Please Be Mine

“Wow.”

“Yeah.”

“This… is a finishing camp?” Steph asked, turning to look at me.

“It most certainly is.” I said with a sigh. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Mackenzie! How wonderful to see you here finally,” a woman with graying hair said, coming over and embracing me as little as possible and placing fake kisses on both of my cheeks.

“Hello, Marcia. The camp looks lovely… as is usual.” I said a fake smile on my face.

“And who is this lovely young thing?”

“This is my friend Stephanie. It took me about five tries to get her here but she finally agreed with a promise from me that we would find her a nice, suitable gentleman.” Marcia positively laughed.

“Well that will not be a problem my dears. We have a nice batch of bachelors here. Take your pick. Now, since it is too late for either of you to participate in the final ball, I have to assign you positions to help the staff. Now, Mackenzie, you were wonderful working on the sound systems last year so I think I will have you do that again and Stephanie… how would you like to help the five through seven year old girls prepare?”

“Oh, that would be wonderful.” Steph said. Every time we said Stephanie, she cringed. She got so used to being called Steph.

“Well, I think we should go to our rooms. It was lovely seeing you Marcia.” I said, picking up my bags and taking Steph’s arm.”

We walked to one of the housing buildings and went to the vacant room. I opened the door and Steph gasped. She stepped into the room and looked around, smoothing her hand across the blankets on the beds.

“This is where we’re staying?”

“Yes… welcome to the Ritz of finishing camps.” I said, dropping my bags and kicking my shoes off. I jumped onto the bed and folded my arms behind my head. I felt Steph gently sit on the bed next to me. I looked up at her. “What?”

“I know how you feel.” She said quietly.

“What do you mean?”

“With Kevin… I know you miss him. It feels like… your heart has been ripped to shreds and you worry every second you’re away. Does he think about you as much as you think about him? Has he completely forgotten and found someone else? But then… you get that phone call or text message or e-mail that makes all the doubt and worry go away. It makes you smile and you know everything is alright again. It’s the same with Joe.” She said with a sigh. I sat up and looked at her.

“That’s exactly right.” I whispered. “He hasn’t called since the other night… I don’t know what to do.”

“Give him time. He’s still processing it. He’ll call. It took Joe awhile to feel comfortable calling me. Sure we talked everyday but… it was slightly awkward. Then again… I wasn’t living with them first. Really though, don’t worry about it.”

“Thank you,” I said, pulling her into a hug. “That made me feel so much better.”

“Attention ladies and gentlemen. Dinner will be served in one hour in the main dining hall. Please be on time and properly dressed. Any unsuitable attire will be sent back to their rooms and will have to change. Thank you.”

“Speakers throughout the rooms?” Steph asked, holding back a laugh.

“Unfortunately. With a 7 a.m. wake up call.”

“Have I mentioned that you owe me?”

“Multiple times. Now come on, let’s start getting ready.”

****

“We really have to dress this nice for dinner?” Steph asked, staring at herself in the mirror. I nodded at her as I applied make-up. “This is something I’d wear for like… a high school dance. Not dinner.”

“Ah but my dear Steph, this is finishing camp. This is nothing compared to the final ball.”

“Let’s just go and get this over with.” She said with a sigh as she opened the door and stepped into the breezy summer night air.

When we opened the doors to the dining hall every head turned in our direction and it became so silent you could hear a pin drop. I took Steph’s wrist and led her over to an empty table. As soon as we sat down and were served a boy I recognized came and sat across from us.

“Hello Mackenzie. It’s about time you joined us.” He said, nodding his head at me.

“Preston,” I said.

“And who’s this vision?”

“This is my good friend Stephanie. Stephanie this is Preston.”

“My dear Stephanie,” he said, taking her hand and kissing it.

“How do you do?” she asked in a fake, light, airy voice and I had to hold back laughter.

“Fine thank you. So how does a woman as beautiful as you not have a boyfriend?” he asked.

“Actually I do. I’m just here for support for Mackenzie.”

“Oh… I see. Well I best be going and leave you two to your supper.”

“Bye Preston!” we chorused before turning to each other and laughing. Half the dining hall turned and glared at us.

