Epilogue

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

"Come on Parker we're gonna be late!" Thomas yelled from the living room. "Your date is here."

The second statement excited me and pushed me towards the front door faster than the fact that we'd be late. I was dressed and dolled up to go to my final school dance, a decision that was pretty hard to make. But how could I say no when I got asked in front of pretty much the entire student body? When I endured the Homecoming embarrassment, I promised myself I wouldn't go near another school dance, but at least prom was at another location and no one cared about me or my date anymore.

"Parker!" Thomas yelled again.

"Okay, okay I'm coming," I shouted back. I slipped on the silver Cinderella heels and smoothed out my burgundy column style dress.

I rounded the corner into the living room and Jordan dropped her mouth open. She insisted that she wear a tux to the prom to put some type of cliché into our relationship. We were going to be free of them until now, not counting the pep rally. It felt good to know that someone wanted to be with me without hiding and never wanted to hide again.

"You look more stunning than you did than the first day I met you, which I already thought was impossible," Jordan said, pulling me in to kiss me.

I let her, not minding that she ruined my lipstick. I'd have to reapply but it didn't matter because it was her. A lot of things didn't matter when I was with her.

"Well, let's go shake our bums at the prom," Thomas said, and walked to the door.

"Not before pictures!" my dad yelled, making his way to the front door holding up his phone.

We shuffled back into the living room to pose for the one hundred million pictures. He took a group shot as well as some of just Thomas and I, me by myself, and then Jordan and I. He asked if Thomas wanted pictures with his date, but he and Chris declined. We finally got outside where the limo was waiting to take us to a nicer place than the high school gym. I was only nervous that Rebecca or Jaz would do something to ruin prom for me.

"I can't get over how amazing you look," Jordan said inside the limo.

"Okay love birds get over yourselves please. We all look good," Thomas interrupted.

"Oh we're the love birds? Who's called off of work because of their boy toy?" I asked.

"I'll admit it was me. Never said we weren't love birds," Thomas said, grabbing Chris's hand. "Not to mention, you've called off plenty for Jordan."

"Like she wouldn't have probably forced me if I said no to her," I said. She scoffed. "It's true Jordan. By the way, you look just as good as I do."

I grabbed her hand and couldn't help but notice that I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. I honestly thought she looked better than I did. She'd gotten her hair freshly cut a few days ago and wouldn't allow me to see her until tonight. I appreciated how much effort she put into our prom night. It was important that this night made me forget about homecoming entirely, although I wasn't sure if I ever really would forget.

As we were nearing the location I went into my purse to get the tickets out. Except, they weren't there. I searched within the folds of the purse and in the zipped pocket – nothing. The only responsibility I was given tonight, and I couldn't even do it right.

One job, Parker. You had one job.

"What's wrong babe?" Jordan asked.

"I left the tickets at home. I can't believe this. Tonight was supposed to be perfect."

"Parker it's fine. It can still be perfect; this doesn't change anything. We just have to turn around and go get the tickets – not a big deal. Not like anyone will notice we're late."

"No then Thomas and Chris have to be late, I don't want to do that to them."

My arm was shaking a bit and my heart was speeding away. I felt so bad for already ruining prom for everyone. I dropped my head into my hands, which I immediately regretted because of how much make up was on my face. Jordan pulled my hands away and held them in hers. It calmed me down some, but I was still nervous about how Chris was going to react about the situation.

"Hey, we're almost there, so we won't be late, okay? You go back and get the tickets and I promise we will not have fun without you," Chris said.

I didn't respond verbally, but I nodded. The limo stopped moving and my throat starting closing as if I was getting out. Thomas and Chris got out and spoke to the driver for me. He didn't drive away though, after the guys went into the building. I looked at Jordan but she looked just as confused as I did. Chris came back out to the limo and yanked open the door with a smile on his face.

"Get your asses out and come dance," he said.

"Chris are you forgetting that we don't have tickets?" I asked.

"I talked to them. They have everyone's names who bought tickets. So get out or I'll drag you if I have to."

