Promised by Prom

by Jessica Bucher

  I felt froze in place, watching my mom like she had just sprouted a third eye. “What are you talking about?”

  She smiled that all-knowing mom smile. “I’m just saying...who cares about prom? There are so many other great memories to be made, so no pouting, my Maxie-poo.”

  Then, she kissed my forehead, pinched my cheek, and continued on her way to the den where she would no-doubt binge a show about murder and fall asleep with wine stains on her lips.

  Once I was done cringing from the nickname my mom had christened me with since I was a toddler, I thought about what she said. On the drive over to Joey’s, I remembered all of the memories Nora and I had made over the years. The concerts, the movie marathons, the comic conventions, and the silent discos. Andrew was getting one overrated dance, and I had a lifetime of moments.

  This was far from over.

  Nora

  In the movies, when a girl goes to prom she basically has either the worst or the best night of her life. I was having a profoundly mediocre night. It was either my fault or Delinki’s. I hadn’t quite decided which yet.

  Here is what I thought would happen. The six of us would enter the double doors of the Delinki High basketball court and before us would be a magical landscape. The gym would be unrecognizable, absolutely transformed, as this year’s theme, “Oasis of the Heart” caused us to pause, inhale and appreciate the beauty around us. To say I was disappointed by the prom committees sad attempt to recreate a desert with dance floor mirage was an understatement.

  The gym was the gym, with big plastic baby pools full of sand scattered around the room. Someone had managed to snag their Mom’s faux egyptian rug, and it hung in front of an industrial size fan. It was no magic carpet, and the decorating committee had to be aware of that.

  I looked to Lucy the moment I spotted it. “This is a new low.”

  She covered her mouth to stifle a snort. “I guess they were serious when they said they couldn’t do it without me this year.”

  Lucy had been on every dance committee for as long as I could remember. But this year she wasn’t the Lucy that cared about finding the perfect tiara or securing Prom court votes. She spent her time down at the wildlife refuge, rehabilitating birds with that creepy owl lady who was always trying to get me to volunteer. I supported this change of course, but now that I was standing in a room that looked like a third grade Aladdin birthday party gone wrong, I regretted not suggesting she maintain at least this one interest from her past.

  Andrew looked around the room with wide eyes. He held my hand and smiled politely, but I could practically read his mind on this one. Maybe he hadn’t missed as much being homeschooled as he thought! I was about to suggest we scout out an empty table when an ultra sappy, Ed Sheerhan songs began to play.

  “Come on,” said Andrew, gently tugging me toward the dance floor. “I’ve always wanted to dance with a beautiful girl to a song that makes people cry when they are alone.”

  I felt the corners of my lips rise into a smile. “That was either a compliment or a painful admission on your part. Either way I sort of liked it.”

  Andrew ran his thumb along the edge of my palm as he led me to the center of the room.

  “I think his songs are the perfect blend of sadness and desire,” he admitted, wrapping his arms around my waist. “Making people feel things with your music, that is a power I would like to have.”

  I rested my head on his shoulder. Why did he have to say such perfect things? Why couldn’t he be a big bag of tools and make things easy? I spotted Addy and Gray a few couples over. She’d never been the dancing type, but Gray changed things about her. She tried new things with him. She leaned into challenges instead of away from them.

  My friends were all growing and changing while I stood still. Not literally. Literally I was swaying in slow circles. When the song ended the DJ switched modes, bucking the traditional two slow songs in a row prom tradition he hit go on a familiar song. I felt my chest lighten.

  “This song. This song is like my song,” I cried, locking eyes with Andrew.

  He smiled and loosened his grip on my waist. “I’m not much for fast songs, but we can try if you want.”

  He did try. He jumped, he flailed, he grinned at me, all perfect white teeth and sweet, endearing eyes, but it was wrong.

  That night at the Silent Disco came roaring back to me. I couldn’t not imagine Max in his place. I couldn’t not think about his lips on mine, our heartbeats rushing together at 150 beats per minute. I was looking at Andrew, but I was seeing Max. Overcome with emotion, I stopped dancing.

