A Prom to Remember

by Sandy Hall

  “Yes, Mom,” Cora said.

  Her mom smiled broadly this time. “Well, I’m going to leave you to this. I know it’ll be good for you to concentrate.”

  “Okay.”

  “And I’ll go downstairs and make us something comforting for dinner. Dad should be home soon.”

  Cora lit up. “Like mac and cheese with hot dogs?”

  “And broccoli, if only to make me feel like I’m not the worst mother in the world.”

  “Fair enough.”

  Her mom kissed her on the forehead. “You’ve got this, Cora, I know you do. You’ll figure out what you need to figure out because you’re good and smart.”

  Cora nodded.

  “And if you don’t figure it out, you’re young and I love you anyway.”

  Cora nodded again, more resolutely this time. Just as she was about to close her door, her mom stepped back toward her.

  “And, you know, have you ever considered not doing so much? That wouldn’t be a big deal. Pick and choose what’s the most important to you. And give yourself a night off sometimes.”

  “I know. I’m not good at that.”

  “Well, I’m giving you permission as your mom.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”

  With that, Cora shut her bedroom door and turned off all the lights.

  She did her best to meditate, but it was almost like she didn’t need it now that she’d talked to her mom.

  That’s how much better she felt already.

  And, as it turns out, mac and cheese with hot dogs (and a side of broccoli) is basically a balm for the soul and all that ails you.

  Jacinta

  Kelsey and Jacinta were ensconced in a pile of blankets on the couch in Kelsey’s family room watching 13 Going on 30 on Saturday night.

  “I love this movie,” Jacinta said, shoving another handful of popcorn into her mouth.

  “Seriously,” Kelsey agreed. Kelsey’s parents were upstairs, and her younger brother and sister had finally gone to bed, so it was definitely time for the sharing part of the evening, Jacinta decided.

  “I need to work on operation: PROM,” Jacinta said.

  Kelsey paused the movie and looked at Jacinta, obviously confused. “Wait, what? You want to go to the prom? Since when?”

  “I’ve sort of always wanted to go to the prom,” Jacinta admitted.

  “You don’t really seem like the prom type,” Kelsey said.

  “Thanks? I mean, I’m on the prom committee. Obviously I’m interested.”

  “I didn’t mean it in a bad way. But you’re not super into dating, or fancy dresses, or dancing.”

  Jacinta shrugged. “I could be.”

  Kelsey nodded. “Well, you need a plan.”

  Jacinta grinned. This was why she always came to Kelsey with stuff like this; she was so good at synthesizing what needed to happen and what the order of operations should be. She started ticking things off on her fingers.

  “You need a dress, shoes, all that stuff.”

  “Yes.”

  “Did you buy a ticket?”

  “Not yet. I don’t want to buy a pair and then not find a date and end up with too many tickets. Besides Cora said that due to some mix-up with the venue we have more tickets than we’ll ever need anyway and we’re going to have to use whatever money we have in our class savings to buy up the rest.”

  “So what you’re telling me is that we’re going to have our class reunion at Chuck E. Cheese.”

  “Maybe if we put it in a high-interest savings account we’ll be able to afford Chuck E. Cheese. We might be looking at something more like the school gym.”

  “That doesn’t actually sound all bad to me,” Kelsey said, taking a bite out of a Twizzler. “Wouldn’t it make sense to go back to school for a reunion?”

  Jacinta shrugged; they’d gone way off topic and she was having trouble honestly caring about their ten-year reunion with the prom looming. “So, most of all I want a date.”

  “You don’t need a date.”

  “Yeah, I know, like I said. I want a date, Kelsey. I’ve never even been on a date. I deserve a date to my prom.”

  “Hmm,” Kelsey said.

  “I was thinking about asking Henry Lai?” Jacinta’s cheeks warmed at the mention of his name.

  “Oh,” Kelsey said, her eyebrows knitting together.

