Please Remember Me Like This

Make You Wanna Freeze Frame

Please Remember Me Like This

Chapter 2: "Make You Wanna Freeze Frame"

They rejoiced when they read their class schedules.

Four classes together, even more than last year! Accelerated Calculus, Study Hall, Accelerated Lit, Accelerated History of the Western Realm—weighted classes that would helped them out on those applications, Aeric knew. They kissed right there in the hall, enough for one of the teachers to tell them to break it up as they tried to walk to class together, arm in arm.

Everyone complimented Ian on the patched overall skirt he wore for his first day outfit, paired tastefully with a linen shirt under, knee high socks, and short-heeled Mary Janes. Fall chic, with a hint of schoolgirl playfulness, and Aeric adored showing his boyfriend off (as well as their new senior status).

"You sure you don't want to be Homecoming King?" he asked, noting just how many people greeted Ian first, then Aeric. "I bet you'd be a shoo-in."

"Nah." Ian shrugged. "You're actually one of the players in the game, Sadalia is one of the main cheerleaders... it should be you. Besides, I have to recycle my suit from Spring Fling, anyway, if I want to even think about anything new for Prom."

Prom, Homecoming, Senior ditch day, Grad Night... There were so many activities on the list—how were they going to get through them all while focusing up on school work and applying for college?

Aeric waved to their pixie guidance counselor, Ms. Sparkleshaw, knowing they'd be spending quite a bit of time in her office trying to perfect their applications and essays. Hell, they were already taking the ORC test in a couple of weeks, and Ian wanted to spend what time they could studying for it.

But that was in the future. Right now, he basked in the glow of senior status, as did their entire friend group: Sadalia, taking on Tina's mantle of being the most inclusive cheerleader possible while looking absolutely fabulous; Gurge, who always wanted to show off his varsity jacket even more than Aeric; Althea, now free from her braces and pushing along her mermaid girlfriend Kameron, both boasting their LGBTQ+ pins; Parthenope, hair freshly dyed strawberry blonde now that she'd grown bored of the blonde she'd boasted this summer. Everything about senior year so far reminded Aeric of those feel-good teen movies he used to watch, dreaming of this day where he'd feel heady and on top of the world.

They were seniors. And Aeric headed straight into it with his amazing boyfriend.

"Okay, babe, I'll do you a better one, then: Prom Kings."

"'Prom Kings'?" Ian repeated, wide eyed as they stopped in front of their Calculus class. "Y-you really think we could be the royalty of Prom?"

"Why not?" Aeric shrugged, wrapping his arm tighter around Ian's shoulders. "Can't you see it? 'Prom Kings: Ian Lightfoot and Aeric Aldheim.' I'd rally the crap out of us."

"My name first?" Ian squeaked, still not buying it.

"Of course, baby." Aeric kissed his temple quickly. "You're definitely more important. Haven't you heard what people call us when we're together? We're Lightheim—and your name comes up first there, too!"

"'Lightheim'..." Ian uttered as they walked into class together, finding seats toward the back where they could sit next to each other. "That's clever. I can't believe I'm popular enough to have people combining our names!"

"Get used to it," said Aeric, pulling out his notebook. "The best year of high school is just starting, and it's only going to get better afterward."