  He continued to bounce up and down on the balls of his feet, his eyes squeezed shut as he let the music roll through him. Watching him try so hard only made me feel worse. When he opened his eyes, I wouldn’t be able to hide what I was feeling. I watched as the smile Andrew had been putting on all evening vanished, replaced by a concerned look.

  “You’re supposed to cry during the slow songs. Not the fast ones,” he tried.

  I didn’t know how to respond. I wanted to say something, the right thing. The problem was I didn’t know what that was. Instead, I watched as the lights from the disco ball skittered across his white tux.

  Finally he spoke. “This is about Max isn’t it?”

  I didn’t answer, but then again he was asking a question he already knew the answer to.

  “I should have known,” he said, not bothering to wait for a response. “At the music festival when I asked you about him. I was sure....”

  “I didn’t know...”

  “But I did,” said Andrew, shaking his head. “I did, but I wanted it to be different so I ignored my gut. I’m sorry, Nora.”

  I felt my heart go tumbling down a hill. He was apologizing to me. Me who hurt him.

  “Don’t be sorry,” I begged.

  He sighed, pulling me in for a hug, that felt a hundred times more real than any kiss we shared as a couple. By the time he pulled back most of the other couples had left the dance floor. Our principal stood at the microphone near the DJ, two crowns in his hand.

  Andrew gave a half-hearted smile as people began to crowd the stage. “I hate to leave right before they announce the King and Queen of a school I never attended, but I don’t feel like I belong here.”

  Andrew leaned down to kiss my cheek as Addy and Lucy emerged on either side of me. I started to argue that he didn’t have to go. It was just a dance, we could still have fun, but his white tux was already drifting through the crowd in search of an exit.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Max

  “And then,” I said, taking another cheesy slice from the round tray in front of me. “I kissed her—like an idiot. My sister saw it all, freaked out, and Nora took off. And that was that. The nail in my coffin.”

  Trip, A.K.A. Not Joey, sat across from me in the booth at the pizzeria. After he saw me come in alone, looking downright miserable, he treated me to twenty free tokens and a shake on the house. Anything but strawberry, of course.

  “So, you’re telling me you and that blondie are not going steady? I’m not buying it,” he said, staring at me skeptically.

  Going steady. Adorable.

  “No one calls it that anymore, Trip, but I promise. We are just friends.” I slouched in my seat, letting my head hit the back of the booth. “She went to the prom with Mr. Boyfriend Material.”

  My assumption that Joey’s would be prom-free was a mistake. It would seem that quite a few of Delinki High’s finest chose cheap pizza and arcade games as a pre-dance dinner spot, which, if we’re being honest, was pretty rad. I would have totally brought Nora here, instead of some over-priced fancy steak dinner at Giovanni’s.

  “Just because your sister didn’t want you dating her friends?”

  “You haven’t met my sister.”

  Trip had to be at least seventy, with a thick white mustache and a comb-over that wasn’t fooling anyone. Frankly, he was my new role model.

  “Well, did she kiss you
back or what?”

  “My sister?” I screwed up my face at him.

  He shook his head and laughed. “Blondie.”

  I thought about it for a second. “Yeah, she did.” It was the only thing in this whole messed up scenario that I was sure about. I could still feel her hand on my arm and the gentle squeeze when my lips met hers. Oh, she kissed me back alright.

  “Well, then what’s the problem? So you’re sister doesn’t want you dating her friends. She’ll get over it. The important thing is that Nora likes you or she wouldn’t have kissed you back. I bet she’s just as torn up about it as you are.”

  “So, what the heck do I do now?” I asked. Seeing this whole scenario through some old stranger’s eyes was encouraging. Of course, he was right. Plus, Addy and I did have a little heart-to-heart since the festival. She’s not so hung up on this dating ban anymore, and even if she was, wasn’t being with Nora worth the risk? “She went with Mr. Perfect anyway!”

  “Because you stopped fighting for her.”

