[Spirit of Lust 2] Chapters 522 & 523. (Patreon)

Chapter 522: At the front gates.

We got to school 15 minutes later than the official start time, but it didn’t seem to matter because plenty of other students were also just arriving. Well, it wasn’t like we were keeping anybody waiting. Our whole group was here.

Diana stopped the car in front of the school gates. We were about to start getting out when Amanda called us out. Or rather, called me out.

“Hey, Oliver, what are you doing? You’re supposed to get out first and hold your hand out for your dates!”

I blinked. I looked at the girls with a look that wordlessly asked ‘is that how it works?’

Mila giggled. “Yep. You heard her!”

“It’s only proper,” Lena agreed.

“They’re right, sir,” Diana said. “Please, allow me.” She opened the door and got out of the limo.

“Ah. We’ll use this other door, then,” Kevin said, picking up on the subtle hint.

Well… If it’s the way things are done, then…

Diana opened the door for me and I got out of the car first, fixing my suit a bit trying to stretch any wrinkles on my pants. Then I turned back to the car, seeing that Mila was the first one to hold out her hand.

I could feel the eyes on us. Guys and girls from other classes, mostly. I suppose the limo would draw a lot of attention, but I still didn’t feel comfortable being watched so closely.

“Just imagine you’re finally a rock star, brother,” Isabelle called from the inside of the limo.

That got a snicker out of me. And you know what? Sure.

I held Mila’s hand and helped her step out of the car. Beautiful as she was and in that eye-catching dress, she drew even more eyes to us. Grace and Sarah came after her, then Alice.

“Do you think I should lose the shawl to compete with the others?” she asked me in whispers, grinning teasingly at me.

“If you want, but you look very pretty with that. Very classy,” I told her.

“Okay, you win,” she said with a blush.

Noelle was the last one. She held my hand but kept her eyes on the floor. I think it was partly to avoid tripping in those high-heels but I bet it was mostly out of embarrassment due to how many people were watching us.

“For an internet celebrity, you don’t deal with spectators very well,” I whispered.

That got a giggle out of her. “Yuria’s the expert. Noelle is too shy for crowds. Still, you have a point.” She raised her head and looked around, smiling. “Everyone put a lot of effort into their outfits, didn’t they?”

“Yeah, though I question how much effort the guy in the shorts put,” Sarah said.

Alice chuckled. “Maybe not a lot of effort, but definitely a lot of thought.”

I turned to Diana. “What will you do now?”

“Oh, you know… I’ll go have a cup of coffee with a friend.”

Ah. I chuckled. “Tell your friend I don’t mind if she hitches a ride with us later.”

“Thank you. Now go. This is your night. Don’t worry about me.” After a quick, innocent goodbye, Diana went back into the car.

“Oliver,” Grace got closer to me and pulled on my sleeve, whispering. “We’re going to check on Amanda for a while.”

I nodded. “Good idea. Go.”

“Thanks.” She kissed me on the cheek and the group of girls went ahead while us guys followed closely behind.

Thomas got an arm around my shoulders and shook me playfully as we walked. “Dude, seriously, how did you get a limo?”

“Yeah, I thought we weren’t doing it because it was too expensive,” Kevin said. “How much do we owe you?”

“Nothing. It was… a friend’s gift. He hired it without telling me, so it was too late to refuse.”

“Thanks for inviting us,” Ben said. “That was awesome.”

“It was what finally convinced Amanda to come,” Mark said. “So yeah, thanks, Oliver.”

“Okay, so… What happened there?” I asked him in hushed tones.

“Yeah, why were you with Amanda?” Thomas asked him.

“Because she’s my friend, that’s all,” Mark assured us. “I know that if she missed prom she’d end up regretting it as soon as tomorrow.”

“So, uh… Are you sure it’s not because…”

Mark smiled. “Yes, I’m sure. I’m over it. Couldn’t leave a friend alone because of some old insecurities, right?”

“That’s true,” I told him. “Glad to see you’re doing well.”

“Yeah. I think I started feeling better with myself after I stopped worrying about stupid crap.”

“What kind of stupid crap?” Kevin asked him.

“Like… Like I NEEDED to have a girlfriend or something like that. Like I needed to look tough to be… attractive. That shit just made me act in ways I didn’t like, so… Yeah, I guess that stuff people spout about just focusing on yourself has some merit.”

“Proud of you, dude,” Thomas told him with a pat on the back. “Hope you’re not too against meeting someone, though?”

“Who knows?” Mark shrugged.

“Are you going to university?” Ben asked him.

“No. I’m going to start working with my dad. He’s a carpenter and makes awesome furniture. I worked a bit with him this year and ended up liking it.”

“Furniture, huh? He takes commissions?” I asked him.

“Obviously.”

“Then I might just make a few soon.”

We went into the school and inside the gym. It was decorated with big blue curtains along the walls, and along with the tables with white tablecloths spread around, the single chandelier and the six disco balls on the ceiling, it was almost possible to forget this was the gym of our school. Almost. The basketball court floor gave it away pretty easily, but with how full the place was, it wasn’t easy to actually see the floor. Still, it looked nice. There was a stage at the very end of the room, the same one we used for the talent show.

The gym was full of people, some already dancing to the music a DJ was playing, some gathered in groups drinking what I had to believe was just soda.

