Prom Night

Prom Night

A/N: There will be some OOC in this story but I hope it’s not so much OOC that it gets too ridiculous. Some negative remarks are made about Mike, which is just for the sake of the story as I love his character.

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing, just a fan of the books and movies.

“Your date is here honey!”

I sighed as I heard my mom calling me. It was prom night, and my mom sounded more excited than I felt. Prom night was meant to be special, but I doubted it would be for me. I did not even want to go. But I had to. It was all about appearances. I had to go, and pretend I was having a good time even if I hated every moment. At least I would look great in my red dress, and my date was one of the cutest boys in whole school. Although I knew Mike didn’t like me really. He wanted Bella, but because he couldn't have her he was settling for me. It hurt, but to be fair I also had someone else on my mind. Edward. So I could not complain. Besides, it was better having a date than going alone or with friends. I smoothed down my dress and did a last minute hair and make-up check before slowly making my way downstairs. I paused halfway down the steps as my mom appeared at the bottom of the stairs armed with one of her many cameras. My mom loved to take photos.

“Just hold it right there sweetheart.” I fixed a smile on my face and posed with a hand on my hip, allowing her to snap a few shots.

“Okay mom, that's enough. I don't wanna keep Mike waiting,” I hurried down the last few steps of the stairs.

My mom seemed puzzled. “Mike's your date?”

I laughed. “Mom, I have been going out with him. Who did you think my date was gonna be?”

“Jess, it’s not Mike...” My mom gestured in the direction of our living room. “Go see for yourself.”

I walked down the hallway and went into our living room. I looked around but the room was empty. That was when I heard a velvety smooth voice whisper in my ear, making me jump.

“Hello Jessica.”

The voice was familiar, but as I turned around I was shocked to see the last person I could have imagined ever being in my house.

I was speechless, which was rare for me since I loved to talk. I could not believe Edward Cullen was here in my house. He was standing in front of me, in a black tuxedo that looked like it had been tailor made to fit his lithe form. It had to be a dream, I realized. So I pinched myself viciously, the sudden sharp yet brief pain felt so real, but surely this could not be happening. Not to me.

He was holding a white rose corsage. “May I?” He asked politely, reaching to take hold of my wrist. There was a pause before I nodded dumbly, watching as his nimble fingers attached the corsage to my wrist. Even the brief touch of his fingers on my arm stirred something within me but I pulled away.

“Wait...We can't do this. You’re meant to be going with Bella, right?”

“Bella won’t be attending prom,” Edward replied, a bitter tone lacing his usual pleasant honeyed voice. “We broke up. It’s a long story.”

“Oh...I'm really sorry.”

Edward shook his head, seeming amused. “No, you’re not,” He held up a hand, stopping me from the weak protests that were ready to spill out of my mouth. “It’s fine, Jessica. I thought, since Newton left you without a date I would accompany you to prom instead. That doesn't mean I like you, but I know you dread going alone or worse being the third wheel to your friends and their dates.”

“How did you know that?”

Edward laughed; a low musical sound. It was as if he was enjoying a private joke I knew nothing about.

“Wait, rewind for me just a little bit. You said Mike’s not...He’s not coming?” That made no sense to me.

“I overheard him talking to Tyler yesterday. He never wanted to go to prom with you; instead he will be attending Eric’s anti prom party.”

I stared at him. Was there any reason not to trust him? I knew next to nothing about him but why would Edward lie to me? Lying was something I did sometimes, to get what I wanted. I doubted Edward was the type of person who did that. Besides, what would he have to gain from taking me to prom? He did not even like me. I just found it hard to believe what he was saying. It was true that Mike wanted to split up, but I thought he would have the decency to talk about it with me first. Mike had been a friend before we started dating. No, we had never been close friends but even so I was unsure he would be that mean. And yet somehow it did make sense. That he would be too cowardly to tell me to my face.

My mom seemed to appear from nowhere, another camera in her hands. “Oh, you two look adorable together... Let me just take a few more pictures...”

