1
ALLISON
10 years ago
Junior year of high school
I sit at one of the many lunch tables filling the cafeteria, the one that my group of friends has claimed as ours over the last few years.
“Ugh,” my best friend Lindsay says as she takes the seat next to me on the bench.
“What’s wrong?” I ask as I take a bite from a chicken strip.
“History class sucked. We had a pop quiz, and I don’t think I passed.”
“I’m sorry, I hate it when Mr. Lead gives his pop quizzes. I swear he knows when we haven’t done our homework and are not ready for them.”
“Right! Like, help a girl out. Oh, I forgot to tell you!” Lindsay says, smacking my arm in quick succession in her excitement.
“What?” I ask, taking another bite.
“I have a date for prom!” she practically shrieks.
“With who? And when did this happen?” I ask, a little shocked.
“Jimmy King asked me to be his date after first period,” she says.
“Aww,” I coo. “You’re going to have a blast.”
“Now we just have to find you a date.”
“Maybe. I was kind of looking forward to just going as a group, but maybe,” I tell her honestly.
“I’m sorry. Should I back out so we can just go as a group?” she asks.
“No, it isn’t like we won’t see each other during the dance.”
“Now I feel bad for saying yes so quickly.”
“Don’t be. I’ll be fine,” I insist.
“What about Lee? You guys have been quite flirty lately.”
“Maybe,” I state as a group of our friends sit down, Lee and Jimmy being two of them.
“Ladies,” Jimmy greets as he takes the seat on the other side of Lindsay.
“I hear you’ve stolen my date for prom,” I tease Jimmy.
“Sorry,” he says, almost question-like and without one ounce of apology.
“You need a date to prom, Allison?” Lee asks from across the table.
“Looks like I do,” I tell him, my stomach doing a little flittering when I look across the table at him. He’s got this swagger to him. One that says he knows he’s hot; he knows girls would fall at his feet if he’d give them a second of his time.
“Would you go with me?” he asks, all nonchalant.
“Are you serious?” I sputter in reply.
“Yes…” he says, drawing out the word. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean it that way. I was just caught off guard,” I tell him. “But I’d love to go with you.” I flash him a sincere smile and melt a little at the way his face lights up.
“Oh-my-God!” Lindsay squeals and claps her hands together. “I’m so excited we’re all pairing off for prom! We need to go dress shopping this weekend!” she says.
“Saturday work for you?” I ask.
“Yes, I have to work in the morning, but afterward, I’m all yours.”
“I think my parents were arranging for a limo for the night, so if everyone wants to come to my place, we can all ride together,” Lee says.
“Sounds like a plan,” Jimmy replies.
“I’ll be there,” Tucker, another one of our friends, also replies.
“Who are you going with, Tucker?” I ask.
“Not sure yet, but I’m sure I can find a date,” he says. He’s got that same swagger that Lee has, and I’ve seen him turn on the charm. He’d have a date before the school day is over if he wanted one.
“That’s my boy!” Lee says as they do that hand slap-hug-back slap thing guys do.
“I can’t believe prom is just two weeks away already. It is going to be so lonely around here next year when you guys are all gone.”
“No, it won’t; y’all will be just fine being the rulers of the school,” Tucker tells us.
I can’t help being slightly jealous Lindsay and I aren’t graduating this year, as well. We hope to go off to school together, maybe even rooming together if we’re lucky enough. We both want to go to school and get our nursing degrees, then come back home and work either in the hospital or for one of the many doctors' offices.
The first bell rings, alerting us that it is time to clear out and head to our first class after lunch. We all say our goodbyes, parting ways until later. I practically float to my locker and then into my next classroom, knowing I’ll be going to prom with Lee freaking Crawford.
Lee
I straighten my collar, allowing me to button the top one up before wrapping the bow tie around my neck, securing it in place. Everyone should start arriving here shortly.
“Need any help?” my mom asks, standing at my open doorway.
“Sure,” I say, handing over the cuff links my dad let me borrow for today.
Mom tugs my sleeves down, lining up the buttonholes before she slips the cuff links into them, securing them in place.
“I can’t believe you’re so grown up. Heading out to your senior prom, about to graduate and head out into the world.” She sniffs, trying her damnedest to hold back her tears.
“Not going far, Mom, you know that,” I remind her. Tucker and I plan to go to the fire academy in the fall.
“I know, but it's still weird knowing that you’re about to move out on your own. I’ll miss you at the dinner table every night.”
“If it's dinner that you’re worried about, I can make sure to be home every night for that,” I tease. Nothing in this world like my mom's cooking.
“I definitely wouldn’t put it past you to do just that.” She laughs.
“You know me, I’ll do just about anything for a free meal.” I wink at her.
“I love you, son.” She pulls me into a hug, and I go willingly. I tower over her, but she doesn’t care. I hold her tight against my chest. I’ve always had a great relationship with my parents. They’ve always been pretty chill. They set the rules, and as long as we follow them, they give us a lot of freedom.
“Love you, too, Mom.” I kiss the top of her head, choking back my own tears.
“Oh, a Momma Crawford sandwich,” Tucker says, coming into my room and wrapping his arms around my mother, trapping her between us.
“You boys.” She laughs. “My life would be so empty without you.”
Tucker steps back, allowing Mom to vacate her spot. She looks both of us up and down, tears rolling down her cheeks as she does. “I just can’t get over how grown the two of you are,” she says, patting us both on the chest.
“Believe it, Momma Crawford. Before you know it, we’ll be grown men with families of our own,” Tucker says.
“Speak for yourself, dude. I don’t plan on settling down anytime soon.”
“I’m not saying tomorrow, but in the next five to ten years, I’ll bet you money that at least one of us has a wife and or kids.”
“I’ll leave that domestic shit to you.”
“Language!” Mom chides.