“Are you ready?” Cassie’s voice called out from beyond the ivory coloured bathroom door.

“Just a bit more,” Alvin hollered back as adjusted his bow. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt like a bag of nerves over his dressing. The track meet sprung to mind, the weight of an entire school on his shoulders came to mind. Compared to now, it felt like a feather.

“I don’t want to look ugly at prom.”

“Doubt it, you’ve never had a bad day,” Cassie shot back, flattering Alvin instantly.

Alvin stood in the bathroom, designed for non-Titans as he put on the rented tuxedo Wendy was with Cassie and he hadn’t expected to see the girls until they were ready and being girls, that would probably be more than the hour they had estimated for him. Which is why he  was frankly shocked at how quick Cassie had been to get ready. She was the one waiting impatiently? That was a first for girls anywhere.

He looked at himself in the half length mirror, smiling contently to himself. The spectre of Patricia loomed over him for tomorrow he would return to his old home; where his evil stepmother awaited him. It was comforting to know that she wouldn’t be trying any of her old tricks on him, she was in debt and he was her lifeline. She needed him  a lot more than he needed of her. Hopefully she remembered that fact.

Fortunately he didn’t have to think about that for now, there were plenty of wonderful things to distract him from such unpleasantries.  

He turned gingerly towards the door and held on to it and almost jumped out, full of excitement and vigour for the dance.

He stood at the railings of the walkway that led to the toilet, level with Cassie’s waist. She wore a scarlet dress that clung to her lithe figure, showing just about enough cleavage to keep it classy. The mere hint of it was not missed by Alvin whose heart rate spiked upon glimpsing these peaks.

Cassie twisted and struck a pose in front of Alvin, hands on her hips and feeling chuffed about things. Everything until now was set up for him, she told herself. He was turning eighteen and she would not let the day pass without giving him a good time.

“ Doesn’t someone look good! Mmmm….” Cassie said in a tone normally reserved for food.

She plucked him off the walkway and held him close to her lips where air pouring out from her nostrils glided through Alvin’s hair.

“ You look even better up close. Has anyone ever told you that?” Cassie chuckled. Alvin couldn’t help but do the same. Both looked into each other’s eye, hearts a flutter. Was this the moment? Alvin hoped so, Cassie had lifted him so close to those fleshy cushions that he just wanted it done now.

“Up close is where you’ll see the pimples and flaws on my face,” Alvin teased.

“I don’t see it,” Cassie countered. Her tongue was peeking out from her lips like a turtle head before sliding back inside. She didn’t need that for what she had in mind. However if she and Alvin wanted to do something post-dance, she knew how to incorporate some tongue action.

“ A handsome, intelligent and compassionate eighteen year old man,” she spoke slowly to savour the moment, time seemed to flow like molasses for the two lovebirds.

Alvin’s heartbeat quickened as she paused, lower lip bit as she weighed up her options. She could do it here, in the privacy of her own home or if she were keen, in the

 “Deserves to celebrate his birthday with his closest friends, family and...girlfriend.”

Cassie took the plunge and pulled Alvin into her waiting lips. They obliged her as Alvin was engulfed by them, his face and chest being worked by Cassie’s passionate kiss. Cassie moaned a little.

For Alvin, the rise up told him enough and he pressed his lips against Cassie’s chin to reciprocate. It was nowhere close to the physical magnitude that Cassie brought as a Titan but he had hunch she knew. Her plush pink lips massaged him and right now, Alvin could feeling a part him growing stiff.

 “ OOOOHHHH…” Cassie moaned as she continued to kiss, slowly as she savoured the moment. You only got one first kiss with a person and she knew it well enough, Alvin was going to get the best she could deliver.

 Alvin tried his best to match up to what he thought Cassie would get but he never got the chance to ‘hone’ his craft here. It was a side effect that came with being forever single but no more. From the sounds Cassie made though, he knew he was doing something right as they locked lips for what felt like an eternity.

When Cassie finally did lift her head to end their maiden kiss, Alvin was high on love.

“Happy birthday Alvin,” she wished him cordially.

“ Oh it already is,” Alvin said droopily. He expected cake but this easily made up for years of mediocre birthdays.In fact, this was easily his favourite one. Even someone pouring pig’s blood on him at prom wouldn’t change that.

Cassie chuckled and carried him over to her table where the next part was waiting for them in the form of an impatient Wendy carrying a birthday cake with a solitary candle.

“ Don’t tell me,” she tapped her foot looking a little irritable in the face.

