Chapter 28: The Prom

 

 In almost no time, Prom was here.  Everyone was abuzz with excitement, and Lizzy and Cassy were no different.  I, on the other hand was stressed out than excited for prom to finally have arrived.  All the high schools were holding their proms on the same night.  Some of the students were planning on splitting their time between two proms because their date was from a different school.  I really didn’t even want to go to one prom.  I was a bundle of nerves.

“Anna, you need to lighten up, it will be fun tonight.  A masquerade is always the coolest. No one knows who’s who.  It’ll be great, now come on and start getting ready,” Lizzy pleaded.  She was looking at me so hopefully I had to laugh.

“Well, you had better put on some upbeat music, because that’s what I need.”

“I’m on it!” she crowed happily bouncing up off the chair.  Suddenly the house was blasting with upbeat pop music.  I felt my mood lightening almost immediately.

Only the girls were home.  The boys wisely thought it would be a good idea to go out while we spent most of the day getting ready.  I went to the room I shared with Alex and decided to start with a long, hot shower which always helped me to relax.  As I luxuriated under the steaming water I started day dreaming about the day Alex had asked me to the prom.  I had just come back to school after being off sick with mono for six and a half weeks.  We were standing  in the hall by my locker.

          “Anna” Alex said quietly.

          “Yes” I replied gazing into his amazing green eyes.

          “I was wondering….” he stopped and took my hand in his.  It sent shivers up my spine.

          “Since we missed our date before new year, because you were sick, would you be my date for the Prom?” He asked smiling warmly at me.

My heart had started to race and I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks.  I bit my lower lip hide my reddened cheeks smiling to myself.   Alex gently raised my chin with his hand so that I had to look into his eyes.

            “I would like that very much,” I whispered.  He smiled at me, his eyes sparkling as the sun came through the window by my locker.  He lightly trailed his fingers over the curve of my hotly blushing cheek and I could feel my head starting to spin.  Then Will had appeared behind Alex. He nudged him,

“So did you finally ask her or what?” he smirked. “I hope you turned him down Anna, that way I can bug the hell out of him.” 

Alex sighed and shook his head.  “Way to kill the mood, Will! She said yes, now leave us alone.”

“Ohhh, so that’s the way it’s going to be now is it?  So are you two officially an item yet?” Will teased nudging Alex again.

I blushed deeper and turned away from both of them.

“Will, would you please stop pushing me.  I just got back to school,” I said in an angry whisper. “Alex and I are friends and I don’t want to ruin that.”

“Awww, you know that I’m just teasing, Anna,” Will complained rolling his eyes at me.  Alex looked like he was ready to punch him.  I placed my hand on Alex’s arm and looked into his eyes.

“Thank you for asking me, I’ve never been to a Prom before.  I’m sure it’ll be a lot of fun,” I said warmly.  Then I turned to Will, stuck my tongue out at him and started:  “Stop being an annoying big brother type.” I then spun on my heels and walked away grinning as I listened to both of them trying to stifle their laughter.

Remembering this made me laugh.  I never would have thought that I would become so close to any one family as I was to this strange family of vampires and half humans.  I had never felt so at home and at ease as I did since coming to Huntsville.  James, the Worthingtons and the Foxworths had welcomed and protected me, no questions asked.  They knew more about me than I did and it was nice to finally just be myself without having to concoct a story. I looked in the mirror as I towel dried my hair and smiled contently.  I found a blue track suit and slipped it on, then I walked back to the bathroom and started on my hair.  I had put moose into my hair, dried it and put Velcro rollers in when Lizzy joined me in the bathroom looking fabulous with her hair piled onto her head with elaborate curls and twists.

“How are you making out?” she asked smiling me.

“Well, the hair is underway and I was going to start working on exfoliating my skin.  Since it’s only four o’clock I know we have lots of time to do a few extras,” I said winking at her.

“That’s a great idea. Cassy you should do that too,” Lizzy said in a slightly raised voice.  Cassy was in my bathroom in a flash, her hair in an elaborate array of braids and long curls. I had never seen anything like it.

“Wow. Cassy your hair is amazing! You should do movies,” I said awed.

“Thank you.  It’s my favourite style,” she replied.  “So exfoliation time.  Let’s go to my room, my bathroom is bigger and I think I have the perfect products.”

Once we finished in Cassy’s room I went back to my bathroom to put on my make up before I took the rollers out of my hair. Lizzy came in to help.  We slowly pulled out the rollers and used a special hair putty to mould the curls.  Lizzy finished my hair with a beautiful blue and white rhinestone comb, I stared into the mirror pleased with the finished product.  Long curls flowed softly half way down my back.  Lizzy spotted my mother’s necklace on the counter, picked it up and looked at it for a moment, then turned with the clasp open to help me put it on.

“Thank you,” I smiled softly.

“It’s a beautiful piece Anna, your mother had excellent taste in jewellery,” she stated matter of factly.

I smiled warmly. “Thanks, I like to wear it on special occasions.  It’s a little piece of her that I get to carry with me,” I said smiling at our reflections in the mirror.  I glanced at the clock and my eyes widened.

“We better get our dresses on, the guys will be back soon.  I hate being late,” I said looking at Lizzy.

“No problem Anna.  Now this is your first official date, so it should be a great night for you and I want you to have fun.  Please promise me you’ll enjoy tonight,” she pled.

“I promise to have fun and I’m sure you’ll do everything you can to keep me busy when I’m not with Alex.” I laughed shaking my head as I headed into the bedroom to retrieve my dress from the closet.

