The Perfect Prom Date

by Marysue G. Hobika

  I couldn’t believe it was Saturday already. We were leaving tomorrow to go home. Everyone else wanted to do some last minute shopping at Downtown Disney, while Brennan and I decided to spend our last day of vacation relaxing by the pool.

  Even though I was a swimmer, and I spent a lot of my time hanging out in a bathing suit, I still felt self-conscious when I tied on my Tony Bahama blue and white striped bikini top. I usually wore an Uglie bathing suit that covered a lot more than this one did. I sighed as I looked in the mirror and put my hair up in a clip. Brennan still hadn’t asked me to the prom, and I was beginning to think he wasn’t going to. Today was my last chance, hence the string bikini. I kept my fingers crossed that it would work. Brennan hadn’t seen me in it yet. Up until now, I had worn a bikini that was a little more modest, because his family had been around. Today it was going to be just the two of us.

  I threw a sundress on over my bikini. Tossing sunscreen and a couple of magazines that I hadn’t even opened into my bag, I was as ready as I’d ever be.

  My heart swelled when I saw Brennan. He was wearing his board shorts without a shirt and his sunglasses were perched on the back of his head. His skin was the perfect shade of golden bronze after spending a week in Florida. Meanwhile with my red hair and fair skin, all I had gotten was more freckles.

  He looked up when I came into the room and smiled. “Okay, Madison. It looks like you win,” he said, as she turned over the last match. It looked like they had been playing memory, another one of her favorite games. Brennan was always such a sweet older brother, often spending time with Madison.

  “It’s okay, Brennan. Maybe you’ll win next time.” She smiled, and her curls bounced.

  “You’re on, little sister.” He stood and ruffled her hair.

  “We’ll see you all later when you get back from shopping,” he called out to his parents, who were still getting ready.

  “Have fun,” his mom replied.

  Brennan and I found two lounge chairs by the pool and laid our towels out. “Last one in the pool is a rotten egg,” I challenged. I grabbed the bottom of my sundress and quickly pulled it over my head, tossing it at him.

  Brennan caught it easily, and looked at me with surprise. His eyes shone with approval. However, I didn’t wait for him to comment. I spun on my heel, and headed for pool. I jumped in, followed by Brennan a second later.

  He came up laughing, and shaking his head to get the hair out of his eyes. “What I want to know is - where were you hiding that all week?” He nodded wide-eyed at my skimpy bikini.

  “In my suitcase,” I answered, splashing him.

  “I like it. A lot,” he smiled.

  I could feel my face getting red, but I was trying to do a better job at accepting his compliments. “Thank you.”

  “You should wear it more often.” He splashed me back, playfully. Then his eyes darkened slightly, “But not for swim practice or anything. I wouldn’t want to have to fight off Noah or any of the other swimmers.”

  Again I felt guilty about having misled Noah. “You don’t have anything to worry about.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure. I don’t think you have any idea how hot you look in that killer bikini.”

  I was thrilled that the bikini was a big hit with Brennan, but for now I needed a distraction. “Race you to the other side of the pool,” I shouted, and then I dove under the water. It was fun playing hard to get.

  Brennan swam after me, but he had little chance of catching me. When he finally reached me at the other end of the pool, he was breathing heavily. “That’s not fair. You’re on the swim team. I get a head start next time,” he declared.

  I laughed. “Sure, I’ll give you a head start.” I let Brennan catch his breath for several minutes. “I’ll race you freestyle down to the end of the pool and back. Are you ready?”

  Brennan had one hand on the edge of the pool. “I’m ready.”

  “On your mark, get set, GO!”

  Brennan pushed off hard. I waited until he was halfway to the end of the pool before pushing off from the wall. Even though Brennan was in really good shape from playing baseball, it’s not the same as swimming. There was a lot of technique involved in swimming. I reached the wall at the opposite end of the pool just after Brennan. I did a flip turn and soared past him. I pushed it all the way, reaching the edge of the pool several seconds before Brennan. The burn in my muscles felt great.

  “You’re such a show off,” Brennan laughed.

  “I know.” I giggled.

