The line of boys and girls posed for a group photo. The boys wore sharp tuxes or suits, and the girls showed off a variety of dress styles that their parents found appropriate to wear for prom.
A month earlier, a boy in the chess club asked her to go, but she declined and instead invited him into the group. That was good enough for him. They all met at the park, not far from the school, driving separate cars, posing in front of rose bushes. Then they drove to dinner, carpooling. Regressing a bit into her old ways, Sarah took a selfie during the meal and sent it to Timothy.
She got no answer.
The lack of response, the lack of knowing, the hopes of seeing him on the street walking a dog. Or sitting in the chair behind her as she turns around. Like a ghost, she felt him, but he was never there.
Prom took over a ballroom in the city, near where they got dinner. The decorations were off the charts, chandeliers, waiters, music, and dancing.
She danced with her friend group. Switching between each friend, trying to talk occasionally over the loud music. A junior she’d never spoken to nervously asked her to dance, and they shared a slow dance. His friends stood in the corner and cheered him on.
Halfway through prom, the lights brightened and the principal gathered everyone’s attention with an awkward “Hear ye, hear ye…” He continued. “It’s that time to crown your prom queen and king.” He took out the card. “For your prom queen, I’m so glad I get to say this name again, Sarah Carr.”
The crowd cheered. Despite doing this so many times, the congratulations she’s received seemed genuine. Her old friend Alicia, however, did not clap, not one bit, but Sarah did intentionally walk by her through the ballroom to get to the stage.
She sighed, walking up the steps, but smiled before turning around to the crowd, and for the eighth time, got crowned by the principal. The act reminded her of her social media gig. The posing, the lighting, and wearing the proper outfit. It irked her a little.
“I’m going to miss seeing you up here,” he said.
Sarah just smiled and stood where she always had before.
Liam went up to the steps and raised his hands. The crowd erupted.
The principal had to hurry. “And your prom king, All-American Bowl recipient, and QB of our Bobcat state champions, Liam Witman!”
Already halfway up the steps and fist pumping, he gave the principal a high-five, took the crown, and placed it on his head, gaining more applause.
This would be her last experience in front of such a large crowd. Not wanting to pursue cheer in college, despite scholarship offers, or to take a role in a movie that a producer DM’d her, or to continue her social media use. She wanted to be like her mom. Someone with a good head on her shoulders with a career.
She pretended to be a queen and didn’t show any animosity as Liam took her hand and led her down to the middle of the ballroom. As she had many times before, she wrapped her arms around him, and the music played. The lights dimmed, and the school watched.
“Hopefully Alicia won’t get jealous,” she said.
“Did you hear about the D1 university I’m going to?”
“Nope,” she whispered.
“Really? Where have you been? Everyone’s been talking about it.”
The two spun, their eyes locked into each other. “I must have missed it.”
“Well, after winning the highest football award in high school, the best university in the country recruited me. I’m starting. Full ride.”
“Cool. Happy for you. I plan on becoming a doctor—”
“I set the record for most completed passes. Rory thinks he deserves some credit, but that could have been anyone. And the hand surgery made national news after we won state. They called me the Comeback Kid. I prefer man as I’m six four, but whatever.”
“Congrats.”
Cameras flashed as they danced, and she continued to listen to his banter about football. Last year, she would have been proud to be dating a D1 football star, a potential candidate to play pro.
“Do you want to keep dancing after this?” He said. “You look better in that dress than Alicia does in hers.”
Stolen novel; please report.
The song ended, finally, and she stepped back. “Not really.”
As she turned from Liam, the students began to take over the ballroom again.
He scoffed. “What?”
She hoisted her dress a little as she walked back to her friends.
“Fuck you,” he said.
Back in her group, she showed everyone the crown, and she even let some of them try it on. The boys also tried it and took selfies. The dance continued, but as some people grew tired, some students scattered about, resting, chatting with other friends, or changing who they’d been dancing with for a song or two.
