Loving Adam

Chapter 15

Saturday, 5 pm, two hours before prom starts. Laura and I have just finished stressing out about the darn microphones that refused to work for awhile. When it finally worked, we both exhaled in relief.

"Okay," Laura nods. "That was intense."

"You can go now," I say, "I'll stay here and guard."

"Are you sure?" she says, "Look, why don't you ---"

"Hey L, you ready?" Regina approached us. "My mom's here to pick us up."

"Yeah yeah, I just ---" Laura looks at me again, "Hey why don't you come do hair and makeup with us? Come on, it'll be fun."

"Yes Paris, join us," Regina says, "Laura told me you're not planning to go to prom. Why is that? This is the only prom you'll have for the rest of your life."

Well it's easy for you guys to say, you both have a date!

I smile, "It's no biggie. I don't really consider prom that way."

Regina looks at me. "Is it because of Adam? Because he asked me instead of you?"

"What? No! I just never intended to attend prom. I have this bandage thing around my head! I don't want to have prom pictures where I have bandage around my head. That'll haunt me for the rest of my life," I chuckle.

Regina looks relieved. She smiles and says, "I'm so glad to hear that. You have to know how much that meant to me. I actually didn't expect Adam would ask me."

My eyebrows furrowed. "How come? He is your boyfriend, of course he'd ask you."

"Well," she bites her lower lip, "With Adam, you can never know these things for sure, you know? We are dating but some days we hang out, and some days we don't. He does not even text me or anything, and he would disappear for days and all of a sudden he'd show up at my house... It's very confusing."

I look at her in surprise. But Laura talks first, "I don't get it. What exactly do you mean?"

"Adam has this thing where he comes and goes. One night he could show up in my porch and we kiss, or he'd pick me up from my ballet lesson, but the next day he'd go completely cold on me. But just when I get really mad at him, the next day he knocks on my door saying he's hungry and asks me to make him some food."

Laura looks at me. 

That look that says, he does that to you too.

"Look I know it sounds patethic, but I love him. I guess he is like that and I cannot change him. If I want to be with him then I just have to accept him the way he is. He never actually told me he loved me but I know he does, and I'm lucky enough that he chose me."

Both Laura and I fall to a complete silence.

Suddenly I get what Laura feels when she tries to tell me to forget Adam.

I get it now.

#

Saturday, 8 pm. I took a peek from the stage curtain while listening at the band playing their version of John Legend's All of Me. I see Laura dances with Martin on the dance floor and her face looks blissfully happy. I smile.

Not far from them, I see Adam and Regina dancing. Regina looks so pretty tonight and Adam looks like he just stepped out of the page of GQ magazine. It's ridiculous how good they look together.

I took a deep breath and decided to end my night. I walked to find Randy, the vice committee, to tell him that I'm leaving.

"You're not gonna wait until the prom king & queen announcement?" he asks.

I shake my head. "We both know who's gonna win anyway."

"True," he chuckles, "I just thought you'll change and join the prom."

We both look at the Adidas swearshirt and jeans I'm wearing. I haven't even went home because I was so busy with prom preparations.

I shake my head again, "I never have any intention to do that, actually. I want to go home, shower, and sleep."

He smiles comfortingly. "I heard you're going to Harvard. Congrats on that."

I nod, "Thanks."

"When are you leaving?"

"Very soon," I smile

"You're not even gonna join graduation?"

I shake my head, "I have some things I need to settle, like finding me a dorm and all."

"Ah, I see," he says, "Okay then, best of luck, Paris. I guess I'll see you around."

"Thanks, Randy. See you."

I walk toward the back door and push it opened. As I was leaving the gym complex, I feel my phone buzzing. I reach for my back pocket.

"Hey dad," I answer.

"Hi honey, I was just wondering if you need a ride from the gym later. Or do you have someone who drives you?"

"Oh no dad, I am not joining prom. I am actually on my way home."

"Ah I see," he says, "Well, you will be happy to know that mom is cooking your favorite's tonight."

"Bacon?"

"Lots of them," he says, "I'll see you at home, okay."

"Okay dad,"

"Oh and one more thing," he says, "Your plane ticket to Boston is here. All set and ready for tomorrow night."

I pause. Now that I hear him say it, I realize: wow, I am leaving for college.

"Got it, dad. Thanks a lot."

We hang up and I put my phone back in my pocket. I look back at the school, thinking that it is my last time to see it.

Then, as I turn around to leave, I heard they called Adam's name as the prom king.

#