Prom

We’re standing outside our high school. It’s the some brick building we’ve been going to almost every day for four years. We’ve been friends even longer. We met our first year of junior high. Is it weird that both my best friends are boys? I don’t think so. “I really want to go to prom. I know it’s stupid but it’s an essential high school experience,” I tell them.

“Why do you have to drag us into it?” Evan asks.

“Because you’re my best friends and I want you there,” I answer.

“Take a date like a normal girl. I don’t think smelly Sam has a date yet so you could go with him.”

“Ew!” I punch Evan in the shoulder good naturedly. “That’s not funny!”

“Fine,” he sighs. “We’ll go with you.”

I hug him excitedly. “Thanks, I’ll meet you here later tonight.”

I rush home and start getting ready. My dress is very basic. I borrowed it from an older cousin. It’s red and long. I pair it with my black hi-top Converse sneakers and silver hoops in my ears. I curl my long light brown hair just enough to make it pretty. I add a touch of make-up and am ready to go.

“You look great baby,” my father says when I walk down the stairs. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks Dad,” I smile.

He picks up a necklace up off the table and hands it to me. It’s silver with a ruby pendant. “It was your mother’s. I want you to have it.”

“Help me put it on,” I suggest. He moves my hair just long enough to fasten it around my neck then gazes at it adoringly. I know he wishes my mom was here and so do I. I was a freshman in high school when a drunk driver hit her car and killed her.

“Have a good time with your friends honey. They’re good boys.”

I hug him and let him take my picture before dashing out to meet Evan and Alex. They are waiting for me as promised. “Wow,” Evan comments. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a dress before.”

Did I mention I’ve never been girly a day in my life? Well, it’s true. “Nice shoes,” Alex tells me.

“Nice outfit,” I reply. Alex is chubby and a dork. He’s currently dressed in a baby blue suit that you know is old.

“My mom got it out of the attic,” he informs me.

I roll my eyes. “Figures.”

“You look really nice,” Evan says to me.

“Thanks Evan, you’re not so bad yourself,” I grin. He’s always been thin and smart with reddish brown hair. Tonight he’s dressed in a black pants, a black suit jacket, a white button down shirt, and a skinny black tie. He’s even got dress shoes on.

“Are we gonna’ stand here all night?” Alex questions.

“Let’s go in,” I suggest.

I never made any more friends besides Evan and Alex. I didn’t need to. I was never popular but I didn’t mind. So I stand with the two boys and sway a little to the music. “Do you want me to get you some punch?” Evan offers.

“They spike that with alcohol. I’m not touching it,” I shake my head.

Candice walks over and spins to show off her dress. “Do you like it Evan?”

“Of course,” he grins.

“I’ll see you later, okay? Save a dance for me.”

“Sure.”

She bounces away only to have her boyfriend show up in her place. “I told you to stay away from my girlfriend man,” he shoves Evan. Evan shoves back and a teacher pulls him away outside. I run after him into the dark.

“He started it!” Evan protests loudly. The teacher doesn’t care and leaves us here to ‘cool down’.

Candice walks out, tossing her perfect blond hair over her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“I’m tired of this shit!” he shouts. “Everyone sees that I like you and you choose that asshole! I’m done!”

She goes back inside. “Why the hell do you go after stupid bitches like that?” I ask. He turns to me with wide eyes. I don’t usually get angry and I barely ever swear.

“Cameron…” he mumbles.

“No! Fuck you Evan! How can you be so stupid and so smart at the same time?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Evan, I love you! I’ve loved you for a long time and you didn’t even realize it! Damn! You just keep chasing after those stupid losers. You deserve so much better than them.”

He stares at me and I just storm inside. I go into the gymnasium and stand in the corner to watch everyone dance, Evan hurries in to talk to me. “I’m Sorry Cam,” he apologizes.

“I don’t want to hear it, okay? Fuck off!”

“Cameron, please,” he begs. Before I can say anything else a shot echoes through the crowd.

“He has a gun!” Someone shouts. Chaos erupts. Everyone is screaming and trying to run away. I catch a glimpse of Timmy Smith with a gun in his hand before Evan is pulling me away. The gym doors slam shut behind us.

“No one’s getting out!” Tommy is yelling. “You’re all going to die tonight! You’ll die for what you did to me!”

Tommy’s been a target for bullying all through high school. I guess he’s finally snapped. I’ve heard of it happening at other schools but I never expected it here on my prom night.

Evan runs right into the principal. He’s still gripping my arm and I stumble with him. “What is going on?” Principal Andrews demands.

“Tommy Smith’s got a gun! He’s shooting people!” Evan tells him. The screams are lessening and I don’t think that’s a good sign. How many bullets does he have? He must have come prepared for mass slaughtering. He must have been planning this for a long time.

Someone walks towards us and my heart almost stops. It’s Tommy. There’s blood through his long hair and splattered on his round glasses. His white dress shirt is turning red. Evan pulls me against the wall and begins dragging me towards the nearest escape route. “Stop this now Thomas!” Andres tries. Timmy shakes his head and fires. I gasp and Evan yanks me forward into a full speed run. I have to lift my dress up so I don’t trip but I am really glad I decided to wear sneakers.

It seems like there’s bodies everywhere. It is unreal like we are both in a bad dream. It’s in the library where we are reunited with Alex. He’s sitting on the floor in a pool of blood. We kneel down. “Shit,” Evan curses.

“You were…the best friends…ever,” Alex is dying. We hear the door on the other side of the library open. “Run!”

I don’t want to leave Alex but it’s already too late for him. I don’t even have time to cry before we are flying through the halls. We try for an exit but it’s locked and we don’t have the key. I can hear footsteps coming closer. Evan pulls me into a classroom. We hide in the closet. I am breathing heavy and my heart is racing. Evan covers my mouth so all that can be hears now is silence.

Tommy walks into the room and we freeze, praying Tommy won’t open the closet door. If he does we have no chance. To our relief we hear Tommy walking away. We sink to the floor. It’s dark and I start to cry. “Evan…”

“I’m sorry about everything,” he says.

“Me too. I acted like a bitch.”

“No, I was being a stupid jerk.”

“I have to tell you something in case Tommy comes back…in case we don’t make it out of this.”

“We’re going to make it,” he protests.

“I wanted it to be a surprise. I got into the same college as you. We were going to be doctors together.”

“That’s great Cam. I knew you could do it.”

“I’m so scared,” I admit.

“It’s gonna’ be alright,” he assures me. “We’re going to get out of her and go to medical school together and be doctors. It’ll be so great Cam.”

We both hear sirens outside and he takes my hand, leading me into the hallway. There’s more shots but this time it’s the police. It’s over. We made it.

Evan hugs me tightly as we are surrounded by cop cars and ambulances outside the school. Survivors are emerging and bodies are loaded onto stretchers. “Cameron, I love you too,” he says.

I look into his eyes. “You do?”

“You’ve been my best friend since junior high. You’re beautiful and smart and the most amazing girl I know.”

“You’re amazing too. I don’t think I would have made it without you.”

He leans in and kisses me. I close my eyes and melt into his embrace. As long as we are together we can get through anything.