43. Franny

It is the day of prom.

Everyone is either at school or has taken the entire day off to beautify themselves enough so that they are no longer recognizable. Tally texted me last night to tell me that she isn't going to school.

So here I am, about ten minutes before school starts, lying on my stomach in bed.

"Franny!" my dad yells from downstairs. "You're gonna be late, hurry up!"

"I'm not going!" I yell through my pillow and shove my face back into the lumpy blue cushion. I've had it since I was a baby and can't sleep without it, no matter how hard I try.

My door is suddenly slammed open and I turn my head to the side lazily, looking up at my dad. I noticed that he no longer has a bloodshot eye from lack of sleep and the bags have begun to get lighter. He seems more alive and happy and he told me a few days ago that he was twenty-eight consecutive days sober.

Not a single drink of alcohol for twenty-eight entire days.

But right now, he's not too happy with me.

"Franny! Get out of bed, school!"

"I said, I'm not going," I grumble and he sighs, walking into my room and sitting on my bed.

"You can't just decide when you go to school," he says and I frown.

"It's prom," I say, as if those two words will be the complete and only answer my dad needs.

"Yeah, and your point?" He raises an eyebrow.

"I'm not going to prom." I sit up in bed.

"Why not?" he groans and pinches the bridge of his nose.

"I don't have a date," I say.

"Grab Tally, isn't that what girls do? Go with other girls so they're not lonely?"

"Tally has a date."

"Well why isn't Tyler taking you?" Dad asks and I bite my lip awkwardly, looking away and fiddling with my fingers in front of me. "Franny?"

"Yeah," I breathe. "Tyler's not really part of the picture anymore. I mean he is, but not. Kind of, oh, I don't know."

"You broke up already?" Dad frowns.

"Yeah well, it wouldn't have worked out anyway," I say. "He's staying here and I'm going to California. And Tally's leaving so it's not like I'd be staying for anything here."

I'd be staying for Tyler.

"You've already put the house up for sale, anyway," I continue and my dad gives me a small smile.

"I can take it off the market anytime," he says, but I shake my head.

"This is what I want to do," I say. "More than anything."

More than Tyler?

"Alright," Dad says. "You can stay home this time. But I don't condone you skipping school."

I roll my eyes but give him a smile, turning over to push my face back into the bed. He ruffles my hair, making me swat his hand away. I hear my dad's laughter fade out of my room, and I sigh with a smile on my face.

One step forward.

And no steps back.

***

"Looking at you is making me depressed," my dad says.

"Oh ha, ha." I stick my tongue out at him.

I am lounging on the couch, surrounded by chocolate and ice-cream, being the picture-perfect model of heartbreak.

"Most kids your age go outside, have a social life and oh I don't know, go to prom!"

"I'm not going to be a loner," I state.

"It's not like you're going to be the only one," Dad scoffs and I glare at him.

"I am trying to get over my breakup," I say, shovelling a spoonful of ice-cream into my mouth, letting the cold deliciousness freeze up my aching heart.

"Franny, did you eat all of the peanut butter?" my dad calls out in disbelief from the kitchen and I shrink into the couch as my cheeks heat up.

"I was craving it," I mumble and glance over to see him looking at me with hopelessness.

"Make this the last breakup, yeah?" Dad asks. "I don't think I can afford to buy enough food for any more."

I shovel more ice-cream into my mouth and turn the TV up as my dad disappears back into the kitchen. I glance at the time.

Sixteen minutes and everyone will be sitting down for dinner before dancing with their dates.

I put the ice cream down on the table and pull my legs up onto the couch, tucking them up under me. Grabbing my phone, I flick through the messages.

None from Tyler.

What am I expecting anyway? Some sort of perfect miracle? I'm not Cinderella and there is no longer a Prince Charming.

I put my phone down and reach for the remote, turning the TV off and sitting in the silence for a moment. Is this really it? Am I going to graduate and just leave everyone? Leave Tally, Ethan and Tyler in such a way?

It doesn't feel right.

It feels wrong.

The doorbell suddenly rings and my dad pokes his head out of the kitchen. "Can you get it?"

I nod and get up, my oversized sweatpants trailing along the floor as I walk. Getting to the door, I feel a slight glimmer of hope before I grab the handle and open it.

But my hope quickly falls.

"Pizza!" The guy smiles and I smile back, tightly.

I hear my dad racing over and he appears at the door, grinning down at the box of pizza. He reaches into his pocket, grabbing his wallet and pays the guy. He takes the pizza and walks back into the house.

I roll my eyes but I feel a small sadness worm its way into my chest.

Taking a step back, I grab the side of the door, pushing it closed when the pizza man walks away and someone else steps up from behind him.

A sheepish Tyler, dressed in a tux, steps forward, glancing at the pizza guy as he passes.

"Um, hi," he says. "That was meant to go a lot smoother, but the pizza guy beat me to the door."

"Oh," I say.

I glance down and suddenly feel complete mortification when I remember that I am wearing baggy sweatpants and an oversized shirt that currently has a bit of ice-cream down the front of it.

"Um . . . "

"You look great." Tyler gives me a grin and I can't help but smile back.

"You're such a two-faced liar," I say softly.

