Spring Formal

Becky

8:17pm

The music is so loud. I can’t hear myself think. I think there was something in the punch. I’m going to be sick. I shouldn’t have come. Jess convinced me yesterday, but oh man, she made it sound like the best thing in the world. Someone’s tapping me on the shoulder! Oh my god, it’s Jake! He’s asking me to dance. Well obviously I’ll say yes! Maybe this’ll be more fun than I thought!

Wow, he’s so good at dancing! Oh my god, there's a slow song now! How awkward. I am going to die of embarrassment. I keep stepping on his shoes. He’s saying something about going to get us cake? Okay, yeah sure that’s fine with me. I’ll wait here. 

Now I’m glad I listened to Jess. I’ve had a crush on Jake for, like, ever! I can’t believe I just danced with him! Wait a minute...Is that him with Marcy over there!!! Are you kidding me? Ugh, where is Jess. I can barely move in this dress! 

There she is. 

“Hi Jess,” I say.

“Hey!! Having fun! I saw Jake dancing with you!”

“Fun? Don’t you see him dancing with Marcy?”

“Oh……”

“Yeah, oh. Whatever, I think I’m going home.”

“No!!! You can’t!! We barely just came!”

“I don’t think I can take this!” I yell, since the music has turned upbeat once more. Thanks a lot DJ! So inconvenient!

“Come on! At least ten more minutes! Don’t be a killjoY!” I groan, but make my way over to the snack table. No way she’ll let me hear the end of it if I leave now. 

Once I’m at the table, I see Jake coming up behind me with two plates of cake.

“Hey, thanks for waiting….I got um…”

“Yeah, listen, enjoy your cake. You might as well give the other slice to Marcy over there.” I say, and walk away. Oh my god...I can’t believe I just ruined my chances with Jake! Whatever, “he doesn’t deserve me” like my mom would say. 

10:24pm

“It’s going to be okay,” I say awkwardly and place a hand on Kate’s back. She’s been sobbing for 20 minutes straight now. 

“Easy for you to say Becky!”

“Jess, talk some sense into her!” I tell Jess, who’s being of no help whatsoever and is on her phone. 

“ Kate, honey, he wasn’t the right one for you!”

“He just, like, blatantly said he didn’t love me anymore!” Kate said between hiccups. I don’t think she's going to get over this anytime soon. Doesn’t she know that Derek has been wanting to break up with ther for over a month now? Honestly, kudos to him for finally doing it. 

“Why don’t you go home, Kate?”

“Okay.” she mumbles, and washes her face. Did he have to do it here?

12:04am 

Oh my god, it’s finally over! I cannot wait to go home and watch some netflix.

Jess

7:50pm

You: ur still coming right

Becksters👯‍♀️: Ugh, yeah

Becksters👯‍♀️: Too late anyway Im already putting makeup on

You:k thx againnnn

Becksters👯‍♀️: Yeah df that you owe mee

You: Yeah yeah wutever youll owe me for convincing you after you see how fun its ganna be

Becksters👯‍♀️: I very highly doubt that but ok…

You: lol ok bye see u soon

Beckster👯‍♀️: c ya

You:✌🏻

Thank god she’s coming. I was not going to be the only gal in the group without a date! I put on my makeup and dress and head out the door.

“Love you mom!Bye!”  I shut the door.

It’s go time.

8:23pm

Oh my god! This is so fun! The music is soooo loud but I don’t care!! Ooh, Becky is dancing with Jake! I can’t believe it! She’s been crushing on him since sophomore year! She’ll be glad I invited her now. 

These cookies are so good! Becky’s coming over here. Oh no, where’s Jake?

“Hi Jess” she says. 

“Hey!! Having fun! I saw Jake dancing with you!” I reply, super enthusiastically. 

“Fun? Don’t you see him dancing with Marcy?” Uh, nope. That’s why she looks so deflated….

“Oh..”

“Yeah, oh. Whatever, I think I’m going home.” she can’t go home! Not yet! I can’t be alone at the table when we eat.!

