Senior Prom

Vanessa

It was the morning of Senior Prom, and Addison and I were at the beauty salon getting glammed up for the big event. As we got our hair and nails done, we chatted excitedly about the school year coming to a close.

"I can't believe high school is almost over," Addison shouted over the whirr of the blow dryer.

"I know," I yelled back. "It seems like just yesterday, Matt was chiding me for stealing his seat."

We both laughed at the reminiscence of our first day of freshman year. Now that some time had passed since my kiss with him at Winter Formal, Matt's name fell easier from my lips and the subject of him was no longer taboo. Of course, I still missed the friendship we had shared, but the wound from losing him wasn't as raw as it used to be.

Our days spent together had stopped being a bitter recollection and more something I could reflect on with fondness.

As the hairdresser moved on to weave white, baby breaths through Addison's up-do, my friend glanced over at me. "When was the last time you saw him anyway?"

I shrugged, any recent memory of him hazy. "I'm not sure. He stopped attending Study Hall shortly after the dance."

She nodded. "I still see him in Physics but ninety-nine percent of the time, he just gives me the cold shoulder."

Closing my eyes, I leaned my head against the back of the chair as the stylist began brushing out my hair. "Probably because of Kayla. I saw them walking hand in hand in the hallway once after our fight and she ushered him off the second she spotted me. What does she think I'm going to do? Grab him and start making out with him right then and there?"

Addie snorted. "Don't mind her. She's just insecure."

I watched as the stylist began twisting my locks into face-framing coils as though I were a 1940's starlet. "Well, she doesn't need to be. I'm happy with Devin." I smiled dreamily, thinking about how perfect our relationship was. We never argued and he was always sweet to me. Even Addison couldn't deny that he treated me right. Poor Jeff had to deal with inquisitions on why he didn't buy her flowers or pull out her chair when she sat down.

"I'm telling you," I continued. "He's the total package. I couldn't ask for a more ideal boyfriend." If it weren't for the reflection of the mirrors, I would have missed the eyeroll Addison gave. She's just jealous.

She hadn't spoken to her boyfriend for a week after she found out about Devin's Promposal to me. "He did that," she exclaimed. "All I got from Jeff was the word Prom with a question mark spelt out in ketchup on a plate of fries."

"That's still cute, Addie," I replied. "And it shows he knows how much you love fries. Sometimes simple is better, you know?"

Pouting, she crossed her arms. "Easy for you to say when your guy got practically the whole school involved for your invitation."

I tried not to grimace at the memory. Devin's surprise had been thoughtful but way too grand scale for my tastes.

It had been a sunny morning in early May. I was rushing across the quad to get to French class when the marching band emerged from the trees and surrounded me. The sounds of drums and trumpets blared as the cheerleading squad sprinted over. They began doing kicks and flips in time to the music. "What on Earth is happening," I questioned, a circle of bodies forming around me. Am I on some kind of prank reality TV show? Okay, Mister Host, you can come out now.

I looked around wildly at the crowd of students that had begun to gather. Slowly, they parted as Devin made his way through as though he was Moses crossing the Red Sea. My jaw dropped when I realized he had a bouquet of roses in his hand and was donning a tux.

"Vanessa," he began, approaching me and taking my fingers in between his. "Will you do me the honor of accompanying me to Prom?"

My cheeks burned furiously as I realized all eyes were on me, eagerly awaiting my answer. "Um...yes," I squeaked out.

He wrapped me up in a big hug to the sound of cheers and applause in the background. Devin beamed at the crowd. "She said 'yes' everyone." More applause erupted as he made a big show of spinning me around and planting a kiss firmly on my lips.

If I was being honest, the whole thing had been mortifying. But low-key wasn't Devin's style. Everything he did, he had to do with pomp and circumstance. I could only hope that for Prom, he would keep things a bit more mellow.

After we left the salon and hopped into Addison's jeep, she glanced over at me. "You know I would die for you, V, right?"

Laughing, I rolled up the window to prevent my newly styled hair from getting tangled. "This took a sudden turn towards somber."

She chewed on her lip, staring straight ahead at the road before her. "I tell you that so you know how much I love you and won't bite my head off for what I'm about to say next."

"What," I spat out, already feeling defensive.

She sighed. "Well, it's Prom and you know how that tends to go for couples... It's a big night for doing the dirty."

"Yea...so?" Where is she going with this?

She furrowed her brows before chancing a look in my direction. "Do you think that you and Devin might make love tonight?"

I shrugged. "I don't know." The truth was, I did know. Devin and I had been taking our relationship slow and had only kissed thus far. I was content with that but not so sure he was. His agitated sighs when I would nudge away a wandering hand during our make-out sessions indicated that he longed for more.

She reached over to squeeze my fingers. "I just don't want to see you get hurt, V. I would pluck out both of Devin's eyeballs if he ended up being one of those guys that break up with a girl the minute that they sleep with them."