"Look Franny," he starts. "I know that the last few weeks have been hell and I know that the last few days have been just as bad, perhaps even worse though there isn't much that can be worse than being shot, sorry I'm rambling . . . "

I bite my lip to stop from laughing and his cheeks heat up a little.

"I . . . " he says, then notices his blush. "Jesus, when did I become this bashful?"

"You were saying?" I smile.

"Right," he says. "Well, the thing is, Franny, I don't really want to spend tonight alone. And I don't really want to spend senior prom without you. And if I don't get to spend the rest of college with you by my side, then I want to at least have tonight with you. So, Francesca Howard, will you go to prom with me? For one last night."

My eyes sting with tears and I nod with a small smile on my face. "Yes, I'll go to prom with you, for one last night."

Tyler grins. "Tally told me you already bought a dress. So why don't we get your money's worth?"

***

As I get out of Tyler's truck, Tally is leaning against the pillar closest to the entrance of the venue, smiling. She's wearing the golden dress.

Tyler holds my hand as we walk over to her and she grins, stepping forward and hugging me.

"I'm glad you're here," she whispers into my ear.

"Me too," I murmur back and smile as we pull away. Ethan comes outside and over to us in his own tux, his tie matching the color of Tally's dress.

He winks at me and I smile at him.

Here we are, the four of us, all together again.

"Come on, let's head inside. They're serving dessert," Ethan says, draping an arm over Tally's shoulder.

They walk ahead of us as we slowly walk in after them.

"I thought Tally was a lesbian." Tyler frowns and I laugh.

"Bisexual, babe," I say and tense after the term of endearment leaves my lips.

But Tyler doesn't correct it. Instead, he takes my hand and presses his shoulder to mine.

"Let's go in, babe," he says with a smile and I shove his shoulder gently.

Inside, the lights are dimmed and colorful strobe lights are flashing around the room. There is a DJ off to the side and half the tables in the room have been shoved to the side to create a dance floor. The music is so loud that it is beating against my eardrums.

A large crowd of people is dancing and I take the time to catch up with other friends while Tyler steals two plates of cheesecake and finds us a table in the back. We eat, and can't help laughing at Tally and Ethan dancing aggressively in front of the DJ.

I push my plate away and turn to Tyler, reaching a hand up and stroking his cheek gently. "Thank you," I say.

He looks down at me and grabs my hand, kissing the back of it. "Thank you," he repeats and I smile, pressing my forehead to his.

During the evening, the light disappears and darkness falls. We stumble to the dance floor and I turn to Tyler and he grins, putting his hands on my waist and yanking me to him. He wraps his arms around me and I put my hands on his shoulders. Leaning forward, he presses his head to mine, swaying us from side to side as a slower song comes on. I stare into his eyes and wonder how long it will be until I see them again. How long will it be until I touch him again?

"Stop it," he murmurs. "I can practically see the gears in your head moving. Stop thinking about what's going to happen after this and just think about what's happening now. Just think about me, right here in front of you. Stop looking at the future and start seeing what's right in front of you."

I smile slightly and nod against his head, closing my eyes as he rocks us gently. I lean forward and rest my head on his shoulder as the music settles me down, sending me into a state of calm, a calmness that can only come from Tyler's arms.

His hands stroke my back gently as we sway and I tighten my grip on his neck. I don't want to let him go.

"Franny . . . " Tyler starts to say as we pull away and I can see the look on his face.

It's the sad look he has when he is about to say something he doesn't want to.

"Don't say goodbye," I say.

"What else am I meant to say?" he asks sadly.

"Just . . . just don't say goodbye," I tell him, eyes filling with tears before I can stop them. "Tell me that you'll see me later. That after graduation, you'll see me later."

Tyler smiles, eyes welling up with tears and the sight is heartbreaking yet reassuring at the same time. He is just as sad about this as me and that is enough to give me some sort of hope for the future.

"Okay then." He breathes shakily. "I'll see you later."

I nod softly, blinking away the tears that want to fall. "I'll see you later."

He wraps his arms around me, pressing my body to his and I clutch him tighter. Tally and Ethan are dancing right beside us. I take in a deep breath and smile at her.

She smiles back softly. 'Love you,' she mouths.

'Love you, too,' I mouth back.

And in this moment—everything is perfect.

Sure, there are tears running down my face, but this is a moment I may not get again for a long time. The four of us together. And I don't know when we will next be here, all of us at the same time. So, I treasure this moment and clutch it as close to my heart as I can.

Bad things happened—yes—but good things happened too.

And now, it is time . . . not to move on . . . but to have another adventure.

And even if the next adventure isn't with these people, it doesn't matter.

Because I have this one moment here—right now. And it is time that I start living in the present instead of reliving the past and trying to predict the future.

I look at Tyler and lean over, giving him a long, soft kiss.

This will always be my memory of us. Where for one second, we have no problems and no more obstacles to make our way through. Questions haven't been completely answered and the future is still unknown. But that is the beauty of it. Anything and everything can happen.

"I love you," I whisper for the last time and close my eyes, pressing my cheek to his shoulder and letting the music carry the night away.

The End.

Thank you so much to every single one of you! You have all been so amazing and this story has accomplished twice as much as I ever thought it would. It has been an incredible journey. 

I hope you enjoyed this long journey with me and I thank you for every step you have been here, supporting me and this story. It means more than you'll ever know.

The sequel, FRACTURED, is being written on my profile.

- Ellie x