatting with them about this and that… in all honesty Lincoln was just sort of along for the ride, only chiming in with simple answers when he needed to. Thankfully, Leni seemed more than happy to do the talking for both of them, and she was sure to let everyone know how Lincoln was, like, totes the greatest brother ever. It was embarrassing, but he still couldn't help but crack a smile every time she said it.
"Oh, Linky, I'll be right back, okay? I need to use the little girl's room."
"Don't fall in this time." He quipped. Leni rolled her eyes.
"Linky, that hasn't happened in, like, a week."
And so Lincoln found himself seated alone at a table, doing his best to blend in. Things had been going well, so far… sure, it was a bit boring, but Leni was happy, and Joanna hadn't bothered them again. Lincoln drummed his fingers against the table in beat with the music. God, women take so long in the bathroom. Why do they-
"Hey there cutie~" Lincoln nearly jumped out of his seat; he'd been so caught up in his own thoughts that he hadn't even noticed one of Leni's friends sit down nearby. It was the black-haired one, the same that had pinched his cheek before.
"O-oh… hey, um…" Lincoln started before trailing off.
"Rochelle," she finished, chuckling softly.
"Right, Rochelle." Lincoln smiled. Honestly, he was a bit surprised… he'd almost suspected that the girls were some sort of hive mind.
"It was totes cool how you stood up for Leni back there," Rochelle said, leaning forward with her cheek on her palm. "Real men stick by their woman~" She added, making Lincoln blush.
"W-well, you know… need to look out for my sisters." He said, fiddling with his collar. When did it get so warm in here?
"How old are you now, Lincoln?" She asked softly. Boy, was she close. Lincoln could smell her perfume… it was nice.
"Thir…" Lincoln gulped. "Th-thirteen."
"Thirteen? So, like, totes a teen then." Rochelle giggled. Something about the way she said that made his whole body tingle.
"I… guess…" Lincoln muttered bashfully as he looked away, suddenly very interested in the tablecloth. Was that real linen?
"You know~" Rochelle began, gazing at Lincoln with dreamy eyes. "In Judaism, boys are considered men at thirteen."
"Is…" Lincoln stammered, "I-is that so…?" Lincoln tried to stop it. He tried to think of Pop-Pop in a bathing suit, of Aunt Ruth's moldy pudding, anything to stop the inevitable. And it almost worked.
Almost.
Lincoln felt something touch his leg, starting at the bottom and sliding its way up. Oh God. Was that her foot? Yes. Yes it was.
"I don't know if you know this, Lincoln, but…" Rochelle leaned forward, her ruby red lips inches away from his ear. "…I'm totes Jewish~" She whispered in a husky tone.
We have liftoff.
"I'm back, Linky!" Leni announced, bounding over to him cheerfully. "And I didn't fall in," she added, apparently proud of herself. He was almost glad for the interruption; but then she hugged him from behind, her soft chest pressing against the back of his head. Lincoln's young mind went blank.
"Heyyy Leni." Rochelle cooed. "I was just keeping your little bro company. He's, like, so sweet." She added with a wink.
Leni giggled. "He is, isn't he?" Lincoln could only chuckle nervously in response.
"Well," Rochelle said as she got up, "You two have fun. Seeya later, Leni~" Rochelle and Leni shared a quick hug before she headed off to join the others.
"Isn't she nice?" Leni asked, looking down at her brother with a smile.
"Y-yeah," He replied weakly, "Real nice…" Lincoln took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. Okay, Lincoln, he told himself, calm down. This is fine. Everything's fine. She hasn't noticed. Nobody's going to notice. You just need to stay here for a few minutes until-
"Ooh! Linky~!" Leni gasped excitedly. "I love this song!"
God. Dammit. "D-do you?" He asked, forcing a grin. She smiled back at him expectantly. He knew what she wanted. He knew he couldn't refuse. But why does it have to be NOW?! Lincoln screamed internally.
"Would you…" Lincoln began, forcing back his pride, "L-like to… dance…?"
