Heartbroken

Chapter 22:

It was a pretty fancy hotel, and already you could hear the music from the parking lot. When we went inside, their were two big rooms. One was for the our Prom and the other was for the Senior's edition. Alyssa, as curious as can be, walked halfway in. Then she realized it was the Senior's and stepped out.

"They're so lucky," she grumbled, still looking into their Prom. "They get a disco ball and even a chocolate fountain!"

"Chocolate!?" Carmen said, suddenly aware. She moved beside Alyssa to take a look. "Move...They are SO lucky! I wish we had a chocolate fountain..."

Suddenly, a big man appeared blocking Carmen and Alyssa's view. He wasn't big as in fat, he was big as in muscular. Carmen and Alyssa both looked up to see him watching them, and they stepped aside.

"Are you a senior?" He asked, his voice commanding an honest answer. They shook their heads and joined Maria and me. We walked away as if nothing happened and signed into our Prom (as if we weren't Juniors...) and took our first step inside.

If there was one word I had to use to describe what I first thought, it was: Confused. Probably 75 people or so were invited to Prom, and so far not even half of them were here. It was a big room with a bowl of punch on table, and on that table were small snacks, which apparently no one had touched so far. Some people were looking for friends, girls looking for their dates, and guys looking hesitantly for the girl they asked out. Only a couple could be spotted here and there, but whether they were an actual couple or friends, I couldn't tell because no one was dancing.

Most people were off to the side, and I could almost sense Clarissa's presence. I did NOT want to be scared from behind, jump in fear, and spill punch on myself. OR have Clarissa possibly trip me and make me ruin my dress. Of course, what were the odds of that happening? But it is still possible!

I looked around cautiously but I didn't find Clarissa. Hopefully, that was a good thing. We discovered that there was an opening leading to outside, but didn't go outside in case a couple was kissing or anything. No one would want to walk into THAT.

We stayed in a corner and had some punch, and talked about stuff. Then, I could almost sense his presence, and as I turned around, Luke had entered. He was wearing a black suit with a red tie, and I almost blushed. He arrived with a couple of friends, but I could tell he was looking for someone, looking for me. When I figured he was about to look in my direction, I looked away and turned back to my friends as of I hadn't noticed he came yet. Just then, Clarissa came up to me.

"Well well," she said, looking at my dress as if judging it at that moment. "Look what dress you've picked! I'm sure it didn't cost much because of its beauty...if only it had any." The nerve...I could've slapped her right then and there, but instead I glared at her.

"And Maria! I didn't know you were a Junior! I thought you were a freshman just last week!"

"Sophomore," Maria said quietly. "I'm a sophomore Clarissa."

"What is your problem?" Alyssa asked. I tried to keep her from saying anything more but she refused to listen. "Can't you just leave us alone? Why don't you get out of here!?"

"Have patience," was all Clarissa said. "I'll leave soon. But it appears, someone else has arrived, haven't you noticed Miranda? I'll be watching..." She brought her mouth close to my ear. "Always watching..." That made me shutter, but then she bumped into Chris while walking away.

"Chris!" She said in an agitated tone. "Can't you look before you walk!? Or do your eyes deceive you?"

"Shut up Clarissa," he said and walked towards us. At first, I didn't know why until I remembered that he had asked Maria to Prom. I looked to Maria and was about to warn her she was coming, but she was already aware. She blushed a bit as he walked to her.

"Maria," he said with a smile. "Would you like to dance?" He held out his and to her as a slow song began to play and she took it. They walked back and I could still see the smile on Maria's face.

I looked around to see who else had witnessed the Clarissa incident, and Luke had. He walked to Clarissa and said something to her, making her frown. She did one of her hair flips and walked away.

Carmen looked at where I had seen Luke and looked back at me. "Oh...He's here. Miranda, he's coming this way!" Too late, I understood what she said and I heard Luke approach.

"Miranda," he said. I looked up at him and he hesitated before continuing. "Miranda, can...can we t-talk?" I nodded slowly, unsure if yes was the right or wrong answer. I handed Carmen my punch and followed him as if in a trance. Before walking outside, I looked back at everyone and I could see their stunned expressions. They were priceless, but I couldn't laugh because I was too busy being stunned myself.

As I followed him, he sat down on a nearby bench and I sat next to him. I could feel the distance between us, and I knew he had something to say.

"Miranda," he said. "I...I just wanted to say....there are questions you're probably wondering, and I just want to answer them. I know you might be mad, or confused, and I just want to set it straight..."

"Luke," I said, not letting him finish. "Why did you ask Clarissa to Prom when you could've asked me?" He sighed.

"If she found out I told you," he explained. "She'd probably kill me, and I mean it literally. I had been planning to ask you earlier, and Clarissa got the message before I even got it. She tried to want me that, if I asked you to Prom, she would do whatever it takes to ruin it." He paused.

"I couldn't let her do that. I mean, even though you have next year's Prom, it wouldn't be the same. I didn't want her to ruin your Prom," he looked out in the distance. Then he looked back at me. "Even if I couldn't be there with you."

Suddenly, everything made sense. Clarissa just wanted to see me heartbroken, and she wouldn't rest until she did. Even though he asked Clarissa, he still pulled away from their kiss, dropping me hints from time to time. Even though it didn't seem credible, he wanted me to know he cared.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I didn't know..I just didn't understand..." He shook his head.

"No. It's my fault. I should've told you..." He paused and we sat in silence. The silence was deafening, screaming at me until I couldn't take it any longer.

"So," I said, trying it break the ice. "Ah...it's nice out here, isn't it?" I looked around, and outside there was a garden planted with roses of different colors. There were lights strewn across the garden, lighting it up and setting a romantic mood.

"Yeah, it's beautiful out here," he answered. I could feel his eyes on me and I tried not to look at him. "Almost as beautiful as you." With that, I looked at him and blushed, then I turned away. We sat in silence once more, but then we began to talk as if nothing was going on between us at all. We made small talk, about the play, and the scenery, about anything.

"Miranda," he said finally, calling my attention. Slowly, I turned to him, and our eyes met. "Will...Will you go to Prom with me?"