“25% chance it’s spiked,” Thomas told me. “Be careful what you drink.”

People came up to us to greet us. Mostly just Thomas and the other guys, really, but a few of my classmates came to say hello, too.

In only a few more minutes, prom was in full swing.

************

Chapter 523: Growth, not change.

Yeah, prom was in full swing, but I wasn’t really a part of it. Even I could see I’d come a long way from the start of the school year, but I’d call that growth, not change. The dancing, the type of music playing, the large number of people gathered in a single place… It still didn’t agree with me. It made me feel uncomfortable.

Of course, Kevin and Lena were in their own little world. It was funny seeing a guy even taller than Thomas dancing with a girl only a bit taller than Noelle, but it was also pretty cute. The way they looked at each other was clear signs of people fully in love.

Thomas and Isabelle were dancing, too, but comparing them to Kevin and Lena was like night and day. They kept a healthy distance yet they laughed loudly and freely. It meant I wouldn’t have to get rough with him or warn Maria. Still, seeing Isabelle laughing happily warmed my chest.

It’s funny. My sister seemed a lot more cheerful and content with herself now than at any other point in the past where she had a boyfriend. And now that Mark had moved on from feeling like he needed to have a girlfriend, he also seemed more satisfied with his life. I guess that means romance doesn’t necessarily fix your life? I mean, it kinda did it for me, but I don’t think it was having a girlfriend (or six) that did it. It was the desire to improve myself that pushed me forward, though the reason for wanting to improve was mostly them. I don’t know. I’m not an expert. Different strokes for different folks, definitely.

Speaking of the girls, they were also on the dance floor. They were dancing with some of their friends. Some of those friends were girls, some were guys. Mila and Mark were dancing at that moment, and no, I didn’t feel jealous of any of it. I knew I had no reason to. Why would I? I trust these girls with my life. Still… I don’t like dancing, and I don’t like the music that was playing, but I still felt like I should be there.

That’s not to say I was alone, though. I was at one of the tables with Ben. I was drinking soda, he was drinking juice.

“Are you going pro after this?” I asked him.

“Yeah,” he said with a nervous smile. “My mom is against it but my dad says to go for it. He believes I can be the next Sugar Ray Leonard. Hah. As if.” He laughed, but there was some self-deprecation there. “There are so many guys better than me at my own gym. Imagine the wider world out there. I love the sport, but I don’t have the talent like you do.”

“Huh? Me? What do you mean me?”

“I’ve heard you play music, Oliver. I watch your channel, too. You have talent, you’re gonna be big, dude. Didn’t you start playing the bass and the ocarina this year? And you’re already really good. Some people are just born with the talent to succeed. You have it, but I don’t think I do.”

“...” I didn’t have it in me to be upset at what he said, so I answered with a small, wry smile. “I’ve been playing guitar for years. I think this is the first year where I feel like I actually understand what I’m doing beyond just following tabs. I read somewhere that talent is something you make bloom. I haven’t, at any point, felt like I had any particular talent for music. Nothing I do hasn’t been done before and been done better. But even so, I don’t want to stop because I finally feel like I see a path I want to follow. You might not feel it now, Ben, but I know you’ll eventually find it. Your own kind of boxing.”

I hope that’s true,” he said. He raised his glass. “Alright. I won’t stop, but can’t stop, either. You’ll make it, dude. I’m serious.”

I chuckled and raised my own glass. “Make it where?”

“Wherever the fuck you want. Every time you feel like quitting, remember that I and other people in this school listen to your music.”

“Very well. But you have to tell me when and where your debut match is. I’ll go watch.”

“Deal.”

We made a toast. Ben and I didn’t talk alone a lot, so it was really cool to share a moment like that. I felt flattered that he’d share those insecurities with me, and I hope I was able to at least give him something to consider.

“Um… Sorry to interrupt you two.” We turned to Noelle, who was suddenly standing across the table. “Sorry, Ben, but they sent me to steal him from you.”

“Aww, but we were having a moment…” Ben moaned dramatically before laughing. “I’m kidding. Take him. Force him to have fun. I’ll go bother some of my other friends.”

“Thanks!”

Beaming at me, Noelle held my hand and dragged me to the dance floor, walking backwards as she kept her eyes on me. Most of my hesitation went away just by looking into her beautiful green eyes. 

Before I knew it, I was surrounded by the five sexiest and most beautiful girls in this school. Mila threw herself at me, hugging me by the waist pecking my lips.

“Oliver, dance with us!” she ordered.

Sarah poked me on the ribs with a scowl. “I thought we were your dates, not Ben. Anything you want to tell us?”

“Oh, so I have to watch you dance with other guys and girls, but you get jealous when I spend five minutes with a friend?” I jokingly shot back.

“I mean, you two seemed pretty into whatever you were talking about,” Alice told me. “We got worried he might steal you, so we had Noelle drag you here.”

“I can’t believe you would cheat on Thomas like that, Oliver,” Grace said, shaking her head. “For shame.”

“He’s a big guy. He can take it.”

We laughed.

I might not like the music, I might not like dancing and I might not like being among these huge crowds, but I did really like these girls. If it was with them, I’d be anywhere.

“So… Dancing?” I asked.

What happened next would’ve made me believe the DJ here was a paid agent or something, because almost on cue, the music changed.

It was time for the slow dances.