by MADISON HAL
Thoughts raced in my mind. How will I get out of this now? I decided I had to tell my parents. After all, prom was a few days away!
Not telling them wasn’t an option either. I know it’s wrong for me to think that way. Thoughts of the triangle preoccupied my mind.
I decided I needed to get out and take a walk.
I did so and began walking down all alone. And that’s when, to my surprise, I noticed Noah!
I glanced around, wondering, is this for real?
Noah in my subdivision? Standing by the lake?
What is he doing here?
I took a deep breath and stood still, peering out the window for a while and then finally I said, “No you can’t do this you need to talk to him.”
And that’s exactly what I did.
I walked out of my home and towards him.
I knew he had been avoiding me because of the situation between us.
I knew he was still mad that Michael ruined his party by taking me away. That's what I wanted to believe in my head.
I wondered if he missed me. Maybe he possibly missed me, I thought and so as I moved closer to him, I got the courage to talk to him.
I said, “Hello."
He flinched and turned to see me standing there. He said, “Hello.”
I swallowed and said in a firm voice, “You have been avoiding me and you know it.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about?” He feigns ignorance. It was like a movie. It almost felt like the triangle was non existent.
He laughed and said, “I think you have a big ego and you would just want me to feed it.” I raised an eyebrow and frowned.
Then I clenched and unclenched my fist and said, “You know exactly what I’m talking about. What happened between Michael and you was not my fault.”
Silence followed for a few minutes then he finally said, “I’m way past that and I don’t really care what happened between you and Michael or between me and Michael as you think. You need us to feed your ego.”
I palmed my lips and ran my fingers through my hair.
Then I said to him, “What exactly are you talking about? That’s not what I’m about. I have feelings and I know you like me.”
He scoffed and said, “You are the one who’s playing with people’s feelings and you talk about you having feelings, right? You must feel really tough knowing that three guys liked you. Well, one’s walking away right about now.”
And with that, he turned his back on me. Tears streamed down my cheeks, knowing Noah was turning his back on me.
I think that wasn’t bad enough, I heard a female voice call out, “Ah Noah, there you are.”
I turned around to see someone, a gorgeous, well-dressed girl calling out for him. She was not from our school either.
She hurried to him and placed her hand in his and smiled. He smiled back.
Then he said to me, “I have to go now.”
Stunned, I silently watched him walk away with the girl.
I decided at that moment, maybe it’s best I didn’t go to the prom with anyone.
To be honest, I worried the elite guys would look down on me for living in a part of town that wasn’t the greatest.
But then Noah stopped by my subdivision to meet a girl who seemed really interested in him and he didn’t care if she lived in the area.
Oh my goodness, have I been living a lie?
Chapter 16
Maya
I walked up to my mom, and she looked at me and asked what’s up. I started speaking, but the words did not come out of my mouth.
I shook my head and said to her, “Oh, it's nothing Mom.”
She raised an eyebrow and shook her head.
Then she said, “Okay what is it Maya? Are you having problems at school? Do you think you would not get into the university of your choice?”
I shook my head and told her it was nothing and with that, I stepped away from her presence. Mom sighed and watched as I hurried off.
I decided not to think about it. Prom was a few days away and I will come up with a plan prior. I hurried back to my room, and that’s when I noticed a call from Hunter.
I smiled and read his text: He wanted to see about having a date. I sent a text back saying that would be great, but then when I called him, he didn’t answer.
I realized he wanted to see if we could hang out later on in the evening.
Maybe he wanted help with his studies?
I hurried to his place.
When I arrived, it shocked me to find Hunter crouched over and distressed.
I raced towards him and asked, “What’s wrong?”
He looked up at me and I saw how he looked shocked.
He had been crying.
I couldn’t believe it, he always acted so tough, so seeing him this way concerned me.
Hunter Rothschild never cries: that’s not possible.
I sat down next to him and asked, “Hunter, are you okay? What’s wrong? Tell me what is wrong.”
He turned and placed his head on my shoulders.
I have never seen him so upset; I wondered what happened?
That’s the moment I glanced down on the floor and noticed shattered glass all over it.
I glanced to the corner and noticed the broken picture frame and pictures depicting a happy family strewn all over the floor.
Oh no, it turned out his parents were getting divorced and fighting over who gets what?
There I was thinking he had the perfect life, but he had his emotional wounds deep within his soul.
He turned to me and said, “They are divorcing. I am sick of it. They are always fighting. I just want to get into college. I doubt I will do well in the finals. I will have to retake the tests. My dad said he would cut me off if I don’t get into the elite university. I can’t keep up, and all my mom talks about is money, money, money. I bet you don’t have any problems in your home.”
