The Yearbook

Lora tossed and turned in her bed. It was so hot. She tossed off her covers and looked back at her long-time boyfriend Aaron. She took in a big, long breath and quietly tip-toed out of the room. 

When Lora entered the kitchen, she let go of the breath that she was holding. She walked to the refrigerator and scanned the very bare racks. 

I’ll have to go to the store tomorrow, thought Lora. She wandered around the kitchen once more, looked back in the refrigerator for good measure, and then reached up on her tippy-toes and grabbed a glass from the cabinet. 

She walked over to the faucet and quietly got herself a drink of water. There was no ice in the house. She sighed. Nighttime was the worst for Lora. She had nightmares, terrible nightmares about a portrait given to Aaron and her by Aaron's horrendous parents. It was a man, his face curved and coiled. His clothes were ones of a homeless man’s, and his eyes, oh his eyes! Thinking about it made Lora shutter deeply. 

Lora sat down at the glass kitchen table, given to Lora by her own horrendously fashionable parents. She took a sip of water, then thought for a moment. Her heartbeat was loud in her ears as she tip-toed back into her bedroom and slipped her hand under her pillow--grabbing a book. 

The Grandson Highschool Yearbook, Year 2014. 

Lora let her fingers run gracefully over the coated stock paper. The cover was glossy and small bumps ran across. It smelt old, and she wiped away a spider-web that had somehow grown on it. 

She closed the door and tip-toed back. 

Lora switched on the light and then sat back down at the table. She opened the book and a sad wave of nostalgia hit her. The first picture she saw, plastered on the front page, was her and Aaron, both dressed in classy, formal clothes, at Junior year prom. 

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Lora walked into Mr. Browns English class. She clutched her books tight, as any cliche nerd-type would, and sat down at her desk. She whipped out her homework, and quickly scribbled random words on the answer boxes and filled in spontaneous bubbles in the multiple-choice questions. She smiled when her best friend, Ashley, walked in. Ashley was bubbly and always had a good energy about her. That was morning Ashley. though. At night she was a raging partier, and when she wasn’t into a book (as she dreamed to be a writer), she was sticking herself into any party scene she could be apart of--drama alike. 

“Oh my God Lora. Mr. B’s down the hallway right now. He’ll be here any second and why didn’t you do your homework?” She said all in one breath. “I was up all night talking to you-know-who,” Lora responded, feeling her brown cheeks tingle. “Girl, no way! I’m tellin’ you-he’s trying to shoot. His. Shot.” Lora gave a shy smile as she put her homework away. “No way. We’re just really good friends. One of the friends just happens to be desperately in love with the other friend.” Lora joked, but Ashley just raised her eyebrow at her. Her perfectly sculpted brown lips dipped downward and Lora rolled her eyes. “Don’t look at me like that. I was only joking.” 

Ashley just raised both her eyebrows. “Okay,” she said and looked away. Lora grew frustrated. “He doesn’t like me!” She whisper-shouted. 

Ashley grinned as she sat back in her seat and listened to Mr. B teach. 

Later that day, Lora saw Aaron Harris outside the high school, sitting on the stairs. Rumor had it that he had a deep crush on Lora and would blush every time he was around her. Lora adjusted her glasses and held on tightly to her backpack straps. 

Aaron smiled at her as she walked by. She smiled back. There was nothing wrong with Aaron. She just felt no attraction to him, not that she’d made that obvious. She’d blush in shyness and smile sweetly every time she caught him staring.

Lora felt bad for leading Aaron on, and she felt that he deserved someone to be completely honest to him, to spare, or damage, his feelings. Aaron continued to talk to his friends and seemed to have grown louder and bolder. Trey sat beside Aaron, laughing at something he’d said. 

Trey. 

Trey was the guy that Lora couldn’t hide her feelings for. She was like the girl version of Aaron. Soft-spoken but more bold and passionate when he was around. A bit ironic, since she thought that Aaron was a little too into her but nevertheless she thought Trey found her endearing. And she prayed he didn’t see through her facade. Trey gave her a knowing smile and nodded to her. 

Lora thought about this on her bike-ride home and contemplated how to be better, how to let her true show, but be confident enough to approach Trey about her feelings-without losing sight of who she wanted to be. For Trey and herself. 

Lora felt a buzz in her back pocket. Her big frizzy hair blew wildly and she dismissed it with an absent wipe away from her face. She pulled out her phone and a single text sat on the screen. 

I think I know how to find out if Trey likes you. 

