Okay, okay, before you fuss me out for not updating If Only I Could Remember... please know this: I had this idea floating around in my head for weeks and then I just had my Jr. Prom last night, so there.
"Oh my god, Gwen, I can't believe I still don't have a date for prom!" Courtney McPhaul exclaimed to her best friend, Gwenneth Rider. She rose her arms up to explain her point.
"Prom's in a month, and nobody asked me yet!" Courtney added.
Both Courtney and Gwen were in Courtney's perfect bedroom today, which was a Friday, studying for the next few major exams of senior year. Courtney was propped neatly on her bed with a Pre-Trig book in her hands, a notebook opened neatly, and a pencil. Gwen was near-sprawled on the floor nearby with the same textbook and several different notebooks along with her.
"I wouldn't worry. I'm sure somebody's gonna ask you out soon. I give it three days." Gwen reassured her.
"Yeah, right. It's been almost a full year since I've broken up with my last boyfriend." she opposed as she fiddled with her pencil.
"Well, Trent asked me out last Tuesday." Gwen answered. "And we're going to prom together."
It was true; Earlier that week, Trent Vancerra had asked Gwen out 'the moment pre-trig let out' according to Gwen. He even stuttered nine times while he tried to ask her out. And, of course, Gwen said yes.
"Well, it was about time for him to! He'd only been obsessing over you for the last two months!" Courtney replied. "Both you and the number nine...god help that boy."
"Hey, don't dis my man." Gwen scolded her friend, but with a playful tone. "But, someone'll come up soon for you. Trust me."
"I'll take your word on it." Courtney said sceptically.
"I hope so." Gwen told her. A few moments passed in silence before a slightly devious grin spread onto her face.
"What are you thinking about?" Courtney asked.
"I think I might have a lead on who might ask you out in the near future." she prodded her friend to know.
"And who are you now, Madam Gwenneth? Trying to tell the future and things?"
"Just observing." she said in a devious way. "But anyways, it's between Duncan Rivers and Noah Stratten."
"Duncan or Noah..." Courtney repeated after her friend, trying to see the relationship.
"Well, definitely not Duncan. He's too...bad boy. And annoying. He's always flirting with me. The Neanderthal." Courtney announced. Gwen just rolled her eyes.
"Noah's okay...he's somewhat my type,"
"Typical." Gwen interrupted, which provoked a glare from Courtney.
"Continue." Gwen said, unharmed from the glare.
Must be from being Gothic. Courtney thought.
"Anyways, but he's too criticizing. And sarcastic. And cynical."
"So, who would it be up to?" Gwen questioned her friend."
"I dono...Noah, I guess."
"Yeah, right. I know you like Duncan, deep down there somewhere."
"Right."
"No, you should see yourself grin after you and Duncan flirt –" Gwen said, but was cut off.
"No, I do no flirting! He does all the flirting! I had no need to flirt with a Neanderthal!" Courtney protested, a bit loudly.
"Right, right."
"Fine, believe what you want, I know my own truth."
"And this is why POV's were developed in stories, so other's can see other point-of-views..." Gwen told Courtney, which made her glare at Gwen again.
But Courtney knew, that just like Gwen said, the deep down in her heart, she really did like Duncan. There was something about the whole rebel-thing that just turned her on.
"Somebody's thinking about him now..." Gwen said, which made Courtney gasp because it was right on target.
"Am not!"
"You so were."
"Not."
"Were. You're not fooling anybody but yourself."
"I will bring my lawyers into this!"
"And how would they help this case? It's barely even valid enough." Gwen said, which made Courtney think.
"Shut up." was all the brunette said several moments later.
"Ah, the satisfaction of winning." Gwen said with a smirk.
"Fine." Courtney answered, pretending to not even be bothered, but she absolutely hated loosing.
"Whatever you say." Gwen said with a roll of her eyes and a smirk.
It was another school day, Monday, and Courtney walked into her homeroom class, Art 2. Since she was a senior, she already took most of her important classes earlier in high school, so she decided to choose art.
Gwen and Duncan were in this class.
"Hey Gwen." Courtney told her friend as she set her pristine binder onto her desk. The soiled look of the desk clashed with her binder.