“You guys kissed?”

The sudden , near synchronised flushing of pale Caucasian cheeks from both parties told her everything.

“ Left me here for a good ten minutes. I’m still surprised you haven’t sucked Alvin’s face off.”

“Well…”she looked up at them. While they had snogged like a pair of lovebirds or however lovebirds showed affection, she was left hanging with a cake in her hands. She knew what to tell them.

Her scowl shifted as she said the words on her mind, the very words they deserved to hear.

“Congratulations! And a happy birthday Al!”

She set the cake down on a smaller table where Alvin soon joined her once Cassie let him down.

“So...how was it?” she asked Alvin as Cassie and him took a seat. He was still blushing and his face seemed to have a reflective sheen to it. Wendy thought she detected a hint of mint on him even though he never used mint scented cologne. In fact, Alvin never used any form of cologne or deodorant at all.

“ A gentleman never kisses and tells,” Alvin smiled to her.

“Oh you can tell her,” Cassie chipped in.

“I’m not used to this,” Alvin answered as Wendy lit the candle with a tiny neon lighter. It wasn’t made for an Amazon but fortunately, Wendy was able to work it well enough.

“Usually the girl gets mad if her guy starts describing their intimate times,” he looked apprehensively at the two girls. Wendy shrugged her shoulders and looked back sans the apprehension Alvin had.

“ I won’t but-” Cassie started but to her amazement, Alvin actually followed through.

“  You were heavenly, like an angel blessing a weary pilgrim. A hint of sweetness with just the right dash of romance to make it a classic,” Alvin imitated a wine connoisseurs mannerisms and speech as he delivered his review.

“ Well played!” Cassie guffawed, her laughter a delight to his ears.

“ Okay...I’m just happy both of you found love in each other,” Wendy rolled her eyes at the corniness of it all. To think, this had flown under the radar after so many years of living under one roof.

 The two girls then proceeded to do a rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ to Alvin who grinned goofily from ear to ear as the girls sang.

“Make a wish,” Wendy reminded him as he leaned towards the cake with his lips puckered.

 Alvin thought about a wish, something he wanted to have. Right now, there wasn’t much to ask for; he already had plenty. Alvin thought about Wendy, watching him with great anticipation. She had been the devil to him for so long but right now, she treated him like a brother she loved. That was good enough.

He looked up at Cassie, sitting as close as to them as she could. Her dress formed a bright red backdrop for the little party . She started as an antagonist, morphed into his best friend and finally, evolved into his girlfriend. She was attractive, never mind that she the most popular girl at school; she had what most people would call inner beauty to match her appearance. That he knew from what she had done for him.

 With all that, he knew what to wish for. He puffed his cheeks and blew gently.

The candle was extinguished swiftly, smoke from the charred wick floating up as per the laws of physics while Alvin gripped the plastic cake knife and proceeded to cut a slice for Wendy.

“ I’ll pass on the cake if that’s alright with you.I doubt I could even taste something smaller than my fingernail,” Cassie spoke to Alvin with an impish smile.

“I could throw it into your mouth,” Alvin counter offered but Cassie put that idea down with a definitive shake of her head.

“ So uncivilized. Not today anyway, you two should enjoy the cake.”

So they did, each eating about two slices and leaving about two fifths of the cake left.

“It's wonderful, both of you chose a very good cake,” Alvin wiped his cake stained lips with a napkin provided by Wendy.

“ Should we go to prom now? Or should we be fashionably late?” Alvin asked both of them, partly rhetorical in nature.

“ Umm...no harm being punctual,” Cassie answered as she stood up.

“Guess this is it, the point of no return for you two,” Wendy commented  brazenly.

“ Give your sissy a hug before you go Al,” Wendy extended her meaty arms out to him lovingly.

Alvin didn’t hesitate to take her up on the offer,they’d gone past the second guessing each other phase of their relationship already. Despite coming up to her hip, he was able to firmly hug his step sister lovingly.

Wendy had to bend over to do so but it wasn’t awkward at all, right now it just felt natural.

As for Cassie, it was like looking at a Hallmark card; sentimental but in all the right places.

Once Alvin let go of  Wendy and climbed up on Cassie’s palm as she placed him on her shoulder for safety.

“You can still come, the gym is big enough for the three of us,” Cassie offered Wendy a chance to follow them.

“Nah,” Wendy waved it away politely.

“I’d hate to be a third wheel here. You guys need to be together without me butting in. Prom night is couples night!” She said eagerly.