"That's not going to happen," I muttered as I leaned forward to turn up the radio, done with the conversation.

She lowered the volume back down. "Some men are like that, V. And I would hate for you to do anything you might regret."

Crossing my arms, I glared at her. "Do you regret sleeping with Jeff?"

She shook her head. "No. But I am contemplating ending things with him, though."

My mouth dropped open as I stared at my best friend. "I thought you loved him."

Turning into her driveway, she shrugged. "I care about him but sometimes, I wonder what I'm missing out on. Truthfully, I don't want to be tied down when I go off to college. I want to explore my options." She slid a sideways glance in my direction. "What about you? Have you and Devin discussed what you're going to do come the end of summer? I know you're both going to different schools."

"No. We haven't given our future much thought, I guess." I stared out the window, considering Addison's point. How is that going to work? Devin of course, had been accepted into Yale and craving the excitement of the city, I had chosen NYU. Could we do the whole long-distance thing? Did I even want to?

She clicked her tongue as she opened the door to the vehicle. "Well, you better hurry up and figure it out soon. Time's running out."

Unfastening my seatbelt, I let my friend's words sink in. The days, months, and years were slipping through my fingers as though they were grains of sand. There was nothing I could do to stop it. Before I knew it, I would be leaving everything I had ever known behind in exchange for the unexplored. Am I ready for that? Am I even ready to potentially lose my virginity to Devin tonight?

It was all a bit frightening to think about and I didn't know the answers to any of those questions. I could only hope that when the moment came, I would be confident in what was the right thing to do.

Addison and I squealed as a shiny, black limo pulled up in front of her house. The tinted window in the back rolled down and Jeff stuck his head out. "Look at my sexy baby," he called out.

My friend ran over to him, planting a loud smack on his cheek and leaving behind a cherry, red lip print that matched the color of her dress. The strapless gown looked gorgeous on her and the high slit in the thigh left little to the imagination.

I searched around for Devin, spotting him as the car door opened and he sprinted out towards me. "Aren't you beautiful, as always," he exclaimed, picking me up and spinning me around. I had chosen a simple, black halter dress as my outfit for the event. Paired with heels and dangly, diamond earrings for the finishing touches, the look had me feeling as though I had strutted straight off the Hollywood Red Carpet.

"Are you ladies ready to be spoiled tonight," Jeff asked. We let out shouts of glee before the boys ushered us into the limo.

Making myself comfortable inside the leather interior, I gazed around in awe at the colored lights strung along the ceiling. This is going to be the most amazing evening of my life.

"Look at what I snuck from my parent's liquor cabinet," Devin announced, pulling a bottle of champagne out of the mini-fridge and holding it up triumphantly. We cheered as he popped the cork, sending a spray of fizz into the air. He proceeded to pass out plastic flutes and by the time we arrived at Prom, we were all a bit tipsy.

The school had sprung for a beautiful reception hall by the ocean and as we pulled up to the venue, the sunset was reflecting vibrant hues of orange and pink off the water. We rushed inside, oohing and aahing at the balloons and streamers that adorned the walls. The tables were set with silverware, china, and linens of gold and black that matched the decorations. The theme for the Prom was "The Great Gatsby," with the room resembling a scene straight out from the 1920's.

A photographer gestured for us to come over to the photo booth. We giggled as he snapped photos of us wearing flapper headbands and posing with long-stemmed cigarette holders as props.

"This is so cool," Addison commented, sighing dreamily. She twirled around to the jazz music that was playing while students filtered in, her dress swishing in time to her movements. "Come on, V," she called. "Let's dance!"

I laughed as she pulled me out onto the floor. "I have no idea what I'm doing," I yelled through a wide-mouth grin.

"Just relax and let the rhythm guide you." She began doing The Charleston as I watched in mock horror. Screw it, I thought, joining in and copying her movements. Time's running out. This was one of the last nights I was going to be with my best friend before everything changed and I'd be damned if I wasn't going to enjoy every last second of it.

***

Matt

Time's running out. My gaze shifted to the clock on my dash as I sped towards Kayla's house. I had promised to be there by seven and it was already six fifty-nine. I'll never hear the end of it if I make her late for the biggest event of her life.

Tires squealing, I stopped short on the gravel driveway. She was sitting on the steps, scowling when I pulled up. She raced towards the car, the iridescent sequins of her cocktail dress sparkling in the last rays of sunlight. The garment was cut low in the front, and I hoped that we wouldn't get kicked out for breaking dress code before the King and Queen was announced.

Her high ponytail bounced as she hopped into the passenger seat. "You couldn't spring for a limo," she retorted, her voice tinged with disappointment.

Thanks for picking me up, Matt. That's so kind of you. She was lucky I was even wearing a tux. I had just managed to scrape enough cash together to fork over the cost for the rented piece. There was no way I could afford a limo on top of that.