She went out to the balcony for a breath of fresh air. The brick railing overlooked a park backed by prominent skyscrapers with sparse lit-up windows that replaced stars. A student couple was making out, but she made sure to give them their space as she leaned over to feel the cool air of the park.
“Hey,” someone said.
She turned to see Mr. Witman standing alone, wearing a tux.
She sighed and looked back over the park.
He took a deep breath. “Have you heard from Timothy?” She flipped around, worried. Mr. Witman raised steady hands. “I haven’t heard anything bad if that worried you.”
“Oh, whatever.” She turned around.
“For what it’s worth. I tried everything,” Mr. Witman said. “Kayla wouldn’t let me near him as my wife, well, she wasn’t happy.”
“She wasn’t happy you had an affair while she was pregnant with Liam? And she took it out on Timothy?”
“Yeah. I’m sorry to both of you.”
Sarah turned around. “If you loved Timothy, you would have divorced your wife to be with him then.”
“Well, Liam, I don’t know if I’d be able to see him if I had.”
“Please, you never harmed either of them, there’s no way you’d lose full custody. You’re pathetic.”
Mr. Witman looked away, shaking his head with disappointment.
“What’s wrong? Go back to your son who only talks about himself and football. You chose the right son and you have a lot to look forward to.”
He shrugged. “You know I came over here to make amends, and this is what I get?”
“I’m so sorry I didn’t give you exactly what you wanted because you were being nice. Go join the rest of the class who get mad for not getting tit pics from me when they hold a door open.”
He lifted a finger. “Watch it.”
“You are getting pissy because I didn’t forgive you.” She waited for him to respond, but he didn’t. “Are you going to leave or should I?”
Mr. Witman rolled his eyes, “Whatever.”
She turned and went back to leaning on the thick guardrail. After a few heartbeats, she had already forgotten about the conversation just now with Mr. Witman. It didn’t bother her at all.
An owl kept calling not far from the balcony on a tall nearby tree. Hoo.. hoo. Quien… quien… She recalled Timothy’s dad joke. While smirking at it, a familiar voice said Hey.
She turned, and a boy with sandy blonde hair stood in a tux not far from her. A brief breath of hers was stolen.
But it wasn’t Timothy.
The junior who asked her to dance before getting crowned stood before her. The multiple double doors behind him muffled the music, and silhouettes of their peers stood or danced inside. “Everything ok?”
She straightened up, reorganized her dress, and said, “Yeah.”
“Saw you getting upset at Mr. Witman. Need me to pile drive him?”
She chuckled.
“I can get him in a headlock.”
She smirked at his cute overprotectiveness. “I couldn’t hear your name over the music.”
“Asher.”
“Well, Asher, I appreciate you wanting to defend my honor, but I’m fine.” With a better look at him, she has finally recognized him. He and his friends tried to recruit her into the gaming club, mentioning VR and Nintendo to persuade her. They’re a tight-knit group. Though his nervous posture, using humor to hide his nerves, did remind her of Timothy a little.
“Is there anything I can do for you?” Asher said.
“I think I’m good for now.”
He tapped his heels. “I mean.” He swallowed, and Sarah smiled, waiting for the inevitable. “I’ve always wanted to do something nice for you.”
She tilted her head.
“Just. You know. For the girl I’ve always had a crush on.”
Whenever a boy got upfront about this, she’d become standoffish. It’s always best not to give someone false hope. But, Asher, he was different. But Asher knew nothing about her, just liked her looks alone, and she’d be off to college soon so there was no time. “You’re very sweet. But I shouldn’t take advantage of that.”
Asher’s eyes didn’t match his one-sided smile. “I hear ya. Is it ok if I follow your socials? In case you change your mind.”
“Sure.” She watched him walk back to one of the double doors where some of his friends were waiting. He shook his head and got a few pats on the back. One of the girls in the group joined in and comforted him as well, and she clearly liked him.
She felt good as that was a positive exchange. Rejections rarely go so well. A week ago, she turned a boy down for prom, and he threw his bookbag against his locker, cursing. She wished Asher the best of luck, eventually rejoining her friends for the rest of prom.