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“Are you sure this is a good idea? It seems… cruel.” Lora asked as Ashley rushed her down the hallway to Trey’s locker. “I mean, Kayla likes Trey. We already know that. Wouldn’t it be mean to impose on their relationship?”

Ashley remained silent and rolled her eyes. “I mean, is it really necessary to get confirmation? And what about Aaron’s feelings? I’m already leading him on.” Ashley had texted Lora yesterday that she’d sculpted a plan to find out if Trey liked her. She was going to ask Aaron to the dance, on Lora’s behalf and find out if Trey felt anyway about it. She was then going to approach Kayla and ask her if she and Trey had a thing going, upon a rumor that Ashley would speak into existence: all for Lora. 

Ashley stopped. She looked at Lora. “Do you have feelings for Aaron or something?” 

Lora’s cheeks tingled. “Of course not. I just don’t want to hurt him--or Kayla. What if she takes this imaginary rumor as if it existed and got depressed or--” Ashley placed a finger to Lora’s lips. “Do you want him or not?” 

“I-I,”

“I don’t have all day. Do you want him or not?” 

“Not for this.” 

“Fine.” Ashley smiled at her and bent into her purse. She fished for something and pulled out a container of chapstick. “Lunch after school? We can go to Panera. It’s so boring going to my house after school.”

Lora was taken aback. “No fighting me? You aren’t gonna try to manipulate by making me contemplate the impossible as if it could exist and act like you’re giving up but giving me ‘the look’?”

Ashley stared at her. “The look?” 

“Yeah,” Lora said shyly. She raised her eyebrows and looked away. She cocked her hip and placed an absent hand on it and shrugged her shoulders. “So you’re not got gonna go get Trey? Okay. You’ll just be lonely for the rest of your life I guess.” She raised her eyebrows and looked away. 

“I don’t do that,” Ashley said unsurely. “Right?” 

Lora laughed and hooked her arm through Ashley’s. “Lunch at Panera then?” 

Lora sat at her desk and contemplated the day. A pen and paper sat in front of her. She picked it up and tapped it against the paper. What if Ashley was right? What if she needed an intervention? What if Trey did have feelings for her, and she didn’t explore them because she wanted to spare someone’s feelings that probably wouldn’t care for hers? She looked down at the paper, the flower design on the top left, it’s long, singular figure. She pressed the pen to the top, knowing whatever happened if she kept the note or gave it to Trey, everything would change. Because she knew she would do what she’d sworn she wouldn’t. She’d let Ashley’s input change her. She took a deep breath and pressed the pen to the paper. 

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The next morning, Ashley woke up just a little earlier than everyone else to get to school early. She rode down the road, and only a couple of cars at a time passed her. The wind felt good in her hair, so much at that he kinks and coils seemed to dance for, seemed to reach for the wind. Lora loved mornings like this. When it was dark and peaceful. 

Lora hurried to Trey’s locker. “Please, please, please be his locker!” She prayed and opened her backpack. She grabbed the note, slipped it inside and hurried off to the library. Aaron approached her later that day. “Lora? Can I talk to you?” 

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Lora sat in the library with Aaron who trembled with nervousness. “What’s up?” Lora asked as she placed her computer on the coffee table in front of her. Aaron glanced up at Ms. Sexton and looked back to Lora in a hushed voice. “Was it a prank?” Aaron asked. Lora chuckled with confusion and cocked her head, brushing hair from her face. “Was what a prank?” She asked leaning in close. 

Aaron gestured to something in his hand. Lora was still confused until it hit her. The letter. The letter. “Oh my God.” She said and snatched it from Aaron’s hand. Her eyes skimmed over everything. I like you. Feelings for a while. Will you go to the prom with me? She looked for something, something she’d missed.

WHO IT WAS ADDRESSED TO. 

How could she be so stupid? It was the easiest, most memorable thing… and oh no. Poor Aaron. 

Aaron looked at her expectantly. “I-I… no. No, it wasn’t a prank. How did, how did you get this? Did someone-Trey-give it to you?” Aaron shook his head. “Trey and I share a locker. I got here before him. Why? Is this for…?” 

Lora nodded shamefully. “It’s for, it’s for you. I was wondering if you wanted to go to prom.” 

Aaron’s dark cheeks grew light. “Well I, yeah.” He stuttered. He smiled and stood to go but seemed to have a second thought. He sat back down and embraced Lora in a gentle, and sweet hug. He smelled of cologne and men’s shampoo. Lora wondered what Trey smelled like. 

