Enduring [EDITING SLOWLY].

Chapter 7

Chapter 7 - Prom.
It was 7:30. It was already late. Alex had told me he'll pick me up at around 6:45. Emphasis on 'around'. He was 45 minutes late. I was growing impatient. I was tapping my foot & folding my hands. Plus the dress was irritating me. I was wearing a purple gown with a V-neck. It was shining. I was wearing my 2.5 inch black heels with that. I thought if he didn't come now, I was going to go on my own & meet him there, that's it. Just when you think of the devil. He was coming through the gate now. I was walking, okay running, storming, towards the car. I opened the door & say down & said "Idiot! I've been waiting here for 45 minutes! We are so late for prom! And you are in big trouble Mister!"
He was smiling. "Are you laughing at me? What's so funny? You are dead now!" I said. I mean, seriously. I was scolding him & deciding whether or not to beat the crap out of him. And he was smiling! "Sorry, I'm late. It won't happen again. I promise." He said. "It better not." I said & sat down quietly as he drove to school. He switched on the radio & guess which song was coming. Celine Dion's "Every night in my dreams". Wow. I asked Alex to change the radio station. He said he liked the song. Whatever! I was sitting quiet & then said "I'm still mad, you know. Because you came late. You need to learn to be punctual." "Then you teach me how to be punctual." Alex said. "What? Why would I want to do that?" I said. What the hell was he talking about? I can't teach him how to be punctual. It should be in him to reach on time. "Because I'm a good guy. Anyway, I'm sorry. How can I make it up to you? I'll do anything!" He said. "Anything?" I asked. "Okay. Maybe not anything but I'll do what you say. Not whatever you say. I'm really sorry." Hmm... Anything? Wow. That was a huge topic to browse through. I thought for a while & said "You're taking me to that new amusement park. We're going on that roller coaster!" I said. Yup. I loved such rides. The adrenaline rush when you do stuff like that is awesome. "What? You want me to ...go with you on...THAT roller coaster? You're crazy! I'm not going on that! Ever!" He said. Whoa! He was afraid. Alex Smith was afraid of
roller coasters.I'll remember that. And that roller coaster went upside down too so I get it. It would be awesome! "But Alex, you promised!" I said in a mock disappointed tone. "Fine. But this is the first & last time we're doing that!" He said. Haha... He had to agree. By then we had reached school. I was going to open my door but Alex got down & opened my door. Hmm. Impressive.
"Thank you." I said. "Now, now,munchkin! Don't go thinking I'll do this again! I'm only doing this because it's prom & I've to be a gentleman." He said. Jerk! I thought & said "You know, you'll have to practice this a lot because when you're a married man Alex, you'll have to do this all the time. Practice makes man perfect." I said with a wink & went. "Now, munchkin! Don't go thinking about marriage already! There's lots of time for that! And why would you want to get married to me anyway?" He asked. Idiot! Only if he knew. "You?? Please! Get over yourself!" I said. We'd reached the gym. "I'd rather get over you!" He said. "Really lame pick up line Alex!" I said & entered the gym. The gym was totally transformed. It was like a ballroom. All white. Traces of other colours. Flowers on curtains. It was beautiful. Alex was behind me. "It's so beautiful!" I said looking at him. "Yes, it is" he said, looking at me. We kept looking at each other & this time he looked away and said "Would you like to dance or simply stand at the entrance?" He asked me. His look was different, like he was desperate. "Sure, let's go in." I said. I was already in. I went to the juice counter & took some punch. I turned around and bumped into Alex. The punch was all over my dress. Argh. "Sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!" He said. "It's fine. It happens. Excuse me" I said & went to the washroom. I went to the washroom, took a few tissues & wiped my dress. I ,then, returned outside to see Alex waiting. "Are you stalking me? This is the second time you're in the girls bathroom!" I said. "Don't underestimate my stalking skills. And I wasn't stalking you. I guessed you'd be here. Anyway it'll be over in a few hours. The music just started. You want to dance or not?" He asked. "Of course I want to dance! Let's go!" I said & went towards the gym. "Um..munchkin?" Alex said. "Yeah..?" I said. "The gym's that way..." He said pointing to the opposite side. "Oh..!" I said & followed him that way. We reached the gym a few minutes later & I went to the dance floor. Alex joined me a minute later & a slow song started playing. So I just looked at him. I didn't know how to dance to these kind of songs. I've never danced to them. "What's wrong munchkin?" His tone serious. "Um.. I can't.." I said. "You can't what..?" He asked.
"I can't dance!" I said in a low voice. He started laughing. "Okay. Nothing to be ashamed of. I'll teach you. Easy. Just follow my step." He said.
He took a step forward & put a hand on my waist & took my hand and placed it on his shoulder. He placed the other hand in my hand & said "Just follow my step. One step forward. One step back." He said & I followed him. It was actually pretty easy. "Easy, isn't it?" He asked. I nodded. "So may I ask you something, Alex?" I asked him. "Sure." He said. We were still dancing. "How come you're so rich?" I asked him. He smiled & said "Dad earns a lot of money in real estate & family heritage." He said. "Oh." I said. That's why his house was so big & beautiful. But who plays the piano? The question was tugging my mind. "Ask away, munchkin." He said. "Huh?" I asked.
"You want to ask me something right. Go ahead & ask whatever it is you want to ask." He said. "Oh..that. I was wondering who plays the piano in your house." I said. "Oh...that. It's a long story. I'll explain it some other day." He said & the song got over. And another one started. My phone buzzed. It was Faye. I picked up the call & said "Hey! Where are you? Haven't seen you the whole evening." I said. "Hey! Come to the basketball court. It's Pauline. They broke up. She isn't listening to anything I'm saying. Come here now!" She said. "Okay. I'll be right there. Try to control the situation till I get there." I said & turned to leave. "Sorry, Alex. I've to go. Catch you around the end of prom. Emergency!" I said & left. "But what's wrong?" He asked. "Difficult to explain. I'll tell you some other time." I said & left the gym to go to the basketball court. I reached there in a few minutes. I entered the court & rushed to Pauline. "Hey! What's wrong? Which one of you broke up with whom?" I asked her after sitting down. "I broke up with him." She said. "What? Why?" I asked. "He's too good for me." She said. "What? What do you mean 'too good'?" I asked. "He doesn't understand me at all. He always fights with me. It's like he doesn't care at all, you know? Plus he's a flirt." She said. I smiled at that. "I know. Remember when this happened last time? That guy was too good for you too!" I said. "And the guy before that & the guy before that.. You actually love John. Just work harder. It should work. Even after all that of he doesn't care, then break up with him again. I won't say anything. Just..don't give up without trying hard. Love doesn't knock often so don't give up on it. Very few get to experience love even once." I said. "Okay. Wow! You're such a shrink!" She said laughing. "Faye, get here!" I called her. She came to us & we did a group hug. "Faye, I have something to ask you." I said. "Sure. Go on." She said. "What's upsetting you so much that you barely talk to us anymore?" I asked her. "It's just...nothing." She said. "No. Tell us." I said. Pauline was listening & nodding to what I said. "Mom's sick. We admitted her to the hospital. It's something called arteriosclerosis. The arteries become thick & hard making it difficult for blood to flow. She's undergoing treatment. She'll be home in 2 days if she gets better." "She will. We'll pray for her. Don't worry, everything will be fine. Any problem, let us know. We would love to help in any way we can." I smiled & told her pointing fingers towards Pauline & me. "Now Faye, it's prom night. You're the hottest girl in school. You get people to do what you want. Be your normal self right now. Don't think about these things & spoil your mood. Come on, lighten up!" Pauline said. "But I'm still mad at you for choosing John, you know." Faye said & all of us laughed. "Ya.. We know." I said. "Let's go. This is our last prom." Pauline said. So we headed back in to hear the last song playing. We went to the dance floor & danced like never before. Like this was the last time we'd ever dance. And then decided to leave. I called Alex to ask him to drop me. He said that he'd meet me outside. So I went outside & waited for him. He came in a few minutes.