  “You make swimming look so effortless. But it’s not,” he panted. “You’re really good. Now I can see why you hold the school record for the girls’ 50-meter freestyle. Wow, you’re fast.” His voice was filled with pride.

  “And you’re an awesome pitcher.”

  “I just wish I could watch you swim sometime. You’ve seen me play baseball, but I’ve never seen you swim competitively.”

  “There’s an invitational, just for fun, coming up in a couple of weeks. You could come, if you wanted to.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “I should warn you though, swim meets are long.” I glanced around the pool and saw that the water slide was open. “Hey, do you want to go down the slide together?”

  “Is that allowed?” he questioned.

  “Why not?”

  We climbed out of the pool and made our way over to the water slide. I sat down and Brennan sat behind, wrapping his arms around my middle. I turned my head around to look at him. He was gorgeous. His dark hair was wet making his blue eyes seem even brighter. “Are you ready?” I managed to ask.

  “Yup.”

  We landed in the pool and came up laughing and choking. I put my arms around his neck, “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” He looked into my eyes. He kissed me lightly, tracing my lips with his tongue. “Are you?”

  I could barely hear him over my beating heart. Being this close to Brennan while wearing only our bathing suits made thinking almost impossible. My head was getting fuzzy. “I think so,” I whispered, leaning my forehead against his shoulder.

  “Come on, let’s take a break. You need to get out of the sun.”

  Brennan held my hand and led me out of the pool. I went willingly, but it wasn’t the sun that was getting to me. He shifted our chairs until we were in the shade.

  I laid down flat on my stomach and looked over at Brennan, who was lying on his back. “Can I ask you something?” he said.

  I held my breath. Finally the moment I had been waiting for arrived. He was going to ask me to the prom. I couldn’t wait to shout yes.

  “Did you and Noah ever go out?”

  Huh? I opened my mouth, but then closed it because what I had been about to say no longer made sense. He didn’t ask me to the prom. He asked me about Noah. This was all my fault!

  “It’s okay, if you did. I just wondered, that’s all.”

  “No, I never went out with Noah. We’ve never been more than friends. Like I told you before - he lives on my street and we carpooled to swim practice for years. But that’s it. Why?”

  “Just curious.”

  I looked at Brennan strangely. That was the second time today he’d brought up Noah. It wasn’t like him to lack self-confidence or to be jealous. However, I didn’t press him on the issue because I felt guilty for my role in all of this.

  I pulled a magazine out of my bag and began to read. I could feel Brennan watching me as I thumbed through it, quickly turning any page with prom reminders. It seemed like there was one on every page. I guessed I would have to learn to accept the fact that I wouldn’t be going to my senior prom, after all. Frustrated I tossed my magazine back into my bag and looked at Brennan. I needed to shake off this sullen mood. “B- Man, are you hungry?”

  “I could eat.”

  “Let’s go back to the room and see what we can dig up.”

  “Okay. Race you to the room?” We loved turning even the littlest things into a friendly competition.
<
br />   “You’re on.” I was in a hurry, so I didn’t take the time to put on my dress, but threw it in my bag and took off after Brennan.

  This time he won. We burst into the room laughing and falling all over each other in our rush to be first. Once our laughter died down we realized that the timeshare was quiet.

  He opened the refrigerator and poked his head inside, “What do you want to eat? There really isn’t much left.”

  Suddenly, I wasn’t hungry for food anymore. I was overwhelmed by the fact that for the first time all week Brennan and I were alone in the timeshare. I sat down on the couch and patted the spot next to me. Brennan abandoned his search for food and joined me.

  We leaned into each other at the same time, and our lips met in the middle. It was an intimate kiss, one that had been building all day as we flirted by the pool. I was trembling in delight.

  Things were moving fast, and I was overcome with desire. I kissed his bare chest, making him moan. I sat up and reached behind my neck and untied my bikini strings, letting it fall to the ground. I had never let any boy see my breasts before, and I was surprised by my forwardness, but it felt right. I wanted to share this with Brennan. I knew without a doubt that he was the one for me.