“No!!! You can’t!! We barely just came!”

“I don’t think I can take this!”  she yells. The music has switched from slow song to pop. How can I convince Becky to stay now?

“Come on! At least ten more minutes! Don’t be a killjoy” I tell her. She groans, but I know she’s given in. That’s what’s so great about Becky. If you want her to do something for you, she’ll do it.

Now time for some fun!

10:15pm

“Hey Jess!!” someone yells over the loud music. Who is that? Whatever.

“What!” 

“ I heard Kate is in the bathroom crying! You guys are close so I thought I should tell you!!!!” Kate is crying!! 

Oh my god. That girl is so emotional, Derek probably bought her something. Still, I better get Becky and check it out. Where is that girl! Don’t tell me she left!

You:Where are you! Kate is crying in the bathroom!!!

Becksters👯‍♀️: no way!!!!meet u there that girl is always cryinf

You:ikr! K c u there

Becksters👯‍♀️: yep also i meant crying**

You : lol k bye

At the bathroom

I cannot believe this!Derek broke up with her!!!!

“It’s going to be okay,” Becky says. I just go on my phone. I cannot be in any more drama! I mean seriously! I’ve had enough of it!

“Jess, talk some sense into her!” Becky says. Ugh. 

“ Kate, honey, he wasn’t the right one for you!” I say, trying to sound encouraging. Honestly, I thought their relationship was pretty stable. Who knew he didn’t like her anymore?At the dance too? Harsh. 

Becky told her to go home. Oh my god, I feel so bad! Kate’s been waiting for this since forever! Oh well. Time to par-tay!

12:13am

Aw man, it’s over. I start driving home. I can’t believe Becky stayed through the whole thing. I think she secretly had fun. Oh well. I am exhausted. Time for bed!

Jake

8:20pm

Come on. I can do this.

No I can’t! I’ve had a crush on her since the first day of school. How am I supposed to muster up the courage to ask her to dance! This is impossible. There she is! I have to do this. It’s now or never.

I’ll just tap her on the shoulder. She’s turning around! Oh my god, she’s so pretty!

“Wanna dance?” I say, trying to sound casual.

“Sure!” she says. I did it! But now there’s a slow song! I didn’t plan for this! 

Ow! She stepped on my shoe. Maybe I can wait out the slow song by getting her some cake.

Thank god, she said yes. 

Hmmm...Which cake would Becky want…..Chocolate? I think… Everybody likes chocolate right?

“Hey Jake!”Marcy? What does she want!

“Oh, hey Marcy,” I say, going with the chocolate cake and cutting it. 

“Do you...um….want to dance together?” she asks me. Me? Marcy wants to dance with me? We all know she has a crush on Derek. She has since before he dated Kate! I can’t leave Becky for much longer.

“I can’t….I…..” I start to say. But, before I can continue, she pulls me into a rhythmic dance. Man, she’s good. But...oh no! Becky is looking at us! 

“Mary! I told you I can’t! Ugh! You just made me lose my chance with Becky!”

“oh...I’m sorry Jake, I-”

“Yeah, you didn’t know. Whatever.” I say, running back to the snack table. The plate is still there. I walk to Becky. Maybe she’ll understand?

“Hey, thanks for waiting….I got um…” I say, with my eyes on the ground.

“Yeah, listen, enjoy your cake. You might as well give the other slice to Marcy over there.” she replies, and walks away. 

I can’t believe Marcy!

9:50pm

“Hey Jake. How’s it going?” Derek asks, sitting down next to me.

“Oh, great, I just lost my chances of ever being with Becky.  So did you do it yet?”

“I’m going right now. Ugh, I feel so bad.”

“Dude, you’re never getting out of this relationship if you don’t do something about it today.

“I know, I know….Okay, well, wish me luck.”

12:02am

What a terrible day. I cannot wait to go home. 