Leni squealed with delight. "YES~!" Lincoln took a deep breath. Okay. Think, Lincoln. Maybe no one will notice? No, you idiot, of COURSE they'll notice. Think, dammit!
Then, an idea struck him. Carefully, doing his best to act natural, he lowered a hand beneath the table and adjusted himself. With a bit of discomfort, he tucked the offending appendage beneath his belt, hiding it from view. And then, carefully he got to his feet, offering his arm to Leni. "Let's dance," he said with a forced smile, hoping Leni wouldn't notice the beads of sweat dripping down his forehead.
Lincoln walked carefully as he led Leni to the dance floor, afraid that any errant movement might free the beast. Thankfully, it was a slower song, but-
It was a slow song.
Lincoln's heart sank as he saw the other couples dancing in a close embrace. He was going to have to hold Leni. Normally, he'd be fine with that, but right now? This was a recipe for disaster.
Leni looked down at him, patiently waiting for him to make the first move. "U-um," He stammered, unsure of what he should do.
Leni smiled. "It's okay, Lincoln. Here." She took his hands in hers, placing them on her slender waist. She put her hands on his shoulders and gave him a sweet grin. "Just, like, move with the music." She began to sway slowly, guiding him.
Lincoln gulped and swayed with her awkwardly, doing his best to keep his lower half firmly rooted in place. He could feel his little friend struggling to break free with every slight movement. Now more than ever, Lincoln despised his budding teenage hormones. Come on, he thought, just go down. She's your SISTER for crying out loud! Just go down! But alas, his body would not listen. If anything, the subtle shifts of his clothing only served to stimulate him further, and his discomfort grew with each passing second.
"…-coln. Lincoln?" Leni's gentle voice snapped Lincoln from his trance. At some point, he realized, the song hand ended. He looked up at her, meeting her concerned gaze. "It's okay," she said with an apologetic smile. "We can, like, stop if you want." Lincoln felt his heart twist in a knot. He was messing everything up. He wanted to tell her he was fine, but she had already begun leading him to an empty table. Lincoln sighed under his breath and let her push him gently into a seat. "Here, Linky." Leni said, retrieving a handkerchief from her purse.
"What're you-"
"You're, like, all sweaty," Leni started to gently dab at his forehead. "Are you feeling sick?" She asked, the concern evident in her voice. Lincoln just shook his head gently. He took a small breath, shutting his eyes as she wiped the sweat from his brow; though part of him wanted her to stop, he had to admit it felt kind of nice.
"I'm fine. Guess I just stood up too fast and got a bit lightheaded, heh." Lincoln said with an earnest smile, which seemed to be enough to convince Leni. She nodded, standing upright.
"Wait here, Linky. I'll be right back." Leni hurried off, leaving Lincoln with the handkerchief. He sighed as he continued to wipe the sweat from his face and neck. Damn it, he mentally kicked himself. Pull it together, Lincoln. He took several deep breaths to calm himself. At least Leni's still in a good mood, he thought. He may have messed up, but the night wasn't over yet.
While Lincoln gathered his thoughts, he didn't even notice Joanna Hawthorne standing near the stage, glaring daggers at him. She sucked her teeth in annoyance; just who does that little brat think he is?
"Sorry, babe," came a low, masculine voice to her right. "Just saw your text." Joanna glared at her date. Teddy was a tall, muscular beefcake of a teen, with bleached blonde hair and light freckles dotting his chiseled face. He wore a ill-fitting blue suit and a perpetually dumb expression, and scratched at the back of his head apologetically as he spoke to his girlfriend.
"It's been like ten minutes," Joanna scoffed. "You know I don't like to be kept waiting."
"S-sorry." Teddy apologized again, hanging his head. "The other guys-"
"I don't care about the other guys." Joanna poked him in the chest with her acrylic nail, making him wince. "You're my date, and when I say tell you to meet me somewhere, you do it. Capiche?"
"S-sorry babe."
