Millfield High, Prom Night

Six years ago…

I’d managed to tear my dress, my updo had gone completely south, and Mattie’s Midnight Passion lipstick was every kind of wrong on me. By the time I was dressed and ready, Jimmy had been waiting downstairs for at least twenty minutes, Mom was pacing outside in the hall, and my reflection in the mirror looked like anything but a girl about to have one of the most exciting nights of her life. From the neck up, anyway. My dress, even torn, really was pretty great….

“There,” Mattie said, biting the thread off with her teeth. “I think that’ll hold.” She adjusted the fine silver strap on my shoulder as if we had all the time in the world. It was her unshakable calm that I loved about her most. Well, it was just one of many things.

“God, look at you,” she said, smiling. “Spin for me… come on now. And see if you can put a smile on that sour face. This is your prom night, not a fucking funeral service.”

Mom rapped impatiently against the door. Again. She and Jimmy were two of a kind. Neither one had any patience to speak of. Maybe that’s why she liked him so much. And why I should have my head examined for agreeing to ever go out with him in the first place. But she had forced the issue for so long… and by senior year I’d finally given in, just to ease the tension between us. As far as she was concerned, James Seevers… the great heir apparent to the Seevers fortune… ought to be every girl’s dream. I, however, didn’t happen to be every girl.

Still, I had Mattie on my side, so there really wasn’t much room for complaints. Mattie Wilder had been my best friend since grade school, and was the only person in the world who knew all my deepest, darkest secrets. She kinda knew everything most of the time. And she was right about tonight, too. This was my one and only prom. And minus Jimmy, I’d been looking forward to it. I turned to look back into the mirror, smiling like she’d told me to, and the spell was cast. My silvery dress seemed to float around my ankles just the way it should. The pink satin sash formed a soft, perfect bow at the waist and trailed down the back, almost to the floor. Yes, very Cinderella, I thought. Even if the real prince was way out of her league, and she was going to the ball with one of the little white rats.

“I swear, you’re the only girl in our class who could pull this off, this whole fairytale look…,” Mattie said, handing me my mask. “Very classic… very… sweet, really…”

She herself had gone with an elegant black gown that hugged all the right places. The masquerade theme of the evening had most of our friends choosing to go all dark and mysterious, and Mattie was right at home, totally in her element. But I was just too fair. So even if I didn’t look as grown up and sophisticated as the other girls, I’d happily settle for not looking like a kid playing dress-up. I’d chosen to go lighter, understated. Safe.

I put on the sequined mask, adjusting it, tilting my head to the side to see the effect. And somehow that sparkling bit of silver seemed to pull all the loose ends together like magic. My blonde hair looked perfectly fine, left loose and flowing over my shoulders. And the rosy stain left after I’d scrubbed off the lipstick actually seemed just right. In any case, there was nothing left to do but go downstairs. Jimmy would spend half the night sulking if I kept him waiting any longer. And he already had his nose out of joint because I’d insisted Mattie ride with us. She didn’t have a date and liked it that way. More and more, I was starting to appreciate her point of view…

And so we headed down the stairs.

My pumpkin was waiting.

“Make yourselves at home,” Jimmy said, leaving us in the glittering foyer almost as soon as we arrived. “I’ll go get drinks for us and catch up with you later on.” He gave me a kiss that left a film of moisture on my lips. “Duties of the host, and all that shit.”

Funny thing was, instead of feeling abandoned, I relaxed, and felt my first flutters of real excitement as he walked away from us.

Our graduating class was fairly small, fewer than two hundred seniors, and we didn’t have the funds to rent a hotel ballroom. And Mr. Seevers, Jimmy’s father, hated to pass up a chance to show off. So they had generously offered their home for the party, and he and his arm-candy wife were hovering on the edge of the dance floor, acting as chaperones. And, as usual, the minute I was on Seever property, every nerve in my body had snapped to full attention. I scanned the crowd, the tall curving staircases that swept the edges of the enormous room… I already knew Will had come home to attend Jimmy’s graduation. But I was praying I wouldn’t have to wait until then to catch a glimpse of him.

Maybe I should have felt guilty. He was ten years older than me, and Jimmy’s half-brother. But none of that had stopped me from dreaming, even when we were still kids and Will was already in college. He was still older, of course, but then so was I. Finally. My eighteenth birthday had come and gone almost a month ago. But remembering that night was the last thing I wanted right now. Cringing, I pushed the memory of it down… out of my mind.

And that’s when I saw him, coming down the stairs. It never failed. That warm feeling of liquid heat I felt every time he was near. Yeah, I probably should have felt guilty. But if anyone had

the ability to make tonight the one to remember, it was Will. My fairytale prince. My untouchable, unreachable, off-limits dream come true. Just one dance with him tonight…

“And here he comes,” Mattie whispered into my ear. “Or at least he will if you play your cards right....”

“Tshhhh,” I hissed, working hard to keep what little poise I had. “Will you just… just… go, alright? Nose-ring guy over there is dying to get his hands on you… So just go…”

“His name is Kevin,” she shot back with a smirk. “And don’t knock the piercings.” She pushed back a handful of her bright hair and smiled back over her shoulder slyly. “Not until you’ve tried it anyway. I know I’m going to.” She grinned. “I heard his big nose is just the tip of the iceberg…”

She left me with my mouth hanging open and years of her advice ringing in my ears. Mattie was all about taking chances. And according to her, I was still way too naive…

But I never was again, not after that night… Not after Will…

“Dance with me,” he had said.

Three simple words that changed my whole life. I could have said no. Except that I didn’t. I’d known all along I’d have given up anything and everything to wind up in Will’s arms. And the minute he pulled me against him that night…

I pretty much did.