  “You’re beautiful,” he whispered as he tentatively touched my breast, sending shivers throughout my body. A moan escaped me as he pulled my nipple into his mouth. I had no idea that anything could feel so good.

  His mouth returned to mine, and we kissed again. He took his time. His tongue swept across mine, and he nibbled on my lip. Gently placing his hands on either side of my face, he studied me. My hands played with the hair at the nape of his neck, then roamed over his broad back. I could never get enough of this.

  Getting caught up in the moments, and in my feelings for Brennan, I moved my hand over the top of his swimming trunks. I could tell that I excited him as much as he excited me. I was about to push my hand under his trunks when he stopped me. “What are you doing?” he asked hoarsely.

  “I wanted to feel you,” I said, quietly.

  He groaned. “If you do that, I won’t be able to stop myself from what happens next. I love you so much, and I want you so badly. But I don’t want to hurt you. I want our first time together to be when we’re both ready. And are you, ready?”

  I looked at Brennan. I knew I loved him, and I wanted to be with him, but sex was a big deal. Once you did it, you couldn’t take it back.

  “Being with you feels so good and so right.” I stared deeply into his blue eyes.

  “I know.”

  Looking over his shoulder, I caught a glimpse of the door, and imagined how I would feel if Brennan’s entire family walked in and saw us together like this. Suddenly, I knew I wasn’t quite ready. Now was not the right time.

  “It’s okay. There’s no rush. I love you, and I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here when you’re ready and the time is right.” He knew me so well that at times it seemed like he could read my mind. He kissed my shoulder lightly. “Maybe you should put your top back on because I have no idea when they’re coming back.” He reached down and handed it to me.

  “Thanks,” I replied, tying it back on.

  He held me in his arms until I believed that there really was no rush, and that we would know when the time was right. Even though Brennan and I hadn’t had sex, I felt closer to him than ever.

  We had just decided to go down to the food court when the door opened and his family walked in. Seeing them, I knew we had made the right decision. Brennan and I exchanged a knowing look.

  ***

  The next day we left to go back home. When I wasn’t playing I-spy with Maddie, I was replaying the perfect week in my mind. And even though Brennan and I hadn’t had sex, I felt even closer to him than if we had. Having sex and giving in to our hormones would have been easy, waiting until the time was right and knowing that it wasn’t yet, was harder. I kept glancing at Brennan sitting next to me, just be to sure that this was all real. I was the luckiest girl ever.

  Comments:

  reecespieces: This was a difficult step, but I pulled it off. We flirted, we went on dates, we called each other our nicknames, and one day when we were at the mall walking around, we passed a store full of prom dresses and he asked me!!!!

  countrygirl: Thanks 4 your great advice. Without even thinking about it, I put it all together. I know he’ll ask me soon. There r only 2 more steps, right?

  BLOG #9

  Step Nine: He asks you – SCORE!

  This step is obvious – he asks you to be his date to the prom.

  I can’t predict how it will happen or when – JUST THAT IT WILL. How he asks you is a story in and of itself. And please don’t forget to share it with us. We’re all dying to know!

  Let me warn you - it might not unfold they way you thought. I know my happy ending didn’t come about at all the way I expected. Keep reading to find out how I finally won the game and scored – big!

  It was the Monday after Spring break, and I still felt giddy after having spent a

  week with Brennan and his family. I hadn’t spoken to Rachel since I got back from my trip, and I couldn’t wait to tell her all about it on the way to school.

  She picked me up like always. “I bought my dress. My PROM dress,” Rachel said excitedly, as soon as I climbed into her car.

  “That’s great,” I replied, trying to sound happy for her. I had to admit that I felt a little jealous that my BFF was going to the prom and I wasn’t. The whole way to school I listened while she went on and on about her dress. Describing the color, the style, and the material. She was so excited that she didn’t even notice how quiet I was. By the time we pulled into the school parking lot, I was depressed and no longer felt like telling her about my trip.

  Brennan wasn’t waiting for me in the parking lot, because I told him I’d meet in English class. I thought that Rachel and I would need the extra time to finish catching up. Now of course, I wished he was here. I looked around for his car, but I didn’t see it.

