Ethan looked at the familiar scenery, and felt a rush of emotions rush through him.
Regret for leaving his hometown.
Ethan was nostalgic for the old times, the memories, and his past.
Mostly, he felt confusion.
Ethan was always lost. He never knew what he wanted in life.
He was always lost never knowing what dream, girl, or even friends he wanted.
He did not even know why he came back.
He came back in time for the senior prom for he wanted to see everyone again. Plus, that special someone he needed to see…..
He decided to crash the prom.
Wearing his tux, he would have been mistaken to any guy at prom.
He was overcome by the realization that he made a huge mistake.
He thought that if he left school for a while and traveled around he would get a clear vision of what he wanted.
Only he lost his friends, disappointed his family, and lost a year of his life for nothing.
Annie was the first one to spot him.
She ran up to him a big smile on her face. He realized she looked older and had longer hair now.
"Ethan!" She squealed.
He hugged her back.
He asked:" How is everything going? How did you do your finales?"
She replied:" Great and great. What about you? You are the one who traveled around for a year."
Ethan shook his head and said:"It was good. I wish I did not leave though. I would have been done with school now."
Annie nodded.
Then they locked eyes. There was so much sincere adulation there that he had to look away.
Annie said softly:" While you were away, I missed you so much. I started thinking back to our memories and short time together, and I realized we never really had our shot. It was over before it even started."
Ethan liked Annie, but he had a void in his heart she never filled.
He thought that by sticking with the good girl, he would get direction, but this did not happen.
Plus, it had been a long time ago.
He asked:" What are you saying?"
Annie answered:" I am saying it is never too late."
Ethan said:" I don't know if I can do this."
Annie looked taken aback. Like this was not the reaction she expected.
She said:" I know it is out of the blue, but that is how you roll too. You broke up with me suddenly, you left suddenly, and now you came back suddenly."
Ethan said:" You do not understand. I am still trying to figure things out."
Annie whispered angrily:" You are right, I do not understand. You are always saying what you don't want, but you should figure out what is it you want before losing everything while looking for it."
With that Annie left. She looked really attractive with her short pink dress.
He walked by a lot of people who acknowledged him, but he was looking for one.
He passed by Dixon who was talking to Annie. Annie was saying something angrily, and he guessed it must have been about him because Dixon glared at him.
Well Dixon being protective of his sister he could handle, but Silver running to him furiously he couldn't.
Silver wearing a funky orange dress had shorter hair now.
She said:" What do you think you are doing here?! You asshole."
Ethan did not expect this:" Wow, relax Silver!"
She glared at him and said:" You told me you want me. I broke up with Dixon for you. I fell for you. Then you leave without even saying good bye!"
Ethan looked down and said:" You don't know what happened that night. You did not give me a definite answer at first. I came back from prom and realized that I was dreamless, girlfriendless, and friendless, and that it was my entire fault. I had to do something."
Silver nodded and said:" Then why are you back?"
Why was he back? Why was he back? Part of him knew that answer, but did not want to admit it.
Silver looked at him expectantly.
He answered:" I don't know Silver. You are one of my best friends, but that's it, right?"
Silver looked surprised that he used the exact words she told him last year.
She turned to leave and said under her breath:" I cannot believe I was going to forgive him."
Ethan held her arm:" Come on, Silver. Forgive me. I want us to be friends again."
Silver nodded and replied:" It is true, too much time have passed. Just give me a little time to swallow all of that."
Ethan smiled gratefully.
Still, that void in his heart was not filled.
He thought that if he stuck by the different girl, he will know how to be different and discover the unique side of his personality.
Adrianna and Navid were the only ones who seemed glad to see him.
After they hugged and talked, Ethan chatted with his old teachers and friends, but he still felt empty.
Finally a teacher went up to the stage to announce the Prom king and Prom Queen.
He wasn't really listening to her until she snapped his attention with this one name.
"……and the prom Queen is Naomi …."
Naomi, Naomi, Naomi, Naomi.
Naomi stood beside Dixon the Prom King.
She did not look pretty or hot, she looked beautiful.
She was wearing a glamorous purple dress and was smiling a shiny smile.
It did not feel like too much time has passed.
He could still see Naomi as a kid when they played together.
He could still see Naomi as a thirteen year old thinking she finally turned to a teenager.
He could still see her as the sixteen year old teenager.
He could still see her as a girl, his girl.
Tonight, he saw her as a woman.
He did not feel like time has passed like he did with Silver, Annie, and his friends.
He felt like it was just yesterday.
Yes she was a Prom Queen, and she always had been.
He thought he did not like that, he thought he did not like who she had become, but those were excuses. He wanted an excuse to wander outside their bubble and see what is out there. He did. He had a void in his heart because he was a wanderer and will always belong with Naomi in their bubble.
People thought he came back for Silver, some thought for Annie. He thought that he came back for them too, but that was not true. He came back to Naomi. He belonged to Naomi.
Suddenly, Ethan's world became clear. He was no longer lost. He felt like the eighteen year old that he was. He felt like a young man who has dreams and his whole life ahead of him.
He went out of the room. He felt claustrophobic with all those people around him.
Ethan was exhausted. It was an emotional day.
He needed to change his clothes. He opened the bag he traveled with and realized something. He had always known Naomi was the one, the fact that he took the monkey hat with him for good luck was proving to that. It had been a sigh that he had been to blind to see.
He wore it.
Naomi said:" Still cute."
Ethan looked up and saw Naomi smiling at him.
Ethan said:" Those were good days."
She smiled and said:" I know, doesn't everyone want what we had?"
He laughed. It's true. Even Silver used to say and that they are addicted to each other.
She said:" I've missed you."
He replied:" I just miss the happy teenagers who used to eat cotton candy and go to the zoo and be silly together…."
She said:" You are the one who changed. The first time we broke up you said you are breaking up with us. You admitted that a part of you will always be linked to me. That last time we broke up, I kind of expected it would be like one of the many ones. I thought we would back together sooner or later."
He said:" I did not want to do "complicated"."
She said:" It was worth the work."
He said:" how about we go to the zoo tomorrow?"
She laughed and teased:" Are you asking me out on a date?"
He said:" A date? You know we are meant to be together."
She replied:" Don't forget that you belong with me. Always had, always will."
He whispered:" We are an impenetrable bubble. You are the Hailey of my Nathan."
Naomi burst out laughing and said:" You watch too much TV."
He said:" I love you, Prom Queen."
She says:" I love you too, ex-King Jock. "
He kissed her.
Naomi felt sixteen again. Like no time had passed at all. It felt like they had been together all along.
A/N : I hope you liked the story.
Please review.
Sorry Annie/ Ethan fans , I do not like Annie. Sorry Silver/Ethan fans , I am a Silver/Dixon fan and like them together.
I am a big fan of Naomi /Ethan. I love them together and I think they were meant to be. I love Liam/Naomi too.
Anyway , thank you for reading.