Right In Front of Me (Finished)

Chapter 35: Prom: Part 2

We step out of the car and meet up with the rest of the group. The girls are all screaming in excitement, and the guys are all getting pumped up. "I can't believe it's finally here!" Taylor yells. "I can't believe your dress! It's so amazing!" Yolanda says. "Oh please! You're dress makes your eyes pop like crazy! In a good way, " Taylor responds, then turns to Lana, saying how perfect her dress makes her complexion look. "You are glowing!" The guys roll their eyes at our amazement with each others' appearances. Hallie says something to Mercedes that makes her laugh, and then I examine my own appearance, which Hallie then strokes, admiring the tulle material. As we walk in, handing in our tickets, I wrap my arm around Connor's elbow, Summer doing the same to Greyson. Summer is just wearing her gorgeous Prom dress that she wore last year. We hand in our tickets, then I walk with Greyson, and Summer switches to walk with Connor.
        "Hey, you're wearing the ring I gave you." Greyson says to me. I glance down at it on my right ring finger, with is intertwined with Greyson's fingers. "Yeah, I've worn it everyday since you gave it to me. Prom wasn't going to be any exception to that." I respond. He holds up our hands and kisses the ring delicately. I look at him lovingly and giggle, then look next to Greyson, where a guy carrying a large camera is smiling at us. "Uh, hi there." I say awkwardly. I didn't expect that they would record the Prom, but I guess it makes sense. The rest of our group catches up and starts acting like the crazy people they are once they see the camera. The man then turns around to capture the faces of the group behind us. We begin to walk in, when I catch Hayden looking at me funny with his eyebrows furrowed. Then his face relaxes and looks at me in wonderment. "What?" I ask. He just shakes his head, says, "Nothing, I'll tell you later." I am confused, but the bump thump of the music steals all of my attention, shoving away any confusion I may have had.
        Most of the music that plays is heavy rap, or just some really obscure songs I have never heard. Inside of the ballroom are big tables all around the outskirts, and in the middle is a big group of over 500 kids all dancing like maniacs. The tables are littered with kids throwing confetti at each other, and at one table in particular, a girl with dreamy eyes of love stares at the guy sitting next to her, who is on his phone ignoring her existence. She has her hands on our of his shoulders, and she whispers something in his ear, looking at him with big eyes. He just shrugs the shoulder she is touching, brushing her off. He waves a hand at her as if to say, 'yeah, whatever. maybe later.' She looks disappointed and slumps in her seat with a small pout. I feel bad for her; he is ruining her night.
        We all claim a table, laying our stuff there to mark it as ours. Greyson sits next to me and says, "Tonight is going to be a blast. Just you and me." I smile and say, "It sounds perfect." The dance started an hour ago, and we had only been there for fifteen minutes before I am pulled out onto the dance floor by the girls. I look at Greyson with a longing, sorrowful look before I am swept into the pool of dancing kids, the smell of sweat drowning and smothering me.
        I dance for a while with the girls, but soon we are joined by the guys, and when Greyson's gaze meets my eye, he lifts me up, then sets me down, laughing. He puts his hands on my hips as I move them to the beat of the unrecognizable song. I put my arms around his neck, with one hand on the back of his neck, and the other in the air as I dance with Greyson. I soon place both arms behind his neck as I throw my head back laughing. "You're so cute." He yells in my ear, since that's the only way you can hear anyone distinctively here. I laugh and respond. We dance for a little while before I need a break. We all go sit down at the table to catch our breath, except for Taylor and Mason who are apparently "having the time of their lives!"
        Hayden is looking at me again and says, "Avalon, there's something in your hair." I ask, "What? Where?" He points but then says, "Here, come with me' I'll get it out for you." I get up and follow him out into the lobby, where he then led me down a hallway. "Just don't mess up my hair." I say when he stops in the middle of the hallway. "There's nothing in your hair." He says.
"What? Then why would you-"
"Because I have to ask you something."
"Oh.. o-okay. Why did you have to lie then? You could have just told me in there."
"It's about something private."
"What's it about?"
"It's about us. When we dated."
I paused. "O-oh? What about it?"
"L-Look, I know we haven't talked like we used to since we broke up, but I just have to address something."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. You're wearing the earrings I got you."
My heart sank. By wearing them, I brought back painful memories. "A-and?"
"Why? Why did you?"
I paused to think. "Because you told me told wear them to Prom. That's why you got them for me. And, well they matched my dress, so..."
He nodded. Then I added. "Because I don't break promises. I didn't want to break another promise to you." That's when he looked at me. I mean really looked at me. Like he could see every bit of me, like he now understood everything about me. Like nothing ever changed. He embraces me, and I kiss him on the cheek. "I told you I'd wear them; and I did." I said once we separated. He smiled and we walked back to the Prom with his arm around me in a friendly way. "You're the best." He says. And this time, in my heart, I believed him. Maybe I am the best. I used to doubt that completely. But maybe in the little world I live in, maybe to him, I am the best. Thanks, Hayden.

        Later, a slow song starts playing and we all get up to dance with each other. Greyson holds out his hand, says, "Milady, will you please do me the honor and accompany me in this dance?" I giggle as he curtsies at me, then say, "Why, the honor is all mine!" I get up and dance with him watching as Jackson dances with Lana, then asks Taylor and Mason, "May I cut in?" He uses an overly-mature tone that makes Taylor giggle. They switch partners and dance around all goofy. I lean into Greyson's chest and inhale his scent, saving this infinite moment. It's just me and him, as he promised. I look up at him and he smiles a truly happy smile. I reach up and kiss him simply, like it was the first time again. This night was everything and more than I could have ever hoped for. Perfect.