Prom season was upon them.

And the Palm Woods didn't have the budget to throw a prom for the students. That's where Gustavo came in.

Emily was flattering him all morning while the boys got the speech ready. They had just finished the final product of Nothing Even Matters when the boys showed up.

"You are such an amazing producer," Emily gushed as she walked out of the studio behind Gustavo and Kelly.

"Thank you?" Gustavo said, taken back by her sudden need to fire compliments at him. Gustavo stopped when he reached the lobby to see Big Time Rush before him, each wearing a tux. "Well, this should be interesting."

Emily smiled to herself as Logan played the triumphant, inspirational music from the boombox.

"All over the world this month, teens are participating in a right of passage," Kendall told them. "And that passage is simply known as Prom."

James and Carlos grinned, pulling out a corsage and flower pin, stepping up to place them on Gustavo and Kelly. The two looked over to Emily who grinned at them, nodding to keep listening.

"The dance of all dances where boys and girls come together in rented clothing and dresses their parents are terrified to let them wear," Logan presented as the boys simultaneously straightened their bowties.

"Mr. Rocque," Carlos addressed, "We've given you over a year of our lives to pursue pop stardom." The boys nodded in sync. "Now please, don't make us give up that magical, magical night of dancing," they danced, "smooching," puckered their lips, "and prime rib."

"The one night where a simple boy from Minnesota," James swayed, pointing to himself, "can become a king! Now we beg of you Gustavo Rocque, will you give us the gift of prom?"

"Good speech," Gustavo shrugged.

Emily and the guys all muttered "yes" to each other.

"Aw," Kelly said, "I remember my prom, and they deserve one too, and oh look, a letter opener," she threatened.

Emily nodded at the boys, knowing they had this in the bag.

"Fine, I'll pay for your prom," Gustavo groaned.

"Yes!" They cheered as the opening to Big Time Rush started playing.

"Uh, oh. Oh, oh," the boombox played.

"Wait, why uh oh?" Kendall asked.

"It's the boom box," Carlos sighed.

Logan started hitting it, trying to get the song to stop playing. "I can't turn it off."

"Just hit the button on the left," Emily advised.

"Shut it off!"

"It won't turn off!"

***

"Well?"

Emily and the boys stood before the Palm Woods kids who all waited to hear whether or not they were getting their prom.

"He said yes!" The five of them exclaimed, having the room erupt in applause and cheers.

The Jennifer's gasped, "We need dresses!"

Emily's eyes widened as the dove out of the way to avoid being trampled by the mass of girls plowing out of the lobby to go dress shopping. The boys did not. The girl winced as the guys climbed to their feet, all turned around, and groaning in pain.

"Are proms supposed to hurt?" Logan cried.

"So, should I go rent a tux or...?" Steve asked Camille.

Steve was the guy Camille saw Kiss and Tell with a few months ago. They've been dating ever since. As Steve lamely asked Camille in front of Logan, Emily sighed, knowing her friend was disappointed and probably wanted to ask her.

"Well, if that's your way of asking me, then let's go," Camille smiled. She waved as her and Steve ran out, past the guys and Emily.

They all turned to Logan.

"I'm fine, okay," Logan said, unconvincingly. "We're not going out, she can go with whoever she wants."

"Don't worry," James assured him. "When I'm Prom King-" he flipped a plastic crown in his hands onto his head, bemusing them all. "there will be plenty of room for you and you other non-kings in my court."

Carlos narrowed his eyes, "You bought a crown?"

"Yeah, prom crowns tend to be made of cardboard, and I wanted something more authentic," he smiled.

"You realize, your highness," Kendall mocked, "that the longest dating couple is usually voted Prom King and Queen and that's me and Jo," Kendall smirked.

"I'm not afraid of you."

Logan intervened, "Unless of course, the sentimental vote rules the night which goes to the most liked person at prom which would be Camille... and her date," Logan realized. Emily patted his shoulder when the boy realized he wouldn't have a shot at King.

"Or the hottest couple vote," James pointed out, "which will go to me when I pick my Queen."

Emily held back a smile. Prom with James meant everyone finding out they were into each other and figuring things out. And Emily felt okay with that.

"You might wanna bow now," James advised.

"I might wanna hit you now!" Kendall snapped.

"Whoa, whoa!" Carlos shouted. "Let's not forget about the underdog vote given to the most unexpected couple at Prom, which will be me and a Jennifer."

