Prom Queens

Chapter 5

We left Alan's shop after yelling up to him, thanking him again for letting us hang out.  He followed us out to lock the door behind us and shut out the downstairs lights.  It was a little bit after one AM and there was nobody on the streets except us.  The Christmas lights between the trees and illuminating the sidewalk were the only remote source of energy in this silent town.

We started walking back towards Natalie's place, the pounding of our school prom still audible from the stoop of Alan's store.  I protectively placed my arm around her shoulders, a defense against the harmless dark.  She leaned into me for support, obviously still not feeling her best.  We stumbled down the sidewalk like this for a long time, moving much slower than we had on our way here.

Eventually, we reached the last destination I wanted to take her to - the park.  Hopefully, it would be completely deserted, and we'd get to be alone.  There were tall ebony gates, meant to protect the park come nightfall, but I had learned from countless evenings of wandering that the park's groundskeeper neglected this.  Everything else was well-kept, however, and it became a favorite hideaway.

The park had three main sections: just beyond the gates, there was a pond, thinner in the middle so that a bridge could be crossed to access the remainder of the park; after the pond, there was a fountain, surrounded by square hedges and stone benches; lastly, in the very back of the park, there was a grove of all different trees, and this was where the park dispersed, becoming more of a natural, common ground.

Nat smiled a little when she saw the open gates.  She liked the park as well, probably not as much as I did, but we met here on occasion.  We crossed the pond bridge, walked between the hedges and around the fountain, then came to a stop under a favorite tree.

It had long, thick branches, all covered in white blossoms.  It was further from the other trees, but towards the front of the grove.  We usually climbed as high up as we could get, but tonight our limbs were a bit too exhausted to find the right branches.  So, we sat under the tree, among the fallen white petals that the wind had shaken from it.

We were silent for a few minutes, not even touching each other.  Natalie's eyes wandered everywhere but on me, and I wondered if I had done something.

"Everything okay?" I asked, reaching for her hand.

"Yeah.  I just have an idea is all," she told me, accepting my hand and holding it tightly.

"I'm listening," I replied, intrigued.

She was silent again for a moment, as if hesitating to tell me.  Finally, she asked me, "What do you think about running away?"

"Do you mean... us?  Us running away?"

"Sort of."

I thought for a minute, then replied, "I'm not really sure."

"It's just..." she began, resting her head on my shoulder as she shifted a little closer, "I've been living in this shithole for about seven years now, and I'm between overwhelmed and bored.  My dad sucks some serious ass, but nothing else interesting happens here, you know?"

"I guess you're right," I said.

I thought in silence for another minute, then added, "I don't mean to be selfish, but what about my mom?"

"You aren't being selfish," Nat assured, "you love your family, which is a lot more than I can say."

A light breeze dislodged a few white petals from the tree.

"I guess..." she trailed off.  "Nevermind."

"What do you mean, nevermind?"

"Running away would only benefit me, really.  I don't need to ruin your family relationship."

"Nat," I said, turning towards her.  "Listen to me."

She stared at me with her chocolate eyes, but before I could be completely mesmerized, I continued.

"I don't need anything else if I have you," I told her.  I was being one hundred percent truthful.  I might seem like a horrible person for valuing a high school relationship over my family, but I was willing to risk anything for the girl I love.

She leaned into me, placing her forehead on my collarbone.  "For once, Liz, I can say the same."

I heard her sigh against my chest as she went on.  "We both know that I've been around.  I've had more than my fair share of flings with girls and boys.  I could easily be discounted as a slut by anybody, but you see me differently.  You're the first person I've ever felt safe with, the first person who I feel something real for.  Even my family... I hate my dad, I hate Bethany, and I don't even remember my mom or my younger brother.  They left so long ago that I literally don't remember what they look like.  But I don't even feel empty.  I'm with you."

I started to cry, then she started to cry, and soon our faces were both wet with tears.  It was a moment we both needed, one where we were in sync, one when we were both feeling the same way.  At this moment, we knew as long as we had each other, we didn't have to feel alone.  I wasn't just one of her toys.  She was my sun, I was her moon, and we depended on each other to light up the sky.

When the crying had slowed, I pressed a healing kiss to her lips: short and sweet, tasting like the salt of both of our tears.  "I think we should go home," I said, standing.

"Not my home," Nat said, wiping the tear stains away.

"No, mine," I said.  "My mom is on a business trip.  You can stay."

We stood and left the park.

My house was past hers, back a few streets, and at the edge of a forest that technically belonged to our neighbors.  As we walked by her house, we could see in the windows.  Her dad was asleep, all of the lamps still on.  Bethany was picking up bottles, emotionless.

Once we reached my house, I fished the key from my bag and unlocked the front door.  It was dark and drafty inside, and my white cat Pearl greeted us.  I closed the door behind us as Nat was already in my bedroom, too tired to keep her pretty eyes open.

~

(A/N: if anybody can find the symbolism I was going for here / you get a gold star / thanks for reading / hope you're enjoying)