Arden's prom dress above. ^^^
Chapter 16
Prom was finally here and honestly, I couldn't wait. I wasn't really big on school dances and the only reason why I would ever go to one was because Peggy insisted that we all go. By we, I meant the cheerleaders.
I was actually really happy I wasn't on the team anymore. It sucked, because I was the head cheerleader for two years, but even then Peggy was the one who usually acted like the head cheerleader by bossing the team around. It was really nice being away from her.
I was almost ready to go, thankfully, because prom was starting in ten minutes. Mom was the one doing my hair and my make-up since she had a lot of experience being in the modeling industry.
"Holly! Hurry up getting Arden ready!" Dad called from downstairs. "River is waiting! He looks nervous standing by me!"
"Dad, stop freaking him out!" I called back.
"I'm just reminding him that I am a police officer and would not like my daughter being treated poorly!"
River said something back to Dad, but I didn't quite hear exactly what he was saying.
I did, however, hear my dad's reply because he talked a lot louder than River. "I don't care if you're just her prom date," he said. "Touch her, and you will regret it."
I sighed and Mom chuckled. "He loves you is all," she said.
"A bit too much if you ask me," I said.
"It's a blessing and a curse," Mom said as she set down the curling iron. "There. All done."
I looked in the mirror, smiling at my mom's work. The makeup was very light, and it was the hair that I loved the most. She had two waterfall braids going on both sides of my head, then meeting in the middle and being tied together with a strand of hair covering the elastic. My hair was curled as well.
"I love it," I said. "Thanks, Mom."
"You're welcome," she said. "Now you have to get going. Ooh, but I have to take pictures first."
"No," I whined. "No pictures."
"Yes pictures," Mom said. "Or I'll take away your car."
I sighed and got up from the chair I was sitting on. I grabbed my silver clutch purse and my shoes before heading down the stairs with Mom following.
"Wow," River said when I reached the bottom step. "You look...." He stopped and looked over at Dad. "Am I allowed to compliment her?"
"If you didn't, I'd make you," Dad said.
He was a very confusing father.
River looked back at me and smiled slightly. "You look gorgeous."
"Thanks," I said, smiling back. "You don't look too bad yourself."
River actually got an outfit that matched mine. His dress shirt was the darkest blue that matched my dress, and he also had a white bowtie to much the white fabric at the end of my dress.
"Okay, pictures, now," Mom said.
"No," I said.
"Like I said, I'll take away your car."
"Then I can't go to prom."
"Then I'll take away your car afterwards."
"I'll protest and I won't go to prom."
"No, you won't," Mom said. "Oh! You can't forget the corsage and boutonniere."
"The what?"
"You know, the flowers a girl and a boy wears to prom. I ordered one for you and it's in the kitchen so I'll go get it."
I think Mom was more excited about me going to prom than I was.
After I had the corsage on my wrist, and River had the boutonniere pinned to the pocket on his dress shirt, Mom took a few pictures of us.
Finally, we were able to leave. I put on my shoes, then grabbed my car keys. "River, make sure you bring her home before midnight," Dad said.
"Okay, first off, he lives here too," I said. "And second, I'm the one driving, so I'm the one who will make sure we come home before midnight."
Dad just glared at me, then gave River the 'I'm watching you' sign with his two fingers. I rolled my eyes and grabbed River by the arm before pulling him outside.
"I'm sorry about him," I said. "He's just really protective."
"It's fine," River said as we got into my car. "I mean, he's scares me, but you are his only child, so I do understand. I just wish he would ease up a bit on me. I kind of think he does it just because of those rumors going around of me."
"Trust me, it's not because of the rumors," I said. "He knows they're fake and he would be saying and doing what he did to any guy close to me. And he will ease up soon. Hopefully."
I pulled out of the driveway and started driving to the banquet hall where prom was taking place. I was really happy it wasn't going to be taking place in the sweaty gym at school.
Prom had already started by the time we got there. I found a parking space, then we got out of the car. River walked over to the side I was on and held out his elbow. "Shall I escort you, miss?" he asked.
I laughed slightly. "You shall," I said as I hooked my arm in his.
The theme of the prom was Under the Sea, and I was really loving the decorations. All of the tables had blue tablecloths, and the lighting was blue as well to really give the impression that we were under the sea.
Shortly after we walked in, Ronnie walked up to us. "You two look amazing together," she said. "So cute."
"Do you have anything better to do?" I asked.