“What are you kidding? I have my problems too. My parents are first-generation immigrants, and they work so damn hard. They have their hopes on me and I have to live up to it. Would you believe I haven’t told them about prom? Well, that is what it is,”
He looked at me and said, “Really, you haven’t told your parents about prom?”
“No!”
“So are we going together? I know you don’t want to be with someone like me.”
I smiled and said, “What makes you think that?”
“I am sorry, I didn’t mean it that way.”
“It’s okay, I am sorry I questioned what you meant, I also have my fears. I didn’t think you liked me for me.”
“Are you kidding? I love everything about you Maya, I love your smile. Your kind heart and everything you stand for, you are an angel.”
His words made me smile.
I made him feel better. I held him in my arms and said, “You are going to be alright and I still have to think about the prom. I doubt I am going to go.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah. There is a lot you don’t understand.”
‘Well, if you decide you want to go, let me know, we can go together.”
“Of course,” I said with a reassuring smile. Then I added, “Now how about we go get some ice cream?”
“Yeah, lets do it.”
And with that, we got up and stepped out of the house.
I had fun with him. I learned a lot about him that night. I realized his life was not all that it seemed to be. The rich have pains too.
At the end of the evening, I asked him to drop me off close to my home.
He asked, “Why but I wanted to take you home.” I declined.
So finally, he said okay and dropped me a block from my home.
Once he parked the car, he turned, looked into my eyes and crushed his beautiful lips on mine.
I felt butterflies in my belly from his kiss. I realized in that moment, when people say you will feel it from his kiss, I definitely felt it from his kissing me.
&n
bsp; “Thank you for making me feel better. I am grateful. I had a fun time.”
“I had a great time too.”
He got out of the car and opened the door for me. I hoped no one noticed. I glanced up at my home in the distance and noticed the light was on.
I thought, oh no, did my parents see me in the car with him?
Chapter 17
Maya
I hurried back home. Once I walked in, the lights were on and I walked in to meet my sisters getting a drink from the refrigerator.
She said my parents were out for the evening. It was the first time they had gone out in a long time. I was quite surprised. Actually, I didn’t think they would.
She said, “Who dropped you off?”
I said to her, “It’s none of your business, little sis.”
She said, “That’s what you think, but I could tell Mom and Dad.”
I looked at her and said, “You wouldn’t dare do that.”
She laughed and said, “I was just joking.”
I moved towards her.
She said, “I’m just kidding, relax. No I will not tell them. But seriously, he looks so hot.”
I said to my sister, “So what do you know?”
She laughed and told me she noticed how he looked at me. She said, “Maybe he could be your future husband.”
I raised an eyebrow and said, “What?” She laughed and I rolled my eyes. I said, “You must be kidding, right?”
She said, ‘Yeah but seriously, I hope he’s taking you to the prom. He drives a cool car. He looks filthy rich, sis, you are lucky!”
That’s when I told her I have not decided if I am going to the prom or not.
She raised an eyebrow and asked. “What? Well if you decide to attend the prom, you know you will have to go with Michael right?”
I said to her, “I don’t think I have to.”
She said, “Yes you have to, you don’t have a choice!”
“I really want to go to the prom with him, but I got worried because I told my parents that I would go with Michael.”
“Well you really need to make a decision. Time is ticking.”
I laughed and played with her hair. She stepped out of my room leaving me all alone in my thoughts.
Late that week, I ran into Hunter. He smiled and said, “I can’t wait for Prom.”
“Yes about that, well....”I began, trying to gather my thoughts .
He looked at me and corked an eyebrow.
He said, “why do I get the feeling you’re having second thoughts?”
And that’s when I told him, “Of course not, I definitely want to go with you because I don’t have a dress.
I lied.
He said, “you do not have a dress? Well, we are going to get one.”
And with that, he took me by the hand and led me to his car. We drove over to the nearest mall and he walked in and said, “pick a dress I’ll pay for it.”
I looked at him and said I didn’t want him to do that.
He said, “is the least I can do.”
And so I did, I picked the most beautiful dress on the shelf.
He said he wanted to see me in it and then I told him no you can’t see me onto the prom day. I couldn’t believe I told him so when I did not know if he could take me to the prom.
I promised my parents that Michael would take me.
He said, “you know is just a few days away?”
I said to him, “yes I do.”
He said, “you need to decide, so what’s it going to be?”
I said, “okay.”
he said, “okay what?”
I said, “okay I choose you.”
He laughed and pulled me in his arms, and we kissed.
I told him I was worried someone would see us. He said, “I don’t freaking care.”
I knew at that moment that I made the right decision, I would go to the prom with Hunter.
It’s when I hurried home. Guess who called? Noah.
I said to him, “how are you?” He said, “I’m doing okay, how are you.”
I wondered if Noah was just playing a game with me and I didn’t really like it.
But I still liked him.
He said, “you have a date for the prom?"
