I stared down at the package in my hand. I'd read through the contents almost one hundred times. I'd gotten in.
I got into UCLA.
I was going to college.
I felt myself grin before looking down at my dress.
Tonight was prom night, but I wouldn't be going.
It wasn't too sad. Garrett and I broke up two weeks ago. It wasn't that I was upset about it. We parted on good enough terms, we just didn't like each other the way we should have. I just couldn't go now that we'd broken up.
He had bought the tickets, and he had every right to re-gift them to whomever he wanted to. Since I didn't have tickets, I'd stay home, watch movies, and eat ice cream in my prom dress.
I absolutely wasn't pathetic.
I just didn't want to waste a two-hundred dollar dress. I was going to wear it, even if no one saw it.
But wearing it did sound pathetic. Watching romantic comedies and eating ice cream on prom night felt pathetic.
I felt pathetic.
There was a knock on the door and I sighed, heading downstairs.
My hair was in a bun and I'd had on my rattiest dance sweats.
Everyone I cared about would be at prom, there was no reason not to look like a mess.
"What?" I asked as I opened the door to see Luther standing there, a tux wrapped around his behemoth frame.
I thought that eventually I'd grow enough so he didn't seem to tower me so much.
It wasn't likely.
"Hey, I didn't think you'd be here. Isn't it prom night?" He asked, rubbing his hands over the back of his neck.
"I don't have a date." I said, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Oh, congratulations." He said and I furrowed my eyebrows.
Who congratulates someone on being a loser who's all alone on Prom night?
"I meant, for getting into UCLA, not not having a date." He said, holding out a gift bag. I felt myself smile despite myself.
"Thank you." I said, rifling through what looked a lot like UCLA gear.
"I'm really proud of you, you know. Like college, what a big deal." He said and I nodded.
"Thanks, really. Zeke's not here." I said, noncommittally and he nodded.
"Yeah, I heard. Do you know when he'll…" He let it drop off and I shrugged.
"The program is for a month, so hopefully then, if everything goes well." I said, picking at my sweats before looking at him again.
"Where are you going?" I asked and he looked down at himself.
"I'm supposed to go to a sponsored event, do you want to come?" He asked and I shrugged.
"I have a big night ahead of me, Ryan Reynolds and rocky road." I said, pointing towards the living room couch.
"Come on Ginger. That's not how you want to remember your senior prom is it? Sitting on your couch? You should be out celebrating. You got into UCLA. You shouldn't be alone."
"How would you know. You never even went to senior prom." I said and he chuckled.
"Yeah, only because the girl I wanted to go with couldn't go with me." He said and I raised my eyebrow.
"Why? Did Bridget turn you down?" I asked and he shook his head with a shuffle.
"No. You were too young." He said and I felt my cheeks fill with blood.
"Now that i've completely embarrassed myself, i'll just leave you be." He said turning around and I grabbed his shoulder.
"You wanted me to be your date?" I asked and he nodded.
"Still do, if you're willing." He said, holding out two tickets.
"Where did you get these?" I asked and he smiled.
"Remember that sponsored event?" He asked before digging in his coat pocket and pulling out a corsage.
"And if i'd already had a date?" I asked as he slipped it over my wrist.
"I'm a pro-skater." He said and I pushed him.
"You're an idiotic buswaxer." I said and he smiled.
"Yeah, but my date to prom is the prettiest girl in the whole school." He said and I rolled my eyes, blushing.
"Alright, I'll go get dressed." I said before running upstairs and getting dressed.
Maybe my life wasn't so pathetic. After all, I got into UCLA and my boyfriend was a Pro-skater.