Love Triangle (Wilkinson vs. Gilinsky)

19. Prom

SHAY'S POV

Prom is all anyone has been talking about. Sam's promposal sparked the first of dozens; JJ asked Katie by surprising her in her room with roses, Mack asked Mallory through a song during lunch, and of course, Nate asked an underclassman with a condom. Copious amounts of flowers, chocolates, and smiles fill the halls of Westside High as prom approaches this weekend.

Katie and I walk to the atrium at the front of the school and see a large table surrounded by students with three faculty members sitting behind it. On the table sits hundreds of small sheets of paper and two large boxes. I grab a pen and one of the small slips and read off the paper, 'I vote ________________ and ________________ for Prom Queen and King.'

I turn to Katie, "What happens if you win Prom Queen or King?"

"You get a crown, obviously. But there's also this special slow dance. The couple that wins slow dances for a couple of minutes in the middle of the dance floor, and then after a while everyone else joins in. Once, these twins, brother and sister, won King and Queen and they had to slow dance all sensually while everyone watched." She giggles and adds, "It was hilarious."

I laugh and look back down at my paper. I scribble down JJ and Katie's name before slipping it into one of the boxes. Katie looks over my shoulder and smiles sweetly at me.

"I'm totally voting for you and..." She stops her pen and looks up at me.

"...Sam?" I raise my eyebrows once.

"Yeah, Sam! I just didn't know if you preferred me to write--nevermind." She shakes her head and looks down, writing Sam's name on the line in bubbly handwriting. I watch her insert the slip of paper into the other box before we turn around and walk to class.

After a moment, I turn to Katie and ask casually, "So, do you know if Jack has asked anyone to prom yet?" I bite my bottom lip with my teeth as I stare forward.

She tilts her head as she wracks her brain of any recollection, "Hmm, I don't think so." She scrunches her face and says, "Wait. No, he hasn't. I don't think he's even going to prom."

I see Katie staring at me in my peripheral and I nod my head, "Oh." I feel a slight stinge of guilt and disappointment as the words sink in. I wonder if I'm the reason.

--

**PROM NIGHT**

"Daisy, can you zip this up for me?" I say, wobbling into Daisy's room while I hold my dress against my chest. I'm wearing a turquoise dress with an open back that accentuates my curves and sparkling silver heels. My hair is half up, half down and curled slightly at the ends.

Daisy looks up from her book and her eyes widen at the sight of me. She smiles and walks behind me, pulling the zipper up to the top.

I turn around and face her, "How do I look?" I flatten out the front and wait for her response.

"Shay... You look gorgeous." She runs out of her room and comes back seconds later, dragging our mom by the arm.

"Daisy, let go of me! I am capable of walking myself." My mom glares at Daisy before looking up at me. Upon meeting my eyes, she covers her mouth and takes off her glasses. "Oh my god, sweetheart. You look stunning." She runs over to me and engulfs me in a huge hug, nearly knocking me over in my heels.

I giggle and pat her back lightly, "Don't cry, momma. Thank you."

She lets go of me and wipes away a tear, "Jack is not gonna be able to take his eyes off you tonight."

I look at her. "You mean Sam?"

She smiles at me and says, "I mean both."

I hear the doorbell ring and Daisy rushes to answer it. I feel my heart beat quicken and I rush to my room. I spray a splash of flowery perfume behind my ears and on my wrists before I hear Daisy calling up the stairs, "SHAY! SAM'S HERE!"