"Whatever. Now, come on," She said, slipping backstage through the red curtain, Teddy following behind obediently.
"What took you so long?" Came a bombastic voice belonging to a tall, wiry teen in a flashy yellow suit, contrasting sharply with his dark skin. Despite the low light, he wore a pair of ruby-red sunglasses, matching his slightly oversized bowtie. Clearly, this student embraced his role as emcee with gusto.
"Blame meathead here," Joanna replied, her voice dripping with scorn. "Do you have it?" She asked, and the Emcee produced a white envelope from his jacket. Joanna smirked, reaching for it, only for him to pull it away.
"Ah-ah-ah. It's gonna cost you." He said with a smirk, and Joanna rolled her eyes.
"You'll get your money, Tyrone. You know I'm good for it." Tyrone pursed his lips in thought before shrugging and handing over the envelope.
"Monday," He said. "Any later and you'll owe interest."
Joanna clicked her tongue in frustration. "Fine," She huffed. Now was no time to get picky. She withdrew a similar envelope from her purse and handed it to him. "You know your role?"
"Same role I've been playing all night," Tyrone said confidently.
"Babe, you're sure about this…?" Asked Teddy, seeming uncertain. "I mean… isn't it bit much?"
Joanna frowned. In truth, she hadn't planned to go this far tonight… but that bucktoothed brat's words had wounded her pride, and now she was out for blood. "All you need to do is stand there and look pretty," she said simply. "If you're not up for it, I can think of plenty of other guys willing to… man up for me." She smirked at him cruelly.
"No, that's…" Teddy muttered, shrinking down under her gaze. "…I can do that."
"Good boy," she said, patting his head in condescension. "Now come on. We need to set this up quickly…"
"I'm back, Linky~" Leni hummed as she rejoined him at the table, plopping into the seat next to him. "Here," she said as she offered him a cup of punch.
"Oh… thanks, Leni," Lincoln replied with a smile, graciously accepting the drink. He suddenly realized that he was very thirsty. The punch was bland and watered down, but it served well to quench his thirst and settle his nerves a bit.
"Here, eat!" She added, and Lincoln noticed she had a plate of hors d'oeuvres with her; deviled eggs, pigs in a blanket, and some sort of pastry that could only be considered spanakopitas in the loosest sense possible. Still, he was hungry enough to not be picky.
"Thanks, Leni," he said again as he picked up a pig in a blanket and took a bite. It was surprisingly good, though he assumed it was a pretty hard dish to mess up. He noticed that Leni was watching him eat with a warm smile on her face; for some reason it made his heart flutter. He let out a small cough, glancing away quickly. "Uh… try some. It's good.
"Oh, I'm fine," She said quickly, fanning her hand dismissively. "Appetizers are, like, totes high in fat anyway." But her stomach told another story as it growled loudly, making her blush lightly. Lincoln chuckled.
"It's a party, Leni… calories don't count." He picked up another pig in a blanket. "Here… say ah." Leni just pouted, looking away. Alright, Lincoln thought, it's time for Lily tactics. "Leniiii~" He cooed, waving the snack before her face. "Heeere comes the airplane~"
Leni couldn't help but giggle at that. "Oh, all right. Aaah~" She opened her mouth to let him feed her. As she bit down on the end, the greasy sausage shot out of the pastry and into Lincoln's face, bouncing off his nose before rolling across the table. They simply watched in shock until it finally came to a stop. "O-oopsies." Leni mumbled, breaking the awkward silence. "Sorry, Linky."
Lincoln simply blinked in surprise. Then, he snorted. A soft chuckle escaped his lips, and soon Leni joined in as well. Lincoln could feel his tension fading away as he shared a laugh with his sister. "L-let's," He manages to gasp out between laughs. "Let's try that again…"
Leni and Lincoln spent the next few minutes in silence as they ate. The mood had changed, Lincoln noticed; he felt content. He watched his sister as she took delicate bites of food, tapping her foot along with the music. Despite the earlier hiccup, she seemed to be having a good time.