Kate

7:30pm

You: Hey!!! Sooooo excited for tonight

Him💓: Yep Can’t wait

You : pick me up @ 8?

Him💓:ill be there

Ahhhhh, I’m so excited! This is going to be the best day ever!!!!I better go finish getting ready, I only have half an hour left!

8:00pm

Ugh, why is he late! He said he would be here! Honk. Finally! There he is! Maybe I over-exaggerated. He’s only a minute late. Okay, deep breath. You look fine Kate! “Love you mom!”

“Love you too ‘hon! Have fun, and be back before midnight!!”

“But mom! It ends at midnight!”

“I don’t care. You are coming home before midnight.” Ugh, she’s such a party pooper! Honk Honk!  Geez, I’m coming Derek. He comes out as I approach and opens the car door for me. Such a gentleman!

“So...you look really great,” he says. I can tell he’s blushing, even in the darkness of the car.

“Nice suit.”I say. He smiles.

“Thanks” This is going to be the night of my life!

9:47pm

“Ooh, can you get me a slice of cake with you?”

“Sure. I’ll be back in five. Wait here.” Derek says, and disappears into the sea of bodies. This has already been so fun. We danced to a slow song, and he even let me take pictures with him! He almost never lets me!

He did make me promise to only post them at the end. Whatever. Ooh, he’s coming back! Yes! He got the chocolate cake! I was silently hoping. Why does he look so sad?

“Hey, um, Kate? Can you come with me to the garden for a sec?”

“Is everything ok?”

“Not really…”

“Okay…” he leads the way to our courtyard. What’s wrong? Is there….is there something wrong with our relationship? Finally, we make it to the courtyard. He pulls open the huge double doors and walks out. I follow him. 

“Look, Kate…..”

“Just spit it out Derek! You know I have to leave before midnight!” I joke, but he doesn’t laugh.

“Kate, we made a lot of great memories together. But I just….this relationship...it’s just….the spark...it isn’t there anymore, you know?” the spark isn’t there anymore? Is he breaking up with me?

“No, I don’t know.” I say, my voice dry and emotionless.

“I just….I don’t really…”don’t really what Derek? Say it.

“You don’t love me anymore?” I say, my voice choking up. My heart threatens to beat out of my chest.

“Um...No...it’s just…..it’s…”I’m full on crying now, the tears running down my face like a waterfall.

“Whatever   Derek...enjoy the dance. It was nice, you know, being with you for the time it lasted.” I say and run back inside. I don’t want him to see me break down. He watches me go. I head to the bathroom. On my way there, I bump into this girl. Whatever. I don’t care who sees me crying.

I can’t believe our relationship is over! Tonight was supposed to be the best night of my life, thanks a lot Derek! 

I cry for 10 minutes, and I hear someone coming into the bathroom. Great.

It’s Becky and Jess. Oh my god. I probably look like such a mess. Becky’s kneeling by me now.

“It’s going to be okay,” she says. How can she say that!! She doesn’t know what it’s like!

“Easy for you to say Becky!”

“Jess, talk some sense into her!” Becky says. 

“ Kate, honey, he wasn’t the right one for you!” Jess says, finally looking up from her phone.

“He just, like, blatantly said he didn’t love me anymore!” I say, as if they would ever understand.

“Why don’t you go home, Kate?” Becky says. You know what? That’s not such a bad idea. After all, I have to be home before midnight.

“Okay”I mumble, and wash my face. I grab my purse and go outside. That’s when I remember.

I don’t have a car. He’s my ride.. Is he serious? Like really, I think he did this on purpose.I walk back in and find Derek.

“Um, excuse me, Derek, could you please drive me home?” I say with as much coldness in my voice as possible.

“Oh. Yeah sure. Let’s go.” he says and we go back outside. He gets in the car, and I go into the backseat.

“You can sit in the front…”

“Yeah, just doesn’t seem right considering our current situation.” He turns back around and starts his car. So, wow. This is it. This was “the night of my life”. More like the nightmare of my life. What a perfect song on the radio to match my mood. Heartbroken. 

