One week later found Ricky dressed in a suit and looking in the bathroom mirror adjusting his tie one last time. He gave his reflection one more glance before heading to the fridge to retrieve Amy's corsage. As he did so his cellphone buzzed with a new text. He saw that it was from Justin: I'm here. Ricky quickly grabbed the corsage, locked the door and headed down to meet Justin. He climbed in the back and took the middle seat next to Jesse. The boys acknowledged each other with head nods and then Justin drove to Madison's house. Madison's step mother opened the door when Justin rang the bell.
"Come on in boys. They'll be down in a minute." Jesse and Ricky followed Justin into the living room and they all had a seat on the couch while Madison's stepmom picked up her camera from the coffee table and leaned against the wall to fiddle with the settings. A couple of minutes later the boys stood up as they heard footsteps coming down the stairs. The girls rounded the corner and the boys' mouths dropped. Their amazement turned to confusion a split second later as there was a flash from the camera, followed by four very amused giggles. "Yep. Definitely stunned and speechless," Madison's step mother said. The girls took several steps closer to their respective boyfriends as the boys were still frozen on the spot, each eyeing their girlfriend up and down. Madison did a little twirl for Justin.
"You like?" she asked with a smile. Justin simply nodded, unable to form a complete sentence. While Justin was busy eyeballing his girlfriend, Jesse kept opening and closing his mouth as though he were trying to say something but no sound was coming out. Lauren giggled at the adorably cute flustered expression on her boyfriend's face.
"I take it that means you like my dress," she stated, glancing down at her dress and then back at Jesse just in time to see him nodding vigorously. Ricky was waging an internal battle. Part of him wanted to call a cab and take Amy back to his apartment to kiss every inch of her exposed skin he could see and the other just wanted to stare at the beautiful young woman in front of him until the day he died. He was looking so intently at Amy that she began to blush and broke eye contact. Ricky reacted without thinking. He walked towards her, took her in his arms and kissed her, knowing she'd have to look at him again once he broke the kiss. And when he pulled back she did just that.
"You're beautiful," he told her sincerely, causing her to smile. Madison's stepmom cleared her throat.
"Okay you love birds. Let me get some good shots of you all so you can make your dinner reservation." The boys quickly placed the corsages they had with them on their girlfriends' wrists and then eagerly stood behind them, wrapping their arms around their girl's waist while the camera clicked several times. Several pictures were then snapped of each couple individually and then a couple of the just the guys and then just the girls. "Alright you guys. Have fun. But not too much fun," she said pointedly, looking at all the teens.
"Mom!" Madison said with embarrassment as the little group headed out the door. Once they reached the minivan, Justin opened the passenger door for Madison while Jesse opened the sliding door. Amy climbed into the back while Lauren took a seat in the middle row by the window. Jesse waited until Ricky had climbed in and then he slid into the seat next to Lauren as he shut the door. Once everyone was buckled in Justin backed out of the driveway and headed to Olive Garden. The ride was silent, Jesse and Ricky focused on staring at their girlfriends while Justin forced himself to stay focused on driving. The girls simply smiled and looked out of their respective windows, pleased they had managed to render their boyfriends speechless.
Once Justin parked at the restaurant everyone filed out. Justin put his arm around Madison's waist as they walked towards the front door while Lauren simply wrapped one of hers around Jesse's. Ricky opted to hold Amy's hand and intertwine their fingers. Justin held the door for everyone once they reached it and Jesse went up to the hostess stand to let them know they had a reservation. They were immediately taken to their table and the boys pulled out the girls' chairs for them like gentlemen, each being rewarded by a thankful smile. Their waiter took their drink orders and the girls began browsing their menus while the boys pretended to. Amy felt Ricky's stare and blushed.
"If you keep looking at me like that I'll be blushing all night," she gently scolded him. Ricky put his right elbow on the table and leaned his head against his right hand.
"I don't mind. I like the view."