“Mom, I don't think –” I gasped in surprise as Edward moved to stand behind me, his arms reaching around me to take hold of my waist.

“We can stay for a few photos Mrs. Stanley.” Edward told my mom, smiling at her cordially.

A faint pink tinge appeared on her face, and she laughed. “Oh, sweetie. I told you already, call me Louisa. Because I’m a cool mom, right Jess?”

She winked at me, and a part of me wanted to die. “Mom, just take the photos already!” I was so embarrassed. She was always like this around my friends, but with Edward she seemed to be ten times worse.

Edward and I must have posed for around a dozen photos before I told her we had to leave. Although I was annoyed at my mom, I was pleased she had taken the photos of me with Edward. It was not like I would ever have the chance again.

“Have a great time and be safe...” My mom called out as we left the house and got into Edward's car.

The sound of piano music filled the car as he drove, and although I was not a big fan of classical music, there was something about this particular musical composition that I loved. We did not talk during the car ride, which did not last long. My house was only a couple of blocks away from the school. After Edward parked he came around to open the door and help me out of the car. Not that I needed the help, but it was so nice. He was like the hero in one of those cheesy romance novels hidden away in my mom’s closet that she thought nobody knew about.  As Edward and I made our way to the gym where the prom was being held, I noticed that practically everyone was staring at us. It made me feel uncomfortable but at the same time I liked it. I still could not really believe it. Edward was taking me to prom. I was excited and happy and it seemed like a million thoughts were rushing through my head. The theme of the prom was ‘A Starry Night’ and the prom committee had really done the theme justice. The darkness was lit up with small soft white lights and everything seemed to sparkle. Glittering stars of all sizes were adorning the ceiling and the walls, and the tables were draped with silver cloths. There was a faint mist in the air, giving a hazy glow to the area.

“Would you care for a drink?” Edward asked.

“Yes. Maybe... some punch, please?”

He nodded before walking over to the refreshment stand at the other end of the gym. I soon lost sight of him amongst the dancing couples.

“Jessica!” I turned to see Angela waving at me as she came over.

“Ang, wow...I mean that dress is perfect on you!” And it was the truth. Her slender frame was suited to her dress, and the color brought out her skin tone so nicely.

Angela blushed, and smiled at me. “Thanks Jess. And you look beautiful, I can’t think of anyone else who can pull off wearing that dress. I’d never dare to do it...” She bit her lip. “Was that Edward I saw you come in with?”

“Yeah. I can’t believe it myself.”

“What about Mike?” Angela questioned.

I sighed. “We broke up. At least, I think so...”

“Why?” She asked.

“He ditched me to go to Eric’s stupid anti prom party. It’s...I still don’t know why. He never even told me he wasn’t coming to get me for prom. I mean, if Edward hadn’t shown up I’d probably still be at home waiting for that jerk.”

A look of sympathy crossed Angela’s face and she briefly touched my shoulder, giving it a friendly squeeze. “Oh, I’m sorry Jess. I know how much you liked him.”

“Mike? No, no...It was just a stupid crush. And I always knew he liked Bella. I don’t know why I even wanted to date him so much. It was a mistake,” I laughed, although it was forced.

Angela was kind enough not to say anything else about it. Although from the knowing look in her eyes I could tell she sensed that I was glossing over the hurt I felt. That was one of the best things about Angela; she never pushed you to tell her things but waited until you wanted to talk about it. “Okay. Well, I’d better get back to Ben, unless you want me to stay for a while?”  

“No, it’s fine. Edward should be back soon.” I replied.

“Okay, then I’ll see you later.” Angela smiled again before she walked away.

“Make Ben give you a dance or two!” I yelled after her, causing Angela to turn back and laugh, waving before she made her way back over to Ben. We both knew how much Ben hated to dance; he had only agreed to come to prom for Angela’s sake.

“Here you go,” Edward was back, and he handed me a plastic cup filled with a red liquid.

I took a sip, and the drink tasted fruity. “Thanks for getting me the drink.”

“No need to thank me. It’s all part of the wonderful experience of dating Edward Cullen.”