"Hey, yourself. You're a tad bit early, aren't you?" Gwen questioned her.
It was true, Courtney had arrived five minutes before her usual early time, that put it at eight thirty-five.
"Yeah, I just felt like coming to school early." she told her friend. "Important business to attend to."
"Yeah, sure."
"Honestly."
"Sure, important business. Right."
"Okay, fine, you broke me. I couldn't find anything else to do at home, so I left early."
"That, made a bit more sense, given how boring today is going to be."
A few moments passed after the conversation that Gwen and Courtney held. Courtney decided that she need to use the bathroom, bad. On the way there, she bumped into Noah; accidentally, she assured. She just really need to tinkle.
"Sorry." she told him once they both made sure their heads were still attached, and she made sure she didn't pee on herself.
"Yeah, sure." Noah said, trying to get to his homeroom before he ended up being marked tardy. He hated that. However, he paused as Courtney started a somewhat drunken toddle, then turned back around to Courtney.
"Hey, Courtney, wait!" he half-yelled, running-slash-jogging towards her.
"Mmm-hmm?" she asked the bookworm. She ignored her urge to pee.
"So, um, I was wondering, do you, you know, want to go to prom with me? You know, the week after the next one?" he asked her, his cheeks flaming despite his tan coloring.
Courtney paused for a moment, forgetting her need to tinkle. Instead, she thought about would she would say to him.
Yes, she thought Noah was cute, and smart, and all of that, but did she really want him?
Yes! Of course I want him! He asked me out, and I wouldn't want to go out with Duncan, would I? No!
"Oh, um, sure Noah. I'd love to!" Courtney answered, but with a bit too much enthusiasm, even to her opinion. Courtney thought that her response was a little bit forced, but obviously Noah didn't notice.
"Well, great. See you." Noah said, smiling, which wasn't often for him.. He turned around to walk back to his class.
"Bye, Noah!" Courtney said rather preppy-ish, while she went back to class; she suddenly forgot the urge to pee.
Gwen, youll never guess! Courtney sent a text to her friend once she was home later on that day.
Wt? Her friend texted back.
Noah asked me out!
C? told u! someone wud ask u out.
Wutever. it happen, n DATS wut counts.
True
So now wut?
You eat, sleep, n b merry. n find prom dress. soon.
True.
Yups. gtg, momz tryin 2 get me n 'family' 2 have 'family' dinner.
Ha
Got dat right. c u
c u
A few days later, after school had let out, Courtney waited for her mom to pick her up because she had a dentist appointment. Beautiful, pearly whites didn't just happen on their own.
Soon, a familiar delinquent came up to her while she was sitting down, text messaging on her iPhone.
"Hello Princess." he greeted her, slinging his arm over her shoulders.
"Keep your hands off of me, Neanderthal." Courtney rebuffed.
"So that's how the Princess wants to respond to someone about to ask her to prom." he told her cockily.
"I would never go with you." Courtney announced while removing his arm from her shoulder; holding it between her thumb and forefinger as if it had a contagious disease. As far as Courtney cared, it did.
"Why not then?" he questioned her.
"First of all, you're a Neanderthal. Second, Noah already asked me out."
Duncan scoffed.
Courtney can not be kidding me. Noah? Yeah, right. She's just stalling.
"That ugly nerd? Yeah, right Princess."
"As a matter of fact, Delinquent, that 'ugly nerd'," Courtney said, using finger quotients around 'ugly nerd', "Happens to be very nice to me, and I view him as attractive, unlike said Neanderthal."
But not as attractive as you. Courtney thought in her head before mentally scolding herself.
"Then you must be blind, if you think he's attractive, and not me."
"What is it to you? Why would a boy be judging if another boy is attractive or not? Isn't that a tad gay?"
"No, not in this case, Princess." he said.
"Don't call me Princess." she interrupted.
"But anyways, for this case, I'm just saying that I know you think I'm sexy – Noah, not so much."
"You, sexy? Yeah, right." Courtney scoffed.
"You know it's true." he told Courtney, moving into her face, to kiss her. She glared at him.
"You wouldn't dare." she hissed, spitting venom into the words. She stared at his icy-blue eyes.