"Alright, alright. No dragging, we're getting out," Jordan said.

She got out on the other side and I slid over to the door that Chris pulled open. Jordan was waiting there with her hand out to help me out of the vehicle. I was just grateful that I didn't fall with the heels I had on. They weren't that high, but I didn't wear them on a daily basis. Still, Jordan was taller than me. I wanted to be taller than her, just once. However, I couldn't handle heels that were that high.

"Are you ready?" Jordan asked as we slowed ascended the stairs.

"No of course not. I'm definitely expecting Jaz to throw a drink or two on me."

I couldn't swallow properly anymore. Jaz was in there, Becca was in there – the entire senior class was, and I was convinced they were all out to ruin my night. If Jordan could hear my thoughts, I knew she'd think I was crazy. Amanda was in the past, and she wasn't coming back, but Jaz and Becca were still around and were the physical form of Amanda. They wouldn't let me forget.

"I won't even let her get that close. If anything, I'll jump in front of you to save that gorgeous face," Jordan said.

She kissed me on the cheek, which made me laugh.

"Wow, you'd take a drink for me?"

She smirked and pushed me a little for being an asshole, like she wouldn't have given the same response. She was right, she did rub off on me.

"Let's go to this stupid dance," she said.

She pulled me by my hand up the rest of the stairs and into the building, which looked like an old castle of some sort. It had more of a brown and gold color scheme with lots of paintings of old people. Probably those that used to own the place. I was lost in the building's appearance, but Jordan wasn't and pulled me in further. There was a table set up with faculty sitting at it. They didn't look like they were enjoying themselves.

"Hi, I am so sorry but I left the tickets at home. But we both go here and my friend told me you had a list so maybe if you could just look us up..."

I was rambling on until Jordan put her hand over my mouth.

"Jordan DelVecchio and Parker Harding," she said.

Mrs. Anderson was the teacher who flipped through the pages until she saw my name and Jordan's, and waved us through.

"See, no big deal babe."

Jordan and I walked further inside where we found Chris and Thomas waiting against the wall. The room we were in looked like the dining hall from Harry Potter, but smaller. I thought everyone here looked better than me, but at least I knew no one else had Jordan's attention. Jordan grabbed my hand to comfort me, as if she could feel my insecurities radiating. I declined her offer to dance and suggested that we found somewhere to sit instead. The dance floor was in the front of the room, where we were, and the tables were separated by what looked like a long table of food.

There was a table that wasn't occupied yet, so we made our way to it. It was covered in a white cloth that would most likely end up dirty at the end of the night. I ended up sitting in-between Chris and Jordan. I spent the first half hour watching everyone and declining each and every offer from Jordan to dance. It was prom, and I was wasting each penny Jordan spent, sitting at an empty table. Chris and Thomas made their way to the dance floor minutes after sitting down.

"You're getting up to dance with me. You look absolutely amazing Parker, and nothing is going to change that. We didn't come to prom to sit at a table all night."

I didn't say anything, and I let her drag me to the dance floor. Thankfully, a slow song came on. I wrapped my arms around her neck, and her hands rested on my waist. We got very few looks; no one stared.

"See, this isn't so bad," Jordan said.

"No, I guess it's not," I said.

We swayed to the music, and I laid my head on her shoulder. I liked being so close, comfortable, and content.

"Parker?" she asked softly.

"Yes Jordan?"

"Don't freak out when I say this, but I think I'm in love with you... and I really hope this lasts."

I already felt the warmth from her body, so the flames that ran up to my cheeks made my face feel hot.

"If we were to ever break up, I want you to know that it would be your fault. You mean a lot to me and I love you, so much. I'm not going anywhere and I hope you won't either."

I had more to say, but I was disrupted by an altercation at the microphone. We didn't fundraise much, so our prom didn't have a live band set to perform, not even anyone from the school. The DJ that was hired kept playing music in the background. I thought they were supposed to stop the music for announcements to be made. I looked, along with the rest of the room, at the stage. Rebecca was up there. I made eye contact with Chris, who wasn't far away. She wasn't dating either of us anymore, so it wasn't our responsibility to get her off the stage and stop her from potentially embarrassing herself. I found Jaz in the crowd, watching but not intervening.