  As Rachel and I walked into school, I felt students staring and snickering behind my back. I thought I was just being paranoid until I stepped through the main entrance. I gasped – dropping my backpack and covering my mouth with my hand. I grabbed onto Rachel for support. Tears instantly sprang to my eyes.

  Every inch of the walls were plastered with photocopies of my pages of “Everything Prom.” All of my prom dreams, all of my hopes, and all of my comments were displayed for the entire school to see. Everyone, including Brennan, now knew how pathetic and desperate I was.

  I turned and ran.

  “Josie, wait,” shouted Rachel.

  I didn’t stop. I just kept going. Getting away as fast as I possibly could. I could never show my face at school again. Tears ran down my face blinding me. I couldn’t even see where I was going, but it didn’t matter. I ran to the edge of the soccer field and then stopped. I was doubled over and out of breath.

  ELLIE. She did this to me. I knew it had to be her. Even Tracy couldn’t have done this, she had never seen “Everything Prom” and cyberspace was more her thing than making hard copies. On the other hand, this had Ellie written all over it. She wasn’t very tech savvy, but she did know how to run the copier in my dad’s office.

  This was her way of getting back at me for having Brennan, gorgeous dark haired Brennan with the deep blue eyes, as MY GUY. I cried even harder, realizing that he wouldn’t want to be my guy now.

  This was even worse than the time she dyed my hair orange. This was taking it to a whole other level. How could she do this to me? This was completely unforgivable.

  I fell to the ground and put my head between my knees. I concentrated on breathing in and out. I was never going back to school. I was resolved to the fact that I would have to be to homeschooled for what little remained of my senior year.

  A few minutes later, I heard someone walking toward me. By the sound of the footsteps, I knew it was Brennan. I kept my head down, wishing I
could completely disappear. There was no way he’d want to have anything to do with me now. Ellie made sure of that. He had probably come to break up with me.

  “Josie, are you okay?”

  I sniffed loudly, but couldn’t answer.

  “Josie?” Brennan sat down next to me. I could hear the concern in his voice, which took me by surprise. “It’s me. Look at me.”

  I couldn’t look up.

  “Josie, I have something really important to ask you.” He put his arm around my back and tried to pull me to him.

  “Go away, Brennan. I don’t want to see you right now.” I tried to shrug him off.

  “Well that’s too bad because I’m not going anywhere.” He let go of me, but he stayed put. He sat there patiently waiting as if he had all the time in the world. The bell rang in the distance, but he remained.

  We sat in silence for several minutes until I couldn’t stand it anymore. Finally I looked up and sobbed, “What are you still doing here? Didn’t you see the pictures plastered all over the school?”

  “Yeah, I did. That’s why I’m here.” He gently touched my cheek, wiping at my tears with his fingertips.

  “I don’t understand.” I was completely confused. By all accounts Brennan should be running in the opposite direction.

  “I wanted to apologize to you.”

  “What for?”

  “For being a terrible boyfriend.” I stared at him in disbelief. “I’ve been an idiot. I honestly thought you didn’t want to go to the prom because you did such a perfect job of completely avoiding the subject. You never once even hinted at it. How could I have been so foolish to think you didn’t want to go?” He slapped himself in the forehead.

  I couldn’t respond. My throat was tight with emotion.

  “I’m really sorry. I wanted to ask you to go to the prom so many different times – but I always got tongue-tied. Like when we were sitting by the pool on vacation, and instead of asking you to the prom, I asked you if you ever dated Noah. I know stupid, right? But I couldn’t seem to help feeling nervous. Before you and I started hanging out, I overheard Noah telling some friends that he wanted you to be his date. So when you made it clear you two were never more than friends, I gained the courage to ask you. Only that’s when I noticed that were you quickly flipping the pages of the magazine that that contained any references to the prom. At that moment, I gave up on the idea of you and I going to the prom together. Deciding it wasn’t meant to be, after all. I thought maybe prom just wasn’t your thing, or that maybe you were a terrible dancer, or something like that. Anyway, I’m sure I’m still screwing this up, but what I’ve been trying to say is - ”