Prom.
The night where juniors and seniors got to dress up for a night at the country club while bad music played. Girls spent an exuberant amount of money on a dress, guys got to pay for an expensive dinner but it was a night that we only got to experience so many times.
Plus it was fun to dress up and pamper yourself.
"What color should I get my nails?" I asked my Mom as we stood in the nail salon
"Nude since your dress is yellow. Plus nude is always safe." she suggested
I nodded, "Good choice."
It was nice to sit back and talk about my plans for tomorrow with my Mom. She always knew what to do about my hair, makeup, accessories, and nails.
"So are you and Parker up to anything tomorrow night?"she asked me as she looked down at her magazine
God, I knew what she was trying to get at.
"We're just going to the afterparty at our house tomorrow." I said to her for the third time today, "Not your stereotypical prom night, Mom."
She looked up, "Well I mean after a few weeks ago."
"Oh my god." I mumbled to myself, "Can we not do this right now?"
"I've been avoiding this conversation for too long, Elizabeth and I want you to be protected." my Mom put down the magazine
I shrugged, "What does it matter? He's about to move anyway."
"One time is all it takes Elizabeth." my Mom spoke as if it were recorded breaking news
"I know, I've seen 'Teen Mom' before." I recalled, "We're safe and as you could probably assume this isn't Parker's first rodeo."
My Mom took a deep breath, "I think we should go see the gyno, well you. I want grandchildren but not yet."
"At least you'll be a young and fun grammy. You would be." I corrected myself, "Trust me I don't want to be a mom at seventeen."
As my Mom and I were checking out, a group of women full of botox came up to us carrying their designer handbags.
"Oh my gosh, Julie is that you?" one of them asked my Mom because she just dyed her hair blonde (her mid-life crisis)
My Mom turned around, "Oh hi there Laura."
God, my Mom and I both hated Laura. She thought just because her husband owned all of the McDonald's in California that she was the shit. She was always in everyone's business and always reached where she had no business. Not to mention she was also Lexie Herndon's Mom - the girl who Parker used to have a thing with.
Laura looked me up and down, "Peyton, you're growing so quickly. What are you two doing here?"
Bitch what are you doing here? Getting your nails done like us.
"Prom is tomorrow," I said with a smile, trying to be nice. She clearly knew that considering her daughter was a senior.
"How fun! Who are you taking?" Laura questioned me
My boyfriend.
Was this bitch born yesterday?
"Parker Fitzgerald," I answered
Her face perked up, "Oh, wow. I'm surprised he is still around, considering everything. Poor thing has had it so rough. A cheating Dad, taking over a company, and he bounces around from girl to girl too."
I glanced over at my Mom.
"Well, we've been dating for six months, so I'd say he's pretty stable in what he wants." I shot back
As Parker always said, 'play whatever game they play but do it better'.
"You know I do remember Lexie telling me about you two." Laura narrowed her eyes at me, "I just think if Parker didn't date his best friend's little sister in the dark for such a long time then him and Lexie would've had a fair shot."
I opened my mouth and then my Mom put her hand on my arm.
"You sound awfully jealous of two teenagers' relationship. Maybe if your Lexie was a nice girl like my Elizabeth, she could get a nice boy instead of having sex with every guy she sees at my home." my mom fired, "Nice running into you."
My Mom and I walked out of the nail salon and got into her car.
"Can you believe her mom? She's a grown woman!" I hissed
"Well, with Parker's new position everyone sees him as walking dollar signs or a CEO instead of an eighteen-year-old child." she began while she drove, "Every woman wants their daughter with him so they be 'taken care of'."
I sighed, "He's Parker."
"Lizzie, he's a Fitzgerald at the end of the day. That has always been one of the 'it' families in Beverly Hills and New York for the past one hundred years." my Mom informed me, "It is what it is."
