notes: tumblr fic prompt, Lydia/Allison + "it's never too late"

Sitting alone in her bedroom wasn't exactly how Allison had always pictured her prom night. The purple dress she'd bought last week for the occasion hung on her closet door, mocking her with its beaded neckline and silver trim. She'd been so sure if she could just gather up enough courage to ask Lydia to go with her the redhead would have said yes. They were best friends, and Allison hadn't thought she was imagining the lingering looks and the too-long hugs.

But Jackson had asked her and now they were on their way to the biggest night of their high school career and Allison was alone and trying not to cry. She didn't want to cry over this; she wanted to be stronger than that.

But it hurt. Somehow she'd gone and fallen in love with her best friend and now no one else could even begin to compare.

She wasn't sure how long she'd sat on her bed, glaring at the dress and moping interchangeably. The house was quiet around her, her parents having gone out for a date night, unaware that their only daughter was sitting at home instead of out dancing and laughing with her friends. They wouldn't have gone if she'd told them.

At least a half an hour must have passed before she heard the knock on the door. She ignored it, not interested in whoever was dropping by for a visit at nine o'clock at night. The knocking came again and she curled herself up into a ball on the bed. Couldn't the world just leave her to her misery?

For a few minutes she thought her prayers had been answered as things fell silent again. But then the knocking had moved from the door to her window. Only it wasn't knocking. It was the distinct sound of pebbles being bounced off of glass.

She got up and made her way to the source of it, peering out curiously, but she couldn't see much through the glare of her lights. She sighed and pushed the window open to find Lydia standing in her yard, arm poised to throw another stone at the house. The streetlights caught on the silver of her dress and made her almost shine. She looked incredible.

"Lydia?"

"Well it's about time. Don't you ever answer the door?"

"I didn't feel like seeing anyone."

Lydia wrinkled her brow. "Well I just got stood up but why don't you feel like seeing anyone?"

"Jackson stood you up?"

The redhead pursed her lips and nodded. "Yeah, the douchebag."

"I'm sorry, that sucks," Allison said, slumping against the windowsill.

Lydia waved her hand in a dismissive manner. "It's no big deal. I didn't really want to go with him anyways."

Now she was confused. "Then why did you say yes?"

"No one else asked me."

Even from a distance Allison could feel the intensity of the look her friend was giving her. It wasn't the kind of look you gave your friends, it was the kind of look people gave each other in romance movies. It made her insides flip and her breath catch.

"Were you hoping for someone else to ask you?" she asked tentatively.

Lydia smiled at her. "You could say that."

"Would it be too late for them to ask now?"

"It's never too late."

Allison smiled widely, her face almost hurting from it. The brick that had settled in her stomach seemed to dissolve.

"Lydia Martin, would you go to prom with me?"

Lydia rolled her eyes, but it was an affectionate gesture. "Not dressed like that I'm not."

Allison looked down at the hoodie and sweatpants she'd been lounging around in while sulking around her room. "Fair enough."