Prom

Slight language usage.

“Come on, Ari.” Kai said. “You can’t just not come to prom.”

“Watch me.” I shut the door behind me and walked down the stairs to one of the science wings. I heard him open the door again and go after me. “Just leave me alone.”

“Ariana, c’mon.” He ran in front of me. “You can’t just not go to senior prom.”

“I don’t want to go.”

“Too bad, you’re going-”

“I don’t even have a dress.” I interrupted him. “Therefore, I’m not going.”

Kai smiled and walked off, which meant that he either had an idea or he just wanted to look cool when in reality he looked like an idiot. His body language made it seem like he was confident and in control, but the expression on his face was one of confusion and doubt. He had something planned, and not even our other best friend could say anything about it when she came over, which meant that it had to either be special or stupid.

My bets were on the idea being stupid.

“Just tell me!” I said. “Come on, Lana, it’s Kai we’re talking about here, it’s not like he’s got something special planned.”

“Don’t underestimate the guy, Ari.” She said, sitting down on the light brown carpet in my bedroom. “He’s got something planned.”

“That doesn’t answer my question!”

“That’s the whole point!”

We laughed. We both know that the answer wasn’t important. The only thing that was important to me was figuring out what Kai was planning, but the only thing that Lana was important to her was prom. She forced me to go with her to shop for dresses. Prom was six days away, so she wanted to get it before everything was out, at least that was her logic. I would’ve thought that every good dress was gone, but surprisingly they were still there. After endless hours of looking around, she found an amber dress. It was astonishing. It was cut in a flattering silhouette, with delicate beading that sparkled in the light. The fabric felt luxurious to the touch and the color was perfect for her skin tone. She knew she had to have it. She happily paid for the dress and rushed home to try it on. When she put it on, the dress looked even better than either of us imagined. Honestly, it made me want to buy one, though I never did.

It’s not like I wanted to actually go, but I had a wedding to go to a couple of weeks after prom, so I decided to look for that dress instead. I was looking for a dark green type of dress, but I never found one. The dress was either the right color and wrong material or the wrong color and the right material. I gave up and focused on my school work, and finding an outfit for graduation. 

Senior prom was a week away from graduation, the week of finals. We have four days of finals and the dance on that Friday. After my graphic design and calculus finals on Thursday, I decided to stay home until next Monday. I needed a break from school. I spent the day watching movies with my sister, playing video games, and eating my favorite snacks. On Monday, I was hoping to face the last few days of high school with a refreshed mindset.

Except I didn’t.

On Friday night, I opened my bedroom door to a rectangular box wrapped in a red ribbon sitting on top of my bed. Upon opening the box, I was surprised to find that inside was a dark green dress. It was marvelous. The color was just right and the fabric was soft and luxurious. The intricate details of the dress were stunning - it had a high neckline, bell sleeves, and a pleated skirt. I had expected to find something completely different from Kai, so the unexpected beauty of the dress really caught me off guard.

I had never seen such an exquisite piece of clothing before and couldn't believe my luck. Was the dress even from Kai? I took the dress out and laid it on my bed only to find a small folded piece of paper taped to the box. I opened it to see Kai's handwriting: You're coming. Come outside at eight. I was filled with a mix of emotions - joy, excitement, anticipation, and curiosity. I couldn't believe I had been given such a special gift, and that Kai had gone to so much trouble to make it happen.

How did he afford to pay for this?

Before I knew it the time turned to seven. My mom was in the kitchen finishing up dinner while I was in my bedroom panicking with my sister. “How the hell did he pay for this?”

“He clearly cares a lot for you if he bought a fricken dress for you.” Evie said. “Just go to prom with the guy.”

“It’s not like that, Evie.”

“It clearly is if he bought a damn dress for you.” She pointed to the dress in my hands. “You have less than thirty minutes to get ready, now go.”

“But-”

“Go Ariana!”

Evie slammed my bedroom door behind her and stormed off as I sat on the floor. What the hell was I supposed to do?

Do I go? Well, it’s only as friends, so it wouldn’t be much of a big deal. 

It would be an ideal opportunity to spend time with him, but I wasn't sure if it would be a good idea. After all, I didn't want to give him the wrong impression. After a lot of thought, I threw on the dress and started to do my hair, but I couldn't stop thinking about the pros and cons. On the one hand, I felt like I had nothing to lose since it was only going as friends. On the other hand, I had to weigh the potential consequences of going, and consider if it could potentially lead to something more. Ultimately, I decided that whatever happened, I could handle it, and I wanted to take the chance to spend time with him, especially considering that we were going to be in different places for college. I was attending UCLA in California while he decided to stay here to attend NYU. 

Ding.

“Ariana!” My mom yelled from downstairs. “Kai’s here!”

Shit. Why am I so nervous about this? How are people even going to react to this? I just need to take a deep breath and remember that I'm prepared, for the most part at least.

I opened the front door to see Kai in a suit. I was completely taken aback by the sight of him because he was usually so casual with his style. His transformation was dramatic and unexpected, which is why I was so surprised. He had clearly put a lot of effort into choosing the suit and styling his hair, and he looked amazing. Kai was wearing a black suit that was tailored to fit him perfectly. It was made of a lightweight material that hung off his frame in all the right places. He had paired the suit with a crisp white dress shirt and a black tie that added a touch of sophistication. His shoes were polished to a shine and completed the look. He had a confident air about him that was undeniable, which was a first. 

“Ready?” He asked. I nodded as we walked to his car. “I take it that you like the dress.”

“How much was this?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Just let me pay for it.” I told him as he opened the car door for me. “And don’t do that.”

Kai didn’t respond, and I’m glad he did. I wouldn’t even need to know what to say. Wait. Does this mean that he’s my date?

I felt my heart sinking and my stomach knotting up. I knew it was better that he didn't say anything. I was grateful for his silence, as it was the only thing that would help me find my way back to a better place. I had been looking forward to the car ride to prom with my date for weeks as a kid, but now it just feels weird. But when he finally said something, it was like a bucket of cold water had been thrown at me, and all my excitement and anticipation went away. I don't even know what he said. Kai started talking when we entered the parking lot, which was the exact moment when the blasting music from the gyms started to take over the atmosphere. 

Entering the senior prom felt surreal. I had been dreaming about this night for years, and now that it was finally here, I was taken aback by the overwhelming feeling of excitement and joy. But then, Kai's words brought me back to reality. I tried to listen to what he was saying, but the noise was too much. I smiled and nodded, pretending I had heard the whole thing. He seemed content with my response, and we continued to the entrance of the building. It was the time of my life, though it was tiring. 

I found Lana outside sitting on the school steps as everyone was leaving. “I thought you weren’t going to go with him, Ariana.”

What the hell? I thought. Since when did she call me by my first name? Was she mad at me? “Are you ok?”

“Why are you here with him?” She repeated, her voice more stern. “You said that you wouldn’t.”

“Why does it matter, Lana?”

“Because it does!” She stood up to face me. “Why did you come here with him?!”

Silence.

“I was going to ask him, you idiot!”