Forever Yours

chapter fourteen

"Willow!" my dad calls from downstairs. "Mia's here!"

"I'll be down in a minute!" I call down to him. I grab my clutch purse off my perfectly made bed and take one last look in the mirror.

It's prom night and I'm all gussied up in my nicest dress and makeup. For once, I have a natural full face of makeup, mostly pinks and nudes. To match, I'm wearing a pink prom dress. The blush-colored gown starts off with spaghetti straps, then comes down to a corseted top, then ends with a puffy tulle skirt, with penny sized sparkles all throughout. It's not quite floor length. Ending at my ankles to show off my strappy nude heels. I thought the dress was repulsive when I first saw it on the rack at our local dress boutique, but Mia said it was to die for. I did not feel as much of a hatred for it after I tried it on. I actually looked pretty for once. And I feel beautiful right now, with my hair in the best curled up-do I could manage.

I never showed Joel my dress because I wanted it to be a surprise. But I told him he had to match the pink theme. He thought it would be hilarious to see me in pink, but deep down I think he's excited to see me in something other than black.

I make my way downstairs, trying not to tumble down. I do not wear heels too often. Then I catch sight of Mia in the doorway. She looks beautiful in her floor length prom dress. It's form fitting and has a slit up her left leg. The deep red color looks amazing in contrast with her dark skin tone. Her natural black hair is shown for once and it is in a similar curled up-do to mine. She has a dark smokey eye and a bright red lip.

"Oh my god, Mia, you look gorgeous!" She brings me in for a hug.

"So do you, cupcake."
I get a sad look on my face. "You really think I look like a cupcake?"

She starts laughing then says, "No silly. It was just a term of endearment." I laugh along with her.

"You girls look amazing. And it is good to see you in something other than black Willow," my dad chimes in. "I just know you'll win Prom Queen in that dress." Since my newfound popularity, I was nominated for Prom Queen along with a few other very popular girls.

"Thanks Dad." I hug him and he asks if he could take some pictures of us. We get a few good pictures out in the backyard and then we head for the front door.

"Hank is going to love me in this," Mia whispers to me as we walk out the door.

"No boys!" Dad calls to us jokingly, but let's be honest, he is dead serious.

"Of course, Mr. Eric," Mia says and then we start laughing once he has closed the door.

Once we arrive at school, we see Joel at the entrance of the gym where the prom is held. He is with a group of football boys, waiting for our arrival. Once he catches sight of me, his eyes go wide and his jaw drops. We make it over to the group and Joel pulls me in for a hug.

He tries to go in for a kiss, but I turn away. "Lipstick!" I say and laugh, not wanting him to mess up my perfectly glossed lips. He laughs too and shakes his head. I inform him that he can kiss my cheek lightly if he would like, and he does. He tells me how beautiful I look, and I tell him that he is the most handsome man I have ever seen.

"I got you this," he says and hands me a corsage. It is a white rose with some light pink baby's breath around it. He places it on my wrist.

"I got you one too," I grab the boutonniere from Mia and pin the pink rose to his tuxedo successfully after pricking my finger a couple of times.

"Shall we everyone?" Mia questions and we all say yes and head into the prom.

The gym is decorated fabulously. The theme is Candy Land. The entrance to the gym is a tunnel of giant pink and white swirled lollipops with large rainbow-colored lanterns leading the way. The whole room is decorated like the famous board game. A rainbow-colored road is swerving around the whole floor of the gym and ends with a giant circle of rainbow for the dance floor. A makeshift stage is made in front of the dance floor with a banner that reads 'CANDY LAND: PVHS PROM. ONE SWEET NIGHT!' Two royal worthy thrones sit on top of the stage with a little table in the middle that holds the king and queen crowns. Twinkling lights hang in a crossed pattern across the ceiling. There are tons of tables for everyone to sit at, centerpieces of giant wrapped hard candies sit in the middle. Four large tables of food sit in the back of the gym. Two are filled entirely with jars of various kinds of candy. The other tables are filled with sweet snacks like donuts, cookies, brownies, and a giant bowl of fruit punch. Oversized gummy bears decorate each table.