"Do you feel better?" She asked at last, breaking the silence.
"Yeah," Lincoln said, a sheepish grin on his face. "Sorry about earlier…"
"Like, you have nothing to feel sorry for." Leni gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "I shouldn't have pushed you so hard." She added with a hint of guilt in her voice that pierced Lincoln's heart,
"No!" He practically shouted, making Leni jump. "I mean… no. You didn't do anything wrong. This is your night, not mine… tonight's about making you happy," Lincoln sighed. "And I couldn't even give you one good dance…"
Lincoln was interrupted by a soft pair of lips pressing against his cheek. It only lasted a brief moment, but he could feel the warmth of Leni's breath linger and spread out across his face. "Don't be silly, Linky." Leni giggled. "I'm happy just having you here with me." The honesty radiating from her words warmed Lincoln's heart.
"Lllllllladies and Gentlemen!" A voice boomed over the speakers. "We are about to crown this year's Prom King and Queen!" Lincoln could see Leni stiffen up for a moment; she looked as though she wanted to say something, but was hesitating. She must want to watch, Lincoln realized. But she was holding herself back for his sake. Lincoln took a deep breath before getting to his feet.
Lincoln cleared his throat. "Leni," He began, offering her his arm, "I think that's enough sitting around, don't you? Let's join the fun." Leni looked at him with wide eyes for a moment before a big smile spread across her face.
"Y-yes, lets!" She said happily as she took his arm. They joined the rest of the crowd in front of the stage; it seemed like nearly every student present was there, save for the Goths and nerds from the outcast table.
"Yes, my fellow students, it is time!" Bellowed the Emcee, his bright yellow suit nearly blinding under the stage lights. "In this envelope are the names of two lucky students that you have chosen to reign supreme on this special night." Tyrone gave an exaggerated shudder. "Oooh, can you feel that? The anticipation in the air? Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready?!"
The gathered students cheered in approval, and Lincoln could see Leni practically bouncing with excitement out of the corner of his eye. The Emcee made a show of opening the envelope as slowly as possible as a pre-recorded drumroll sounded through the speakers.
"Ahem~" He cleared his throat in an exaggerated manner. "Ladies and gentlemen, you know him well. He is the Demon of defense, the Stud of the stadium… Royal Woods High's very own star linebacker, Misterrrrrr Theodore Watson!"
The crowd erupted in cheers and excited hollering as Teddy took to the stage. He smiled dumbly, waving to the crowd as he was bestowed with his sash and crown. "Oh glorious King Watson," Said Tyrone, kneeling in mock reverence, "Have you any words for your adoring subjects?" He asked as he held up the microphone.
"Uhhhh…" Teddy began… and then nothing. For about ten seconds he stood in silence, staring blankly at the crowd; Lincoln swore he could have heard a pin drop. Finally, he raised his arms in victory. "ROYAL WOODS HIGH VARSITY FOOTBALL RULES!" The cheers were deafening, and Lincoln could hear the unmistakable hooting from the jocks from somewhere behind him. Even Leni clapped, giggling excitedly.
"Well said, your highness! Well said indeed." Tyrone agreed as he got to his feet before rolling his eyes to the audience, earning a few laughs. "But what is a King without his Queen?" The drumroll started again. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is without further ado that I present this year's Prom Queen. She's beautiful…"
Lincoln had a feeling where this was going.
"She's charming…"
Lincoln sighed. Most eyes had already turned towards Joanna. Of course. Who else would it be but the posh princess?
"She is the lovely Miiiiiiiiiss Leni Loud!"
The silence was deafening. There was no cheering, no clapping… nothing but confused muttering. Leni stood completely still, her eyes wide as dinner plates, her mouth parted slightly. "…Huh…?" She rasped, the only sound that could escape her lips. Lincoln was no less surprised than she was.
"Leni…" He said with a grin, "It's… you."
As the crowd's focus shifted to Leni, Joanna Hawthorne's lips curled into a wicked grin.
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Prom Night Promise