A Teenage Love: A Coming of Age Story

Chapter 17 - Homecoming

Ryan. She didn't call. I was being as honest as honest gets and still no response. I regretted being so transparent. It messed with my head all day. Meagan was a beauty in her coffee brown gown with the back exposed. When she got a glimpse of me, she told me to wait at the door while she ran back inside. I was just hoping she didn't decide to leave me standing there while she snuck out the back. She came back with her dad's slim black tie and swiftly fixed it around my collar.

"I didn't do too bad, did I?"

"You look great."

I knew I was no good on the fashion tip, so I shut up and let her fix me.

She added about a hundred and fifty percent to my seventy five. We stood back and watched the school entrance become a runway. I concluded that most of these girls' everyday attire didn't do them justice. They wore black and pink, shades of blue and green, colorful patterns that fit their bodies like paint. Nobody wore theirs better than Meagan though and nobody's date raised their stock as drastically as she did mine.

Michelle's platinum beamer graced the parking lot, grabbing everybody's attention like it was a UFO. The rims glittered as she whipped the car into the nearest parking spot. Dustin smoothly circled the car to open her door and Michelle climbed out in an electric blue mini dress, hair delicately swept over her left shoulder, skin glowing like the moon. Her flesh colored heels accentuated everything from her toes up. She looked like she was walking on air. Her inked cast kept her fingers in place as she linked arms with Dustin. Finally, I found the strength to pry my eyes off her and focus on my date, but by that time it was too late. Her eyes were shooting lasers through my head. She stormed off and into the building.

"Meagan," I called after her. She kept walking. I growled in frustration. This is not going as planned. I spotted her talking to Tarrah on the side of the dance floor. I found a table and waited for her to come to me since I really didn't have the words to bring her back. I was lucky to be there with her. Still, I picked my table based on the view of Michelle.

The smug look on Dustin's face as she danced on him pissed me off a little bit. I fidgeted, hoping the people around me couldn't see what a train wreck I was. Terrell took the seat next to me. He waved his hand in front of my face. "Yo," he laughed. "Where's your date?"

"What?"

"Your date. Meagan. Remember her?"

"Oh yeah, she left."

"You fucking me up. You know that right?"

"I just gotta say one thing to her."

"I wouldn't do that," he warned me.

I squeezed through the dance floor and snuck up behind her. Up close. Her feminine scent crept up my nostrils, slowing me down and calming my nerves. I ran my fingers down her smooth, bare arms. She turned around with the biggest smile on her face. "Took you long enough."

"See, I knew you saw me," I said pointing at her heart shaped face.

She shook with laughter. "I was just waiting for you to come over to say hi."

Hi? I had a mouthful. Instead of spilling it all at once, I swayed to the music. I spotted Meagan fuming, arms folded tight as she and Tarrah cursed me to hell. It was like those times I knew I was past curfew but the forthcoming punishment wasn't nearly as scary as what I could be missing right here, right now. We swayed silently. That dance said everything that needed to be said. I'm sorry. I miss you. I love you.