Road trip

8- Prom

I had never really considered how my relationship with Austin looked to others, let alone allow myself to recognize the new feelings I had been getting around him as anything more than friendly. Apparently other people had noticed the change though.

Not just the usual whispers at school, but my parents, his parents, heck even his baseball buddies were looking at us strangely and I couldn't fathom why. It wasn't as if we were doing anything differently.

I mean perhaps we had become a little more touchy in public, like when he would kiss my head or my cheek, but other than that we didn't act different to usual.

Maybe I could ask him about it later, but first I needed to get ready for this lame excuse of a prom that I'm being forced into. I will admit that I'm glad he is my date, honestly I wouldn't be going otherwise. Dances are fun and all, but our senior class has always been awkward around me since molly died and I avoid them because of it.

I slipped on my dress and heels, fixed my makeup lightly and curled my hair, leaving it down in loose curls. I wasn't going to get too wrapped up in the hype of prom, there wasn't any reason too. All I wanted to do was get it over with so that we could hit the road in two weeks and start our trip.

"Anna," mom yelled from the bottom of the stairs, "you have a visitor."

I grabbed my phone assuming it was just Austin and made My way downstairs only to be surprised by the two people standing in front of me.

"Mr and Mrs Clarke?" I tried to regain my composure as I walked towards Molly's parents. They had moved after she died but still kept in contact with my parents.

"Anna, your mom told us about prom. We hope you don't mind, we just really wanted to share this with you if it's okay?"

"Of course." I smiled stepping forward to give them both a hug.

"Your mom told us you're going with Austin. I know you guys got closer after , well everything. He's a good kid." Carol said.

"We are just friends" I informed her.

"Maybe so, but Molly was always three steps ahead. She would be happy to see you guys together you know. You were both her favorite people and I think that it would make her happy to see you both happy." Carol continued as Austin knocked and opened the front door.

"Knock knock, oh my god." He froze looking at Molly's parents. Mr and Mrs Clarke?" His eyes widened.

"I'm going to get some water." I announced as they said their hellos. I heard Carol talking about me to Austin as I walked back towards them, but they stopped when I got closer.

"You ready?" I asked him, silently hoping we could escape quickly.

"Not so fast!" My mother interjected. "Pictures first, especially since Austin's parents are stuck at work."

As requested I posed and took some pictures with Austin, one of which he kissed my forehead as I laughed at some silly joke Mr Clarke had said. When we said goodbye to my parents and the Clarke's I let myself feel the truth in Carols words.

Molly would be happy to see us like this right now.

I grabbed his hand as we left the house. I had already told my parents we would probably crash at Austin's. His parents weren't home so we wouldn't be disturbing anyone, plus if we left early no one would be there to question it.

Thankfully they didn't question it. I had spent enough time at his house for them to at least know that even alone, we weren't truly alone. His grandma did also live there, in a guest house, but she was still around.

"You look beautiful A" he smiled as we got out the car and he took my hand in his.

"Thanks." I smiled back, my heartbeat picking up ever so slightly.

We made our way inside, took the silly pictures at the door, grabbed some finger foods from the reception area before walking into the main room where the loud music was coming from.

"Don't worry, I'll be right here the whole time." He said when I stopped a few steps into the flashing lights.

I squeezed his hand, which he returned before he pulled me into the middle of the room and spun me around pulling me tightly against his chest.

Some of the baseball team joined us for a while, their dates not at all what I had expected them to be. Still as long as it wasn't Jessica and her clan I didn't care. Austin was happy and surprisingly I was having a good time too.

We danced as a large group for most of the night, switching between all our dates so that everyone could dance with everyone. Apparently the guys thought that meant they had a better shot at getting lucky tonight or something dumb like that.

The last song of the night was a slow song, go figure, and as all the lovey doves couples took to the floor I was steadily trying to escape it.

"Where do you think you're going?" Austin teased.

"Away." I deadpanned.

"Oh no you don't." He grabbed my hand. "My date owes me a last dance, and as my best friend she knows that she could never subject me to the horror of Jessica waiting in the wings." He pulled me towards him.

He wasn't wrong though, I would never do that.

"Fine." I rolled my eyes.

Once we got back to the dance floor he pulled me close. His grin on my waist was familiar yet warm, and I could feel his fingers moving as they looked for their place of comfort. My hands wrapped around his neck as I rested my head on his shoulder pressing my forehead against the crook of his neck.

"She would want you to enjoy this you know?" He whispered causing my breath to catch. I didn't need to speak for him to know I was listening. "I know we don't talk about her, but I know she wanted us to be happy and do all the things she didn't get the chance to do."

I nodded against his neck as his grip tightened and his hands moved from my waist to wrap around my back. I could feel my eyes getting hot and glassy and it was because I knew he was right.

I could feel his fingers brushing against my back as a foreign sensation rushed through me. Austin was the only person left that really knew me, but at the same time I couldn't betray Molly, even if my body was starting to turn against me.

"Austin, can we go now please?" I spoke into his neck.

He pulled away and wiped under my eye with his thumb. In that moment everything else faded away into nothing. The music, the lights, the rest of our class, all gone.

"Sure thing, let's get home." He grinned and just like that the moment was gone.

In its place, a confused bundle of emotions began to manifest inside of me and I had no clue how to make sense of any of them.