He has such pretty eyes... Courtney said in two brief seconds. The she scolded herself.
"Oh, but I would." Duncan said, then placed his lips onto hers.
Unbelievable, she allowed it.
Courtney didn't know what had possessed her mind, but who or whatever it was, it need to get the heck out. She didn't even fight, but, instead, went along with it and then took control.
Several minutes later, with a dazed Courtney and Duncan, he asked her out, and she said yes, obviously forgetting about what she said to Noah earlier in the week.
Several more minutes later, Courtney realized what had happened, and then she paused, and gasped.
She ran the facts thought her head. She had kissed Duncan, accepted his offer to prom, but she had already accepted Noah's offer earlier.
"Oh, god." she exclaimed to herself. "I'm, like, like, a slut." she spat the words out, disgusted with herself.
"Gwen," Courtney told her friend as soon as she found her in the cafeteria. "Big news, big problem."
Gwen sat her lunch tray down on the table, then sat down.
"Oh, let me guess...Noah asked you out last week, you said yes, then Duncan asked you later that week, you guys kissed, and then you said yes. You now believe that you're either a slut, ho, whore, prostitute, trick, and/or etc. and that your good-girl rep. has been officially destroyed."
Courtney stared at her friend perplexed and confused.
"Word gets around quick here, remember?"
"Oh, yeah." Courtney answered, sitting down finally. "But what should I do?"
"First of all," Gwen started, shifting into 'I'm Courtney's Shrink' mode. "Realize that you're not a slut or prostitute. Please do not have a mental breakdown and go to that strip club off of Lauderdale and pole dance. We don't need that happening."
Courtney shot a glare at Gwen.
"You know how you go crazy about stuff damaging your social image."
"True." she answered with a sigh.
"Secondly, go with who you really want to, and politely reject the other one. Politely. Remember the rejected boys feelings. Politely. You can't hurt with being polite."
"Why the empathy on politely?"
"Who is the student in this school with the most lawsuits against the student body and/or facility?"
"Oh, right." Courtney said, remembering all the times she did bring someone to court, or at least threatened it.
"Right."
A few moments of silence passed.
"But anyways," Gwen said, trying to get back onto the subject on hand. "Choose who you like...and if you say Noah, God so help me to not have a Goth moment." (1)
"Goth moment?" Courtney asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Means to be mean towards another person, like 'real' goths."
"Oh, that explains much. No sarcasm intended."
"Yeah..." Gwen said, there wasn't much to say, though.
Fourth period bell rung.
"See ya." Gwen said, getting ready to go to her Physics Lab A class. She picked up her lunch tray to place it into the trash.
"Bye." Courtney replied, about to go to P.E. She followed suit with Gwen, picking up her lunch tray as well.
Dear Diary: Courtney wrote into her journal the following evening.
Boy, am I in a major problem. Prom is in, what, three weeks from now? First of all, Noah asked me out about a week ago, then a few days ago, Duncan asked me out, and they we made out. I said yes to both of them. What will I do now? I'm like, Noah's nice (to me, at least) and smart, but Duncan's so hot. And what's so coincidental is that about two weeks ago, I was complaining that nobody asked me out.
What should I do? Maybe I'll just say no to both of them, and not go to prom...no, I can't do that, it's Senior Prom we're talking about. I just can't do that...this is complicated...why must I go through this?
I should make a pro and con list of both boys...yeah, that would be good. But, wait, that's hard to do, if you think about it.
And after I solve this problem, if I'm going to prom, I still have to find a dress, shoes, hair dresser, get my nails done, all that work! It's complicated! Maybe I'll do my own hair for that...yeah that'll make sense. Too soon of a deadline to make an appointment. And how much money would I have to put down for a dress? $200, $100? How much?
This is complicated...
Well, I'll solve this later on. Good night, Diary.
Courtney went back to school with a plan – ignore both boys until further notice of who she's going to pick.
"So, have you made your mind up yet?" Gwen asked her friend in homeroom.
"I wish! I'm still deciding."
"Better hurry up; prom is in a few more weeks, and if you're going, you're going to need to find some last-minute appointments."
"I know!" Courtney exclaimed. "This is why I'm trying to hurry up and figure this out!"