  “My mom thinks I should ask him,” Jacinta jumped in, wanting to preemptively defend herself. “She’s way too into the whole idea. But I think he would say yes.”

  “I wasn’t judging you.”

  “Then, what?” Jacinta asked.

  “I don’t know, do you think he’d be fun? He’s so serious all the time. Maybe you could go with one of Mike’s friends. Wouldn’t that be more fun for everyone?”

  “Maybe for you and your boyfriend, but I think I’d rather go with someone who I actually know.”

  “Yeah, right. That makes sense,” Kelsey said.

  “Sorry. I’m sure Mike has great friends. But I don’t want to go with someone just for the sake of going with someone. I’d rather go alone if that’s the case.”

  “But you literally just said you want a date so much that it feels like you need a date.”

  “I know,” Jacinta said, frowning. “I know. I’m sort of all over the place. I guess I’m hopeful about finding a date and not having to go with a stranger.”

  “Well, if you can’t find someone, I could set you up. The choice is there.”

  “Maybe,” Jacinta said. “If you think I’ll like them and not just because they’re convenient for you and Mike.”

  “Wow, Jacinta,” Kelsey said. “I’m really impressed.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know exactly how to say this, but you don’t usually give your opinion. Or it feels like you don’t. But lately you’re, like, giving your opinion and I think that’s cool.”

  Jacinta smiled and sat up a little taller. “Thanks,” she said.

  “You are totally welcome.”

  Chapter 9

  Henry

  “So, we have a bit of an issue,” Paisley said early Monday morning. She’d been waiting for him to come through the back doors of the school, because that was where he always came in.

  “I don’t like issues this early on a Monday,” Henry said as she fell into step with him on his way to his locker.

  “Who are you? Garfield?”

  “Such timely and humorous jokes,” Henry said, yawning.

  “It’s just that remember when I told you that I sort of mentioned your name for prom king a couple weeks ago?”

  “No,” Henry said. “You never told me. Was that the thing you had to tell me but never told me?”

  “Huh?”

  Henry pulled out his phone and scrolled through his screenshots, before turning it to show Paisley the evidence.

  “Oh yeah, right. I never told you about it. But thanks for keeping a screenshot of it.” Paisley twirled a piece of her hair around her finger and grinned innocently. “So anyway, no big deal, I mentioned your name for prom king. But! The good news is that we’re going to do a king and a queen and a separate prom court! So, like, more people will be up there on stage than ever.”

  “I’m going to assume that you unmentioned it,” Henry said, ignoring her rambling excuse.

  “I never had the opportunity to unmention it. It wasn’t even an official nomination. But.”

  “But?”

  “Well, it’s just that I need you to stay calm and not hate me or kill me. Because I don’t think you would fare well in prison.”

  “Paisley,” Henry said.

  “So you’re nominated for prom king,” Paisley said, patting his shoulder. “Okay, I love you, see you around.” She started walking off and he grabbed her elbow.

  “Wait, what?”

  “Cora Wilson read the list of nominees during prom committee, and they’re going to be announced during homeroom, and you a
re definitely on that list.”

  Henry scrubbed at his face with both hands, trying to reconcile this information.

  “Is it really that big of a deal?” Paisley asked. “I mean, maybe you won’t win?”

  Henry blinked at her. Getting up in front of his whole class to accept an award like this was basically a nightmare for Henry, so of course he would win. He would win and be haunted by it for the rest of his life.

  “I just, you know I hate all that attention. Even if I don’t win,” he said finally.

  “Is it really so bad?” Paisley asked. “Like if you have to get up in front of everyone it would be because they all voted for you. And it turned out that after all these years of flying under the radar, you were really making friends. It would only mean good, happy things if you won.”

  Henry wasn’t so sure of that, but he didn’t know how to argue this point with Paisley. She would never see it his way.

  “I know,” he said. “But it’s not my thing.”

  “And I know that. Maybe you could just suck it up and go?”

