Later, as we made our way to the dance floor at prom, we danced and laughed our way through several songs. We’d made up several silly dance routines over the years, and it was fun to do them unselfconsciously. I mean, I was going to be out of this town in a few months anyway.
Who cared anymore?
The music changed, and I got ready for whatever would come next. I realized that our principal was talking.
“And now, I’d like to introduce you to your new prom king and queen! After all the votes were tallied, Tim Summers won by a landslide.”
There was loud applause all around as he stooped low so the elderly man could reach him to put the crown on his head. “And the prom queen is… Jayne Myerslie!”
I wanted to gag. Jayne Myerslie was a bitch of epic proportions. Tim liked her because he said she’d been done wrong by her best friend and boyfriend. He told me she deserved some slack. I wondered if he really thought that, or if it had a whole lot more to do with her looks. She was beautiful, with long blonde hair, blue eyes, and a perfect figure. She was exactly his type.
So, I was going for the latter.
“Alright, ladies and gentlemen, the royal couple will now have their first dance.”
I stood off to the side looking and feeling awkward.
Imani sidled over to talk to me. “You okay?”
I glanced at her. She knew how I felt about Tim. Even though I felt like most of Tim’s family had a clue, she was the only person I’d actually told. “Yeah.”
We stood there for a moment, watching Tim and Jayne dancing. They looked perfect together. “She’s the kind of girl he should be at prom with. Not me.”
Imani grabbed my hand and gave it a little squeeze. “You sell yourself short, Nat. You’re very pretty. And…”
“If you say it’s what’s inside that counts, I’m going to step on your foot.”
She laughed and quit looking so serious. “Fine. I won’t say it even though it’s true. Tim has been your best friend all theseyears for a reason. You don’t see him hanging out with Jayne or any of the girls he’s hooked up with. He only hangs out with you.”
It was true. If I wasn’t at his house, he was at mine. We were practically inseparable. I went to see him play football, basketball, and baseball. He came to my scholars bowl meets and debate tournaments. The only time we were really apart was for parties or things like that. He always tried to get me to go with him, but I wouldn’t.
I’d made the mistake of going a couple of times and had felt so out of place I might as well have been a zebra in Antarctica. I’d also seen him in the process of hooking up with a girl or two, and I’d found it difficult to watch.
I sighed. “I know. It’s just that I know it’s pointless to even dream about it being me kissing him.”
Imani looked at me sharply. I almost never talked about the realities of being in love with my best friend. At least, that’s what I thought the emotion was. It had to be love, right? Why else would it hurt so badly to see him kissing other girls?
“Why don’t you lay one on him tonight and see what happens?”
I snort laughed before I realized she wasn’t joking. “Seriously? Can you even picture me doing that?”
“Honestly? No. But it’d be great if you just took that risk.”
Imani’s boyfriend Malachi walked up sipping punch. He handed a cup to Imani. “Do you want me to go get you a cup?” he asked me.
I shook my head and smiled. “No, thanks. I might get one in a minute.” I squeezed Imani’s hand once more. Tim was now dancing with a junior girl who could have been Jayne’s twin. I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d lost my date for the rest of the night. “I’m going to go to the restroom. Y’all have fun.”
I didn’t know if I’d see them after the prom. They were invited to the prom breakfast the Summers family was having, but Imani was having one, too. I was invited to both, but since I was Tim’s date I knew I’d be going to the Summers’ house. Or that’s where I was supposed to go, at least.
As I watched Tim start dancing with yet another blonde girl who looked only vaguely familiar, I wondered if I actually wanted to go or not.
I made my way to the girl’s restroom and locked myself in the stall. I really just wanted somewhere to hide for a minute where I didn’t have to appear happy. Everything was fine between Tim and me when it was just the two of us. But as soon as his popular friends started milling around him, I felt… extraneous. Tim didn’t need me to have a good time.
I was the one who needed him. I blinked back tears. I didn’t like having to stand along the side of the dance floor and watch while he had a blast with all the beautiful people. I wished I hadn’t even come tonight.
It had started out so nicely. But I could tell it was probably going to get worse, not better, as the night wore on.
I finally came out of the stall, washed my hands, and started back down the hall towards the school gym. I knew a lot of high schools had their proms at amazing locations, like Zoo Atlanta, the Fox Theatre, or the Georgia Aquarium. In Indigo Falls, though, we still had ours at our school gym.
