Flower Boy

"Actually going to it"

It just felt like a normal day when I woke up but it was anything but normal later that night.

The minute I woke up I could smell the aroma of homemade strawberry pancakes and the zest of freshly squeezed orange juice. Immediately bubbling with joy I walk down the hall to the kitchen where I found my mother flipping pancakes and my older sister Gemma sitting at the table with a big smile on her face, syrup spilling from the corner of it.
My sister came to visit for the week and I've been joyful about it the whole time, she has always been there for me really.

"Morning Harry!" Gemma said, stabbing her fork into another pancake. I chuckle and sit down along with her.

"So what's the occasion mum?" I ask stealing a sip of my sisters orange juice, and she gives me a dirty look. "Oh nothing... its only your first school dance that you're actually going to today." My mum says with a smile through her teeth.

She has always pressured me to be more active romantically. I'm more of a see you one day gone the next type of a guy.

Unless I find the one.. But that's not important right now. I just want to have fun, live life and not worry too much.
I always worry too much but I try and not focus on nerves and societal pressures. I'm going to be who I am and really no one is going to stop me.

I did have one love a couple years ago but that didn't end very well.

My mum places a large stack of strawberry pancakes in front of me, waiting for a reply. "Well.. I never said I'd be 'actually going to it' ." I said back to her, quoting with my fingers in the air, staring at my pancakes blankety, almost loosing my appetite.

She grunts and goes back to making breakfast. I look at the clock above the stove and see it's already 8:00 am. No please no, oh god no, I'd rather not be late yet again.

I drop my fork on a pool of syrup on my plate and it splashes up on my face and favorite shirt I'm wearing. I never wear pajamas, I just wear what I wore the day before.

Gemma giggles and I panic rushing to my bedroom and trying to find something decent to wear. I get out a nice Polk a dot blue shirt and black jeans.

Running to my bathroom I check my hair and comb through it once, not having enough time to use mouthwash and brush my teeth, I dip my toothbrush in the bottle of mouthwash and hope for the best.

I wipe my chin off and slip on my nice sneakers. "Wait before you go--" my mom grabs my collar and gives me a kiss on the head.

I run out onto the lawn and try to catch up with the bus when she shouts to me , "Your tux is at the dry cleaners! I'll pick you up after band practice, don't worry everything will be perfect!" She said a little too cheerily, as if I had actually worried about something I was dreading to go to.

My best friend Todd had the bus driver stop a block ahead. His mum isn't very nice and doesn't really support him in anything he does, but she makes the best pudding.

I sprint to the back of the crowded bus with all eyes on me, the gawky bi kid who isn't popular in the slightest, and sit down next to my ginger haired buddy of years.

Todd immediately starts ranting about prom the minute my butt touches the seat, and I try my best to numb out, looking out the school bus window as green trees blur by and pink blooming flower petals fall down in a beautiful shower of color.