Scientific Actress

Prom-A-Rooney

I could not dread the sixth grade dance more than I already was. All the times I've gone to school dances, they've always ended in one of the girls crying and people dancing with people who will never speak to again after those four minutes.

I was beating up the drums in my garage with my drumsticks. Mom walked in.

"What are you doing? You can't beat up good equipment." Mom gently took the drumsticks.

"Mom, we bought this at a thrift shop." I smiled. "I'd like to call it moping, but it's also a relief that I don't have to go to the dance."

"Why don't you go with that Reggie boy?" Mom suggested. "He likes to flatter you."

"He flatters me, you know, platonically. Reggie had an interest in another girl at some point," I explained.

"My point is, you should go with some of your friends," Mom reasoned.

"And why are you really pushing this on me?" I questioned.

"Because I don't want you missing out on important moments in your life," Mom explained.

"I'll figure something out. Worse comes to worst, I'll go with my best friends," I decided.

~~~

Parker invited me over to hang out later that day. Krahgg was in the kitchen.

"Greetings, cousins... and girl I don't know," Krahgg said. "Which one of you has the courage to step into my box and disappear," he swung the door open, "into the great beyond."

"Sounds dumb," Parker stated.

"I just came to get grapes," Joey explained.

Willow came through the back door. "Joey, there you are."

"Krahgg, make me disappear!" Joey shrieked.

Krahgg closed the door of the cabinet. He knocked twice.

"Aw, come on!" Willow shouted. "Joey, quit goofing around." She opened the top door.

"Illusion!" Krahgg said.

She opened another. "Illusion!"

She opened the last one, revealing the teenager. "Joey!"

"Uh, hey, Willow. What's up?" Joey asked awkwardly.

Willow pulled him up. "Um, I was wondering if you'd accompany me to the prom? I got the tickets, the dress, and enough love in my heart for us both."

"Uh..." Joey said nervously.

"This tension is insidious," Krahgg commented. "Like I, Krahgg-"

"Oh, stuff it, freak boy." Willow threw him into the cabinet and closed it. "I'm waiting, Joey."

"Uh... I'm sorry, Willow, but—But I promised to help Parker with our swan boat," Joey said, walking over to us.

"Actually Joey, I can't that night. I'm going with (Y/n) to our dance." Parker wrapped an arm around me.

I'll question him later. "Yes. Yes, definitely. I am definitely going to the dance with Parker."

Willow left with Joey by pulling him out of the room. Parker pulled me out of the room.

"What was that about, Rooney?" I asked.

"Well, I was... making an excuse," Parker admitted. "But I actually do want to go with you."

"Parker Rooney wants to go with a lowly peasant? Oh, the travesty," I said dramatically.

Parker smiled. "No, a lowly peasant wants to go with the princess."

I rolled my eyes, but I was smiling. Parker wanted to take me to his first dance.

Let's see how this plays out.

~~~

I knocked on the front door to the Rooney residence. I felt really good. My hair was put into a really nice bun thanks to my mother. I was wearing a pink A-line dress with a high-low skirt that only had one shoulder strap, and it had jewels accentuating the shoulder and the waist. Sparkly heels and a silver bracelet. I had a sparkly purse to top it off. My makeup was done in the most natural way.

Mrs. Rooney opened the door. She was wearing a navy blue dress that was sparkly on the top. Her hair was in a bun, too. Mrs. Rooney looked at me, awestruck. She stepped aside, smiling.

"Parker, your date is here," Mrs. Rooney called. "You look really nice, (Y/n)."

I messed with the skirt. "I try to dress up."

"Wow."

Parker was in a tuxedo, and he looked really amazing. I smiled at him. His pupils dilated, telling me I did something right by picking out this dress. "You look really wow. There's so much wow."

"A small dance, but I thought this was worth it." I took the boutineer out of my purse and pinned it onto Parker's jacket.

"And he got this for you." Mrs. Rooney handed him a corsage, which he slid onto my wrist.

When we got to the dance, everyone was staring. The two of us waited until Reggie and Evan got there. Reggie bowed to me, and Evan texted us last minute that his mother wouldn't let him go.

A slow dance came fifteen minutes into the dance. Parker held his hand out to me. I took it with a smile, letting him lead me onto the dance floor. Lights flew across the gym, causing a rainbow of colors to flash by our vision.

"You do look really pretty tonight," Parker admitted.

"I'm very surprised you could say that," I replied.

"Why?" Parker asked.

"Boys our age are kinda... immature. Not you and Reggie, of course, because you were kind of raised right. But sixth grade is not normally when guys say their friend looks pretty," I explained.

"When guys say their crush looks pretty."

I froze, my cheeks heating quickly. "I've had a crush on you for a while."

I took a deep breath. "I try not to get attached to people, especially since we've moved twice in the past year. But now that I know we're here to stay in Steven's Point, I'm happy to say that I've been crushing on you ever since we started being partners in middle school and robotics."

I went to bed really happy that night. I was happy to get the makeup cake off of my face, but also happy because Parker finally said something. After all the subtle signs, he said it and I got to say it back. I didn't want to fall asleep. Maybe then I'll think it was all a dream.