Chapter 28
Junior Prom
Hailey yelps. I think she’s burned her fingers four times already trying to straighten my hair.
I have a lot of it, and she’s been at it for an hour.
My butt is numb from sitting still for so long.
My squirming has gotten worse over the last twenty minutes and Hailey is about to smack me to get me to sit still.
Using a hand mirror, I apply the finishing touches to my makeup, painting my lips a blood red, as she glides the straight iron over the last section of hair.
Why do girls do this to themselves? We primp and spray, fit our bodies into skinny jeans, and teeter around on four-inch sticks for shoes that blister our feet while guys just pick up some pants and a T-shirt that don’t smell too bad off the floor and they’re done.
“I’m almost finished. When I get through with you, Jayson won’t know what hit him.” She spritzes more glossing serum on my hair and then sprays it with hairspray and stands back to observe her work. “There. Perfect. What do you think?”
Relief is the first thing I feel because I get to stand up and stretch. When I look in the full-size bathroom mirror, my mouth drops open. “Wow, Hales.”
My long hair is naturally wavy, which is why I never take the time to straighten it or do much with it other than a quick dry with the hair dryer. Hailey has turned my wavy hair into a glossy, sleek waterfall of spun gold. I run my hands through the ends, and it feels like I’m touching silk.
“Oh my gosh, it feels so good. It’s gorgeous, Hales.” I swish my hair from side to side and watch as it falls back into place. “You are a master hairstylist.”
“Just one more finishing touch,” she says and goes into her bedroom. When she comes back, she’s holding a square box. “This is from me and Mom. I hope you like it.”
Curious, I remove the lid and pull back the pearlescent tissue paper. Sitting on the bottom is a black tiara headband with tiny red flowers. Beside it are five small red clip flowers.
“These are beautiful, Hailey.” I hug her tight and kiss her cheek.
“Here, let me.” She takes the items out one by one.
She weaves my hair through the tiara headband to create some volume at the top of my crown and then clips the tiny flowers in various strands throughout.
“See, now you do truly look like a princess. A smoking hot sexy princess.” We giggle as we look at my reflection in the mirror.
“Let’s get you in that dress and down to your boy, shall we? ”
Going shopping for my prom dress was a tad depressing for me.
Maria and I always went clothes shopping together.
I miss her. She still won’t talk to me, and to make matters worse, she’s gotten chummy with both Jacinda and Samantha.
Instead of being my best friend, she’s become my bully.
Maria has pushed me into a locker, dumped her soda on me, and tripped me in the girl’s locker room after PE.
I haven’t told Jayson, Julien, or Ryder because if they found out she did that stuff to me, they would lose it.
So I’ve kept quiet. She doesn’t mess with me when the boys are around, and I’ve gotten very good at making sure one of them walks me to each of my classes in order to avoid her.
I don’t want to think about Maria tonight.
Tonight, I want to dance and laugh and have fun.
Hailey helps me put on my red spaghetti strap high-low gown.
It has a plunging neckline with flower applique beading on the bodice.
The high part of the gown is in the front, and I love it because it shows off a lot of leg.
Mom let me borrow her ruby drop earrings and matching bracelet.
After putting on my black satin heels, I do a turn.
Hailey wolf whistles and takes some photos of me with her phone.
I grin at her. “This will be you next year, little sis. And then I can be the one to dress you up.”
“And then you again for senior prom," she reminds me.
While Hailey helps me zip up the dress in the back, a bright light appears outside my bedroom window. Hailey rushes over and peers out, then lifts the window up.
“Lizzie, look. Jayson must have turned on your tree lights. It’s just like Valentine’s Day.”
My guy is so freaking romantic. I hear male voices outside and know my boys have arrived
“It’s showtime!” I grab my black clutch purse along with several items off my bed and make my way down the stairs.
I’ve been looking forward to seeing all three of the guys in their tuxedos, but I never expected to be greeted by a wall of utter male hotness. Holy smoking hot guys! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a trio of more drop-dead gorgeous boys in my life.
Jayson’s tux is black with a dark charcoal dress shirt, a black bowtie, and a deep red cummerbund to match my dress.
His dark chocolate brown hair has been styled up top and curls around his ears.
Ryder is wearing all black, of course. He’s in a classic black satin lapel tux, and his hair’s cut short on the sides and longer at the top.