"Oooh, here's Duncan now." Gwen said.
Indeed, Duncan enter the classroom, and was approaching Courtney.
"Hey Princess. We're still going to prom together?" Duncan asked her.
"And why should I answer that question?" Courtney asked, buying her an minuscule about of time. Gwen rolled her eyes.
"Because we kissed earlier this week. What, you forgot already?"
Courtney scoffed.
"No, but I wish I, and the rest of the student body, would."
"Nah, if you did, I would make you remember again."
"And how exactly would you do that?" Courtney asked.
"I would kiss you again."
"Neanderthal!" Courtney exclaimed, pushing Duncan away. He laughed, and went to his seat, obviously forgetting about his initial question.
Courtney was thankful for him forgetting.
Noah caught up with Courtney later on that day.
"Hey, we're still on for Prom, right?" he asked her, brushing back his bangs. (2)
Gawd, he looks so cute! Courtney exclaimed mentally to herself.
"Yeah, of course." Courtney answered, ignoring his cuteness and trying to figure out where he was going with that. Did he know about her incident or not?
"Great, see you later, Court." he told her, obviously totally ignorant about the facts, and headed back to his next class.
Did he not know about what happened last week? Courtney asked herself as she headed to Pre-Trig. The poor boy, so oblivious to the fact! But what he doesn't know won't hurt him, right? Courtney seriously doubted the last part. He would find out eventually, she knew that much, so she need to hurry up and choose someone. ASAP.
"Oh, Jesus, Gwen, help me!" Courtney exclaimed over the phone to her friend.
"It's still stressing you out?" Gwen asked.
"Yes! And I technically agreed again to Duncan, and I agreed to Noah before Pre-Trig class! Major prob here!"
"I can see..well as I've told you before..."
"I know that...but still, I can't figure it out! Two and a half weeks here!"
"You're going crazy here...calm it down."
"I'm trying!"
"If you insist..."
"Help!"
"Well, pros and cons time." Gwen announced.
"Okay, Pros and Cons. Got it."
"Starting with Pros for Noah..."
"He's cute," Courtney said.
"Check."
"Smart,"
"Check."
"He's been class president for the past four years of high school."
"Check. Anymore, or do we move onto cons?" Gwen asked.
"Cons."
"First off?"
"He's too cynical,"
"Yep."
"Sarcastic,"
"Very much."
"I can't think of anymore..."
"Oh, allow me. Pander my French, but you forgot one little con about him." Gwen told Courtney.
"And what is that?" Courtney asked.
"The fact that nine times out of ten, he's a cynical, sarcastic, know-it-all, arrogant, lazy jackass. Sorry, but that's my opinion."
"Gwen!" Courtney exclaimed.
"I said sorry!"
"It doesn't excuse it."
"Whatever," Gwen brushed it away. "Pros for Duncan?"
"First, don't laugh, or tell anyone this. If you do, I am coming for you." She threatened Gwen, with extra emphasis on the 'coming for you' part.
"Fine, fine, just get on with it."
"I think Duncan's hot."
"No duh. It's been obvious since only ever."
"What ever you say..."
"What other pros are there?"
"I like being around him, I guess."
"Right, that's true."
"I can't think of anymore pros."
"Then we move onto cons."
"Right." Courtney said before continuing. "Well, to start, he's a Neanderthal, he's a pervert, he's arrogant..."
"Courtney," Gwen told her.
"He acts like he the best at everything," Courtney continued, ignoring Gwen. "He's also a stalker. He acts like a therapist..." (3)
"Courtney, I said to list the cons, not to make a list of the federal crimes he committed."
"Oh, right. Well, anyways, it's time for me to hang up, my mom says that our cook is sick and that I have to help her cook dinner today."
"Such a rich little girl, being able to say that your cook is sick. Tis, tis, tis." Gwen joked.
"Oh, ha ha."
"Well, see ya."
"Bye."
The next day, Courtney had finally figured out who she wanted to go with.
"Gwen, I know now." she told her friend during lunch.
"Courtney, I want you to realized that whoever you pick, I'll still be happy for you."
"God, you sound like my mom!" Courtney exclaimed.
