Three Years Away From Love

Chapter 10: Pre-Wedding

The three weeks building up to the annual homecoming dance passed quite gracefully. My relationship with Keegan had gone public and soon we were the couple to talk about in the freshman class. We flight rarely and when we did, it was usually about silly little things like who should have won the bowling game we played on our second date. Keegan had missed a few more days of school which scared me immensely. It never failed that every time he would return, his skin would be yet again sprinkled with tiny yellowing bruises. I began to wonder when enough was enough and when I should finally speak up but whenever I asked him he would avoid the subject simply by brushing my lips with his sending my mind into a rage of romance and completely make me forget whatever I had been thinking about before, it was quite a perplexing situation.

When the Saturday of homecoming finally rolled around I woke with my anticipation through the roof and was saddened to find that it was only ten in the morning and it would be several hours of waiting before I could even start getting ready. After I few minutes of just laying in bed, I heard the door sneak open and then shut and then the bed dip beside me, I turned to face a sleepy eyes Jamie. "Goodmorning sunshine." I said, my voice laced with a sarcastic tone.

"I'm not sure if you could call this morning 'good'" she relied rolling her eyes.

"oh sunshine cheer up, ya know tonight is going to be amazing."

"Haley you're way to excited."

"Can you blame me! This is something I've been looking forward to for so long! This is like me Pre-wedding." I nearly screamed.

I saw Jamie's chest rise and fall greatly as she let our a large sigh, "Come one Ms. dramatic, I have a feeling pancakes and bacon are calling our names." we both hopped out of bed and headed to overly large kitchen. Jamie was right for our parents were busy preparing a pancake breakfast with bacon as the side, when it was finished we landed on the couch with our plages balanced on our knees and our favorite Disney Channel Movie 'Geek Charming' playing in the background. Just three hours later, it was time to get ready. We dragged our selves up and moved to Jamie's bathroom which was slightly bigger than mine.

"What do you think up or down?" I asked Jamie in reference to my hair.

"Down duh," Jamie replied as her mouth hung open due to the mascara wand she was swiping over her lashed. With that I curled my hair slightly for a more romantic appeal. I kept my makeup simple with a dab of gold eye shadow and bronzed gracing my temples. Soon it was time to put on the dress that Jamie had picked out for me.

"you look stunning," I heard Jamje gasp from behind me.

I turned around to meet her. Her dress was a dark blush color and was cut in a High low, "well dont you just look perfect." We both giggled as we slid on our new matching heals and then suddenly the door bell rang. "Here we go." I said. All day my anticipation had been building up to this moment.

As we arrived at the front of the house, both Jamie's date Alex and Keegan stood hands in pocket and slouching slightly to the right. He must of heard the clink of my heels on the tile for as soon as I got somewhat near him his head shot up and a smile curved across his face. He reached out his hand as I got closer and when I finally rested my hand in his he spoke, "You look so beautiful." He kissed my cheek and I immediately blushed knowing that Addison and John stood just feet away.

"Picture time you guys!" Addison shrieked as she held up her small Canon. We all stood and posed for at least twenty minutes. Addison insisted on getting a photo from every angle and of course the lighting had to be perfect in every single one. It was times like these where I especially missed my own mother. I always thought that mothers and daughters were supposed to celebrate occasions like this together and that nothing should ever stand in the way of that but of course I was wrong. As sad I was that she was missing out, I knew somewhere she was looking down and smiling, she always wanted me to find someone who made me this happy even if I was only fourteen.