Before Prom

"We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well." ~Unknown

Maddy was the first to arrive. Makeup bag in one hand and dress the other, my best friend grinned from ear to ear when I opened the door just after 4 o'clock. She'd been to the hair salon, I could see, as her brown hair had been curled to frame her face, making her brown eyes really pop.

"You look beautiful!" I exclaimed, motioning for her to come inside. "Mum's making some hot dogs to tied us over. You're hungry, right?"

Maddy closed the door behind her. "Starved. I haven't eaten all day."

Leading her into the dining room, my dad was sat watching tv, his ankles crossed as he looked up and smiled. "Hello, Madeline. How's your mother?"

Maddy smiled. "She's great thanks, Mr Kate."

"We're just going up stairs." I rushed out, not waiting for a reply before turning to the staircase, Maddy close behind.

"So how are you feeling?" Maddy asked as I plopped down onto my bed. "Nervous about going with the hottest guy in school?"

I closed my eyes and laid back. "Extremely."

I had yet to mention how we'd kissed yesterday. Not that it was any of her business, but she'd told me about her first kiss and I only thought it fair.

Maddy hung her dress on the front of my wardrobe and opened her makeup bag. "Have you spoken to him since school?"

I nodded. "He came over last night."

Maddy grinned as she selected the brushes. "Of course he did."

I ignored her suggestive tone. "Nothing happened. We only kissed."

Maddy dropped her expensive Mac pallet, something she cherished more than her younger siblings. "You what?"

I sat up and yawned, looking relaxed when in reality I was on edge. "Kissed."

Maddy laughed, shaking her head. "You're cute."

I stood, walking over to my vanity and sitting down. My mum had offered taking me to the salon, but I was afraid they'd get it wrong. No, I'd much rather do it myself.

"It's not like we're dating or anything." I defended, tying up certain sections of my hair to straighten it.

Maddy scoffed. "Whatever you think, Cather."

I looked at her through the mirror, my chest feeling strangely heavy as I said, "We are different people. It wouldn't work out."

Maddy was doing her makeup at this point. She wiggled her drawn eyebrows, "Or something amazing could come out of it."

Now I was the one scoffing. "Not likely. My parents don't even know-"

Maddy pursed her lips. Then said, "That is tricky."

I nodded, glad she finally understood. "If they found out about Romain and I's...friendship, let alone the fact he's been coming over whilst they've been away, they'd freak." I watched the straightener travel down my hair. "WinterTree is not the place to have secret affairs with the notorious outcast."

Maddy had started on her eyes at this point. "How do you feel about all that? The things he's done...?"

My eyes were fierce as I said, "Romain is complicated. We've all got our reasons for doing things."

Maddy looked sad, most likely thinking of my own problems I kept buried deep down. "Do you like him, like him?"

I was now pinning my hair up in certain places, leaving other places to flow down my back. "It's hard to say. Especially considering the situation."

"Just be careful, Cather." She said sincerely. "We've been at this school a long time. Long enough to witness countless of girls fall for the wrong boy and get hurt."

My chest felt suddenly very heavy at her words. "It's different." I whispered.

Later that evening, both Bethany and Tilly showed up. Like Maddy, Bethany had gotten her hair professionally done prior, whereas Tilly came asking if I could do hers.

"Your hair looks gorgeous, Cather!" Bethany exclaimed when I opened the front door and let them in. "You're so talented."

I shrugged it off, rushing them up with few words to my parents. I didn't want us to be late.

"So where are you meeting him?" Bethany asked as she did her normal routine of snooping through my things. She smiled, "In a dark alleyway."

Maddy smacked her on the shoulder with her mascara. "Leave Cather alone. At least she has a date."

That was another thing that worried me. Ever since year seven, we'd all said how we'd go to prom as a four. Even back then, non of us had thought I'd actually snag a date.

Tilly was quiet as usual. I cherished it, finding peace as I did up her hair in a way I knew she'd absolutely love.

When I was done, Tilly loomed beside herself. "It's...wow."

I'd done nothing special. As it was so short, I was only able to curl the ends and use a bright hair peace to pull it all over to one side. Simple and beautiful, just like Tilly.

Both Maddy and Bethany applauded.

"Well, I certainly know who's doing my wedding hair." Maddy announced. "Now, should we change?"

As I'd anticipated, each of my friends dresses were complete opposites.

Maddy, forever wanting to be different, had a floor length gown with sleeves that showed off her curves and made her dark skin glow.

Bethany's was also floor length with a high neckline that did the church proud. No doubt her mother had a big say in her choice

Tilly's was the most different. Hers was knee length, making her look even more pixie-like.

Then there was me. It had taken months for me to give up and tell my mum I would just borrow a family friends from last year. Of course, this was before Romain came into the picture.

Just two weeks ago now, I had confessed to my mum how I had changed my mind. She was ecstatic, taking me to all the dress shops she knew until I found the one I loved.

Dad had been hesitant about the material of the stomach, but mum reminded him of how it looked classy rather than anything else.

I was in love.

••

After what felt like hundreds of pictures taken by my parents of the four of us, we finally set off. I had told my parents we'd be getting a ride from another friend. Well, it was kind of true.

Like me, Romain was already seventeen and in the midst of getting his drivers license. My friends all looked a little bug eyed when he and Mitch pulled up in the Porte family's expensive grey Range Rover.

Tilly was so pale she looked ill.

"Looking good ladies!" Mitch yelled, hanging his head out of the passenger window like a dog. "Especially hazel eyes!"

Bethany's face matched her dress. Her family forbade her from dating until older, so the premature attention she was getting must have been a shock.

"No use standing around!" He continued to yell, making me glad I'd chosen to meet the street over from mine. "Hop on in!"

The car, despite being huge and expensive, could not fit all four of us in the back. After ten minutes of faffing around, we finally squeezed Tilly and I- being the smallest -into the middle, practically on top of one another.

Romain was in the drivers seat. I could barley see him in the dark, but I could have sworn I saw his eyes looking at me  in the rear view mirror when I gasped a quick hello.

The drive was uncomfortable. Not just because of the seating arrangement, but for my friends and I's lack of social skills and Mitch's persistent comments.

"You know Roa, I was thinking." Mitch began as Maddy rolled her eyes. "You should have gotten in the back and had blonde sit on your lap. Bet you both would have enjoyed yourselves."

I'd never wanted to punch someone so badly in my life.

Finally, we arrived at school. And just as anticipated, every eye was on us as we all hopped out of the car. Tilly looked ready to bolt, Maddy like she wanted to die and Bethany like she was trying to keep herself from blushing again as Mitch talked to her.

"He has no date, poor guy." Romain said, startling me. I hadn't realised I'd been staring.

"No one asked him?" I asked, confused. Mitch was like the second hottest guy in school, at least that was my opinion.

Romain shook his head. "Nah, loads actually. I think he's just more into 'real love' than he says he is."

He was whispering, allowing me to hear his accent. I shivered despite it being warm. "That's sweet."

Romain was rather distractingly wearing a dark tux themed with dark blue assents. It made his black hair even blacker, his blue eyes even bluer.

"You look beautiful, by the way." He continued to whisper, looking at me as though we weren't standing in the school parking lot surrounded by gawking teenagers. "Trop beau pour moi."

I smiled. "You look pretty good yourself."

Romain grinned, taking my arm in his. Only then did I realise the others had already gone inside, leaving just the two of us to enter side by side.