The town had just celebrated homecoming, a big deal in such a small town. The football game Friday night had been a smashing victory. Now it was Saturday night, time for the annual homecoming dance.
The water for the refreshments was, of course, tainted by the virus. On girls it would have no effect, but the boys attending that night were in for a wild ride.
Let’s meet some of those guys attending the dance:
Caleb Edwards, the stereotypical all-American senior boy. Both captain and quarterback, he had easily won election as homecoming king. A hometown hero, it was impossible to dislike him, no matter how much some wanted to, because he never bullied anyone and had a winning personality, fantastic looks, muscles, and a brain.
Gabriel Sanchez, an average-looking Latino senior who, despite his appearance, was actually a star performer on the team as wide receiver. This had gotten him to the homecoming court but he lost the king vote to Caleb. The two were friends, but part of Gabriel was resentful of him and wished that he was the sexier one everyone looked to.
Hunter Wilde, a junior and a good ol’ boy from a farm just outside of town. He always dressed in jeans and flannels and was decently handsome, but he had no interest in romance despite the girls who made it clear they were. Lean as a rail, he was remarkably strong, hiding a six-pack under his flannel shirts.
James Harkin, a sophomore and a total nerd. He was highly intelligent and talented with computers and technology. Not arrogant, he never lorded his intelligence over others, but was actually rather charming in person. However, his charisma didn’t match his body: of average height, he was very skinny, wore thick glasses, and suffered severe acne.
Finally, we come to Samson West. A freshman, he was strictly average in his appearance, his athletic abilities, and his intelligence. The shy, brown-haired boy had asked his crush, Nina, to homecoming, and she’d accepted. But now he was extremely nervous, fearing he’d do something wrong or that his plainness wasn’t good enough for her. He wished he was more confident, or at least more attractive.