The Black Girl

twenty three

Sorry for not updating in a week hehe, I'll update again soon, I promise.

The car drive is silent apart from the quiet jazz music that plays in the background from the radio, and I want to ask Lane about what happened between us. If he wants to talk about it, he will, and he obviously hasn't forgotten, or maybe he has, but I decide not to speak up so we can have a nice time tonight.

When we pull up to the road of our school there are lots of cars parked along the road and the front of the school has a long line of cars and limousines waiting to drop students off at the dance.

Lane stops in front of the school and hands to key to a valet to park it, they've really gone all out with this prom-- winter ball thing, I think to myself.

He rushed over to the other side and opens the door for me even though I'm already about it open it myself. "Allow me," He smiles at me, and I climb out, thanking him.

The whole school looks amazing, balloons are everywhere in light pastel colours or white, and there are loads of fake glittery snowflakes hang from the ceilings in the hallway, and a carpet leads our way to the main hall where the dance actually takes place.

There is a pathway of white snowy arches that lead there and when we finally get to the hall, hand-in-hand, it looks like an actual winter wonderland. Artifical snow falls lightly from the ceiling, and I wonder how.

"Wow," I whisper under my breath and Lane looks over to me smiling and pulls me by my hand.

"Come on." He briefly tilts his head as if to say we should go onto the dance floor, we soon climb down the three steps from where all the dining tables are and get to the dance floor. At first I feel uneasy but I soon agree and we begin to waltz or fancy dance along with everyone else.

He places his hand on my waist and interlocks our fingers and we dance from side to side. He stares at me for a long time and for some reason I begin to smile, then I remember I'm meant to be seeing Kim and Gabi here.

People are sitting on tables and having conversations, while some stand around talking and some stay on the dance floor, dancing to whatever music comes on. I spot Kim across the room, luckily because her mask stays on top of her head instead of covering her face as she walks in with her date, Sebastian. I smile at her appearance.

Strands of her hair are curled in the front and the rest is put into a bun. Her dress looks more fitting than it did the other day, and in one hand she's holding a small clutch and in the other is Sebastian's hand.

"I should go say hi to Kim," I tell Lane which I do feel bad for leaving him in the middle of our dance, but I'd rather talk to Kim than be dancing. He nods and asks to come with probably so he doesn't have to stay on the dance floor like a total loser, which I'm fine with and we both climb up the stairs.

Kim smiles at me and her smile sort of fades when she sees Lane but that doesn't stop her from greeting him. She pulls me into a warm embrace and looks at me up and down, letting out a sigh which is probably of relief, "Here I was thinking you'd wear jeans," She laughs, "Hey Lane." She smiles at him.

He returns the words, and I smile over a Sebastian who is wearing a black suit and a long black tie, "Hey," I tell him and he smiles replying with a small hi.

After all having a brief conversation we decide to go to the dance floor as the music soon changes to a soft, slow ballad which I believe is by Ed Sheeran. We sway from side to side, while Kim and Sebastian dance on their own and we still see no sign of Gabi.

Lane and I pull our masks down and I smile. His covers his eyes only and is white, creating a contrast to his honey coloured eyes, he looks breath-taking.

The music dies down and changes into a song way more dramatic as someone says into the announcer, 'Laura King,'. The lights settle down and a fog begins to rise on the ground below us covering our dresses and shoes along with everyone else in the room.

The lights become focus on the top of the stairs and there Laura stands. She's wearing a gold dress that has a slim fit but touches the ground, she has no mask on, yet the four girls that stand on her sides behind are dressed like bridesmaids, two in light green and two in light purple.

Her eyes meet mine, and under my mask she probably knows it me considering I'm the only black girl. I immediately feel uneasy and still hold my ground and stare at her, Lane's hand still holding mine and one wrapped around my waist. Snow falls onto my shoulders on even as cold as the room is, I begin to feel hot.

She gives me a smile, and I can't but feel like it's not a good one.