I said it is still up in the air.
I hated to lie to him, but I just wanted to hear what he had to say.
Noah said, “well if you don’t have one maybe I could take you.”
I thought wow he wasn’t decisive; He said maybe?
So it wasn’t even a definite yes? Well then, what am I doing?
I hung up the call and realized oh my God; I had a decision to make.
Will it be Michael or Hunter or Noah? “
Chapter 18
Maya
I nodded and said, “Yes, I understand Mom. I will go with Micheal.”
“Yes mom, I understand I have to go with Micheal. I am sure we can have a good time together. My mother sighed and said, “I really hope your grades are doing well. I saw your grades, and I noticed you are slipping on one of your classes.”
I swallowed and told my mom I had a test in the morning that will pull my grades up. She said, “Okay, just know you are not doing this for me. You are doing it for yourself. If you decide not to be successful, just know I have no hand in it. You will blame yourself in the future.”
I nodded. God, I knew my mom spoke the truth, but then I wished I told her. I really wanted to go with Hunter but I knew deep down if I told her about my genuine feelings, to go with him, mom would have none of it. So I left it all alone. Mom asked to see my current grades.
I showed her and watched for her reaction.
She said, “Well you still have to take care of your grades. Then If you do well, you are free to go.”
I thanked my mom. I guess you can say I was grateful she agreed to let me go to the prom. She said in a stern voice, “Only if you go with Micheal and that’s final. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Mom,” I said.
“Good.” And with that, I hurried out of Mom’s presence.
But then my mom called me back to the room.
She said, “You should get your dad’s permission.”
I said I will. When dad returned later on in the evening, I told him about the prom and he asked if I had gotten a dress. His words stunned me, I couldn’t believe my father agreed for me to go to the prom.
I beamed and didn’t question it.
I knew I had to keep up my end of the bargain, and that was to do well in the test the following day. And guess what, I did.
I scored in the 90th percentile for the test and guess what, Hunter also scored in the 90th percentile too.
I looked at him and smiled.
I knew he could do it. He walked up to me after class and said, “Well, it’s great to have you be my motivator. I guess I will graduate after all and maybe get into an excellent school, although my dad told me he’s already paid for a building at a fancy private university to guarantee my getting into the college. Still, this achievement means a lot to me.
I said to him, “You did it all on your own and you should be proud of that.”
He said, “Yeah I guess I am proud of that. So, do you want to celebrate with me tonight and are we still on for the prom?”
I looked at him and said, “We can have a quick bite, but I really need to get home. And as for the prom…”
“Tell me yes!” he interjected.
I looked at him and tried to decide whether to tell him my genuine feelings.
Chapter 19
Maya
Oh well, I guess I had to keep the promise I made to my parents; I knew I had to go with Michael.
My younger sister walked into the room and remarked, “Wow, someone looks really pretty tonight. Lucky you, but too bad you are going with Micheal. You know you can do the ‘switcher roo’ once you get there.
Then you will end up with that popular guy who dropped you off. Hmm, but I have to ask, h
ow were you able to pay for the dress? It looks freaking expensive.”
I said to her, “I don’t think that’s your business.”
She looked at me and said, “It’s not my business right. Well I think it is.”
I raised an eyebrow and looked at her and then I said, “What do you mean?”
She said to me, “Well, you are the role model to your sister.”
I shook my head and said to her, “No, I am not. I can’t be a role model. I barely know what to do.”
I hated the fact that I wasn’t the last-born child.
Sometimes I wished I was the younger one.
Then again, it was beyond my control. What I needed to focus on was how to meet up with Hunter?
I walked out to meet my dad standing and waiting for me.
He smiled when he saw the dress. He thought I looked perfect, and then my mom walked into the room and beamed.
I mean, at first I thought they would be really stern once I walked out, but they seem to like what I had on.
I thought, oh my God, if my parents love my outfit, then it’d be a hit tonight, right?
And guess what, I felt like a queen.
I turned around, and that’s when my sister walked into the room. She said, “Those are great, Mom.”
My mother nodded, and that’s when I realized somewhere deep inside, she wished she had gone to the prom herself, but she had to work so hard and she arrived right after she turned 18.
It wasn’t easy for her to support the family with my dad as new immigrants, but things worked out for the best. I looked at my mom and said, “Like?”
She said, “Well my daughter, you look great.”
My father agreed. He said, “Is a good thing Michael is coming to pick you up. I can’t imagine someone else taking you to the event.”
And that’s when I looked at the clock and I wondered where Michael was. It was a few more minutes. It will be late. I hope he will turn up on time. And that was the moment someone knocked on the door.
And right before they opened it, I said, “Mom, I have something to tell you I really want to go with someone else. His name is Hunter.”
My parents paused and said, “Are you serious?”