  “Maybe instead you could get me out of it,” Henry said with a grin.

  “Oh, come on, Henry,” she said. “It won’t be that bad. It’ll be a hot second of torture and then it’ll be over. There’s also the option of ignoring it completely and just not going.”

  “I like that,” Henry said. “Denial works for me.”

  “See? You have options!”

  “Who are the nominees for prom queen?”

  “Pretty much everyone you would expect. Amelia and a couple of her cronies, that chick Josie who’s friends with Cora.”

  “I thought you hate when people use the word chick,” Henry said, putting air quotes around the word.

  “I’ve decided I want to take chick back,” Paisley said.

  “What exactly does that entail?”

  “Honestly I don’t know. I’m just trying to cover the fact that I didn’t even notice I was using it.”

  Henry laughed and turned back to his locker as the first bell rang. “So there’s really no way out of this?”

  “There really isn’t. They’re going to announce the nominees during homeroom.”

  “Who are the nominees for king?”

  “Oh right, um.” Paisley squinted and looked into the distance for dramatic effect. “Jamie Fitzpatrick, Tag whatever his last name is, and a couple of football dudes.”

  “Why is dude okay, but chick isn’t?”

  “Chick is a shortening of chickenhead, and that is a pejorative term used for women who enjoy giving fellatio.”

  “Fellatio sounds like a type of pasta.”

  “I believe you are thinking of farfalle, which are the little bow tie ones.”

  “Maybe. Also isn’t dude a word for horse penis?”

  Paisley shut her eyes like Henry was being unreasonable and then ignored his question completely. “For the record, Henry, I think you should be king. I think you’re the perfect guy for the job this year. If we have to continue this inane tradition, at least let it be someone like you rather than one of the jerk faces and misogynists.”

  “Jerk faces and misogynists would make a great band name.”

  Paisley rolled her eyes and shook her head as they took their seats in homeroom. “That’s a terrible band name and you know it.”

  “I don’t—” but Henry’s words got lodged in his throat when Amelia sat down next to him and leaned over.

  Paisley

  She could see the exact moment that Henry’s eyes glazed over in panic as Amelia Vaughn started talking to him.

  Henry was the best friend a girl could ask for, but he was just as susceptible to feminine wiles as any other eighteen-year-old boy.

  “I can’t remember,” Amelia said. “Did I tell you I was going to the prom with Drew? You know Drew? He graduated last year.”

  “Yes, I know Drew,” Henry said abruptly. “But you and I haven’t talked about prom, so you didn’t tell me.”

  To Paisley’s well-trained ear, she could tell that Henry was doing his robot voice to keep himself calm.

  “Well, as it turns out, he can’t make it. Something about having to stay on campus for some fraternity thing. I would totally go to that with him, because he totally asked me, but I don’t really want to miss my prom for a frat party. I already have a dress and everything.”

  Henry nodded.

  “Shouldn’t his semester be over by then?” Paisley asked. Amelia gave her a dirty look.

  “Of course, but they still have parties during the summer and they’re important.” Amelia turned her attention back to Henry.

  “I heard that you’re nominated for prom king, and I’m nominated for prom queen, and I think it would be a really good idea and like totally fun for us to go together. And campaign together.”

  Henry stared at Amelia slack jawed.

  She smiled. “Right?”

  For some reason that word snapped him out of whatever happy place he’d been in.

  “Huh?” he said.

  “So you will, right?”

  “Um, yes?”

  “I knew I could count on you,” she said, squeezing his shoulder and walking out of the room, since she wasn’t actually a member of their homeroom to begin with.

  Paisley stared at him.

  “Um, I’m sorry,” Paisley said. “What did I just witness?”

  “Amelia talking to me?” he said, trying and failing to sound casual.

  “No, Henry. Not just talking to you. Amelia asking you to the prom and you saying yes.” Paisley’s eyes went wide. “Were you not there? Were you astral projecting? You can tell me the truth.”