“I’ll binge watch Suska Oni until you guys come back or I fall asleep; whichever comes first!”

**********

 Prom at FDR High always took place in the school gymnasium unless it coincided with some major milestone in the school’s lifetime. This was not one of those years so the mixed gymnasium, made for students of all sizes was decorated just for prom.

 The area had been segregated into Titan and non-Titan areas for safety, thick lines of white tape marking out which zones were which under the powerful radiant lights of the gymnasium. Important as Titans could unwittingly crush a smaller person underneath their foot if they did not watch; and people rarely did while caught up in the fervor of prom.

The walls were decorated in blue and white , as expected of the school.

It was supposed to be bustling with everyone minding their own business but that ceased as Cassie strode in confidently with Alvin sitting on her shoulder.It was like a fairytale ball, every other person in the room stopping to stare at the beautiful princess, an invisible hand turning their heads at that exact moment. All that could be heard was the slow dance music no one was bobbing to right now.

Alvin saw all of them, Titan and non-Titan alike staring at them, as if they were  a strange sight. He could even spot a few people pointing and mumbling to their friends, gawking at them.

“ Hmm...do you have something on your face?” Alvin leaned towards Cassie’s ear.

“No, they’re just surprised about my prom date. Usually everyone knows but I only told a few people this time,” Cassie smiled politely at everyone. Fortunately she spotted Nadya and Jamila in a corner and casually sauntered over to them; getting stared at was hardly daunting for her.

“ Wow….” Jamila squeaked as she embraced Cassie. Unlike her, Jamila appeared to have no date for the evening.

“ Yeah...wow,” Cassie repeated, quite amused by the reception they got.

“You really know how-OW- to -make-” Nadya stuttered as she clamped her legs together as if she needed to pee. She gently tapped her groin, her breaths coming in short while she took in deep, slow breaths to ease herself.

“An entrance,” Nadya exhaled breathily, blowing a stray strand of dark hair back into its place.

“I have to ask you Nads, for his safety,” Cassie eyed the statuesque Titan, the former only coming up to Nadya’s nose.

“You sure he can breathe in there?”

Nadya nodded, “ I’m not wearing the most fitting pair today,” she smiled knowingly Alvin who blushed and nodded back at her.

“Who is the lucky guy?” he asked her, not entirely sure of Nadya’s taste in men.

“ Someone from the track team. Fat boy who moves like a cheetah. He asked me out a day ago, said he didn’t have a date and I said yes. So here we are, or at least I am. He’s busying enjoying the sights of the Russian forest.”

“Aren’t you?” She gave her cooch another pat for emphasis.

“Try not to fall over while dancing,” Jamila cautioned her, Nadya rolling her eyes at that. She had never once fallen while  dancing.

 “Hey Jamila, where’s your date?” Alvin asked, suddenly noticing Jamila wasn’t with anyone.

Jamila shrugged her shoulders, “ Don’t know, guess I haven’t met him yet. No seriously, I just didn’t feel like bringing a boy along. Got plenty of time for that.”

“You have a point,” Alvin commented. Cassie soon shifted the conversation back to Nadya’s crotch companion and their prom plans.

“ I’ll take my boyfriend here and dance away from you,” Cassie pushed Nadya back slightly who chuckled.

 “Don’t hurt her Al, or you’ll have us to deal with.” She blew Alvin a kiss.

“Got it, wouldn’t even dream of hurting Cassie,” he replied, the message gotten through.

By now, almost everyone had returned back to their own conversations instead of staring at Cassie and Alvin; it was a pity then that one person hadn’t stopped. He would sip from a flask he surreptitiously brought to the dance, getting steadily more inebriated as the clock ticked. Unfortunately for Alvin, he was six feet tall, captain of the football team and rather displeased Alvin was with his ex-girlfriend. The only consolation was that his time hadn’t come, at least not yet.However, he was close to it.

“ You know how to dance?” Cassie placed Alvin in her cupped hands, gently swaying to the club music.

 “ I can dance, just not very good at it,” he replied. Alvin never really practiced, until now he couldn’t imagine a scenario where he actually had to swing.

“ That makes this a lot easier,” Cassie grinned and pressed Alvin’s entire body against her chest. The base of her palm was tilted just enough to prevent Alvin from falling off while the natural curve of her bosom did the rest. Thankfully Cassie was just curvy enough for this pose to work.

“ This makes being a shitty dancer worth it,” Alvin cried out, his voice muffled by Cassie’s palm.

“ Oh yes,” Cassie answered, just about understanding him.