"We've just never really talked about him and nepotism you know." I said to her, "I don't know what the next few years are about to look like. I love him but I don't want to do long distance. We're young, he deserves to focus on him and I deserve to focus on me."
My Mom nodded, "I really raised you well. You're young, what's meant to be will be."
What's meant to be will be.
That really stuck with me.
It was nice to have Lydia over to help me get ready for prom. I remember being young and watching her get ready for prom.
It was like I blinked and it was my turn.
My hair was done in loose curls as it usually was for formal events. My makeup was done by my loving sister in what she described as 'natural glam'. I was wearing my cute, dangly earrings that almost looked like flowers with nude sandal heels.
And my dress was everything.
It was the first one I tried on and I knew it was the one.
It was a bright yellow dress with a flattering A-line silhouette and a tulle skirt. It made my waist look super tiny. The back laced up and it had breathtaking floral applique along the bodice and along the skirt. There were also rhinestones scattered here and there that made it sparkle.
"Girl, you look amazing." Lydia looked at me, "Parker is going to lose his shit."
I looked in the mirror. The dress fit me so well. It was too over the top but it didn't fly under the radar. The dress made me feel like a real-life Cinderella with a yellow dress.
My whole family got into the car and drove to Parker's house where our prom group decided to take pictures. He had the prettiest house and scenery so it was a no brainer.
Caroline prepared the cutest snacks, well Ximena probably did that. There was a cute photo booth and a floral wall.
My eyes met with the boy who was practically eating all of the charcuterie board.
He dropped the cracker he was holding and walked over to me.
"Oh my goodness, how are you real?" Parker as me as he held out his hands
I grabbed his hands, "You look so good."
Parker had on a navy suit with a yellow tie. He had on his cologne that he only wore for special occasions and what I assumed what was his Dad's Rolex.
"Ellie, you are so gorgeous." Parker kept looking at me, "I'm lucky as hell."
I gave him a hug and I loved the feeling of his arms around me.
"I'm the lucky one." I whispered into his ear
His Mom walked over wearing a cute black blouse, black skinny jeans, a blush Gucci belt, and blush Louboutin's. She definitely toned up since the death of the man who is not to be named. Maybe even got some botox.
"Elizabeth! You are stunning." she beamed, "Let's get a picture. Oh wait, let's put on the corsage and boutonnière first."
Both of them were just yellow roses and went nicely with the dress.
"Awe, Parker and his first love." his mom grinned, "This is gonna look good at your wedding."
I looked at Parker who was already looking at me.
"Yeah." he smiled at me
We took more group pictures on the stairwell, outside on the patio and gazebo, by the pool, and in front of the floral wall.
When we were in Parker's car on the way to the restaurant, I told him all about the nail salon yesterday.
He was just as taken back as I was yesterday.
"Well damn. What are you supposed to do after that?" he asked me as he grabbed my hand, "You know I don't want anyone else but you."
"Even if we don't work out, no one else is gonna have me in the way you do. You've been with me through some of my darkest and happiest times, nothing is going to change that. You were the only one who was really there for me when my Dad passed away. No one else came to get Parker who hadn't showered in days out of bed or stayed up until five in the morning with me while I talked about my feelings." Parker said as I held his hand
I nodded, "I'm always gonna care about you even if I don't want to admit it. I just don't want you to ever fall back into old habits."
"Never, I'm a new man Elizabeth." Parker assured me
I let out a laugh, "Sometimes I wish you still had a really old formal first name so I could hit you with it."
"You wish." Parker smirked
I leaned my head on his arm, "I really do love you so much, Parker."
"I love you more. Forever, I promise." he assured me
Forever.
I sure hope so.
Universe please work out in our favor.
Prom was surprisingly fun.
Dinner was hilarious, I loved being able to feed off of other people's energy. The dance was somehow even better. It was nice to see your classmates all dressed up. Plus I was enjoying these moments with Parker.
I really didn't know what life would be like without him and that scared me.