"I second that conclusion," Justin said in a mock gallant voice and then smiled at Madison, who simply shifted in her seat and continued looking through her menu, pleased that she'd found such a perfect dress for tonight.
"Me too," Jesse said dreamily staring at Lauren. She glanced up at him and smiled.
"You're so goofy sometimes, but thanks for the compliment." Amy glanced around the table and then back at Ricky before chuckling.
"Come on guys. We gotta decide what we're getting so we're ready when our waiter comes back. The boys picked up their menus and the table was silent as everyone decided what they wanted.
"What are you gonna get?" Ricky asked Amy after a couple of minutes. She pursed her lips.
"I'm not sure. The parmesan crusted chicken looks good. What about you?"
"That actually sounds pretty good," he said, closing his menu and laying it down. Their waiter returned with their drinks and handed them out.
"So are we ready to order?" he asked, taking out his tablet and a pen as he glanced around the table. Everyone nodded.
"And we'll need three separate checks," Justin informed him, pointing at the three couples.
"Alright. Will any of you be taking advantage of our two for $25 special tonight?"
"What comes with that?" Jesse asked. The waiter opened one of the menus to the page that advertised that special and everyone turned their menus to the same page to follow along.
"So you can select two of the listed appetizers and then two entrees or two entrees and a dessert to share. Regardless of which option you choose, your dinner comes with unlimited soup or salad." Ricky looked at Amy.
"You wanna do that with the parmesan chicken?" She nodded. "Dessert or appetizers?"
"We better do appetizers and skip the dessert." He nodded and looked back at the menu.
"What appetizers do you want?"
"I'll try the asparagus." Ricky looked at their waiter.
"We'll take the two for $25 with the asparagus and risotto bite appetizers and the parmesan chicken entrée." They passed their menu down the table towards the waiter while Jesse spoke up next.
"We'll take the deal as well with two orders of the meatballs and then the spaghetti and fettuccine." Lauren handed him her menu and then passed them down the table as well.
"And we'll take the deal with the meatballs and risotto bites and two orders of the parmesan tortellini." Their waiter wrote everything down and then looked back around the table.
"And we'll you all be having the soup or salad?"
"Soup," Madison, Jesse and Ricky said, and then gave their soup orders.
"And salad for the rest?" Amy, Lauren and Justin nodded. "Alright. I'm be back shortly with your soups and salad. Justin looked across the table at Madison and cleared his throat.
"So after the dance tonight can you like frame that thing?" he asked with a cheeky smile. Madison shook her head with a small smile.
"Nope. I plan to get my money's worth outta this dress. I'm sure I'll think of something else to wear it to," she explained with a pleasant tone as she smoothed imaginary wrinkles out of her dress's skirt.
"Oh trust me. You're getting your money's worth," he assured her. He sobered up quickly and gave her a worried look. "Just promise me you won't wear it again unless you're with me?" All the girls looked at him curiously.
"Why not?" Madison asked cautiously. Justin gave her his best puppy dog eyes.
"Because I'm a lover, not a fighter and I'd hate to have to bash some guy's face in because he's checking out my girlfriend." Amy and Lauren giggled into their drinks. Ricky gave Amy a look that asked what was so funny but she chose to ignore it. Madison motioned for Justin to lean forward. When he did she leaned forward and gave him a kiss. He smiled like the cat that ate the canary. "Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?"
"You just said you'd fight for me," she explained with a smile as she sat back down. Jesse chuckled and looked at Justin.
"Dude, you're making us look bad." Justin shrugged and Ricky laughed as he set down his glass of Sprite. He reached across the table and held out his hand to Amy. She smiled and placed her hand in his. Jesse glanced over at him and gave him a halfhearted glare. "You too?" Ricky glanced sideways at him.
"I don't need to say something cheesy for Amy to know how I feel about her." He then glanced back towards Amy's throat. She knew what he was looking at and clutched her locket with a smile.