  “I…” I stared at him over the messy table and realized he was right, again. I did stop fighting for her. Once Addy broke us up, I literally pushed Nora out and gave up. I practically pushed her into Andrew’s arms.

  “You know,” Trip started, leaning back. “My wife was my best friend’s girl when I met her. Talk about off-limits. But I didn’t give up. I waited until the time was right, and then I went for it. I figured it was better to ask for forgiveness instead of permission. We were crazy about each other, and we stayed married for fifty years.” He grabbed one of the remaining slices off the tray and took a bite. “Life is too short, Max. If you love the girl, tell her. Nothing else really matters outside of that.”

  Then, he stood up, pizza in hand and clapped me on the shoulder. “I saw you two together, and I promise, you’re not just friends. And I’ve seen a lot of couples come in here.”

  “You’ve imparted some serious wisdom on me, Not Joey.” I nodded my head at him, letting his words sink in while I stared off.

  After a hearty laugh, he started to walk away but stopped after a few steps. “I just have one question, Max.”

  “What’s that?” I asked.

  “What the heck is a Silent Disco?”

  I let out a loud, bellowing laugh. Before I could even answer, he walked up to the front to help some teens check out at the register.

  I couldn’t help but think about what my mom said, then what Not Joey said. All of the signs were there, and I should have really gone for it when I had the chance, but clearly something has been holding me back. Maybe I was afraid that pursuing a real relationship with Nora would ruin our friendship and I was afraid of truly losing her. Or maybe I was afraid of the rejection.

  But when I thought about her with that long braid over her shoulder tonight, in that silver dress that hugged her curves, and the perfectly pink tint to her lips, I realized that the fact that she was with someone else tonight was totally my fault. I should have told my sister to bug off. I should have pulled Nora back to that Silent Disco and asked her to Prom for real—not as a backup.

  That suddenly reminded me of my strawberry shake deal, and I realized my phone was still sitting silently in my back pocket, which was weird. I hadn’t had even one lame notification in over an hour. Then I looked at the lock screen.

  4 missed calls from Some Swim Team Loser (Addy)

  Addy: Strawberry shake, or whatever the dumb code is for you to come save this poor girl from her anguish.

  Addy: STRAW. BERRY. SHAKE.

  Addy: Where are you????

  Addy: This is NOT a prank.

  Addy: You better not be dead.

  Addy: Scratch that, you better be dead.

  “What the…” I muttered as I read through the messages. None of this made any sense. Was Addy trying to tell me to come save Nora or to come save Nora.

  And why hasn’t my phone even vibrated?

  Oh yeah. I nearly forgot that before all the love-wisdom tonight, I put my phone on Do Not Disturb because I was “so sure” Nora would not need me.

  I pulled out twenty bucks from my wallet and practically threw it at Not Joey as I ran out the front door. I didn’t even bother to tell him what was going on, but judging by the smug grin on his face, he knew.

  Nora

  There is a rule about high school dances. At least one girl must cry in the bathroom. If someone doesn’t cry in the bathroom, can you really say it was Prom? I was in stall number three, bawling my eyes out.

  I heard a rush of heels on the stairway leading from the gym floor to the girls locker room.

  “Nora!” cried Addy. “We know you’re in here. Sniffle if you can hear us.”

  I stood up from my porcelain throne, straightened the fabric of my dress and pushed open the stall door just in time for Lucy to launch herself into my arms.

  “We would have been here sooner, but there was a whole spotlight dance thing and….I felt awful. I thought about you the whole time I swear.”

  I smiled through my tears, taking in the jeweled tiara that sat in her intricately woven hairstyle.

  “You won,” I murmured as she stepped back to let Addy in for a hug.

  “Not just me,” she said, her cheeks filling with color. “Simon was crowned king too. You should have seen him. He was so handsome, even though he blushed the whole time and kept losing his rhythm.”

  Addy laughed. “It was a real thrill watching them dance to A Whole New World. You missed a beautiful thing.”