"Which one?" Emily asked, unsure any of them would go with Carlos without their own terms.

He shrugged, putting the helmet on his head, "Don't know yet. That's why I hired my Jennifer consultant."

"Okay," Katie approached holding a binder and wearing a suit, "let's get you a date to the prom."

Emily stopped the boy, "Whoa, I'm not your Jennifer consultant?"

Carlos gave her a look, "Would you let me go with one of them?"

Emily stuttered, "N-no," she admitted. Time and time again Emily had snapped at Carlos that he was too good for them. She loved those girls, they were friends, but they didn't treat Carlos right and he was too infatuated to realize.

"That's why," Carlos smirked as Katie dragged him away.

James smirked, nodding to Kendall, "Still waiting for that bow."

Glaring at James, Kendall stole flowers for a vase in the lobby, "You're going down!" He shouted, as he furiously dragged Guitar Dude off to go ask Jo.

Emily seethed her teeth as Kendall ran off not remembering he got Jo grounded a few days ago. She was two hours past curfew and not allowed out of the apartment for a week.

Emily bid adieu to Logan and James so she could lock herself in the apartment and talk to Jo on the phone about prom.

"Hello?"

"Jo, I'm having prom jitters," Emily cried.

Jo laughed from the other end, "Why would that be?"

"Well, James is probably going to ask me, and he's looking to be King, of course, and it means we're finally going to be open with our maybe-possible relationship," Emily said, plucking at the stitching in her couch pillows.

"You and James as King and Queen?" Jo teased.

Emily rolled her eyes, "I'm obvious a longest couple voter..." she mentioned, alluding Jo would be getting her vote.

Jo groaned, "I'm not going," she cried to Emily.

"Your dad really won't let you out for Prom?"

"Nope."

Emily sighed, knowing Jo was sitting in her room disappointed after turning Kendall down who she imagined would have been insanely persistent.

"But I want to get ready with you," Emily whined, hanging her head off the back of her couch.

"We can FaceTalk," Jo promised her. "Promise you'll send me pictures of your dress and call me as soon as James asks you?"

"Pinky promise," Emily grinned. "Love you."

"Love you, bye, Em."

***

Dress shopping would have to wait. Gustavo sent an urgent text telling, not asking, Emily to get to the studio ASAP.

"Kelly?" Emily called, walking into the studio to see a large pink backdrop taking up the lobby.

"Go around it," Kelly called. Emily walked around, eyebrows furrowed as she saw three different stations in front of her.

"What's this?"

Kelly rolled her eyes, "Gustavo wants his "edge" back and fired the photographer, caterer, and DJ."

Emily gaped, "He what?"

Kelly nodded, bitter, "Exactly, and now we're running all three."

Emily shook her head apologetically, "Kelly, I can't, I want to actually go to Prom."

"Let me make you a deal," Gustavo called, walking out of his office wearing a chef's uniform. "$100 an hour, you only have to help in the kitchen, and you can have 10 five minute breaks to enjoy the night."

Emily crossed her arms, "$200, and ten minute breaks," she counted, holding her hand out.

"Deal," Gustavo nodded, shaking her hand.

Kelly smiled, passing a clipboard with a dozens items on a checklist to the girl.

Reading it over, "Uh, a two choice menu?"

"Check!" Gustavo grinned, holding up two sample meals before ducking and switching his chefs hat for a "photo" hat.

"Romantic backdrop and photographer?"

Gustavo smiled, standing behind the camera pointed at the backdrop, snapping a photo of Emily and Kelly, who playfully stood in the iconic prom pose, "Check."

"DJ G. Rock and the prom theme song for the King and Queen spotlight dance?" Kelly smiled.

Gustavo shed the chef's coat to reveal an odd onesie with a disco ball necklace, "The same theme song that's written on their souvenir glassware."

Emily caught the glass tossed in the air, seeing the new song title printed on the sides, "Nothing Even Matters," she nodded approvingly.

Gustavo threw the hood over his head, "This prom is literally gonna rock!"

Emily shuddered, turning to Kelly, who gently approached Gustavo, "You're not gonna wear that to the prom, are you?"

"Oh, yeah."

"Wear that and I up my price to $300," Emily told him.

"Fine."

***

Jo was sneaking out. Emily and her video chatted as they got ready together on the day of Prom.

James still hadn't asked her.