I giggled. “Well, okay but this isn’t a date remember? That’s you making a joke, right?” I sat down at a nearby table. Edward sat directly across from me. I took a few more sips of my drink. “Come on, tell me the real reason you asked me to prom. I know it’s not just because you felt sorry for me.”

“You think I have an ulterior motive?” Edward asked, his lips curving up into a charmingly crooked smile.

“I don’t know...Stop smiling like that. I can’t think straight when you do that,” I downed the remainder of my drink, enjoying the fruity sweetness. “Listen, is it because of Bella?”

“No, not at all,” Edward’s tone was brusque, and it clearly did have something to do with her, but at the same time I did not want to push it. What if he stormed off, leaving me alone at prom? That would just be so humiliating, and besides I wanted to leave the prom with good memories. Although...Edward would not do something like that, he was too nice. If he did not want to talk about it, then I should just leave it alone. It was none of my business anyway, but I still did not understand how Bella could have broken up with Edward. It made no sense. Edward was a true gentleman, sometimes he acted like he came from a few centuries ago – old fashioned in some ways, but that was not necessarily a bad thing.

“Jessica.” I jumped, being drawn out of my thoughts so suddenly.

“Oh, I...Sorry, I was just thinking about, um...Well, it doesn’t matter,” I replied.

Edward stood up and offered me his hand. “Would you care to dance?”

“Yeah, I’d like that,” I set down my cup and took hold of his hand. We walked over to the dance floor, weaving our way through other couples to a less crowded area.

A new song started playing, the soft strains of a familiar melody. It was my parents song, the John Lennon song they danced to on their wedding night. I thought how horribly awkward it would be for Edward and I to dance to a song called Oh My Love but before I could make up a reasonable excuse to get out of it Edward had pulled me firmly against him. One of his hands was clasping my own, and the other was resting at the small of my back. I was so embarrassed, I could barely stand to look at him and my skin tingled from his touch. I managed to get through the dance, which mainly consisted of swaying back and forth gently. Which was just about all I could do, my movements were stiff to say the least. It was wrong, all wrong. One dance, and I was weak in his arms. It was pathetic. I hated myself for my reaction, but I vowed to pull myself together. It would not be good if Edward knew how much I was affected by being in his presence. When the dance did end, I muttered something about having to go freshen up and quickly made my escape.

When I got to the girls bathroom I sighed, seeing my reflection in one of the cracked mirrors that hung over the sinks. As I pressed my hand up against the cool glass, I stared hard at myself. I knew I was not a nice person sometimes but there was some good in me, deep down inside.

I retouched my lip-gloss before I left, then went back to the gym. Glancing around I tried to find Edward, even standing on my tiptoes to look over the crowd of dancing students but it was in vain. He was nowhere to be seen. I did see his sisters standing in a corner having a discussion. They both looked stunning in their dresses but then they always did look like models coming straight out of a photo-shoot. Rosalie scowled when she saw me look in their direction but Alice beamed at me like we were best friends although we barely ever spoke to each other. The entire Cullen family was strange, but not in a bad way. I felt ashamed of how I had described them to Bella when she asked about them. I had been spiteful, mostly because at the time I had resented Edward. When the Cullens had first arrived in Forks I had asked him out and his rejection had made me angry. I cringed when I thought back on it. I should never have done it. Yet the past was the past. I could not change it now.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. When I turned I saw nobody.

“So here you are,” Edward was suddenly there, right in front of me and it was a shock.

“How do you do that?” I asked.

His golden eyes twinkled with amusement. “What?”

“Just appear from the shadows like a freaking ninja or something...”

Edward grinned. “If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me,” He paused, seeming thoughtful. “Let’s get out of here. I’ll take you somewhere else....”