My dress was a light green strapless gown that reached my ankles.  The bodice was made of a crimped chiffon that hugged my body and flowed into a skirt made of long layers of chiffon that gave the impression the dress was floating on my skin.  The colour emphasized my eyes making them a deeper shade of jade green that was complimented by my peaches and cream complexion that I had inherited from my mother.  I looked in the mirror one last time pleased with the picture I made.  All I had left to do was put on my clear strappy three inch heels.  Which would make me almost as tall as Alex.  I grabbed my matching clutch and made my way to the dining room as I heard the guys come through the front door.

“We better see if the girls are ready,” Will said walking into the foyer with Alex and George.

“I’m sure Lizzy will be ready, but you know Cassy, she rushes right to the last minute,” George replied fondly.

“We better get changed or they’ll have our hides,” I heard Alex say as he went down the hall towards our room.  George walked into the dining room and stopped abruptly staring at me as I slowly turned to greet him.

He whistled softly “Anna you look amazing.  I don’t think Alex will let you out of the house looking this good,” he teased.

“Thank you.  I’m sure Cassy will knock your socks off when you see her,” I smiled delighted at the compliment.

“She always does,” he beamed. “Well, I better get dressed I just wanted to see how you were doing.”

“I’m good.  Kind of excited, but don’t tell Alex that.” I winked as George laughed and left the room.

I wondered out onto the small deck off the kitchen to wait for the others to finish getting ready.  Lizzy and Will were the first to join me.  They were the perfect couple; Will in his well tailored tux and Lizzy in a beautiful pale pink silk dress with spaghetti straps the dress showed off her curves amazingly.

“Everyone will know there’s something up with you two. You both look absolutely stunning,” I complimented.

“Thanks,” Lizzy replied. Then she winked at me, “I don’t think Alex will want to go out when he sees you I have a feeling he will want to keep you all to himself.  He doesn’t like to share, and I should know,” she teased.

I laughed and shook my head, “You’re not the only one who’s said that to me tonight.”

“Anna, promise me now that you’ll save me a dance.  That way Alex can’t object,” Will said grinning at me.

“Of course I will dance with you Will, but if and only if Lizzy is in agreement,” I teased him.  He laughed.  Cassy and George joined us a minute or two later. 

“Wow we’re ready before Alex.  That’s a first,” Cassy giggled.

“Oh! He’ll never live this down,” George said as he smiled at Will.  I could tell by their expressions the two of them were already thinking of snide remarks.  I just smiled and shook my head.  The others went into the house while Will and George went to get the cars.  George and Cassy left shortly afterwards. 

I was standing on the deck looking at the forest admiring the different shades of green.  I loved spring, it was my favourite season with everything blooming and coming to life.

“Anna” I heard Alex call my name softly from behind me and I smiled.  I hadn’t even heard him walk onto the deck. As I turned slowly to face him I was awed he was the most beautiful creature I had ever set eyes on.  His black tux fit him perfectly, he was stunning.  He looked like a renaissance painting brought to life or the handsome prince from a fairy tale.  I gazed admiringly into his amazing green eyes, completely lost in the moment.

“You look stunning Anna,” he smiled as he took in my transformation.

“Thank you. You look wonderful too,” I beamed at him; my prince charming for the night.

I walked toward him and slowly reached my hand to his cheek wanting to commit every moment of this night to memory.  He leaned down and gently brushed his lips over mine.  He gazed lovingly into my eyes again for a long moment then sighed and shook his head.

“We better get going.  Lizzy and Will are getting impatient,” he said grudgingly.

“I was told that you wouldn’t let me out of the house,” I teased.

“I might not.  I don’t want any of your other admirers to get any ideas,” he replied as he gently ran his fingers down my cheek.

“Gee and I thought it was because you were supposed to be selfish.  At least that’s what your sister told me,” I grinned at him.  He laughed and grabbed my hand leading me to the front door where the others were waiting.

We arrived at the school about fifteen minutes later and we parked beside George’s car.  He and Cassy were chatting with a group of other students.  Alex came around and opened the car door for me offering his hand to help me out.  He kept my hand in his we slowly walked towards the school.  I saw Jeff and Tisha and Christine and Joel with their usual group of friends.  I waved to Christine and her jaw dropped when she realized who I was.

“Oh my GOD!!! Anna you look amazing!  Where did you get that dress?  I’ve never seen anything like it,” Christine gushed. “You look great too Alex,” she said trying not to stare openly at him. I must admit, Alex and his family were very distracting when they dressed up.  Everyone was staring at the beautiful picture they made.

“Thank you Christine, I got it in Toronto last weekend, it was a lucky find,” I replied, “you look so beautiful too!  It’s nice to see everyone all dressed up,” I said gazing around.

She beamed at me. “We should go inside the music is starting to get good.”

We all headed into the gym after saying hello to our friends and exchanging compliments.  The gym had been transformed into masquerade ballroom with streamers and crepe paper.  There was an archway into the gym that was covered with twinkle lights and green ivy.   Everyone was either dancing or sitting at tables talking.  We found a table with the rest of our group and grabbed some snacks and drinks which we left on the table.

“Shall we?” Alex asked holding his hand out to me and looked at the dance floor.

“Sure,” I smiled placing my hand in his.

We walked onto the dance floor and Alex twirled me around to face him.  I placed my left hand on his shoulder and he put his hand on my back and pulled me close, and then we were twirling around the room.  Lizzy and Will were dancing too and she smiled as we went by.  I gazed into his eyes and I was lost yet again.  I couldn’t look away; His eyes swirled with emotion and he had a soft smile on his lips.  He looked perfectly content; I’d never seen him like this before.  I smiled to myself, glad that he was happy because I was happy too.

What bliss, another perfect memory, I thought to myself.  It was like we were the only two people in the room dancing together and gazing into each other eyes.  I didn’t want this experience to end, I felt so completely safe and loved.