"Sorry, Court, but I just had to do that, it was hilarious."
"Oh, what ever."
"Still waiting for your answer. I don't have all day, you know."
"Fine, fine." Courtney said. "I want to go with, Duncan."
"Oh, I knew you were going to choose him!" Gwen exclaimed. "Hey, Geoff, Bridgette!" she yelled over the crowd in the cafeteria. They both heard her and walked towards the table. (4)
"Yea, Gwen?" Bridgette asked.
"Both you and Geoff owe me five bucks."
"She just said it?" Geoff asked.
"Yep, just two minutes ago."
"Aww, man, I didn't expect her to realized it until next week!" Geoff complained.
"You bet on who I chose to ask out?" Courtney asked, outraged. She even rose out of her seat.
"Hey, hey, before you pop a vain and have a stroke," (5) Gwen told her. "It was to see when you were going to accept the fact that you like Duncan."
"As if that makes it any better!"
"Well, it should." Gwen told her. "You can have five dollars if you want."
"You should be lucky that I'm not going to sue!"
"Right. Well, Court, you might as well calm down. What's done is done."
Courtney huffed.
"Bridge, Geoff, five dollars each, tomorrow." Gwen addressed them before they left.
Okay Court, you are ready to do this. Courtney thought to herself the next morning.
She was about to decline Noah's offer to prom. (6)
Courtney walked into her homeroom, and told her teacher that she had to go to Mr. Wakers classroom because she believed she accidentally left one of her notebooks in there. It was a lie. Instead, she need to go there because Noah was in his homeroom, and she needed to speak to him.
She cover the walk in three minutes.
"Hey, Noah, I need to speak with you." she told him once she found him.
"Yeah, okay." he agreed as they both went out into the hallway.
"Noah, I need to tell you something important." Courtney started.
"Wait, does this have something to do with you kissing Duncan?" he asked her.
Courtney gasped.
"Yes, but how did you know?"
"Who doesn't know?"
"But last week you had asked if we were still going to prom together!"
"Oh, yeah, that. See, I have several reasons for that." Noah started. "First off, I had wanted to see how long it would take you to confess to me. Secondly, I was trying to see if I waited long enough, if you would forget about Duncan and go with me; but that surely didn't happen. And, plus, I only really thought that you would help make me more known and popular."
"So, you were trying to use me?"
"I'm going to be honest. Yes."
"You jack-ass." Courtney spit out her mouth.
"Oh, wow, like I haven't heard that before." Noah answered with sarcasm.
"I knew it!" Courtney exclaimed.
"Knew what?"
"That you were a jack-ass!"
"Oh wow, Court. At least I still have Izzy."
"What do you mean by you, 'still have Izzy'?"
"Oh, yeah, I'm dating Izzy."
"Were you already dating her before you asked me out?"
"Yeah, so?"
"You don't even know how many times I feel like calling you a jack-ass right now."
"Well, okay then. Can I go back to class?"
"Yes, you can, jack-ass."
"You're not going to let that go, are you?"
"No I'm not, Jack-ass."
"If you insist." Noah told her, then started on his way back to class, leaving Courtney feeling frustrated. (7)
Dear Diary, Courtney wrote later on that evening.
Today I have learned that some people, a.k.a Noah, are jack-asses, and I'm not even going into details.
I have a week left before prom, so I need to get everything ready. Come to think of it, why did I put off all that stuff just because I didn't have a date?
Well, now I need to make an appointment with Lorese for my hair. Then I need to get my nails and feet done, and I need to go to Vicki so she can design my dress...so much to do, such little time...
I need to find out what Duncan's wearing to prom, so we can match. Knowing him, he'll show up in some chucks, and nixing the tux. (8)
So, that's life right now...see you later, bye.
It was the evening of the prom, and Courtney was about ready.
Her strapless gown was crimson red, satin, (9) and medium length, and had beaded embellishment around the edging. Her brunette hair was coiffed into a perfect French twist with side swept bangs on each side of her face. On her feet were black, two-inch peep-toe wedges. Her nails were French-manicured, along with her toes. The jewelry that she wore was simple, small diamond studs and a heart shaped diamond necklace.