  I smiled, but couldn’t meet her eyes. “I was busy being the Prom crier,” I whined, staring past her at the long mirror on the other side of the room. The last time the three of us were down here, we were getting ready to re-enact our Three Stooges bit with Max masterminding Lucy’s redemption plot.

  Lucy followed my eyes to the mirror. “That assembly feels like forever ago.”

  “And the regional swim meet,” I laughed, looking at Addy. “It’s hard to imagine there was ever a time Gray wasn’t permanently attached to the palm of your hand.”

  The three of us took a seat on one of the wooden benches in front of a long bank of lockers.

  “I guess I should have expected this. Statistically speaking, failing my final squad goal was probable.”

  Addy looked like she was going to hurl. “Ew, can we not talk about your failures in math terms?”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “You know what I mean. It was dumb assuming things would be different this year.”

  Addy and Lucy locked eyes. “We’ve been thinking,” they said in unison, then burst into giggles, tickled to death that they could still share the same brainwave.

  “What if you didn’t fail?” said Lucy once they had regained their composure.

  “What if it isn’t over yet?” Added Addy.

  I looked back and forth between the two of them, unsure how to explain just exactly how over it was. “You may have noticed my date left the building,” I tried.

  “We did,” said Addy, chomping down on her bottom lip. “And it got us thinking that maybe Mr. Perfect wasn’t what you needed. Maybe Mr. Perfect was just the poor unfortunate soul we shoved you into because we—”

  Lucy furrowed her eyebrows at Addy.

  “Okay I, because I didn’t want you to look at Max.”

  I took a sharp breath. It was the first time Addy had mentioned anything about Max since the night of silent disco. I hadn’t shared with her how much doubt I had been feeling, but judging by the worry in her eyes, she understood.

  The thing was, I knew her reasons for not wanting me to date her brother were as convoluted as my own feelings toward him. It was easy to see why it would be great, and easy to see how it could go terribly wrong, all the same.

  “It’s alright,” I replied. “What’s done is done. It’s probably better this way. I can just go on fantasizing that that perfect kiss would be followed up with a perfect relationship. I never have to know his flaws and….”

  “Kiss,” whisper
ed Lucy, her eyes wide like saucers.

  “Gag me,” said Addy, her tongue dangling in revulsion. “I’d promise to fill you in later, but I would like to keep what remains of my dinner exactly where it is, thank you very much.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Alright, I get it, it’s gross—ew, I kissed your brother, moving on.” I moved to stand but Addy planted her hand on my thigh.

  “Look, it is gross for me because I share DNA with the object of your affection. I’m trying here, but you gotta see it from my perspective. Usually when one of us has a crush on a boy it is totally acceptable for the other two to say nice things about his butt. In fact it is expected! In this instance, however, I am fully prohibited from saying nice things about his butt! And if Lucy so much as opens her mouth.”

  Lucy held up her hands in surrender. “I promise that will never happen.” Then her eyes darted to me, “No offense.”

  “See!” said Addy. “It’s weird that you had to say no offense to her. Anyway,” she said, shaking her head, as if doing so would erase the last three minutes of our conversation.

  “This is hard for me for several reasons. One of which is, I want what is best for you, and I have seen him do things with food that will haunt my dreams!”

  Lucy and I both cracked up. I was pretty sure we had seen a few of those things ourselves. I appreciated everything Addy was saying and her heart was in the right place, but I had already lost my chance with Max. Hearing a list of reason’s he wasn’t good enough for me wasn’t really helping.

  “I know you’re trying to make me feel better,” I said, brushing her hand aside so that I could rise. “But we don’t have to talk about this anymore. I blew my shot with Max. Even with your blessing I’m sure he has moved on. And to think...I wasted my opportunity to bring him as my escort to this fine, fine, memorable dance. We will never know what it’s like to have our photo taken in front of the ‘Oasis of the Heart’ backdrop.” I moved to wipe a fake tear from the corner of my eye. “If you’ll excuse me, it’s time for me to go home and put devil horns and unibrows on all of his yearbook photos.”