"I didn't hear you give Amy a present on the way over here," Justin said from down the table, watching the exchange.
"I didn't," Ricky told him. "I gave it to her a while ago."
"Awww," Madison said, clasping her hands to one side. "That's so sweet."
"So I take it you like jewelry?" Justin asked her with a smile. Madison stuck her tongue out at him.
"Only when it's part of some romantic gesture. Not just because you're trying to apologize for something," she corrected him about his assumption.
"So that's why you've been wearing it all the time," Lauren chimed in and then took a sip of her root beer. "I just thought it had been in your jewelry box and you just decided to start wearing it." Amy shook her head and leaned over to show Lauren the back of the locket. She gasped when she read the inscription and smiled at Ricky. Madison got out of her chair and stood between them so she could read it too.
"That's so sweet!" Madison said again. Justin smirked at Jesse.
"Now he's showing us both up retroactively." He and Jesse exchanged an amused look and smirked. Their waiter and two others showed up carrying serving stands and holding up trays containing their soup, salad, appetizers and serving plates. Once everything was distributed, everyone settled down to enjoy their food and the table was filled with light banter about school and upcoming Thanksgiving plans. They had just finished their appetizers when their entrées arrived. Again the table was mostly quiet with only occasional banter as everyone enjoyed their meals. When they all were just about finished, Justin glanced at his watch and noticed it was not a moment too soon. He spotted their waiter and signaled for the checks.
"Wow that was delicious," Madison said appreciatively before wiping her mouth on her napkin.
"I agree," Amy concurred. "If I eat anymore I might just pop outta this dress." Ricky's face split into a Cheshire cat sized grin and Amy blushed when she saw it. "Behave," she told him warningly, although the blush took all the power out of her words.
"You said it," he shot back teasingly as he downed the rest of the soda in his glass. The waiter returned with their checks and everyone fished out their wallets.
"What are you doin'?" Jesse asked Lauren when he saw her pull out her wallet.
"Paying for my half," she explained reaching for their check. Jesse quickly snatched it out of her reach with a small smile and shook his head. Ricky and Justin quickly pulled their respective checks out of their girlfriends' reaches as well.
"Ricky," Amy began. "We all agreed to go out for dinner so we all came prepared to pay." She held her hand out for the check and Ricky just smiled.
"Sorry, angel. Tonight you're getting pampered." Amy rolled her eyes while next to her Lauren wasn't having any better luck trying to get Jesse to let her look at the bill.
"You pamper me plenty," Amy informed him, continuing to hold out her hand. Ricky simply slipped his debit card inside and waited for their waiter to return. "Ricky..."
"Nope." She looked at him crossly and he sighed.
"Will you please just let me do this tonight?" Amy continued to look at him pointedly. "Pretty please? With sugar and cherries on top?" He could tell her resolve was weakening. "And sprinkles?" His final question got her to laugh and she put her hand down.
"What he just said?" Jesse asked Lauren. She sighed and nodded.
"Ok, fine." Jesse slipped the appropriate bills inside and folded his arms over it.
"I know you're an intelligent, capable, young woman, Lauren. And I adore those things about you. I just wanna do this for you tonight." She gave him a soft smile this time.
"Ok. Thank you." Meanwhile Madison was still trying to get her check from Justin.
"Come on, Maddie. What they said," he told her while inclining his head to his left towards Ricky and Jesse. "Please, princess?" he coaxed. Madison wasn't fazed.
"I'm my dad's princess I'm supposed to be my boyfriend's queen and queenie wants to help pay her own way." Amy and Lauren giggled at Madison's explanation, as well as the fact they knew her dad did call her princess a lot, when she wasn't in trouble for something. Justin was still playing keep away with the check binder and finally hid it behind his back as he settled on his reply.
"Well would my queen kindly let her humble knight perform this one little chivalrous act and pay her way for her?" Madison paused as she processed Justin's words and finally sat back in her seat, an amused smile on her face.