This was one of the less risque ways of dancing intimately with a non-Titan. Other methods would include utilizing the natural cleavage of the Titan to hold the smaller partner in place while she jigged and that was just the tip of the iceberg; there were plenty of spots on a Titan’s body when it came to holding a person down. Cassie just didn’t want to escalate things so quickly, she wasn’t that kind of Titan who would stuff her date down her top on their first date just to let him get second base.

Alvin could feel Cassie’s body heat radiating all around, the overpowering scent of her lemongrass shower gel mixing with her natural smell intoxicating to him. Resting against her mounds was simply perfect; he was right at that sweet spot where her dress made way for flesh. In his ears he could hear her heart, pulsating more frequently than it ought to have been but given the circumstances, Alvin knew why. His arms were embracing her mounds to complete the sensory overload. If he had to choose one position for the rest of his life, this would be a good candidate.

They danced, oblivious to the rest of the world. All around them were mixed sized couples dancing, most of them adopting a similar dance pose. There were even a few Titan-Titan couples together. All bobbing along slowly as they enjoyed the company of their dates.

 At one point Cassie had to suppress a laugh when Nadya’s partner made her bump into Jamila who was dancing with a random boy.The sudden shove nearly caused the redhead to crush a small table as she tried . Thankfully her foot landed several feet to the right of anything breakable.

Jamila smacked Nadya on the back of her head for that as Cassie watched Nadya get told off. She was just relieved not to have been around for that, an angry Jamila was a force to be reckoned with.

 Eventually even the dances had to come to a pause as the principal, a middle aged brunette Titan by the name of Eleanor came up carrying an envelope. Next to her was a younger brunette Titan girl carrying a little tray on which were two crowns, one Titan sized and one normal. There was a collective murmur from the crowd upon the larger of the two crowns being revealed, everyone knew who that would go to.

Cassie looked up, pulling Alvin away.

“So soon?” Alvin asked.

“ Yeah, I got a crown to wear. I’ll need to get it alone but I’ll be right back once it's done.”

“Of course my queen,” Alvin bowed to her jokingly.

“ Now that deserves a-”

Cassie was interrupted by the principal, speaking through a microphone in her hand.

“ Good evening seniors of FDR High,” she spoke with a strong sense of decorum. Principal Eleanor Reese never let her hair down while she was on the job, that kind of thing would have been unprofessional.

“ I can see you’re all enjoying yourselves so I’ll keep this short. The time has come for the school to crown its newest Prom King and Prom Queen!”

She paused just in time for a barrage of cheers and whistles ringing out from the crowd, all eager to see the coronation happen.

Eleanor opened it, pulling out a single card upon which two names were written.

“ Our Prom King for 2023 will be…..” She dragged it to create tension, as she had seen on numerous reality shows.

“.....Liam Eastwood!”

As before, there were plenty of cheers, particularly from his boorish friends as a drunk looking Liam was ushered on to the stage, where he was picked up by Eleanor who noted the obvious inebriated look. Not wanting to spoil it, she faked a congratulatory smile as he was picked up and placed on the tray where his golden, round crown with the archetypal rounded spikes was placed on his head.

“Congratulations Liam.” Liam pumped his fists in the air, running through the motions. All this while he kept his gaze on Cassie who rolled her eyes at his drunken behaviour ; it was so typical of him to get drunk like this.What she did not notice was Liam staring at a particular person on her; had she seen that then Cassie would done a few things differently.

“ Now for your queen…” Eleanor could hear a few names being shouted by various girls but there was only one name that was shouted more than the others.

“ Your Prom Queen for 2023 is…..Cassie Gissel!”

Cheers rang out, far louder than what Liam got as Cassie hurried on up the stage where a matching crown was placed on top of her head.

There was the unsavoury matter of having to hold Liam in her hand while the school photographer snapped photos but she put on her best stiff upper lip while holding the little turd.

“ Hey Cass, wadya say we go back to- hic!” Liam’s voice slurred as Cassie looked on with disgust.

She wasted no time in putting him down but suddenly her throat felt parched.Without telling Alvin, she hurried off to the drinks table but there she was held up by Nadya and Jamila who were busy congratulating her.

This meant Alvin was alone.

He didn’t know what was coming until he spotted Liam right in front, madder than the Hulk on a bad day.

“You…” he jabbed a meaty finger into Alvin’s chest.

“Yeah?” Alvin stepped back, sidestepping him but Liam advanced on him.

