Senior Prom

Monday

Jade has always been one to fall too easily, too quickly. She only started dating a few years ago, but had somehow managed to get hurt multiple times where the ache is the most painful. Every time she started over, she was sure that this new person was the one who's going to treat her right, the one she's going to stay with because they truly mean so much to her. She thought the same about Jed.

"I have no idea what I'm supposed to do now," Jade tells her best friend Leigh-Anne as she is holding her while they sit on Leigh's bed. Tears are streaming down Jade's face and she feels, and seems, miserable. "The timing is so wrong, literally five days before prom. I actually can't believe it," Jade continues in a shaky voice. She hates how pathetic she sounds, crying over a boy and how much she misses him, but this is more than just about what happened between the two of them. Jade finds it terrifying being on her own, even it's only for a few moments, because she is always thinking of what other people are thinking of her. She is grateful to have Leigh-Anne, but Leigh has a boyfriend of her own and Jade hates it when they see each other in between classes because she doesn't want to bother by joining, but also, can't stand to be on her own. On top of that, she has some sort of reputation at the school, after having such a rich list of exes. Jade will be remembered for being so experienced and exploring so freely, and is proud of that. However, all of her hard work, passionate kisses and terrible heartbreaks would not matter at all if she would show up to senior prom without a date.

"Jade, babe, he isn't worth your tears. You and I will go to prom together, and we're going to have so much fun you will forget Jed even exists," Leigh-Anne tries to cheer her up, although it doesn't seem to be working at all.

"You mean you and I and Andre," Jade argues and lets another wave of tears wash over her. She has no intention of hurting Leigh-Anne, right now or always, but the state she is in is making everything harder.

"Prom is about the memories you make, not about what people say about your hair, or your dress or your date," Leigh-Anne insists, and logically, Jade knows she's right. However, she just can't shake off the thought of how humiliating and terrifying it would be to go to prom without a date. She pretends to drop the subject, wipes her tears and tells Leigh-Anne she is tired and they need to get some sleep before school tomorrow. Leigh-Anne can see through her, always could, but she doesn't want to put any more pressure on Jade so she decides not to say anything. She just turns off the light, sets an alarm for tomorrow and tells Jade goodnight.

𐇵

The next day, at school, Jade makes her way to the library. She tries her best to act like her usual self and not give off the fact that something is wrong as she walks into the library. She takes a quick look over the tables, and luckily, has no trouble at all finding the person she was looking for.

"Hey, Chris," Jade says with a smile as she approaches his table and sits in front of him.

"Hey," Chris replies after lifting his head from the notebook he was writing in.

"I need a favor," Jade tells him in a low voice. Chris knows her well, and she can immediately see it in his eyes he is interested and curious. "I don't know if you know, but Jed had a family emergency and had to fly back home. It's going to be okay, I believe, but he's not going to make it to prom," she begins to explain.

"I'm sorry," Chris tries to comfort Jade, but she is already moving on.

"Would you come to prom with me instead? Leigh is going with Andre and I really don't want to go alone," she asks. There is a short period of silence, and Jade decides that further convincing is needed. "I'll even pay you. You were going to go with friends anyway, weren't you?"