  “Amelia asked me to the prom?”

  “She did and you said yes.”

  “I did?”

  “Yes.”

  “No.”

  “Yes. I saw it with my own two eyes. I witnessed it. You looked like you were in some kind of waking coma.”

  “She’s just really intimidating, and her lips are all shimmery, and I couldn’t concentrate on what she was saying.”

  “Boys are gross,” Paisley said. “I’m putting that down in the record. But I guess at least you weren’t staring at her boobs. You’re at least a little more respectful than that.”

  Henry blinked, obviously still stunned.

  “So what are you going to do?” Paisley asked.

  “I guess I’m going to the prom with Amelia?” he said as their homeroom teacher strolled in and started taking attendance.

  “You really want to do that? I thought you didn’t want to go to the prom.”

  “I don’t, but how am I supposed to get out of this? What would I even say? ‘Gee, Amelia, I’m sorry I was hypnotized by your lips and didn’t realize you were asking me to the prom,’” he said in a goofy voice.

  “Yeah, that’s not great. She would probably have you killed.”

  “Her dad’s not in the mob or anything, right?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t know much about the mob. I think they prefer it that way.”

  “I really don’t know what to do.”

  “Well, buckle up, big boy, because you’re going to the prom with Amelia Vaughn.”

  “Don’t call me big boy,” he said. “Also Vaughn doesn’t even sound Italian, so there’s probably no mafia relations.”

  “Well, buckle up, buckaroo, because you’re going to the prom with Amelia!” This time she slapped his shoulder for emphasis. “And it probably got bastardized at Ellis Island and her full last name is Vontiglio or something.”

  “We need to figure out how to get me out of this,” he said as he slumped lower in his chair.

  “Nope, nope, nope. This is definitely your shit show. It’s not my fault that you went into a fugue state because a girl talked to you.”

  “Come on, Paisley. I need help.”

  “And I need to not die at the hands of the Northern New Jersey mafia.”

  “She’s not in the mob.”

  “Of cou
rse she isn’t, but I’m still not sure that her dad isn’t.”

  “This is the opposite of what I wanted to happen,” he muttered, his face in his hands.

  “I know,” Paisley said.

  Henry frowned and looked so upset that Paisley had to say something to comfort him.

  “Fine, I do blame myself at least a little.”

  “What? Why?” he asked.

  “Well, I mean, I did accidentally nominate you for king, and I might have heard her talking about asking you to the prom the other night at the mall.” Paisley cringed away from Henry, as if he was going to hit her, even though Henry would never actually use physical violence on anyone.

  “Are you kidding me?” he asked.

  Paisley shook her head.

  “You could have at least warned me!” Henry said loudly, drawing the attention of everyone in their homeroom. His cheeks reddened.

  “I know, I’m sorry,” Paisley whispered as the morning announcements started.

  “We’re going to figure this out,” Henry said, his voice tight.

  “Yes, we will. I’m sorry I said it was your shit show when I am so obviously implicit in the shit myself.”

  There was nothing worse than the feeling of guilt that had settled on Paisley’s shoulders even though she knew it wasn’t entirely her fault.

  She’d find a way to help him out.

  It was what she did.

  Chapter 10

  Otis

  Otis’s leg jiggled nervously under his desk in history class. The girl sitting in front of him turned around to give him a dirty look, and he had to put his hand on his leg to stop it from bouncing.

  It had been like this ever since Luke mentioned getting a hotel room after prom. Otis was in a near-constant spiral of panic. He liked Luke, a lot. He wasn’t sure he loved Luke.

  He also wasn’t sure why hotel room had to be synonymous with S-E-X. But it totally was. He needed to talk to someone about this and fast before he vibrated out of his skin overthinking it.

  He should talk to Luke about it. He knew that. But every time he imagined approaching him about this topic, panic ensued. He chickened out over and over again, all day long, like an ongoing stress dream.