She actually hadn't seen him.

Jo assured her because James was a dramatic romantic there would be a grand gesture at some point during the night.

Emily curled her hair in tight ringlets, braiding the sides back into a knot. She found a stunning short, shimmering black dress that hugged her body and exposed her shoulders, the straps forming a V in front and in the back.

Emily was the first one at the Prom besides Kelly and Gustavo to help set up and prep the food. Kelly was in a cute waiter uniform and Emily detested Gustavo's outfit because it meant she wasn't getting $300 an hour.

Emily was in the kitchen, pouring salads onto what felt like a million plates when Kelly and Gustavo came barreling in shouting about the salads, each grabbed four and left as quickly as they arrived. "If you run with them there will be no salad left on the plate!" Emily shouted after them as she gathered her two salads and carefully stepped out, seeing everyone was arriving.

She spotted Carlos first and stepped over to serve him and Jennifer first.

He was with brunette Jennifer. And she looked different. Her makeup was a mess, her hair a wreck, and her dress not on her body right.

"Hi, guys," Emily grinned, placing a salad in front of each other them. "Jennifer, you look stunning," she told her friend bringing a massive smile to her face. "Carlos, spiffy as always."

Carlos gave a short smile, distracted by Jennifer, "You too, Em."

Emily wanted to ask about James, but missed her opportunity when she witnessed Kelly and Gustavo throwing the salads on the tables.

She side stepped them, cutting them off from the kitchens, "I am begging you to stop throwing the food," she pleaded. "And I'm taking my first break now."

"You just started!" Gustavo yelled after her as she walked off.

Jo and Kendall were at the voting station, filling out ballots.

Emily ran over, jumping on Jo's shoulders who screamed in fear. Emily stepped back giving Kendall a confused look. "I'm sorry, you okay?" She checked.

Jo relaxed, seeing it was just her best friend, "Yes, sorry. You look stunning."

Emily smiled, spinning around, "But not like you," she gushed, turning Jo around herself to take in the white and gold trimmed dress. "Kendall, you clean up nicely," she told her friend who was invested in the ballots.

"Aw, glad I can count on your vote," he smiled, not looking up as he scribbled him and Jo's named on the card.

Jo rolled her eyes, "He's voting for himself. I'm going for the sentimental vote and voting her Camille and her date," Jo said.

Emily nodded, loving how Jo wouldn't vote for herself, no matter how insane her boyfriend was. As Jo went to drop the card in the box, it was swiped from her by a blurred figure who turned out to be Logan.

"No, you're not," he shrugged. "Cause you don't like them," he said, ripping the card up. Emily gave a bemused laugh to Kendall. "You like James and superstar, Aubrey Stewart."

Emily froze, smile dropping.

"James and who?" She asked. Aubrey was incredibly well known for her role as the star in a vampire saga, but no one in their circle knew her.

Guitar Dude came up, everyone ignoring Emily's question, "Well, we were gonna vote for James and Aubrey, but they're not together."

"Well, I'm working on it!" Logan snapped, running off.

Jo looked at Emily, without an answer, before nodding to Kendall, "Be right back," she told him before her and Emily walked off into the girl's bathroom.

Emily ducked her head, making sure no one else was in a stall. As the coast was clear, she spun to Jo, "I'm so confused."

Jo nodded, "Me too, I thought you and James were..."

Emily scoffed, "Yeah, so did I." She started pacing back and forth while ranting her angry off to Jo, "I mean I haven't seen him since yesterday, and I've been so preoccupied planning this thing I don't have time to track him down and make sure he's not planning on asking some hot superstar to our prom."

Jo sighed, "Then let's get out there and figure out what's happening."

Emily shook her head, biting the inside of her cheek, "No, I have dinner to serve," she mumbled, leaving the bathroom. Jo chased after her, following her right up to the doors into the kitchen.

"I'm going to find out for you, okay?" She promised.

The doors slammed back and forth as Emily stood in the empty kitchen, catching her breath, and having to push the problem out of her mind as she gathered plates.

***

"Enjoy," Emily gave a half-hearted smile to her 20th table. She was so desperate to keep her mind off James, she'd served everyone at prom and insisted to Gustavo and Kelly she would handle the food completely and they shouldn't worry about it.

A hand gripped Emily's arm, yanking her to the side. Jo.

