Hearts Afar

...28...

...28...

It was the morning of the Snowball Dance and I was running around ragged. Right now, I was trying to just calm myself down before I had some sort of breakdown. I had already gone and had my nails done with the girls and my friends and then went and got our hair done. While my sisters were as calm as can be, I was the epitome of a nervous wreck.

I thought back to the New Year’s celebration and the conversation I had with Clay. I knew that our relationship was going good but I still had the doubts about how we would make it with him being gone and I may have mentioned the word sex to Clay. He told me that as much as he would love to, he wouldn’t do that to me because he had more respect for me than to have sex with me and then be shipped off for who knows how long. I was kind of, in a way hoping that I would be able to change his mind about it tonight because the only thing I wanted was to spend the night wrapped in his arms. He doesn’t know about what was going on in my head but I just hoped that I could get my way.

When I felt like I was in control of myself, I had mom help me with my makeup and then help with my dress. When I slid my shoes on my feet, I walked over to my mirror and took a look. My hair was pulled to the side and cascaded in waves. I had a few blue rhinestones barrettes that pinned the hair to the side. It was honestly the prettiest I have ever felt so far in my life. When I was finished looking at my reflection, I grabbed the small blue purse that went with my dress and waited for the doorbell to ring.

Not even a minute after thinking that, the doorbell sounded and mom yelled up the stairs for me. I took a couple of deep breaths and then started down. Lacey and Cassie were already downstairs with their dates and I had to admit that Zander cleaned up nicely. He and Lacey made a really cute couple and even though Cassie was hanging off of Greg’s arm, I could tell that she was still visibly upset with as much time Lacey had been spending with Zander. When school started back up after the holidays, Zander started hanging at our table and Lacey came over and they’ve been pretty much inseparable since. 

When I walked into the living room, Clay’s mouth almost dropped open. Mine did also because I was looking at a clean cut man in his Army dress blues, I smiled a little shy smile at him as he walked closer to me. He wrapped his arms around me, telling me that I looked like I stepped straight out of a ice castle and kissed me. He pulled away quickly and presented me with a beautiful corsage.

It wasn’t a normal flower corsage like I knew most of the girls would have. It was made to resemble a snowflake and had semi sheer baby blue ribbon coming from the sides and the stretchy wristband was white. It really was the most uniquely, beautiful corsage I had ever seen. He smiled and took it out of the box and placed it on my wrist.

“I had to find something that was as beautiful as you,” he said, claiming my lips once again.

“Thank you,” I smiled.

“Okay,” mom interrupted. “Picture time.”

After taking about five hundred pictures, she finally let us leave. Clay opened the door to his car and waited until I was completely buckled before closing the door and walking over to his side. He grabbed ahold of my hand before we took off down the road. I played with his fingers while we were driving down the road in silence. 

“What’s on your mind?” his voice floated to me.

“I don’t want to talk about it right now. I want to have some fun before everything starts getting to me,” I said.

“Promise me you’ll tell me?”

“Later,” I nodded.

After twenty minutes in the car, Clay pulled in the driveway and the country club that the dance was being held at. After parking, he once again, opened my door and held out his hand like a gentleman before closing the door. He wrapped his arm around my hand and we walked to the front door.