Waiting For Summers

CHAPTER 15

We drive with our windows down and the winds on our faces.

"I like your blue tux, eh," Paco compliments while he is driving his black Ford.
"I like your black tux too," I compliment back.
"It is all over the newsfeed. You and Monica."

"It's mainly because of Monica. My homie's pretty." Monica scoffs but I am pretty sure she also blushed.
"So don't we have plans after the party?" Laura asks. A party post-prom? Sounds intriguing. "I know where to head out."
"I'm cool with that, gurl. Let's just grab the crown and let's hasta la vista outta here!" Monica adds.
"Deal." Paco closes the conversation.

When we arrived at the auditorium, we are shocked by how amazing the auditorium turned out. We enter and it's Taylor Swift's Love Story playing. I look up in awe. Chandeliers are hanging in the ceiling giving a vibe of the 16th Century.

The curtains are neatly decorated to look like curtains of the castle windows. It is dark with flashing lights all over the place but you will feel medieval especially around everyone wearing like dukes and duchesses. On the stage, the PROM letters stand sparkling while at the center back is the throne for the prom king and queen, sitting on it are the crowns.

"The place is gorgeous! And look at the stage!" Monica is surprised. "Look at the crowns! The place is dazzling!"
"Good job on the both of you," Paco compliments.
"Well, we have a Michaelangelo in the making," I say as I put over my arm on Laura's shoulder.
"Thanks everyone. You are all an inspiration," Laura blushes, "and to you too, Red."
"Let's enjoy the night people!"Paco shouts. "Let's rock this castle!"

The night goes fast and alive. The first part of the program is Principal Hawthorne talking about what love is for him. For me, love is what makes you feel alive, keeps you alive and the reason why you are alive. And it makes you silly too. Don't forget that.

The rest of Principal Hawthorne's speech is about staying away from vices and offences. And safe sex too. The next is dinner. The rest of the night is about dancing.

"Hey, why you such being a wallflower?" Allison appears out of nowhere. I am standing against while I look at my friends dance to the jive of Dancing Queen.
"I'm not really a good dancer," I reason out.
"Come, I'll show you how."

She pulls my hand and drags me to the dance floor. I can feel the eyes staring at me. Allison does not mind. She starts dancing, shaking her arms on both sides. I start to shake my head too. I wiggle and we both shake our bodies. Shut Up And Dance by Walk The Moon starts to play.
She said no holding back. "C'mon! You can do better than that!" Allison shouts over the loudness of the music.
"I have two left feet!" I shout back.
She holds my hands and starts wiggling and shaking and dancing with me.
She said shut up and dance with me.

We are laughing until someone bumps me with her hips. It's Laura.
"May I join the dance?"
"Why are you here? I thought you're dancing with Garrett?" I ask. Allison stops and looks at me wondering. I shrug my shoulders.
"Oh, the one from the Tennis team? Naaaaah. Not my type." Laura answers.
I see Allison's eyes grow big. I scratch the back of my head.
"You know what, I'm going to leave you two," Allison says with her hands up. "I'll be announcing the winners for prom king and queen anyway."
I let it go. What's more important is I'm dancing with Laura now. We continue shaking our bodies, dancing like no one is looking. I laugh with her when we start to do crazy dance moves.

A few minutes later, Ria goes up on stage. "Mic test. 1, 2, 3," she taps the microphone, testing. "Tonight is a special night for everyone. We celebrate our love for one another and how we express it through a dance. Prom is where we explore one's feelings and when we create memories. But for the most awaited part, the coronation!" She also called Allison on stage since Allison is the face of the school. Ria also called Principal Hawthorne.

"And our winners for Prom King," Mr. Hawthorne announces. "Paco Ramirez!" Everyone claps and whistles. I can tell from even from a distance that Nixon is frustrated. "And the prom queen is no other than Monica!" Monica screams like she is winning the Miss Universe Crown. She starts flapping her hands to her eyes because she starts to get teary-eyed.

"Here's our message to everyone: Continue to live and love. And when people hate you, tell them to eat their heart out!" Monica gives her speech. They go down the stage to do their dance together with everyone else but as soon as the lights dim, Monica and Paco start to run out the auditorium.

"Let's get out of here! We're done!" Paco calls me. I look at him as he holds Monica's hands. Laura is already waiting at the door.
"Hey, want to have some fruit punch?" I look behind. It is Allison. I look again at the door. Laura is waiting. She nods and smiles. She starts walking away.
"I'm sorry. I have to go," I decline. Allison looks at me weirded out. I run towards the door. I run with my friends looking forward for the adventure.

*****

We arrive at the city skyline.

"This is breathtaking," Monica says in awe. "I love the view here." She starts pulling Paco uphill. Paco tries to keep up. Laura and I are slowly walking just behind them.
"I am happy they liked the place," I tell her. I see her smile.
"I knew she will. If I liked it, she will," she answers. "Girls, however fancy o badass they look love romantic places. They might not be into the whole romance but they appreciate beauty and feeling loved and free."
"And this place gives you all of them."
She nods.

We lay the blanket we found in Paco's trunk. Laura gets the wine coolers from the trunk. She puts them on the blanket as a weight and passes me one.
"They're really enjoying, eh," Laura points to the couple slow dancing in the distance. "Their chandelier are the lights from above and from the city."
"What do you think they're talking about?" I sip my first wine coolers.
"Probably the entire life ahead of us,"
"But we're only in our junior year,"
"Doesn't mean they cannot talk about their future."
"Mm-hmm."
"I saw you and Allison talking, why didn't you stay, Red?" Laura asks me. She is looking ahead. No emotion showing in her face. She looks at me and narrows her eyes, "You could've stayed and you could've had a chance to tell her how you feel."

I don't like her. I like you. I love you. I did not stay because I wanna run away with you. I want to hold your hand and go wherever your heart takes you. "I wanna go with my friends. We agreed on this," I reason out.
"You could've stayed with your heart."
She's not my heart. You are.
"I wanna have an adventure with my friends. Hearts can wait."
She smirks. I give her a why-are-you-smiling-like-that-look. The moment is cut by Monica laughing as Paco twirls her and catches her in his arms.

"Dance?" I stand up and ask for her hand. She obliged. We start to dance in circles. "Actually I wanna tell you something." In the spur of the moment, I decide this is the time.
"Me first," she interrupts. "Thank you for choosing us. Thanks for choosing me. Thanks for saving me. Thanks for being there. Thanks for being my best friend, Red," she says just above the whisper as we dance in circles.

I do my best to not lose my grip on her waist, freeze or just drop dead. I continue dancing. "I will always choose you, L," I tell her.

I took a deep breath. I withhold everything I wanted to say. Maybe this is not the night. I spin her around.

"Let's not change, okay? You and me," she says. She blushes because of the wine. Or probably because we have been dancing in circles for the past few minutes.
"Sure," I nod and smile. "Even if everything will not, I will stay." She leans her head against my chest. I look forward for summer. I hope for the best.