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In the weeks leading up to the dance, Aaron and Lora spent lots of time together. Lora had come to realize some crucial things about Aaron. He was mixed, Asian and Black. His favorite food was all seafood, but he was allergic to certain types of shrimps. He said it made him the most pathetic seafood lover in the world.

He was funny and kind. When he was clean, he felt clean, as if he’d dumped himself in mud and took a long, relaxing bath with flowers of different shapes and sizes. He stressed college and the meaning of life. He was poetic and romantic and sweet. He also valued his friendships as much as his relationships. He had 3 siblings, an older sister name Tajah, she was 19, and two twins one girl, one boy, Lily, and Cole. 

Lora found her self falling for Aaron. Hard. She sometimes let her mind wander to Trey, every time, Aaron would somehow announce his presence. He’d call or FaceTime her, text her, or have a friend tell her he said hi. Every time. 

The night of the prom, Ashley talked on FaceTime with Lora. “It is just unfathomable that you and Aaron…!” She squealed the pause. Lora put the final touches on her makeup. “Done. What do you think?” 

Ashley plastered on a fake smile. “While you are gorgeous, I think that maybe we need an intervention.” Lora held a hand to her chest. She knew Ashley would never let her walk out of the house like this. She was too proud, however, to ask Ashley to help her get ready. She’d never hear the end of it. 

“Intervention? On who?”

“You, dear.”

“Oh?”

“Oh.”

“Well, what for?”

“L, that’s a granny dress. Floral print on a creme background is not acceptable for a 17-year-old girl going to prom.”

“No need for disrespect,” Lora said. Ashley grinned and hung up. A minute or two later, Lora heard the doorbell ring. “Lord Almighty, that was quick!” Lora raced down the stars. She flung open the door and Trey stood in front of her. Purple flowers were held to his chest and he wore a sleek tux. “Lora, hi.” He said. He smelled minty fresh. 

“Hi,” Lora said blushing. Trey grinned. Oh, those pearly whites Lora’d dreamt about. “So, the dance is tonight. I was maybe wondering if you’d like to go with me?”

Lora smiled, but couldn’t ignore the tight feeling in her gut. Something was off. Why would he wait until just now? Didn’t she hear something about him and Kayla going together? She was about to respond when she saw a glint behind Trey. The glint of a camera. 

“No, sorry, I’m going with Aaron.” She covered her face with her hands. Trey looked surprised. “Tell your idiot friends to get that camera out of my face. Now.” Trey turned around in shame and nodded to his friend. The camera was put away. Lora slammed the door in Trey’s face. She took a deep breath. 

Ashley was here. 

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The dance was wonderful. Lora, Ashley, Aaron, and Ashley’s date DJ had a great time. When Trey arrived to the dance, he looked Lora and Aaron over. He smiledat her but shame was lit behind his eyes. His eyes told a story. He knew Lora liked him. He took advantage of that. For Instagram, apparently.   

Lora laughed until the end of the night. Aaron took her in his arms and whispered sweet, sweet stories of their future. Lora was thrilled. At the last dance, Lora rested her head gingerly on Aaron’s head. They rocked back and forth.  To think this was all because of Trey. She wondered if Trey had gotten that letter would she be on his shoulder, rocking? Would she smile as widely as she did with Aaron?

As the last dance ended, Lora lifted her head of Aaron’s shoulder. His cheeks were dark in the lighting. He looked down at her and smiled. She lifted herself on her tippy-toes and touched her lips to his. It was the sweetest, most memorable kiss she’d ever had. It was soft and sweet and gentle. Butterflies exploded in her stomach. Aaron held her by her back as she cupped her hands around his face. She heard a camera click next to them. But Lora didn’t care. Her ruby red dress shined with sparkles and her makeup seemed to pop. She felt magical. Thank God for Ashley. 

Aaron hugged Lora and hugged him. At that moment, that small, small moment. Everything seemed to go just as planned. 

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////Lora smiled as she looked at the picture. She heard scuffling behind her and a barefooted Aaron walked up behind her. He’d let his hair grow out and now it was in a curly mohawk. He reminded her of Kelly Ourbre Jr. She smiled. “Hey,” Lora said as he wrapped his arms around her. 

He eyed the yearbook. “Hey, that’s us,” he said pointing to the photo. Lora grinned and sat him into a chair. “Hey, when did you realize you liked me?” Aaron asked, absent-mindedly twirling his curls. Lora smiled and fingered the yearbook. “It’s a long story.” 

Aaron grinned and took her hand in his. “I’ve got time.” 

Lora placed her elbows on the table. “Well, it all started with Trey.” 

THE END