"When you put it that way, fair knight, the queen will grant you this small request." Realizing he'd won by playing along with Madison's analogy, he continued by standing and giving her a small bow to show his thanks, causing her to giggle and several nearby patrons who'd overheard their recent exchange to smile at them. Their waiter returned and the boys handed over their check binders.
Back at the Juergens residence Anne was gushing over Ashley and Toby and taking copious amounts of pictures while George leaned against the wall and looked disapproving. Finally Ashley rolled her eyes.
"Mom, if you keep taking pictures the dance'll be over by the time we get there."
"Oh, alright. Just one more. Say 'homecoming'."
"Homecoming," Ashley and Toby said obligingly with smiles as Anne snapped the last picture.
"Alright you two," Anne said as she walked them to the front door. "Have fun." She gave Ashley one more hug. "And you do look so grown up in that dress, sweetheart," she whispered into Ashley's ear, making her smile. She and George watched them climb into Toby's mom car and waved as she drove out of the driveway. Anne leaned against George as she watched the car get smaller and smaller. George put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "They grow up so fast," she said wistfully. George chuckled.
"Isn't that my line?" he asked as he backed them into the house and shut the door. Anne moved out of his grasp with a sigh and went to the coffee table to retrieve her camera.
"What are we gonna do with ourselves for the next two and a half hours?" she wondered. George headed towards the stereo near the TV and turned it on to an oldies station. Anne looked up at him curiously when she noticed the lights suddenly dim. George sauntered over to her with a smile and held out his hand.
"Since everyone's at a dance tonight, may I have this dance?" he asked with an amused smile. Anne smiled back and took his hand.
"You may." George twirled her around and then they began to sway to the slow song that was quietly being emitted from the radio. Anne laid her head against George's chest and closed her eyes, remembering all the times they'd danced in college and realizing she'd missed this: being held by the man she cared about.
Back at Grant High, the six-pack was making their way towards the check-in table outside the gym. Grace was sitting at the table with another guy from the dance committee. She smiled when she saw them approaching.
"Hi you guys. You all look so amazing tonight!" she told them honestly. As each couple showed her their ticket she stamped their hands. "Have fun." They walked inside and the girls gasped. Black material had been draped across the ceiling to cover the rafters, with small gaps for the sprinklers obviously. But the gaps weren't noticeable as there were thousands of silver stars dangling from the fabric at different heights, giving the illusion they were dancing under the stars. The floor was covered with a thin green mat of some kind that felt squishy like soft grass and there were cardboard cutouts all along the wall that were painted to look like the grassy floor was a meadow surrounded by trees and gently rolling hills. At the far corner there was a photo area that featured a small white wooden bridge a couple could stand on and beneath it was a small pond. How they got a pond into the gym was anybody's guess but there it was. Round tables and chairs where set up along one side of the gym and the cardboard cutout along that wall was painted to look like a moss covered stone wall, as though the sitting area was part of some kind of outdoor terrace overlooking distant hills and trees. There were actual fake trees and plants sprinkled throughout the seating area to help with the illusion. Perpendicular to the tables and chairs was a refreshment table with punch and sodas. Across the room from the refreshment table was the DJ booth, which had been given decorated cardboard cutouts of its own to wrap around the turntables and help them blend in. The ceiling also had small white lights dangling from it to help give the room a soft, moonlit glow but the DJ area also had larger lights that would be turned on once the dance really got going.
"You want a picture?" Ricky asked Amy, his arm at her waist holding her securely against him. She nodded and they headed over to the photo area to get in line. Madison and Lauren led their guys to a round table so they could drop off their sweaters and use them to reserve their seats and then they headed over to join Amy and Ricky. As they reached the line, Ashley and Toby entered the gym, also surprised by how artfully and realistically the gym had been decorated.
"Guess they go all out for homecoming," Toby remarked.
