Prologue - Kaitlyn #2
The Pinkies were entering the auditorium now, led by Felicity and her boyfriend Joel. They were acting like they’d already been crowned prom king and queen, making straight for the dance floor, where several couples were already slow dancing, with hands on hips and loving looks on their faces.
“Is that Miss Gunter dancing with Mr. Berloski?” Alex whispered, pointing to where their math teacher was being led around the floor by the football coach, his arms firmly around her waist.
“I saw them in Denny’s the other day eating ice cream together,” Kaitlyn replied. “He’s always waiting for her after school.”
Alex shook his head and smiled.
“Everyone has a date.”
Kaitlyn was relieved not to be the one left out. Alex had asked her as a joke back at the start of the year, but the joke seemed less so now. It could’ve been serious if they hadn’t been moving a thousand miles apart.
Oh, it’s not worth thinking about. I don’t want us to make promises we can’t keep.
It was sad, but practical, and an unhappy reminder of the difference between her and Rachel.
“Are you two coming to dance?” Rachel asked.
Kaitlyn nodded.
“In a minute. Let the Pinkies have their turn.”
The Pinkies had taken over the dance floor, but to Rachel and Sean’s credit, they now joined the throng, the music having upped its tempo, so that even Mr. Berloski and Miss Gunter were moving with enthusiasm. Kaitlyn and Alex sat at the table with their punch.
“How long do you think it’ll be until they get married?” Alex said.
Kaitlyn shrugged. “They’re practically married now. A ring isn’t going to make much difference, is it? They might take years about it. But they will, eventually.”
She had no doubt about that, and Alex nodded ponderously, playing with a drinking straw as he did so.
“Do you ever think about it? Getting married, I mean?” he asked.
Kaitlyn had thought about it, about marriage, at least, but if he was talking about them getting married… well, she’d dismissed that idea. It was all just wishful thinking. What was the point in pretending?
“Not really,” she lied.
He looked almost disappointed.
“You know… if there’d been another year left of high school…” he began, but Kaitlyn interrupted him.
“Don’t say it, Alex. Don’t spoil tonight… You know it’s impossible. We’re both going in different directions, and… I don’t want either of us to be hurt.”
She hoped she hadn’t upset him, but, to her relief, he nodded, and a smile came over his face.
“We’ll always be mathlete buddies.”
Kaitlyn laughed. “Always,” she replied.
“But if we get to thirty and we’re not married, the odds are against us. I worked it out. There’s a direct correlation between romance and age. The older you get, the harder it is,” he said.
Kaitlyn raised her eyebrows. “You mean we should agree to get married at thirty, if we’re not already?” she asked.
She said it as a joke, but behind the humor, she knew he was being serious. He was still playing with the plastic drinking straw, forming it into a ring, and now he took her hand in his and slipped it onto her finger.
“You said it,” he replied, grinning at her.
It was nonsense, of course, but the way he looked at her…
“All right, everyone. It’s time for the big announcement — the crowning of this year’s prom king and queen,” Principal Myers said, standing on the stage as he spoke.
Kaitlyn was relieved to have the distraction, even as Felicity Baxter and Joel stepped forward expectantly.
“She’ll expect us all to curtsey,” Kaitlyn whispered, as the deputy principal, Mrs. Hoskins, handed the principal a gold envelope.
“And this year’s prom king and queen are…” He paused for dramatic effect. “Rachel Kittburgh and Sean De-Lance.”
The look on Felicity’s face was priceless as a spotlight swung to pick out Rachel and Sean, both of whom looked astonished at having won. The Pinkies were already up in arms.
“It was supposed to be Flick and Joel!” one of them said with an indignant tone.
Principal Myers raised his eyebrows. “Student vote and faculty decision. Congratulations, Rachel and Sean, who’ve proved to be wonderful ambassadors for the school, particularly in the recent statewide chess tournament. Thoroughly well-deserved.”
Kaitlyn couldn’t help but feel pleased at the sight of Felicity fuming in a corner, before pushing Joel away and storming out of the auditorium.
Rachel and Sean deserved the accolade, and Kaitlyn and Alex joined in the applause as their friends were crowned.
It was a prom tradition for the king and queen to lead a dance, and, as other couples joined them on the dance floor — the Pinkies refusing in a show of solidarity with Felicity — Alex offered Kaitlyn his hand.
“Shall we?” he said.
Kaitlyn nodded. It would be churlish not to.
She was trying her best not to let things go further, even as her feelings toward him were growing stronger.
It felt impossible. He slipped his arm around her.
Neither of them was any good at dancing, not like this, at least; he kept treading on her toes.
But all Kaitlyn could think of was the fact that it was the last time he’d do so.
Who knows where we’ll be when we’re thirty. It seemed like a long way off, a lifetime in fact.
A lot could happen in twelve years, and, with change coming, Kaitlyn was sure of one thing: she’d be a very different person from the one dancing with Alex that night.