"Hi everyone. I hope you all are enjoying your night and I'm sorry to interrupt. I'm trying to enjoy my night too but I can't because I'm not here with the person – with the person I-I love," she paused and began to look nervous and a little sick. I watched the lump going down her throat.

"I would do anything to be at prom tonight with Parker Harding, who looks absolutely beautiful right now, stunning. Look, I messed up. I really, really messed up. More than just in the hall when everyone was watching. By the way, Parker... she wasn't being crazy or weird. Just a person who wanted to kiss he-her girlfriend. Parker you might be mad at me for doing this in front of the entire school but I hope that this shows you how much I care about you and want to be with you. You are the best person I've ever known, ever loved, and I'm truly sorry that I screwed things up for us. I love you and I hope that you'll forgive me."

She stood on the stage still, after her speech, watching me and waiting for a response. I didn't have one. Jordan grabbed me by the hand, and as we exited, I realized that the entire room was watching me too. Once we were in one of the sitting rooms, alone, Jordan wrapped me up in a hug. I blinked away tears threatening to spill.

"I knew it," I said. "I knew something would ruin this night."

"It's not ruined. She didn't do anything but embarrass herself up there. She, along with everyone else in there, watched me give a prom-posal to you. She's seen me hold your hand, walk you to class, kiss you. I guess she thought coming out would change your mind about her, it being the reason you broke up initially."

"Well it didn't," I yelled, frustrated.

"Hey, relax... it's okay."

We both sat down on a couch. I wanted to put my face in my hands, curl into a ball, and disappear but she stopped me. She reminded me there was make up all over my face.

"I'm sorry, just – when will she stop? I mean what'll it take for her to understand that I don't love her? I don't think I ever did."

"Fools in love will never stop. A part of them will always believe they will have a chance, that they can be forgiven for everything and redeemed. It may be over for you but it won't be over for Becca, not for a while."

"I just want it to be over."

I laid my head on her shoulder and her arms pulled me closer. She inferred that a dance or two would help me feel better but I didn't want to go back in the room where everyone was waiting for my return. She claimed they were more interested in what was going on with Rebecca.

"Fine, I will go back – but only for dinner and Thomas. I don't want to leave him alone," I said, even though we both knew he wasn't alone.

I lead the way back to the Harry Potter dining hall. The music still played but hardly anyone was dancing. Everyone was huddled at their tables, talking about me and Rebecca.

"Stop looking for her," Jordan said. "You wouldn't want to talk to her if you found her."

I nodded, simply because she was right. We moved to where Thomas and Chris were waiting.

"Are you okay?" Thomas asked over the music.

"I'm good," I said.

Jordan swooped me up into her arms and began swaying with me to the song. Jordan was smart, the proximity of someone I loved, who loved me, did help.

The rest of the evening went smoothly, probably because Becca never returned and she seemed to have taken Jaz along with her. The dinner was tasteless so the only thing I enjoyed was the cake for dessert, and the open bar of soft drinks in the back. Following dinner, the court was crowned. Not to my surprise, Jaz won as queen, but because she wasn't here to accept, the runner up did on her behalf – the head of the cheerleaders. Chris won the king's title. He tried to refuse, however Thomas pushed him up there. No one made them share a dance, just a few pictures up on stage. With an hour left, we danced more and took photos with all four of us in the booth. It brought me back to the music festival, and the fact that I was there with Jordan, not even thinking about Becca. She could make things better instantly and that was one of the many reasons why I loved her, why I was in love with her.

Whatever I felt for Rebecca was a small speck of dust, the slightest bolt of electricity compared to what I felt for Jordan. Falling in love is not what you expect it to be. It hits you in the face, it wakes you up, kind of like a hot cup of coffee.

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net