We Know Better

Prom

Prom: one of the last of a handful of expectedly profound moments of a teenager's senior year. A largely noticeable distance has formed in the group, and on the opposite side of the line is where Chris has fallen. As it turns out, what had been keeping us linked together was Alessa. Our godsend, Michelle, has seamlessly been infused into all of our daily lives. It almost makes me feel bad that I had been keeping her to myself all of this time. The thought of introducing her had never occurred to me; maybe I just wanted her to be my little, special secret.

What we all hope will be the nail in the coffin is the fact that Chris is going to school out of state. Kind of an out of sight out of mind deal. He's too bad of a friend to keep up with people from high school and none of us have any desire to keep up with him either. That means that the moment he is out of the area code, we will cease to exist to him, and that is okay. I can tell that Alessa is taking it a little harder. She and Michelle have been getting on really well, but it is hard for Alessa to let him go. There's no real way for a clean break. It is going to splinter, it's going to hurt, and there will pieces that can't be removed. The only thing to do is heal over those pieces and know that learning to live with them is possible.

As Mads, Alessa, Michelle, and I search for our prom dresses, for a moment Michelle breaks off and ushers me away. We find ourselves in an aisle alone as she ducks down to say something, "This probably isn't the best place or time to ask, but what exactly are or were Alessa and Chris?"

I can't help but bite my lip as I try to formulate a response. "Honestly? There's no real answer to that. Chris is important to Alessa, but not in a way that they chose to be. He's a dick, but he's really good at making people feel responsible for that. It's just that she took on a lot of his baggage and he let her without acknowledging that he was putting it on her. Really, he took advantage of that and how she feels about him. And when she wanted any kind reciprocation, he'd make her feel bad."

"What does he say to her?"

I give her a sympathetic smile, "I'm sorry, honey, but that's just not something for me to tell. You'll have to ask her about it."

She nods, "okay gotcha. It's just that we were hanging out last night and he texted her at nearly one in the morning. Afterward she got real quiet and sad."

I can't help but grimace. I've seen The Chris Effect first-hand. "You gotta talk to her. She won't know that you're worried about her if you don't tell her."

"Thank you, Laina. Really. It's just that I really like her and I want to be able to make her life easier, softer." Michelle sounds the most serious I've ever heard her. "I'm just crazy about her."

I squeeze her shoulder, "good because it's what she deserves and nothing less."

From across the store, Alessa tells to us that she's found something. When Michelle and I approach, Michelle loops her arm around Alessa's bare torso as Alessa holds the dress out in front of her to show it off to us. It's a long, fitted black little number. Despite its high neckline, the dress exudes sensuality with a number of sheer cutouts. The black material offset by Alessa's golden brown skin playing peek-a-boo in the sheer portions is sure to make a statement.

"I think it's perfect," I tell her.

"Me too," Michelle agrees and then hugs Alessa closer as she leans closer to whisper something in her ear.

I watch as Alessa flushes a bit and then looks at Michelle. The way Alessa's eyes lay on Michelle is exceedingly tender and it is refreshing to see the guarded glint that shows up when Alessa is looking at Chris gone. I take a moment to send a prayer up to whatever god is up there that they stay this pure and positive.