"I wouldn't know," Ashley told him. "This is my first dance." Toby looked at her with surprise but quickly masked it with a genuine smile.
"Well I'm glad we're both experiencing our first high school dance together." Ashley gave him a small smirk and they headed towards the refreshment table to grab sodas.
"Whoa," Henry said as he and Alice entered the gym. "This is waaaay better looking than the first dance we went to," he commented as he looked around and took it all in. Alice nodded in agreement.
"Homecoming's a big deal. If it sucks no one wants to come to any other dances. Plus everyone just wants to see who makes the homecoming court."
Everyone settled in and enjoyed themselves for the next hour and a half. The gym was filled with the sounds of music, people dancing, laughter, conversations and the snapping of cameras and camera phones. Finally the student body president and vice president walked over to a microphone stand near the DJ booth and motioned for her to stop playing after the song ended. As the music died down the president tapped the microphone to get everyone's attention.
"Alright everyone it's the moment you've all been waiting for: the announcement of the homecoming court!" Cheers and clapping resounded as members of the dance committee rolled out a red carpet and members of the ROTC lined up on either side of it. There were several oohs and ahhs as the ROTC members drew out sabers and held them up to form a bridge for the court to walk under. "Ladies and gentlemen, I know we're all just kinda standing around but for the sake of the yearbook staff," he turned to his left towards a student with a camera slung over his neck, "who are trying to take photos for the yearbook, please actually walk up and down the carpet. Thanks." He turned towards the vice president standing on his right and she handed him an envelope. "Let's begin with the freshman court." There were several claps and cheers from the freshman in attendance. "And your Lord is," he paused to open the envelope and read it quickly. "Jason Garrison!" Jason whooped while everyone else clapped politely. He walked under the saber bridge towards the president while the yearbook cameraman snapped several pictures. The vice president crowned him with a small gold plastic crown and motioned for him to stand behind her. She handed the next envelope to the president. "And your Lady is.....Melissa Winters!" Melissa's friends cheered loudly while everyone else clapped politely. The vice president crowned Melissa and she stood next to Jason, smiling brightly. The VP handed the next envelope to the president.
"Now let's move on to the sophomore court." The sophomores clapped and cheered as he opened the envelope and read the name. "Your Duke is Timothy Langston!" Timothy, like Justin, let out a whoop as he walked under the saber bridge while everyone clapped, and a few of his classmen laughed at his enthusiasm. The VP crowned him with a slightly larger crown and then handed the next envelope to the president. "And joining him as your duchess is Samantha Quentin!" Samantha looked pleasantly surprised and practically ran up the red carpet to receive her crown. The president was handed the next envelope. "And moving on now to your junior court." The juniors cheered and clapped as the envelope was opened. "Your prince is Kenneth Franklin!" Everyone clapped as Kenneth made his way up the red carpet and accepted his slightly larger plastic crown. The VP handed the president the next envelope. "And your princess is," he paused to open the envelope and stared down at the name with confusion. He covered the mic and leaned over to the VP to whisper. Unfortunately he hadn't leaned over far enough and those closest to the speakers in the room overheard their whispered conversation while everyone else looked on curiously. "She wasn't even on the ballot," the president whispered.
"People wrote her name in the 'other' box," the VP whispered back with a shrug.
"Can they do that?" The VP rolled her eyes and put a hand on her hip.
"That's what the 'other' box is for Sherlock."
"Alright, alright." He cleared his throat and uncovered the mic. "And your princess is Amy Juergens!" There were disgusted gasps from the two princesses who had received enough nominations to be put on the ballet. They looked around for Amy so they could glare at her while all the juniors who'd voted for her erupted in loud cheers and applause. Meanwhile Amy was sitting at a table with her little six-pack and she was positively stunned, her mouth hanging open in shock. "Um, Amy. Would you come on up please?" the president said into the mic nervously when Amy didn't make a move to come forward. Ricky took her hand and pulled her up out of her chair.
