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They had come so far, healed so much from the hell that had held them captive in the darkness and Maybelle was proud of them. Proud that they had clawed from the depths of their circumstances together and were all the better for it.
At least, in this aspect.
Stephanie kept a thankful, loving smile geared towards Maybelle as she replied, “Well then, I guess I’m free. What time do you want to pick me up, Xavier?”
Xavier’s wide brown eyes glimmered as he said, “Does seven work for you?”
Stephanie finally turned her smile back up at him, “Perfect, it’s a date.” Xavier sweetly kissed Stephanie’s cheek, winked at Maybelle and bid the family farewell before sauntering out of the restaurant.
The Mason family laughed through the rest of dinner, talked about old, happy memories and Stephanie gushed over her son and his performance at graduation. Then all about his upcoming season as a college athlete as she sipped on her perfectly mixed iced tea and lemonade.
All during which Maybelle was fighting her own inner battle of staying focused on her family and not the lingering feeling of Trey’s fingers gripping her dress, the slow dance they did up her torso to her rib cage and the heat of his breath in her hair.Holy freaking shite, she was addicted to the feelings that boy gave her.
The Masons finished their tacos and drove straight for Rodeo Beach, where the Senior Last Dance was taking place.
Liam always claimed shot gun in the car while Maybelle dutifully took the back seat.
“So, I will pick you both up in the morning?” Stephanie clarified as they set off in the car toward their final destination for the eventful day. Liam shook his head while he sipped on a to-go cup of soda from dinner.
Between slurps he said, “Nah, sleep in. You need to get all the beauty sleep to be ready for your big date tomorrow.” Liam teased while Stephanie quirked a brow, “And Trey said he’d give us a ride home.” Liam finished.
Stephanie side-eyed her son, “And your buddy won’t be drinking at all tonight?”
Liam chuffed, “He promised his mom he wouldn’t drink tonight that is why he offered to be the DD.”
Stephanie nodded, “You wouldn’t happen to make me the same promise, would ya?”
Liam didn’t hesitate, “I love you, but no.”
Stephanie Mason is what most would consider as the “cool mom”. She wasn’t naïve to the fact that there would be kids, including her own, that would be drinking, regardless of certain mandates and her own advisement but the stance she liked to take was, “You’re an adult now, you can make your own choices, I’m not here to control you but don’t come crying to me when the consequences of your actions bite you in the butt.”
Stephanie snickered, “Ok ok, but please don’t hesitate to call me if plans change. I don’t think my little mom heart will let me sleep in, let alone sleep at all while my babies are out all night long.” Liam lifted and placed a comforting hand on his mom’s shoulder in response.
During their conversation, Maybelle squirmed uncomfortably in the back seat. She couldn’t deny the sinking feeling she got that something bad could happen tonight.
What if she ran into Clayton alone, what if she embarrassed herself in front of Trey again or what if she was walking down the beach all alone when a sink hole suddenly appeared, swallowing her whole? Nobody will witness the earth eating her so she would only be reported missing and when they couldn’t find her after a few hours of searching, everyone would forget she ever existed by the end of the next week, if that.
Maybelle tried to shake away the stupid thought, while something that really made her antsy was the thought of riding in a car with Trey and Liam after a night of booze, partying, and girls.
“I think I am just going to stay home with you tonight, mom.” Maybelle confessed.
Stephanie glanced at Maybelle in the rear-view mirror, “Excuse me? No, you have to go, Lovebug, its graduation night.”
Liam turned in his seat to face Maybelle, “Why wouldn't you want to come?”
Maybelle shrugged as nonchalantly as she could, refusing to admit the real reason for her indifference to what everyone else seemed to think was the last night of their young lives, “I don’t know, I just don’t have anyone to hang out with there and I would have a lot more fun watching a movie with mom or reading a book.”
Liam shook his head aggressively, disheveling his curly blonde hair, “You aren’t skipping out tonight, and you won’t be alone. I will be by your side all night long.” He promised but Maybelle knew that wouldn’t last long, Liam was too much of a social butterfly to actually stay by his boring sister all night long.
Missing Maybelle’s apparent skepticism of that vow, Liam continued, “You didn’t go to prom, you really cannot miss out on this too, you’ll regret it.”
Maybelle stared back at Liam; she couldn’t argue because he had a point. She didn’t go to prom, and she did regret it. Granted, nobody asked her to be their date for it, but she could have sucked it up and gone alone, girls did that all the time, she could have too. She needed to stop letting her anxieties control her life and how better to do that than to attend a party she would most likely end up looking stupid and lonely at.
“Fine, fuck it.” She said blandly.
Stephanie looked back at her daughter flabbergasted while Liam roared with laughter.
Couple minutes later they pulled up to the dark beach lit only by the full moon and a bonfire surrounded by kids. The party was set up by the students so no adults would be present.This meant there would be lots of stolen booze and couples doing things in the bushes that Maybelle could only pray she didn’t witness.
