Valhalla High (A Magnus Chase Fanfic)

Prom Night Part 1

April 26

     "You don't have to do any math," Saga said. "Just don't be too loud or blow up my room."

    Then she sat down and started playing sudoku on her phone. It was Friday and since prom was tonight, my teachers had pretty much given up on teaching us anything. Some, like Odin still tried, though at least we played Jeopardy! instead of doing more AP practice exams. Sif had even spent all class talking with each of us about our plans for prom. I had only been able to tell her two things: I was going with Alex and we were going to Fadlan's Falafels before the dance.

Alex and Sam were in deep discussion and told me to shoo off, so I just played on Cool Math 4 Kids and pretended it was educational. When the bell rang, there were several whoops and cheers. "Three weeks till I'm out of this Helheim!" Magni whooped.

"Looks like I'll have to put up with you for a few more weeks," Alex joked as we walked to the library.

    "What were you and Sam discussing?" I asked.

     "Sam needs a male relative to escort her to prom," Alex replied. "She's lucky today is a very male day for me. Otherwise her grandfather might be coming to prom."

    Since we didn't know how Alex would feel, we'd gone shopping and got her a dress and a suit, so he could wear whatever striked his fancy tonight. "Sam is lucky to have a brother like you," I said.

    We chilled and did homework at the library until my mother picked us up. When we got home, I crashed in bed and slept for a couple hours. When my alarm went off, I brushed my teeth and got ready. I felt awkward in my suit and tie, but at least it wasn't blue — or banana yellow. My suit was black and my tie was a light green like spring foliage. I smoothed down my hair with some water and even put on aftershave (despite having not the slightest need to shave).

       I waited for Alex downstairs on the couch. My mother was lounging on the sofa with her laptop out. "I'm thinking about a celebratory graduation hike," she suggested. "What do you think?"

     "Count me in," I replied.

     Alex came down five minutes later. If I thought I looked spiffy, he looked dashing. He was wearing dark green dress pants with a matching sports jacket and a pale pink cravat. The colors brought out the warm tones in his skin and his two-toned gaze. "Cat got your tongue?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.

    "No, you did," I said truthfully.

     Alex laughed. I'd had a dream before of being laughed at by Alex while in a dress, but this was more embarrassing because it was actually real. Alex came over and pecked my cheek. "You got my tongue too."

      My mother was trying to hide her smile. "You two have better come back by 6:00 AM," she said.

      "What a strict curfew," I joked.

       "Have a good time!" my mother said, her smile broad.

***

     Fadlan's Falafels was as good as ever. I was hungrier than usual because we were eating dinner late. Prom didn't start until 9:00, so after Amir and Sam picked us up, we went to the park for a photoshoot. While Sam and Amir weren't supposed to even hold hands, their gazes showed all the love they had for each other. Alex and I had taken a different approach and now Alex's phone was filled with goofy images of us. My favorite was one where Alex accidentally blew the dandelion he was holding in my face. "Your expression in it is priceless," he'd declared.

    I'd looked at my wide eyes and half-open mouth and laughed: priceless indeed. There was an ease between us that there hadn't been when we first met. Our banter felt more like just that — banter — than awkward flirting. And the feeling of suppressed tension and excitement — as if I were garbanzo beans waiting for Amir to push the button of the food processor and turn me into falafels — was replaced by a steady happiness. I liked being around Alex; I enjoyed his company. It has been years since I'd felt so connected to my peers.

     We stopped by our houses to drop off our dog bags (no gyros in the garbage on my watch) and then Amir drove us to the school. We got there a bit early, but the parking lot was already mayhem and it took us ten minutes to find a spot. Part of it was so many spots were taken. The other part was that the senior class of Valhalla High had turned the parking lot into Helheim.

       There were groups of people everywhere laughing and talking. I saw Magni and Mothi with their dates, all of them looking as if they wouldn't pass a breathalyzer test. One of the girls giggled and stumbled backwards and Magni had to catch her to stop her from falling flat on her back. "This is why Allah prohibits drinking," Sam muttered.

     We pushed through the groups of people, searching for our friends. Everyone was already acting as if prom had started. Someone had even turned on their car radio and it was currently blasting the latest hits at a volume so high I could feel the music vibrating through my body. "God save my ears," Alex cursed.

     Amir said something, but I couldn't hear him over the loud music. He said something again and thought I didn't make out what he said, I saw him pointing to the left and I nodded. Alex gripped my hand and we slid together through the crowd. Where was Amir leading us? Suddenly, I noticed the crowd was getting smaller and the music wasn't so loud. "Beantown, you made it!" Mallory said.

     She was wearing a green sweetheart dress. Next to her, Halfborn looked better-groomed than I'd ever seen him — even if his tie was coming undone. "The rest of the group is near the entrance," Halfborn informed us.

    At that moment, the school doors opened up. "Prom begins now!" Gunilla shouted.

   We joined the crowd of students pressing forward eagerly. Tonight was prom and none of us wanted  to waste a second of it.