“Alright...” I agreed. He took hold of my hand and we left the gym together. It was strange being at school, so late at night. The hallways were dark and practically empty. We walked in silence, but it did not feel awkward to me. I loved to talk, but that did not mean I did not understand that sometimes silence really was golden. I wondered where Edward was taking me, as he drove out of Forks and onto a trail I had never been on before in my life. When Edward finally stopped the car I had no idea where we were. The moonlight was the only light visible in the darkness of the cold night. And it shone onto a beautiful meadow full of flowers. Edward took my hand and led me over to a small clearing, where he sat down and I sat down next to him. He took off his jacket and draped it around my shoulders, which I thought was really sweet. My dress did little to protect me from the chill of the cold weather. “I’m not gonna lie, I’m not an outdoors kind of girl, but I like it here. It’s pretty...”

“Yes, I thought you would enjoy being here. It’s a place I come to be alone,” Edward replied. He just stared at me then, and I felt like his golden eyes could see right down into the very depths of my soul. It was disconcerting, but also excited me in a way I had never felt before. “Well, it is getting late. I’ll take you home now, Jessica,” He swiftly rose to his feet and held out a hand to me.

I was disappointed, but of course I knew my night with Edward had to end, it could not go on just because I wanted it to. So I placed my hand in Edward’s hand and allowed him to help me stand. Again in silence we walked back to his car and as he had promised he drove me back into Forks and stopped his car outside my house. He walked me up to my front door and I opened it, stepping inside before I turned back. I could not say what I really wanted to say. “Thank you, I had a really good time tonight...”

“Goodnight, Jessica,” Edward turned away to walk back to his car and I watched him go before I shut the door with a sigh and leant back against it, closing my eyes.

In my mind I pictured Edward kissing me goodnight. Just a useless fantasy that would never come true.

My mom ambushed me as I tried to sneak upstairs, grilling me about prom until I claimed I was tired. It was a lie, but it worked and mom sent me straight off to my room to get some rest. After I got ready for bed, I went back into my dark bedroom and frowned. The window was open, the curtains fluttering in the breeze. It was odd, because I knew I had shut the window earlier. Then I smiled as I went to close the window, as I thought it had been my mom who opened it while I was gone. She always said it was good to get fresh air in the house, even when it was cold outside. Then, as I turned around, I gasped in shock. There was a shadowy figure standing in a corner of my room. I snatched up the closest thing I could find, which was a handheld mirror and threw it at the figure. I was just about to scream for help but then the figure stepped out of the shadows, and he was holding the mirror. It was Edward. I sat down on my bed and let out a relieved sigh. ”You scared me. I thought you were a burglar...”

“Can I sit down with you?” Edward asked politely, as if we were on some bizarre date and he had not just snuck into my house.  

“Sure, I...I guess...” I replied hesitantly. “I mean, that doesn’t sound like I want you here. It’s not that. I just don’t understand why you’re here....”

Edward sat down next to me, very close. “I just forgot to thank you for allowing me to escort you to prom,” He smiled pleasantly, leaning in as he softly caressed my face with his hand and then he gently pressed his lips against mine.  It was just a brief, chaste kiss and yet it meant more to me than all the other kisses I had gotten in the past. It had gone by so quickly and yet I felt like I could still feel his mouth on mine.

I wrapped my arms around him and held him tightly, his scent of honey and vanilla enveloping me.  I knew it was my only chance so I took it. Edward was tense at first, but then he returned the embrace. He held me like I was a delicate glass figurine, with a light touch. And he was kind enough to return my embrace. I was reluctant to let him go, but I forced myself to. There were so many things I wanted to say to him, but I kept silent. I couldn’t tell him anything. He would never feel the same.  

“You should get some sleep now, Jessica. Perhaps I’ll see you in school tomorrow,” Edward smiled softly at me and then he was gone, having climbed out of the window and out of my life. We would pass each other in the school hallways, but we would not talk again. The truth was that we belonged to different worlds. Edward’s world was secretive and mysterious. If I really stopped to think about all the ways he and his family were different from everyone else, I might be a little closer to figuring him out. And yet, I did not want to. It was not like it mattered. I would never belong in Edward’s world, and even tonight although I had been with him there was still a vast divide between us. There always would be. I knew that I would remember tonight forever. And as time passed by, the memory would become hazy, like a wonderful dream. And that was all it would be in the future. A dream and never reality.

Thanks for reading :)