Prom

“So…”

“What?” I sighed at the girl next to me.

“What’s going on with Jackson? He’s been really weird lately…” The blond popped her gum annoyingly.

“I don’t know,” I sighed sincerely.

My best friend had been distant lately, and not the ‘I-have-lacross-a-shit-ton-of-homework-and-am-busy-being-the-perfect-son’ kinda way either, like something was generally up with him.

“Well next time you see him tell him to call me,” she walked away with a hair flip while I hummed ok and closed my locker.

“What did Taylor want?” I jumped and looked at Jackson who was on the other side of my locker door.

“How long have you been there?”

“I just walked up after she left, what’d she want?”

I twirled my long brown hair and imitated chewing gum loudly. “She um, just like um, wanted to know what was up with you! And if you could like call her!”

He flinched and shuddered, “Don’t do that,” he growled angrily.

I stepped back. “Are you alright?” He was scaring me.

“Yeah,” he seemed to snap out of it, anyway… I gotta go,” he rushed off before I could get another word in.

I shook my head and started to walk the other way.

“Hey Maria,” I paused and looked at the boy who ran up next to me. Kyle. The blue eyes browned haired boy smiled nervously at me. I stopped and he stopped too.

“What’s up?”

“I-I was wondering, do you have a date to prom?”

“Um… not currently…”

“Really,” he sounded shocked.

“Was… there something you wanted to ask me?”

“Oh yeah! Um… do you want to go with me?”

“Sure,” I smiled and he smiled too before waving me bye and running to his class. He was a nice enough guy.

---

I sat down my lunch tray and picked aimlessly at it. My friends chatted around me and I didn’t pay attention to them.

I heard someone sit across from me and I looked up to see Jackson eating an apple.

“What’d Kyle want?”

“What are you stalking me?”

He smirked. “You wish,”

“He just asked me to go to prom with him,” I said pushing my food around before putting a spoonful of mash potatoes in my mouth.

“What’d you say?”

“Yeah,” I shrugged and looked up.

He stiffened before standing and walking away.

“What the hell?” I noticed I then had the attention of all of my friends.

Danny, one of mine and Jackson’s gay best friends smiled at me.

“He’s pissed,”

“Why?”

“Oh come on Maria, you aren't dumb…” I gave him a dumbfounded look and he laughed before looking away.

Okay, what’s up with everyone today?

---

I laid on my bed and looked up at my ceiling… what was Danny implying? Did Jackson want to take me to prom? Naw, he was supposed to go with Lydia, even though they broke up they were still a shoe in for prom king and queen.

The confusion was weighing in on me and I let my eyes shut.

Darkness.

I walked forward, I couldn’t see anything. Soon the ground disappeared from beneath me and I was submerged in water.
I kicked my feet around and for some reason I couldn’t get back to the surface, my air was running out and I was starting to panic. I looked up and saw the lights flash on, I realized I was in the school gym in the pool. I see a figure at the edge before my vision blacks.
I feel air, I also feel water rising in my throat and soft lips on mine, I want to keep them there but I hd to pull away, I coughed up the water and looked at my savior.
Jackson.

“Wake up,” I woke up and looked up at Jackson.

I was back in my room.

“What are you doing here?”

“Your mom let me in,” he stood and walked around the room. “You were breathing pretty heavy, and… you said my name,” he smirked at me and I glared.

“Don’t get too excited I had a dream I was drowning and you saved me, like that time we were 5… Besides, you’re not my type.” I smirked.

He sat at the side of my bed and leaned in close to me slowly, his face moved closer and closer to mine and my breath hitched in my throat his lips brushed against mine and my eyes start to close before he moved to my ear and whispered.

“I’m everyone’s type,” he stood and laughed while I blushed.

“Get the hell out while I change!” I threw my pillow at him.

---

The camera’s flashed in our faces, does it suck this bad when you’re famous?

We finally got into the dance and I looked around for Jackson, he was here with Alison, shocking but I ignored it. I couldn’t get him out of my mind lately. He was like a parasite.
An Hour Later

“Let’s take a break yeah?” I said to Kyle and we walked off the dance floor.

“I’ll get us some punch,” I just nodded at him and when he walked away Jackson walked up.

“Dance with me,” before I could answer he pulled me up and towards the center of the floor in the crowd.

I glared at him.

He pulled me close and swayed my hips in a slow dance. “Um, Jackson, you know this is a fast song right?” He ignored me and buried his face in my neck; I froze but soon relaxed into him.

I put my hands around his neck as he pulled our bodies closer. This felt nice.

“I missed you,”

“I haven’t gone anywhere,” I laughed but Jackson wasn’t smiling. I paused and pulled away from him.

We were still swaying but we could look each other in the face now.

“What’s wrong Jackson?”

“What would you do if I changed?”

“What-“

“Seriously Maria, if I changed a lot, like not my attitude but my whole being?”

I frowned. “I wouldn’t do anything, you’re my best friend Jackson, you can’t get rid of me that easy,” I joked and he smiled.

It’s wasn’t a smirk but a genuine smile.

“I love you Maria,”

“What-“

His lips pressed against mine, they formed against my small ones, his were nice and plumb. They weren't dry or too wet and slimy like some boys had. They were perfect. He pulled away slowly and his eyes stayed shut for a bit lingering in the moment. What was happening? Whatever it was I didn’t hate it.

“Finally,” we both turned to see Danny next to us with a huge smirk on his face and his date looking confused.

I giggled and Jackson smirked.