“ You took her from me,” Liam grabbed Alvin’s vest and hauled him in, Alvin tried to break out but Liam had him in his grasp.

“I’m the football captain , you’re just a guy who knows to run. Girls don’t like runners, they like a man who can fight; someone who is gorgeous and who at least is in her league. You don’t deserve her.” Alvin feared he would turn violent in his uninhibited state. Again, no one gave a damn and Cassie was too far away to help.

“Look...Liam is it? I think Cassie mentioned you. She dumped you and now she is with me. I understand why you’re pissed about losing her, I would be too if I let someone like her slip through my fingers,” Alvin said calmly and slowly to avoid aggravating the enraged beast.

“ You gotta move on, there are other girls out there.You look good, you could have anyone. We just got to respect Cassie’s decis-” Alvin was close to the end but Liam wouldn’t have it, throwing a punch right into Alvin’s face.

His blow connected instantly and knocked Alvin off his feet and he landed on the ground.

“Oh come on!” Alvin touched his nose, wincing at the mere touch. It was wet too, Alvin guessed it was both broken and bleeding from it and Liam was not done.

He yelled something incomprehensible as he threw a football tackle in but Alvin was able to dodge that.

“ You coward! Come back and-” He yelped the last bit as a hand grabbed him off the ground, only stopping when Liam was looking right into the furious visage of Principal Eleanor, her piercing blue eyes burning bright with anger and disgust.

“ I was willing to overlook you coming in drunk Mr. Eastwood but this? Assaulting another student? No, this I cannot allow” her stern voice rattled his chest.

“ I don’t give a-” Eleanor’s fist closed up around him as she silenced his attempt at a poorly thought out rebuttal.

“ Sorry Alvin, I should have removed him when I saw how drunk he was. I’ll get the school nurse in,” she smiled sweetly at him.

“No problem, maybe get Cassie over here,” he groaned with his head titled back. Last thing he needed was blood stains on the tuxedo; that would take forever to get off.

 “She isn’t hard to spot, look for the prettiest girl in school wearing a crown,” Alvin wheezed. What a night, he thought.

While the punch hurt, Alvin was relieved to know that his nose would recover quickly and he wouldn’t be disfigured for life. The school nurse had assured him that much. Alvin accepted it as he and Cassie moved to a quieter spot. Nadya and Jamila wanted to follow but Cassie had insisted on this being a couple’s moment.

“ That asshole!” Her fist slammed against the wooden structure which creaked upon being hit.

“ I should have been there. He was such a worm today, we haven’t been dating for months and he had the cheek to ask me out and then attack my boyfriend!”

“ I’d love to see what you’d have done to him,” Alvin consoled her lightly, he could see the worry in her eyes.

 “I’d have flicked him off you like the piece of dirt he is! Oh how dare. He is just lucky Principal Reese got to him before I did,” Cassie huffed, folding her arms against her chest.

“Totally different from what Wendy would do, she’d be a bit more violent. Probably use a wrestling move or two on him,” Alvin joked. He didn’t want one man’s stupid decision to spoil their evening. Cassie just seemed to taking it worse than him and he was on the receiving end of a punch.

 “ I’m just thankful Principal Reese got there in time. How long did she take?” Alvin thought he saw tears forming but Cassie blinked and when these eyes opened again, they were clear again.

“Oh don’t beat yourself up,” Alvin felt the plaster on his nose bridge. It was time to stop this woeful talk and move back to more pleasant.

“ I’m in one piece. Maybe a little uglier but it's still been a great day. Just promise me there aren’t any more exes like that out there.”

Cassie  pulled him off her lap and gave him a kiss on the head, “There aren’t. Liam is the only one who acts like a gorilla when things that don’t go his way.”

She kissed him again, gentler given his injury  as they locked eyes.

“You’re definitely not uglier; even now you’re the cutest of all the guys I dated. Obviously the smartest , you wouldn’t make a Uranus joke like Liam did for weeks.”

“I hear it's pretty nice this time of the year, we should visit.”

Alvin couldn’t resist as Cassie groaned, overestimating him.

“OKAY, you can make that joke,” she laughed earnestly.

“ That’s the last time you’ll hear it, I don’t want to have the comic intelligence of an ape.”

“Speaking of apes, tomorrow you’re moving back in with Patricia. You want me to be there? Just in case your evil stepmother tries anything funny,” Cassie asked.

“ Wendy can handle her but you’re welcome to come, it’ll be great,” Alvin replied. After everything that happened, moving back into his old home seemed strangely more palatable.