She pushed a wispy wave away from her face before studying me. "At least you ditched that awful leather jacket of yours," she noted, nodding in satisfaction. "I told you that you would look like a handsome movie star if you dressed better."

Rolling my eyes, I gunned the Jetta down the road. She's sounding more and more like her mother every day. I tried not to smile as she lost her balance and threw out her hands on the dashboard to steady herself.

"Enjoy it while you can," I muttered. "As soon as the dance is over, you won't catch me in an outfit like this again."

Had the Prom not been so important to Kayla, I would have tried to weasel my way out of it. But I would suck it up for one night to please her. That's all she's getting though. No dances, no photos, nothing. I hadn't even put any effort into asking her to go with me.

The question had arisen one night while we were cuddling on the couch, watching movies. I leaned forward to pause the film after a scene where someone had just been decapitated and blood was oozing out of their headless body. "Are we going to Prom together," I inquired, glancing over at her.

She glared at me before rolling her eyes. "Sure, whatever."

"Cool." I sucked in my breath as the head rolled across the floor, lifeless eyes frozen in fear.

Perhaps, I had been a bit of an ass for that but if she wanted showy, she was with the wrong guy. I had heard the gossip about how Devin had asked Vanessa to the dance and nearly fell out of my chair at the tackiness of it all. I wouldn't have pegged her to be the flowery type of girl that craved that sort of gesture, but she had proven me wrong again.

At least I now know why she chose him. He was the smooth guy playing all his aces and I was just the joker that nobody wanted.

I had to admit that despite my reluctance to be there, the reception hall was impressive. I let out a low whistle when I saw the immersive décor and luxe place settings. "Wow," I mumbled under my breath. I had never been to anything this fancy before and found myself feeling excited that for once, I could indulge in something extravagant.

Kayla shrugged, nonchalantly. "It's alright, I suppose. My mom drags me to fundraisers all the time, so I'm used to this sort of thing." She pointed at the photo booth set up near the entrance. "Let's go get our picture taken."

She tugged on my arm as she led me over to the photographer. "No way," I said stopping her short. "I already told you, no photos."

She stomped her foot on the marble tiling. "It's Prom! I will not let this night pass without getting a picture with my boyfriend to commemorate the night we were crowned King and Queen."

I raised an eyebrow at her, gathering all my strength to not burst out laughing right then and there. "You're delusional if you believe that anyone is voting for me to be up on that stage."

"Just take the damn photo, Matt," she shouted, shoving me in front of the photographer.

A barrage of flashes blinded me as he began clicking away. Kayla clung to my arm, beaming widely in various poses while I stood there in wide-eyed shock.

"Here," she said, sticking a copy of the finished product in my face. "Have one."

Grimacing, I nudged her hand away. "No, it's alright. You keep it." As if I really want a souvenir of the time I resembled a boujee deer in the headlights.

We continued on, making our way through the grouping of tables until we found the one that had place cards with our names scrawled on it in looping cursive. I plopped down, instantly loosening my bow tie a tad. Any tighter and this thing is going to strangle me. I figured in another hour it would be safe to ditch the tie and jacket completely.

Kayla stared at me in disbelief. What did I do wrong now? "Mattie, it's Prom," she said in exasperation. "You have to dance with me."

I shook my head vehemently. "Sorry, Kayla. You can only guilt-trip me once with that reasoning. You know I don't dance. No exceptions. Not even for tonight." Well, there was that one exception with Vanessa. I thought back to Winter Formal and our moonlight waltz together. But that was different. It had only been just the two of us and I was still so in love with her that I would have done anything to put a smile on her face, including making a fool out of myself.

Kayla pouted but instantly brightened again upon spying Sarah and Abby enter the room. "I'll be right back." She raced over to them, speaking animatedly and wildly gesturing about something or other. She in fact did not come right back, rather choosing to go the dance floor with her friends instead.

She spent the next hour twirling and gyrating to the music until at last, dinner arrived. My stomach rumbled and my mouth watered as a juicy filet mignon was placed in front of me. I took a bite, savoring the tender meat. I hadn't eaten this nice in well, ever. So far, the food was shaping up to be the highlight of my night.

The highlight of Kayla's evening was when the DJ finally cut the music and picked up the microphone. She squealed as he shouted, "What's up Class of 2023?"

Cheers erupted throughout the room. "I heard we have some royalty amongst us tonight," he continued.

The roar of the crowd grew louder, and she gripped my hand. "Oh my gosh. This is it, Mattie. Everything I've been dreaming of since Kindergarten is about to come true!"

"Are you all ready to meet your King and Queen of the Senior Class?" He let out a whoop to the sound of whistles mixed with thunderous applause.

The DJ picked up the envelope he had laid out in front of him. He slowly opened it, giving a dramatic pause. The cheers from the audience had reached a deafening level and I was sure Kayla was about to break my fingers from how hard she was squeezing them.

"The Prom Queen and King of Avery High School, Class of 2023 are..."