Complacent Dreamers

Going through Changes

June 4, 1989

People at my school have been going crazy for prom. I wanna go too to be honest but Marshall has been all stuck up about it. The last few months have been boring. We wake up, eat (sometimes), and go to school. We took a test last month and it determined if we went to tenth grade or not and Marshall failed so he's been really bummed so I told him just study his butt off for next year. On the first of June I turned seventeen. Pretty excited about that. Kim and Marshall spent like every day together in May but after that they became distant again. There relationship is so freaking akaward to me but that is none of my business. My dad came home a month ago and he was all excited about something but I have no idea why. He told Debbie and she was happy but also sad so I guess it has to do with me and my father in some ways.

Marshall and I walked close together through the hall with sweaty high schoolers shoving past us to the bus. "I hate prom man. It's a waste of money and time." Mickey groaned as he saw the flashy posters and fliers. "Well it's special. Every teenager goes through it. Unless you're...well you." He snarled and I really hated the fact that this was girls choice because it's probably going to end up with me going alone. I can't just ask Marshall...i mean there are other choices but I want to go to the prom with only him. "Okay, a bunch of hot girls dress up and spend their parents money on designer fashions for what? A date at the gym with a boy she probably never even talked to before?"

"Marshall it's more than that. It's a chance for a girls insecurities to all fade away. Just being loved by a boy makes a girl feel warm and fuzzy. But you're a guy...you wouldn't know."

"Please. I live with you." He puckered his lips and I pushed past him to the outside area. Jeanette ran up to me with two credit cards in her hand. "You and me, Prom Is Everything at four o' clock." I let out a groan and grabbed the credit card. "Fine. But, I'm not spending a thousand dollars on a dress."

"You won't have to. You'll spend two thousand." She clapped. "Two thousand! How'd you get so much?!" She grabbed my hand and I saw Marshall already at the basketball court close to our house with the boys. All of them. "You remember that sex convention my parents had to go to?"

"Yea..." My eyes wandered. "Well there was a scholar there and my mom loves to read romance novels," She saw my confused face and said, "Just listen. Well my mom had 'A thousand Acres' ya know the book? Well turns out it's 100 years old and the only one of it's kind. So the scholar made a deal. Thirteen thousand dollars in cash for the book. my mom literally just handed it to him and she automatically gave me four thousand so I put it on a credit card for Prom." That was a pretty fictional story but she couldn't have lied 'A Thousand Acres' is a pretty old novel by Tanya Verman.

"Whatever. I'll be there. Let me go catch up with the boys." She nodded and ran away.

-----At The Basketball Courts----

Gary was eating a sandwich and Marshall, Bizarre, Proof, Kon Artis, Kim, and Bugz, were in a circle smoking a blunt and I read over the prom flier. Sitting Indian style, with the flier in my lap, all alone in the wet grass. The laser bond paper was bordered in glitter swivels and in Chopin Script letters at the top it read, "Come and enjoy our Freshman Prom."

I skimmed down and read the rest.

'Our freshman's have continually showed endless improvement and we are giving them the reward of having a special day to bond with their fellow classmates. If you or your child is bringing anyone from outside of school please sign the form behind this one. Two chaperones will be in the gym where the prom will be hosted. Parents, if present, have to depart from the prom at 8:00 for the freshman's sake :)

Thank you~Mr. Henry'

I wondered what the theme was? Or what time it was?! Four o'clock. Dammit, I'm late. I scurried to my feet with my backpack, cradled in my arms and my converse untied. "Bye Bells!" They all said in harmony. I put up the 'peace' sign and kept running. Where the hell was Prom Is Everything. Not on Warren, Hazel Park? Yea I think so. I didn't wanna be late and lucky me it started to drizzle. Small, dirty puddles splattered underneath me and my heart raced as I clutched the credit card that was cutting into my palm.

Shit! My shoelace got caught in a hole. A hole on a stop sign pole. I bent down and got it out and when I started running I fell face forward. I had a face with muddy pebbles and wet leaves stuck to it. My shirt and pants were dirty now. Clumsy Bella!

I pushed myself up and limped across the street to hazel park.

----Prom Is Everything----

"Great. You're late?" Jeanette threw her arms in the air and scolded me. "Look I lost track of time okay. I'm here now so let's just pick out whatever."

"I already did." She threw a hanger with a dress on it at me and I caught it. I held it up in front of the mirror and smiled. It was a faint yellow, sweetheart neckline dress that was sparkly at the top and stopped over my feet. My first impression, elegant and perfect. "Thanks J. Wanna buy accessories." I added a French accent to accessories and she put her pinky up and said, "Yes my darling." We giggled endlessly as we made our way to the jewelry racks. We just started grabbing stuff, not caring what the hell it was. I did see one thing though...hair dye Blonde's been a color I've been wanting and it'll look better with my dress. Next we did shoes.

I denied because my converse are perfect for any dress any day. Jeanette chose these cute flats and she said tomorrow was our hair day. Supposedly her mom would be doing mine and hers after school.

"Today was fun." She said after we got done paying. "Yup. Can't wait for my hair tomorrow though. I'm going blonde." I dug inside the bag and pulled out the box of dye. "YAYY!!! I'm so excited maybe you can get like a curly bun or something." I nodded and waved bye to her before pushing the double doors open.

----At Home----

Kim and Marshall were on a 'date' and Debbie was at bingo. My dad and Nathan were the only ones here and I was up in my and Marshall's room cleaning. I vacuumed, made the bed up, organized every single paper inside of the room, and finally started putting my prom stuff in my side of the closet.

I went to go get the mail and it was from Autumn. That was different. She's never did that before.

To Isabella Meyers,

Hello bells. I know it's been a couple of years since I've actually made contact with you, but I wanted you to know I think about you and your father every now and then. I am now engaged to a manger who's named Paul. My new last name will be Rosenberg...isn't it fancy dear? He's interested in rap stuff and you know exactly how I feel about it. But, I support my lil Paul a' roni'

Oh another thing, I got a call from a kid named Marshall? It was a couple of months ago but yea. I have no idea how he got my number but I guess you still had it. He called, telling me how you were doing and he also told me that he's a rapper and him and Paul talked for hours. Paul tells me how he's interested in Marshall. Sounds like a pretty good kid. Also I was in your room a couple of days ago and came across a picture of your mother. She was so beautiful and you look like her a lot baby. I'm so sorry she died and I think you'll love me more if I told you I sent it with this letter along with some other stuff of yours.

-Autumn Rosenberg

Wow! Marshall did that for me! I don't care about the other stuff, but Marshall actually did that! He might get a manager if he keeps in touch with Paul. And Good Kid? He's the most insane kid on the planet. I opened the envelope more and saw the picture and pair of earrings. I brought it inside and my dad was holding a cup of coffee and a cig. "Hey Bells can we talk?" He caught me when I was heading upstairs. "Uh. Yea!" I hopped down and sat beside him. "What's up?" He grabbed my hand and took a sip of coffee.

"Bella you're at that age when you start exploring your body."

"Aw dad!" I moaned.

"No listen, you're at that she when you wanna be...touched. Boys start finding you attractive and you add tissue in your bra."

"Dad please don't." My face went red and he started again. "But when you do Eventually do have sex...use protection okay?"

"Dad that's disgusting and I'm not gonna have...sex."

"Well it was just a warning baby. Do you have a boyfriend at all maybe?"

"No. And if I did I'd tell you. It's all apart of trust issues. They have classes for that you know?" I patted his back and leaped out of my seat, to the room. Gosh he's so annoying.