"Here's what I found out," Jo told her, frantically looking around. "Also, Kendall found out my dad was CIA so I'm on edge."

"You dad is CIA?" Emily spat.

Jo's eyes widened as she slapped her hand to her face, "I can't believe I just said that!" She cursed to herself. "Look, Logan was desperate for Camille and Steve not to win, so he convinced James to get the hottest prom date and he would be a shoo-in for King."

Emily's angry vanished as she just felt hurt wash over her, "So I'm not hot enough to be his date?" Emily asked, not to Jo, but to herself.

"No," Jo snapped. "Emily, oh my god, no. I don't know anything else, and Kendall is no help at all, but please, please do not let this ruin your night." Jo begged Emily to shake it off and address it tomorrow. She tried to get her to dance, but Emily didn't respond. It's like she was in her own thoughts and could only hear them.

"Thanks, Jo," Emily nodded to her friend, as she walked off mumbling to herself to get desserts ready when another hand gripped her arm pulling her off to the side. Logan.

"Em, I need your help," He begged.

Emily bit down on her tongue, knowing Logan was helping James. He didn't know. He did nothing wrong. But she didn't want to deal with James.

"James is trapped in the bathroom, and Aubrey's bodyguards are blocking all the exits, and are trying to kill him, can you please sneak him out through the kitchen or something?"

Emily absentmindedly stared at Logan as she struggled to respond. Logan looked for an answer, his stressed eyes softening when he realized she wasn't acting like herself.

"Em, is everything okay?" He asked.

Emily shook her head as she could only find herself able to speak five words. "I can't help you, Logan."

She turned, Logan not calling after her at all, and briskly ran off into the kitchens, dropping a cherry on each plate.

***

Hearing the slow beat outside, Emily quickly put together a slow dance was in motion.

The doors swung open, Kelly entering, much calmer than earlier, "Hey, you gotta announce King and Queen after this song," she told her.

"Okay," Emily sighed, spraying whipped cream into her mouth.

Kelly narrowed her eyes, "Are you okay?"

Emily shrugged, "Just not the night I imagine," she muttered, tossing the empty can across the room as she grudgingly stood, flattened her dress and put on a fake smile. "Ready?"

Emily crossed out to the DJ stand where Gustavo was turning on the mic.

She bent down, "Hey guys! It's time to announce the Prom King and Queen," she grinned into the mic, not wanting her sour night to affect theirs.

Kelly shook Emily's shoulder, "Longest couple vote, Kendall and Jo," she told her, excited.

Emily smiled, leaning into the mic as she heard shouts. She turned to her to see Kendall being carrying out by three men and a guilty Jo following.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Taylor!" Kendall cried. "We didn't get to take our picture yet. We didn't take our picture yet!"

Emily let out a breath, turning to Kelly, "Second place?"

"The sentimental vote, Camille and Steve," Kelly shrugged.

"We're gonna pass!"

Emily looked over, seeing Steve and Camille off the side of the DJ stand, Camille in an oversized white tux.

The crowd started zoning out as Emily yet again had to ask for the runner up.

"Carlos and Jennifer came third," Kelly said.

As Emily went to announce, a screaming Carlos fled across the dance floor, all three Jennifers attacking him.

"Well, there goes the underdog vote," Kelly mumbled tossing the ballots away.

Emily shrugged, "Does it even matter who wins?" She asked.

Gustavo shook his head, leaning over, "I'm going with the spotlight vote. Whoever is in the spotlight wins."

Emily nodded, leaning over, "The Prom King and Queen is..." she trailed off as Gustavo sailed the spotlight into the crowd. The mess of people separated, revealing Logan and James who appeared to attempt sneaking out. James was in Camille's prom dress, explaining her outfit change.

Stunned by the turn of events, but also internally pleased due to her bitterness towards one of the boys, Emily smirked, stepping back, shaking her head at Gustavo.

The man picked up the mic, "Logan and Jam-ie?" He stuttered, unsure what was happening.

The crowd applauded them as Gustavo played Nothing Even Matters, Logan and James having to take their dance together in the spotlight.

The only thing Emily could take away from the night while smiling was that Logan unexpectedly won King even though he claimed, "Proms hurt."

And he wasn't wrong.

***

SO drama.

Here's the tea y'all: this entire situation is gonna last two more chapters before tings dial back. To give you a heads up, the next to chapters are Big Time Break-Up and Single...

Enjoy :)