Julien has on a light silver-gray tux that matches his eyes and a dark gray bowtie and cummerbund.
He’s spiked the front of his hair into a short mohawk.
Several gasps interrupt my lingering perusal of Jayson, Julien, and Ryder.
I hadn’t noticed our entryway is filled with our parents all holding cameras.
I do notice, however, three sets of male eyes on me in various stages of admiration and appreciation.
My belly flips violently and my breath hitches.
I may end up in a puddle of goo before I make it to the bottom of the stairs.
Jayson steps up to grab my hand. When I get close enough to him, he leans into my ear and whispers, “You are a goddess,” before giving my cheek a quick kiss. Yep. I’m officially a puddle of goo right now.
“Liz, you look phenomenal,” Julien declares and kisses my other cheek.
My eyes find Ryder’s. “There are no words,” he tells me, a half-tip smile curving his mouth. I understand what he means because right now I’m having trouble finding the right words to say.
“You guys look so handsome. You all make me breathless.”
Of course, seven different cameras have been going off the entire time, the flashes bouncing off the walls reminding me of heat lightning during a summer thunderstorm.
Jayson’s dad hands him a small box. He opens it and takes out a delicate red wrist corsage made of red and black satin ribbon and red flowers.
Holding my hand, he slides it on, then raises my hand and kisses it. I lift the corsage to sniff it.
“It's perfect. Thank you,” I tell him.
Ryder’s mom hands me three matching boutonnieres. I approach Julien first to pin his boutonniere on. I lean in close so that no one can hear me when I tell him, “I’m so sorry that Elijah isn’t the one doing this for you. He gave me these to give to you. Put them on after we get in the limo.”
I pull back and place the silver cufflinks into Julien’s hands. Elijah had them specially made with Julien’s initials inlaid in black onyx on each cufflink. He curves his fingers around them and places a chaste kiss directly on my mouth.
Next, I step up to Jayson with his boutonniere.
I look into his mesmerizing metallic eyes and say, “You aren’t just a star to me, you are my whole damn sky.
” He inhales sharply at the words before taking my lips in a deep, soul-shattering kiss, not caring one bit that we have an audience.
I send up a silent thank you to whoever invented smudge-proof lipstick.
After pinning his flower with shaky hands, because, holy moly, he just blew my mind with that kiss, I hand him a paper origami star like the ones he gave to me.
Inside, I have written him a love poem. Hailey helped me with it.
I come to Ryder last. “Hey you.”
“You look beautiful, Elizabeth.”
My cheeks flush as I pin his flower to his jacket and smooth the lapels down. He gives me a hug and when we pull apart, I hand him a roll of paper tied with ribbon.
“This is for you. It’s not much. You may want to wait and open it tomorrow.”
I wrote him a song. I’ve been working on it and perfecting it for a month. Even Dad hasn’t heard it because I wanted the song to be Ryder’s and no one else’s.
Jayson reaches for me and places my arm in his. Mom, Freda, and Faith are all crying. Freda sniffles an “Oh, my boys are all grown up” which makes both Julien and Jayson groan out, “Mom, cut it out” at the same time. The dads laugh, except mine. He’s got unshed tears in his eyes.
“Come here, puddin’.” He takes me in his arms, and I am engulfed with his scent. My dad smells like clean linen and peppermint. “I love you, sweetheart. Have fun tonight.”
I nod. “I will.”
“You boys take care of my little girl.”
“We will, sir.”
The families walk us out to the awaiting party bus they rented for us. We have to stay for more hugs and pictures until finally we’re able to leave. Our driver, Peter, waits patiently at the bus door and helps us step inside.
“Hell yeah!” Jayson whoops when he climbs in.
I roll my eyes. Of course there’s a stripper pole inside the party bus. “Not in this lifetime and most certainly not in this dress,” I warn Jayson.
“I bet I can persuade you.”
Jayson grabs me and pulls me down into his lap.
The bus is equipped with long, curved leather bench seats that stretch from the front to the back on one side.
The other side has a minibar and controls for the overhead video screen and stereo.
Bright colorful neon lights glow throughout.
As a whole, it’s very tacky but so much fun.
“Let’s get this party started!” Jayson exclaims.
Julien turns on the stereo and cranks up the music. Junior prom, here we come.