"Uh, no," she said. "Well, I can always raid the food table, which I will go do right now."
"Hey, Ronnie?" River said before she could walk away. "Thank you, for helping Arden out with proving my innocence. I might still be in jail if you didn't realize that my brother was actually my half-brother."
"No problem," Ronnie said. "I knew you in middle school anyway, so I never believe any of the rumors circling around you, and I trust Arden's judgment. But I swear, lay a single finger on her, and you will lose your fingers."
"But then how can I dance with her if I can't touch her?"
"You can dance with her, but that's it. And keep your hands above her wai--"
"You can leave now," I said.
Ronnie just winked at me before she walked away.
"Is everyone that knows you protective of you?" River asked.
"Not everyone," I said. "Peggy isn't. And speak of the devil...."
Peggy walked up to us with a few of her minions following. "Arden, what is he doing here? He doesn't go to the school?"
"Wait, really? I could have sworn he does," I said. "Yeah, there's this thing called bringing a guest, and he's my guest."
"Why would you bring a criminal like him?" she asked.
"He's not a crimin--"
Peggy cut me off, looking at River as she said, "How does it feel getting expelled for beating a kid up so badly he had to go to the hospital?"
"I wouldn't know," River said. "But how does it feel having a brain so small, that you choose to believe everything you hear instead of thinking of all the possibilities?"
Peggy scoffed. "How does it feel being in jail?"
"How does it feel being a....Arden, want to say it for me?"
"A bitch," I said.
"Yeah, what she said," River said. Seriously, he was so adorable that he didn't want to swear.
"I am not a bitch," Peggy objected.
"Really?" I asked. "I'm pretty sure you are one if you feel like you have to undermine every single person. You lied to get the head cheerleader spot, you spread rumors like a wildfire, and you think you deserve the best when really, I'm surprised that these people are choosing to follow you around. Seriously, keep your attitude and you won't have anyone there for you sooner or later."
I pulled River away from Peggy, then sighed when we had some distance between us. "I'm sorry about her," I said. "I really don't know why she felt she had to say those things to you."
"Hey, it's okay," River said. "I've had worse things said to me. That was nothing, and I've learned how to deal with small-minded people like her. So, how about we dance?"
"Sounds good to me," I said, then he pulled me to the dance floor to dance to the upbeat song that was playing.
I was having a lot of fun with River here with me at prom. He seemed to be having a lot of fun too, dancing and smiling to the songs.
The music then slowed down and some couples started slow dancing. River looked at me and smiled. "Can I have this dance?"
"Yes," I said, smiling back. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he wrapped his around my waist.
"You have no idea how happy I am that it was your dad who ended up arresting me that day," he said. "If it was anyone else, you wouldn't have gotten in the backseat with me and I wouldn't have told you that it wasn't me. I seriously can't thank you enough for what you did for me."
"Seeing you smile is thanks enough," I said.
"Like this?" River asked before giving me a goofy smile.
I laughed. "Yeah, like that. You're a really great guy, River. I don't think I know someone as nice and funny as you. Maybe Ronnie, though."
"Aww, I thought I was funnier than her."
"You might be. But seriously, you're amazing."
"You're amazing too," River said. "Not a lot of people would go out of their way to help someone they don't know get out of jail. Thank you so much."
"You're welcome," I said.
"So...." River said slowly. "What would you do....if I kissed you right now."
I smiled even wider. "I'd kiss you back."
River smiled before leaning down and pressing his lips on mine.
"Yes!" I suddenly heard Ronnie say quite loudly, which caused me to pull away from River. "I called it! I so called that you would kiss at prom!"
I looked over at Ronnie. "Did you have to say that so loud?"
"Yes."
"Well, thanks for that."
"Don't let me ruin your moment. Pretend I'm not here."
"We can do that if you go eat some food."
"That, I can do." Ronnie then headed to the food table.
I looked back at River. "I'm sorry about her. And my dad. They're....just weird."
"I kind of figured that," he said. "So...."
"So...."
"....I'm going to kiss you again."
"Please do."
And he did.
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Lol, I forgot that it was Monday since I didn't have school today, so I almost forgot to post this, then work on the Radish update. cx Oops.
This book ends on chapter 20, by the way. I'm working on the final one right now and when it finishes, I'm going to write a whole new book on Radish, but I'm going to wait until after my trip to Whistler to start it since I won't be able to sit down and write every single minute like I do now. cx