****

“I have to wear this?” Steph asked, stepping out of the bathroom wearing the ball gown I had put in there for her.

“Yes ma’am.” I said, nodding at her through the mirror as I applied mascara.

“You have got to be kidding me.” She said, sitting down on her bed, the dress billowing out around her. It was extremely large and had a lot of crinoline.

“I wish I was.” I said, gesturing to my just as large dress. “And there are gloves to match.”

“What?!”

“I’m completely serious.” I said, turning to the desk and handing her the box of gloves to go with her dress.

“This is absolutely ridiculous.”

“Tell me about it. You can have the mirror now.”

****

“Alright boys and girls, over here.” Steph said trying to maintain control over her group of children that Marcia had assigned to her.

“Have fun.” I muttered as I walked past her to go to the sound set up. She glared at me and I laughed. I started up the music and watched as young boys and girls started dancing and felt a light pang in my chest when I saw the older ones. Kevin. I thought. I sighed and saw Steph out of the corner of my eye scolding one of the boys for not using his utensils and I chuckled.

Things were going smoothly. Everyone was dancing, Marcia seemed to be completely thrilled and Steph actually looked like she was having fun. I saw Preston get turned down by pretty much every girl our age and that made me laugh.

“Excuse me,” someone said tapping my shoulder. “Can I request a song?”

“Sure, what is it you’d… like? Oh my God.” I whispered turning around. I gasped and put my hand to my mouth. A tear escaped my eye as I looked at the person in front of me. “What are you doing here?” I whispered.

“I missed you.” Kevin answered.

“But… how?”

“Steph texted Joe the other night and gave him all the details.” He said, nodding his head to the dance floor. I looked and sure enough there were Joe, Steph, and Nick smiling towards Kevin and I. I turned back to Kevin and looked him up and down. He was completely decked out in a suit.

“I can’t believe you’re really here.” I said, putting my hands on his chest. “But I’m glad you are.”

“So am I.” he said, his arms wrapping around my waist.

“Mackenzie!” I winced and turned around.

“Mom? What are you doing here?”

“I’m always at the final ball. Something you seem to have forgotten.” She said, narrowing her eyes at Kevin. “What is he doing here?”

“His name is Kevin, mother.” I said, glaring at her. “He came here because he missed me and he loves me and I love him. I’m glad he’s here.” I said, taking Kevin’s hand in mine.

“Mackenzie don’t be ridiculous. Come here, we’re going home.”

“No!”

“What’s going on?” Dad asked, coming up behind Mom.

“That… boy came here to canoodle with our daughter.”

“Ah, you must be Kevin.” Dad said, stepping forward with his hand out for Kevin to shake. I looked up at Kevin who looked surprised but he soon leaned forward and shook my father’s hand.

“Yes sir. Nice to meet you Mr. Wells.”

“Please… call me James.”

“What do you think you are doing James?” Mom asked.

“I’m meeting our daughter’s boyfriend, Georgia.”

“He is not her boyfriend.”

“Georgia… look at Mackenzie. When she’s with Kevin, she looks completely different. She was miserable when we brought her home but with him, she is so happy. Seeing our daughter happy, makes me happy. Just look at them Georgia.” He said, looking over at Kevin and I. “Really look at them.”

Mom looked over at us… scrutinizing with her gaze. Her eyes raked back and forth across my face and down to our joined hands. I saw her eyes settle on my neck to Kevin’s ring around the chain I had and my hand instantly closed around it.

“Suitable enough for you?” I asked coldly.

“He certainly is for me.” Dad said. We all looked at Mom and she sighed in defeat.

“What am I to do?” she asked. “My daughter’s in love and I have no control over it. So… I might as well just accept it. I’m sorry, Kevin.”

“It’s alright.” He said. “Now… if you’ll excuse me, I believe I still have a song to request.”

“And what would that be?” I asked. He leaned forward and whispered in my ear and I couldn’t help but smile as I searched for the song.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Kevin said, taking the mic. “If you would all please clear the dance floor… I would like to ask Mackenzie Wells to join me for a very special dance.” Everyone applauded and cleared the floor leaving a big space for Kevin and I. Please Be Mine started to play and Kevin led me out to the floor, wrapping his arms around my waist. This moment was the definition… of perfect.