Finally, we’re at my house. Can’t wait to tell mom all about my wonderful time.

Derek

8:00pm

I straighten my tie and smooth out the gel in my hair. Honk She doesn’t come. Honk Honk! I hit the wheel again.

She walks out in the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen. It’s light pink, and compliments her skin tone perfectly. She has her light brown hair up in a bun, and is wearing diamond earrings. 

I quickly walk out of the car and open the door for her. I might as well make this the best last night for her. 

“So...you look really great,” I say stupidly. Yeah Derek, she looks great, not pretty, but great. 

“Nice suit,” she says. I smile.

“Thanks” and we’re off.  

9:30pm

I can’t believe I’m going to have to do this! Slow song. Great…. Our last dance….

“Oh my god, look at that backdrop! Can we please  take a picture!!” Kate asks, with her best puppy dog eyes.

“Okay fine. But you owe me!” I tell her. She looks so happy. Thank god there’ll be pictures of this moment. We take some pictures and she is about to post them. I can't let her post them! What if after we break up, people make fun of her!

“Hey! Post them at the end of the night, when everyone will get a notification while going on their phones.” I say. Wow, great excuse Derek! Not.

“Um...Ok..I guess.” she says puzzled, but she soon puts her phone away and we start dancing again. I have to do this. I can’t go and leave her here. Long distance isn’t  going to work. I have to end it, as painful as it is

“I’m going to go get some cake,” I tell her. I need to prepare myself.

“Ooh, can you get me a slice of cake with you?”

“Sure. I’ll be back in five. Wait here.” I tell her, and start making my way to the desserts.

I see Jack sitting at one of the tables. 

“Hey Jake. How’s it going?” 

“Oh, great, I just lost my chances of ever being with Becky.  So did you do it yet?”

“I’m going right now. Ugh, I feel so bad.”

“Dude, you’re never getting out of this relationship if you don’t do something about it today.

“I know, I know….Okay, well, wish me luck.”

Jack thinks that I’ve lost interest in Kate. That I don’t like her anymore. He doesn’t know about me moving. No one does. Well, now or never. I walk back to Kate, with cake in my hands.

“Hey, um, Kate? Can you come with me to the garden for a sec?”

“Is everything ok?”

“Not really…”

“Okay…” she says, and follows me through the maze of people to the double doors leading to the courtyard. I push them open and she follows me through.

”“Look, Kate…..”

“Just spit it out Derek! You know I have to leave before midnight!” she jokes. Oh yeah. Her overprotective mother. I’m going to miss her.

“Kate, we made a lot of great memories together. But I just….this relationship...it’s just….the spark...it isn’t there anymore, you know?” I say. This is killing me. How am I lying to her?

“No, I don’t know.”

“I just….I don’t really…”

“You don’t love me anymore?”

“Um...No...it’s just…..it’s…”I love you Kate! I love you! Wow….this is harder than I thought. She’s crying now. 

“Whatever   Derek...enjoy the dance. It was nice, you know, being with you for the time it lasted.” she runs back inside. I stay standing, speechless. I can’t believe I just did that. I start crying by the roses. It’s over.  The flight is tomorrow. I wipe my eyes and walk back into the dance. Might as well eat some cake.

10:27pm

“Um, excuse me, Derek, could you please drive me home?”I hear Kate behind me. Shoot! I forgot I’m her ride. Smart thinking Derek, leave the girl to just walk home.

“Oh. Yeah sure. Let’s go.” I say awkwardly and lead her to my car. She sits in the back when I unlock it

“You can sit in the front…”

“Yeah, just doesn’t seem right considering our current situation.” she says coldly. I swallow back the tears and drive her home. Heartbroken plays on the radio. I want to take it off for Kate’s sake, but I don’t move. I want to make her presence last. It’s like if I move, then the memory of her won’t be as strong. She gets out and closes the door.

This is it. It’s all over. Goodbye Nevada.