Her phone buzzed.
New Text Message it read. Courtney opened it.
Hey, r u ready yet? It said; it was from Gwen.
Almost. duncan has 2 come by 1st.
Yeah, so does trent 4 me.
Right.
Well, c u soon.
Yeah c u!
Courtney placed her phone into her black clutch, along with a tube of lip gloss, some cash, her keys, and mascara.
She carefully walked down the stairs to the living room where her parents were waiting – with a camera.
"Sweetheart, you look so beautiful!" her mother gushed.
"Thanks, mom!"
"My little girl is growing up." her dad told her.
"Yeah, I bet you remembered when I first started to walk."
"Sure did, that was back when you were little."
"Yes, Joe, she was such a little girl, but now she's so grown up!"
"Okay, mom, dad."
Her parents then begun the process of taking multiple pictures of her. The doorbell rung after several minutes.
"Oh, that must be my date!" Courtney exclaimed, rushing to the door to open it.
"Hey, Princess." Duncan told her, letting himself into the house. Behind him, she could see his black '78 Chevy Camero.
Courtney noted that yes, indeed, he was wearing a pair of red chucks, but they were paired with a black tux, a red satin tie, a handkerchief. He had removed all of his piercings, but his hair was still a green mohawk; but Courtney thought that somehow it matched.
"Oh, dear," Courtney's mother exclaimed as she entered the foyer. "Whatever happened to that nice young gentleman you were speaking of as you date? Noah, was it?"
"Oh, mom, I told you that Noah and I didn't exactly, erm, like each other, so we weren't going together."
"So you choose this, boy?" she asked, motioning towards Duncan.
"Honey, what's wrong?" Her father asked, walking into the foyer himself.
"Who's this? What happened to Noah?" her father asked.
"That's exactly what I asked her. She said that she didn't like the boy, so she found, him."
"Hmm, I see."
Several moments passed.
"Well, Court, I supposed you can attend the prom with, what's you name?" he asked Duncan.
"Duncan Wright."
"With Duncan, but Court, we're going to have to talk later on tonight."
"Okay, Dad," she replied; she knew there would be no arguing her father. "I will."
"Joe! You're just going to let her go with this, Neanderthal-looking boy?" her mother asked, outraged.
"I see where you get your name calling from." Duncan whispered to Courtney.
"Ryland, calm down. It will be okay, I can tell who this young man is, he means no harm towards Courtney."
"If you insist." her mother said.
"Bye mom, bye dad!" Courtney told her parents as she was escorted from her door, to Duncan's car door.
"Hey, Princess, I forgot to give you this," he told her, and then retrieved a red and white rose corsage for her.
"Thank you, Duncan, you remembered." she told him.
"Hey, I'm not classless." he told her, and she rolled her eyes. "I'm not completely classless, them."
"That makes more sense."
Duncan started to car, and then started driving to the school.
"What was up with your parents?" he asked her.
"Oh, they just don't trust you, is all. I think."
"Or maybe they think you're too good for me."
"That could be it."
"Yeah, as rich as you are, Princess."
"It just contracts with your rebel look, Neanderthal."
They stopped at a stop light.
"You know, what?" Duncan asked her.
"What?"
"This," Duncan said, then leaned in to kiss her. Several moments later, horns were being honked at them.
"Forget you!" Duncan yelled at them.
"Oh, wow, Duncan." she told him.
"Not as wow as you, Courtney." he told her in response as they rode towards the prom. (10)
They shared another kiss once they were in the school parking lot.
Okay, there, I finished it.
(1) The term: Goth Moment, was derived from my half Goth friend. She and I say that a lot.
(2) BBB!
(3) Me and my friends say 'therapist' instead of 'the rapist' to describe a sexually centered boy.
(4) I forgot what I was going to say...
(5) I say that a lot...Anime influences...
(6) I forgot what I was going to say again!
(7) Sorry all Noah fans for me portraying him as a jack-ass.
(8) And that rhyme was a crime.
(9) I always thought that satin was pronounced 'Satan'
(10) Yeah, I know it seems kinda rushed, but it's 83 degrees in my house, and my wrists are cramping up.
Well, yeah, R&R please!
Thanks!