Lamia's Dream

Chapter 34

The girls had picked some fancy French restaurant- whose name I couldn't- in Charlotte for the prom night dinner.  I had a feeling the money I saved from renting a tuxedo would be used here instead. 

Valerie and I arrived last.

We took group pictures before going in.  Valerie looked stunning in her red dress.  When she spoke, I found myself staring at her lips, done with ruby colored lipstick.  I wore the suit I‘d received last Christmas, but with a black dress shirt and red tie.

Lynn and Malik proved their sincerity about being nominated for cutest couple.  Lynn’s glittery green strapless dress complimented her eyes.  Her usually straight hair was done in curls.  Malik wore a matching green tie and vest beneath a black tuxedo jacket. 

Samantha and Tatiana sought to be their competition.  Both wore sequined cocktail dresses, Samantha’s gold and Tatiana’s silver.  Samantha wore two silver bracelets and Tatiana wore two gold ones. 

Alexandra and Chad had gone for a simpler look.  She wore a one shoulder purple dress and he wore a traditional black tuxedo. 

After taking pictures, we sat at our reserved table.  I had Valerie to my left and Lynn to my right. 

This was easily the fanciest restaurant I had ever been to.  The customers were mostly couples, speaking in low, intimate tones.  The waiter greeted us in French and Valerie instructed everyone to refer to him as garcon.

Valerie had been cordial on the way there.  At the dinner, she was openly friendly, as if all between us was forgiven.  She reached her hand under the table and interlocked her fingers with my own.  Part of me expected that rather or not the night ended well, she would still forgive me.  The other part figured she only touched me to drain my emotional energy.

Malik commented on the music.  “Miles, what are they saying?”

“How am I supposed to know?”

“Because they’re speaking en François,” Valerie replied.

“Oh, I used to speak that…” I said with a mocking smile.

Chad tapped his fingers on the table.    

“Not what you’re used to?” Samantha asked him.

“No way.  I’m itching to play some real music.”

“It’s only real music if there’s a guitar, right Chad?” Lynn said.

Several of us chuckled.

“If it gets too bad, my guitar is in the trunk of the limousine.”

Alexandra’s face fell into her palms.  “I told you not to bring it!”

“I thought I could play on the way to prom.”

The rest of the table erupted into laughter. 

In that moment, all of us laughing, I realized I was happy.  Genuinely happy.  Which didn't happen often for me.  And, even more surprising, it wasn’t with my usual crowd.  Instead, I was with my girlfriend and others whom I had varying degrees of relations with.  In about a month and a half, my popularity had grown to the point where I was spending one of the most important days of my high school years with people who weren't my best friends.  I didn't know how to feel about that.

"Hey, I'm going to step outside for a bit," I whispered to Valerie.

"You okay?" Valerie asked, looking genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, I just need some fresh air."

"Be back in a bit everyone.  Nature calls," I announced sheepishly.

“I’ve told you a million times, Miles, you don’t have to tell us you’re heading to the bathroom,” Samantha teased with a grin.

I walked away toward the bathroom but took the nearby exit.  I sighed, shortly after the fresh air brushed my face.

What the heck was wrong with me?

I was supposed to be happy.  I was with my beautiful girlfriend, having dinner with the most desirable girls in school.  Even my cousin was here to relish in the moment.  Was it just me missing my friends?  Or, did I still feel unworthy of it all?

"Hey," Valerie said, stepping outside.

"Hey," I replied.

Instead of asking what's wrong, she leaned beside me against the brick wall of the restaurant and rested her head on my shoulder.  I got a whiff of her shampoo.  We must have been a sight standing out there dressed so fancy.

"Usually by now you'd ask if I was ok."

"Yeah, but I know you well enough to know you're not.  And, I know that if you're willing to talk about it, you will."

Her fingers found mine and wove between them.  Here I was ruining her perfect night.  Why did she like me?  Why did she care?

"But this better not be an attempt to get out of giving me my surprise."

I forced a nervous laugh to seem fine.  I looked down at her. "No, it's in the book bag I brought."

"Miles.  It probably goes without saying, but-"

"You'll care for me, even if I mess things up tonight?" I guessed.

Her head moved up and done against my shoulder.

"I was really mad that day in the principal's office.  After a few days, the anger subsided but I didn't know what to say to you.  I was only half-joking when I said I wanted a gift from you.  Then you took it seriously.  If I was a better girlfriend, I would have told you sooner I’d forgiven you and I wanted to be yours, regardless of how tonight ends."

"If I was a better boyfriend, we wouldn't be in this mess."

"I promise to be a better girlfriend, if you promise to stop being so hard on yourself."

"I promise to take that promise, if we can both promise not to fight over anything stupid again.  Oh, hold on…"  I repeated my statement to myself over again to make sure I used the word promise the right number of times. 

“I promise,” Valerie said, lifting her head up to kiss me.

When our lips pressed together, I realized I missed the taste of her.  I pulled her closer for another.

“Later,” she mumbled, our faces inches apart.

She completed her mixed message with her hand caressing my face and our eyes remained locked.  Hers whispered I missed you and mine replied I missed you more.

 I kissed her forehead and we went back inside.

Our food had arrived.  Each of the couples had split off into conversations of their own.  Valerie and I took our seat among them.

Samantha broke off briefly from her conversation with Tatiana to flash me a welcome back smile.  Chad and Malik asked how to say their dishes in French and I deferred to Valerie.        

All of us together, we were like the royalty of Gaston High.  I knew it wasn't my rightful place among them, but I told myself to cherish my time with them.  Perhaps the same way Valerie cherished her time at our human high school.