Faults, Scars, and Guitar Strings

Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Senior year continued, much to my dismay. I got stares, glares, insults, and sympathetic comments as I walked into the school. My teachers had to shush the students every time I walked into the classroom. My friends were right though because the comments died down quickly and after two or three weeks it was like everyone had forgotten what happened. The media didn't though. The media and the internet never forgot. My manager Ellen recommended that I take a break from social media. I said no at first, but David, Lolita, and the rest of my family held another intervention for me. They didn't want me to relapse again because they could see how I had been on the edge since the photos leaked. I deleted all of my social media accounts that night. I promised myself and my family that if I ever did return then it would be because I felt 100 percent confident about myself.

Prom approached and Dylan took his time with whatever plan he had to ask me. I grew impatient and talked to Lolita, Maria, and Anastasia about it all the time. I decided to ask again one day during study period. "Why can't you tell me what he's planning?" I asked them, "Can I at least get a hint? Maybe a general timeframe?"

Anastasia laughed and Maria replied, "Sorry Kay, but no can do. We promised Dylan we would not say a word."

"He did warn us that you would likely beg for hints though," Anastasia added.

I groaned, "Dammit."

"Everyone to the gym please," the principal said over the loudspeaker.

"I wonder what that's about," I stood up with Maria and walked out with the rest of the students. This school rarely had assemblies. We had assemblies before school dances, before spirit weeks, and under emergency circumstances. Maybe this is about prom.

Maria smiled, "Oh I don't know."

"Mar, that's not the face of someone who doesn't know." The look on Maria's face told me that she had something to do with this assembly.

"Okay, I might know."

"Maria... Wait, where's Dylan?" Is this it? Did he plan this assembly? How did he even get the principal to okay it?

"Oh don't worry he's meeting us there."

"What?! Today?! Now?! He's asking me in front of the whole school?!"

"Come on!" She pulled me into the gym.

Sure enough, Dylan stood next to David in the middle of the gym. He had a microphone in his hand and David was setting up a projector. I sat down in the front row next to Anastasia and Maria. "What's happening?" I asked them. "Oh my God. I'm going to pass out. I am going to have a panic attack. This is why one of you should have warned me."

Anastasia laughed, "Kayla, chill! You'll love it!"

"Does everyone know?"

Maria nodded, "Everyone but you."

"Ugh!"

"Alright everyone," Dylan quieted everyone down. "I want to have everyone's attention. As you all know, prom is coming up. It's our last dance in high school and it just so happens to be the night before graduation. I promised my girlfriend I would make this year's prom special because we couldn't make it to the last one. We've been through a lot together, my girlfriend and I, and I think more people should take a look at what it's been like for us."

David pressed a few buttons on the laptop in front of the projector and a video started. Oh my God. He turned our story into a video. That's why he needed David's help. He put our love story into a video. I felt tears slide down my face and Maria put her arm around me. Dylan spoke throughout many parts of the video. Us laughing, playing games in my arcade room, having a food fight in my kitchen, and dancing around backstage before one of my concerts. It is the most beautiful video I have ever seen. He even put one of my songs about him in the background of the video. Now everybody in school knows our love story. He didn't leave anything out. "Kayla Dane, you are the greatest person I have ever met. I am proud to call you my best friend and my girlfriend. Will you go to prom with me?"

I laughed and stood up, racing over to where he stood. I tackled him in a hug and he dropped the microphone in the process. The gym roared with applause and everyone stood on their feet. I pulled away from the hug only to kiss him. "That was crazy!" I laughed.

"You liked it though right?"

"It was the sweetest video I have ever seen! I love you. Of course I'll go to prom with you."

"I love you too. Were you surprised?"

I nodded, "Very. I thought I was going to pass out."

He laughed, "That's my Kayla."

The principal released the students to go back to class. Everyone except my friends and I listened. I walked over and hugged David. "Thank you for helping with this. The video was beautiful."

"I was happy to help. Dylan is very convincing. He wanted to make up for last year, he wanted to make up for how he's been acting this year, and he said this morning that he hopes it will cheer you up after the month you have had."

"It did," I smiled.

He smiled back, "Good, now go enjoy the celebration with your friends. I have to pack this stuff up and get to the studio."

"You're going to let me hear the song right?"

He rolled his eyes, "So impatient."

"I can go to the studio with you."

"Fine," he laughed, "I will send you a clip."

"Thank you," I grinned.

He shook his head and chuckled as he packed up the equipment, "So annoying."

"Annoying David again?" Maria asked when I joined them again.

I nodded, "I can't help myself. He's so easy to annoy."

"That video was even more beautiful than the way you explained it Dylan," Anastasia said. "David outdid himself with it. He should start getting more into the behind the scenes instead of being in front of the camera."

"I agree," I said. "I think I've told him that before too, but he still claims he only does those things for fun. Or if I ask, of course."

Anastasia laughed, "He just can't say no to his sister."

"Exactly how it should be," I laughed.

"Should we all go out after this?" Dylan suggested.

Maria replied, "Yes! We can go to the new pizza place. I heard they have the best pizza."

"I don't have to work for another hour and a half," Anastasia answered, "So I can go too."

"Awesome!" Dylan said.

"Wait, did you two get dates to prom?" I asked Maria and Anastasia.

They both shook their heads and Maria told us, "We didn't get asked, but then we decided that we wanted to go together anyway. After what both of us have been through together we decided that we wanted to celebrate the end of high school together."

"I know what you mean," I smiled. "Prom isn't just a dance this year. After everything we have all been through together, it's a night to celebrate all of that. It's the end of something and the beginning of something else."

Anastasia sighed, "I'm pretty nervous about what's going to happen after this."

"Me too," Maria said, "but we have each other."

"That's right," I nodded. "We will always have each other."

"We've gotten this far haven't we?" Dylan asked, "We can get through anything."