"Go get your crown, angel," he whispered into her ear when he'd reached the beginning of the red carpet, giving her a tiny shove so she'd start moving. Amy walked up the carpet slowly, surprise and shock still etched into her face. She blinked when there was a small flash and suddenly remembered the yearbook. That's not gonna be a pretty picture she mused as she let the VP put a small tiara on her head. She joined Kenneth standing with the rest of the court as they waited for the king and queen to be called.
"Alrighty then," the president said, trying to move things along. He opened the next envelope. "And your homecoming king is Jack Pappas!" More cheers and applause accompanied Jack as he walked up the red carpet and accepted his crown. He joined the others and waited to find out who the queen would be. "And your homecoming queen is Amanda Rivers!" Amanda quickly made her way up the red carpet to receive her crown, thrilled that she'd won. Once Amanda was crowned the president gestured to the homecoming court. "And there you have it ladies and gentlemen. You're homecoming court." He stepped to one side and joined everyone else in clapping for the court and all eight of them bowed politely. The yearbook camera man snapped several more pictures quickly and then the president motioned towards the DJ. "And now if the rest of the court will descend the red carpet, the king and queen will have their homecoming dance." The rest of the court members walked down the red carpet in reverse order, each couple with their arms linked. The yearbook cameraman had moved to the other end of the carpet and snapped away. Once Amy and Kenneth were halfway down the carpet, the ROTC began backing away and committee members began to roll up the carpet. Once the carpet was cleared, a member of the AV club adjusted the suspended lights so a small circle was created in the center of the dance area just for the king and queen. Jack and Amanda made their way to the spotlight and began to sway as the DJ played Skies Wide Open by Brian Culbertson. Amy made her way back over to her table to rejoin her friends and wait for Jack and Amanda to finish their dance. Madison and Lauren were beaming and Ricky was smiling softly at her.
"Congrats, Amy," Jesse leaned over and said to her.
"Yeah. Congrats," Justin said with a smile.
"Thanks. I have no clue how it happened," she admitted, still a little stunned by it all. She couldn't fathom why her classmates would vote for her to be their homecoming princess. Ricky squeezed her hand, causing her to break her train of thought. When she looked up at him he leaned over to whisper in her ear.
"May I have the next dance, princess?" She giggled and nodded and then watched Jack and Amanda as they swayed. After their dance ended everyone clapped politely and then the DJ spoke into her mic.
"Alright boys and girls, the king and queen have had their dance so this next one is for all the other couples here tonight." She began to play Diary by Alicia Keys and Amy and Ricky, Lauren and Jesse, Madison and Justin, Grace and Grant, Alice and Henry, and Ashley and Toby joined the other couples heading towards the dance area. Ricky gently twirled Amy and then wrapped his arms around her waist while she linked her fingers behind his neck.
"Congratulations," he told her with a smile.
"Thanks," she smiled back and then shook her head. "I have no idea how it happened. I wasn't even on the ballot."
"Well you've obviously impressed enough people that they decided to write you onto the ballot," he told as they continued gently swaying together. Amy nodded and chuckled.
"I guess so." They gazed at each other for several moments, lost in their own little world, before Ricky dipped his head slightly to kiss her.
"So would you say your first homecoming's been a good one?" Amy giggled and nodded.
"Absolutely," she stated and then laid her head against his chest. Ricky kissed the top of her head and they continued to sway in a slow circle, letting the beat of the music guide them. Tonight had been a blast. I got to get all dolled up, went out to dinner with my boyfriend and best friends, had some fun dancing and just hanging out, and even won a crown at homecoming. All in all I'd say that makes for a pretty great Saturday night Amy thought with a smile. As Ricky listened to the lyrics of the song he thought about how far he and Amy had come over the past two years and what she meant to him now. Alicia's saying it better than I could he thought with a smile as he held Amy a little tighter. It can only get better from here. Right?