Brewed to Perfection

Part 22

I remembered the girl who sat anxiously waiting for the boy she had only just forgiven to ring her doorbell and take her to prom. She didn't want to go with him at first but her parents had found out through the grapevine she had been asked, and begged her to go.

They even bought her a ridiculously expensive dress that she felt too ugly to wear. But not that night. That night, she looked in her bedroom mirror and actually liked what she saw. She even smiled when she saw her reflection for the first time.

She felt pretty. She wondered if maybe this was her prayers being answered.

Her parents took lots of photos of her and gave her a 12am curfew, before they headed out for a dinner reservation. They wanted to stay and wait for her prom date to arrive but she had asked them to go and leave her to it. She promised she would take more photos and give them regular updates.

It seemed too good to be true. He was picking her up at 7pm and while she paced in her front room nervously she tried not to pick at her newly polished fingernails or faff too much with her hair.

Instead of feeling uncomfortable or nervous, it was butterflies in her stomach. She was excited.

When the doorbell went, she reached for the pocket square she had bought for him. Grabbing her purse and keys she opened the door with a nervous smile on her face, only to find not one but four boys standing there.

Four boys who started laughing. Laughing at her.

She was confused at first, but it all started to make sense. It was their biggest joke yet. She felt lightheaded and thought she might throw up. This had to be a nightmare.

"Jesus Christ!" One yelled whilst snorting.

"Fuck man, I didn't think you'd actally do it." Another praised.

"Where did you get that fucking thing?" One burst out laughing whilst pointing at her dress.

"Could you imagine walking in with that? She even put on makeup, hahaha" someone joked.

"A bet's a bet. You guys owe me 100 each" her prom date demanded smugly.

She stood, frozen in place with a single tear falling down her face.

"Let's get out of this dump, see ya piggy" one of the guys yelled.

"I always knew she was a pig, but I didnt realise she lived in a fucking Sty."

They all walked back to their car except one.

He was the one who liked to see her broken.

"Come on now Stormy. You didn't really think Klaus wanted to take you to prom?"

She felt her body start to shake, and the box she had been holding fell to the floor. He stood and watched as she fell to the ground, unable to stand any longer. She had never felt lower in her entire life. She was glad her parents didn't stay to see her leave.

"You're not beautiful enough for that," he stated whilst grabbing the pocket square that had fallen to the ground. As he stood back up, he lifted his head, looked at her once more before turning back, walking to the car.

As the memories of prom night came rushing back, I felt a tear fall down my cheek as I looked out onto the road. I had promised myself, that horrible night where they had broken me would be the last time any of them would see me cry. Especially him.

I would never let him see me cry ever again.

-

I kept looking out of the window, for a few more minutes, before I heard Benjamin whisper my name "Maeve?"

His voice sounded softer than normal, like he was uncomfortable even. But I knew my ears were deceiving me. Benjamin didn't know what it was like to care for someone else. Or care about someone's feelings.

I remained silent for the rest of the car journey , telling myself to get a grip.

As we drove into Bev's driveway I rolled the window back up.

"Everything ok back there?" Bev asked before unclipping her seatbelt

"Yeah- everything's fine. I just need a drink" I replied.