There was basically a very few cars in this part of the parking lot. Alex said "There's something I've been waiting to tell you. If I don't tell you this today, I never will." Huh? Is this the moment? I was so not ready! "Sure. Go on!" I said. He took my hands in his & said"I love you, Emily. I love you very very much. Even if you don't love me, I'll make sure my love is enough for both of us. I'll never do anything to hurt you. If I ever have, please forgive me. Emily, just know that no matter what ills always love you. I'll always be there for you. Even as a friend. I love your anger, your smile, your reaction to when your friends call you a nerd, the way you're looking down right now. I love everything about you. If you don't love me, it's fine. I'll get over it some day." I just hugged him & said "I love you too." He hugged me harder. It felt right with him & then we just smiled & looked at each other. He held my hand & kissed it. It sent shivers down my spine. The spark - I've always believed in sparks between two people in a relationship. And now I officially was. He then kissed me. It was a perfect kiss. I reciprocated equally. Then we let go. Obviously... And then I wake up to find myself in bed at home. I didn't remember getting home. The last thing I remember was waiting for Alex. I must have passed out. Too much to drink last night. Yup. My head hurt. Too many punches. Guess there was something in the punch. I then feel something tugging in my stomach. I ran to the toilet & puked. Ew! I hated puking. There was nothing nice about it. I then got up & flushed the toilet, took a shower & got dressed in something casual. I didn't have school today. I had to go tomorrow for graduation.