...
Don enters the decorated main atrium with Samar behind him, looking around as the DJ starts to blast another song.
The atrium is decked out with lights, balloons, banners, streamers and more, and Don would be enjoying it more if Lizzie was with him, but that's not going to happen tonight.
A few people glance at him, probably looking to see if Lizzie is with him as he passes them, but Don pointedly ignores all of them.
He waits up for Samar, who is glancing around the room. "Found who you've been looking for yet?"
"Not yet. Hey, let's go upstairs where the food is, I'm hungry, I haven't eaten since this morning." she leads him to the stairs as the crowd parts to let them through.
It is much quieter on the second level although the music being blared downstairs is still heard, with a few students milling around eating from the paper plates.
"Let's grab a plate," Samar says as Don grabs a table, but he declines. "Nah, I'm good." Besides, the prom food sucks.
Once he sits down, he looks from the balcony to the throng of people dancing to the music downstairs.
He notices that the crowd parts for two people, and squints to see who it is.
It's Lizzie.
And Tom.
No.
Before Don can even think he abruptly gets up and starts to walk downstairs, passing Samar who doesn't even notice, looking disgustedly at a tart.
He rushes down the stairs and cuts his way through the oblivious crowd until he bumps into -
Audrey. Shoot.
To his surprise, when she sees him she beams and wraps her arms around him, looking a whole lot happier than he had imagined she would be.
"Donnie, hey." Audrey says with a smile that is all too sweet to be real. "Come on, let's take a photo."
Before he can stop her, she's already dragging him off to the photo booth and the school photographer, and Audrey beams for the camera leaning in to Don, who awkwardly stands there as the flash momentarily blinds him.
That's going to be a great picture.
"You didn't pick me up at six like you said, so I had to get a ride from Sarah and Pete." Audrey pouts, following Don back into the crowd as he continues to search for Lizzie.
"Yeah, well, plans changed, Audrey." Don sighs, getting annoyed at her persistence. "Although there were no plans in the first place."
Audrey gasps, acting offended, but his attention is no longer fixed on her.
He's spotted Lizzie and Tom.
Lizzie looks beautiful, wearing a long, dazzling blue evening gown and her hair loose in waves around her shoulders, and Don wishes that it was him who was with her, not Tom.
Tom.
Don starts to feel his heart sink as he comes to the realization that Tom has clearly won Lizzie's heart over tonight.
Tom Keen has won again.
He walks closer to them, eyes blazing. They're dancing to the music, and Lizzie laughs, having a good time.
He feels angry at himself in that moment, angry that his actions have cost him this.
Lizzie beams radiantly as the song ends and Tom leans in to give her a quick hug.
In that moment, Don's heart breaks, and it's no longer rage, or jealousy, but regret.
It was he who chose to participate in the bet, it was he who lied to her face for weeks, it is his fault that Lizzie Scott is dancing in the arms of Tom Keen and not his, and he regrets it all.
Just at that moment a slow dance song begins and couples make their way to the middle of the floor while the others walk to the back of the room ashamedly.
Don sighs, because this is his least favorite part of any dance.
Then out of nowhere Audrey pulls him over, puts her arms around him and begins to dance.
He lets her and joins in, because there's nothing he can do anymore. About anything.
There's no spark anymore, so why should it matter?
"They make a cute couple, don't they?" Audrey says with a smirk, watching with Don as Lizzie rests her head on Tom's shoulder and they slow dance. "Too bad that they can't beat us for prom court tonight, though."
All Don can do is helplessly look on.
So he turns around to face Audrey, turning his back to Lizzie and Tom, not noticing Lizzie's lingering glance in his direction.
…
"Excuse me, pardon me, sorry." Aram tries to find his way around a group of people who are standing around the food table and instead cuts directly through them.
His mother made him go to the prom even though he has no date and he really didn't want to go, saying that he "only has one prom in his life" and he "shouldn't miss out like she did" (he's even wearing a pocket square for crying out loud!). He saw Lizzie earlier with Tom Keen (which was kind of a surprise) but didn't feel like joining the crowd.
He attempts not to drop the full plate of food he has in his hand and succeeds as he reaches a table where just one bored-looking girl is sitting.
"Um, do you mind if I sit here?" he asks awkwardly, and is shocked to learn that the girl is Samar Navabi.
"Sure, go ahead." she says plainly, shifting her untouched plate of food to the side so he can sit next to her.
Aram does his best to hide the blush spreading on his face, because he's talking to Samar Navabi, the girl that he's only dreamed of talking to.
"You good?" he asks, self-consciously running a hand through his hair.
"Yeah, just bored, this prom sucks. My friend, he ditched me and this food sucks." she looks up and smiles a bit. "Wait, you're Aram Mojtabai."
Aram blinks, surprised that she even knows his name. "Um, sure, I-I mean no, I m-mean yeah, ugh, jeez, sorry. Yeah, I'm Aram."
Samar looks up, lighting up. "Aram! Nice to meet you. I've been meaning to talk to you! Lizzie's told me a lot about you."
Aram freezes. "Oh, really? Is it good stuff? Um, thanks, nice to know you- meet you I mean."
Samar just laughs good-naturedly. "Don't you hate prom? There's like no place for single people!"
Aram's eyes widen. "Y-You're single? But yeah, yeah, I know what you mean. Like, I'm single too."
She smiles, raising an eyebrow suggestively, and Aram feels like he might just pass out right there and then. "I like you more than I did before. So tell me, what brings you upstairs to the lonely singles table?"
…
They've been dancing for a while (he doesn't want to dance with Audrey, but he doesn't really have a choice because they're trapped in the middle of the crowd and everyone around them was dancing), and Don was getting quite tired to be completely honest.
"I'm going to take a break." he mutters to Audrey, but she has already spotted someone elsewhere, Sarah probably and has walked away.
He shoves his way through the crowd and finds Pete standing with their football teammates in the corner.
"Hey, man." Pete greets, slapping Don on the back. "Having a good night?"
Don shakes his head. "Not really."
"Aw, come on, Don. I've already had three dances with Sarah, go ahead and get your lady."
"I can't. You've seen her, with Tom."
"Don't let that stop you, dude! Look, I'm sorry that I talked you into this bet, it wasn't cool and I should have never started it. You and Lizzie should have never had anything to do with this. But you've got to move past this! Put it behind you, and just go out and get her!"
Don nods, accepting his apology but still not getting the point of their conversation.
"If you want her," Pete continues, putting an arm around a beaming Sarah as she walks over. "just walk right up to her and do it. Trust me, you'll be glad once you do."
At that point Pete and Sarah start to make out, so Don and the other guys start to awkwardly disperse.
He lets Pete's words sink in, as he glances around the room for Lizzie.
"Walk right up to her and do it."
That's right. He has one more shot at this, one more shot before he never sees her again.
He's got to make it right, at least just be on good terms with her.
Don sees her on the other side of the room, standing by herself, without Tom. She still hasn't spotted him yet, but it's not too late.
This is the moment, his only chance to make things right.
But just as he takes one step in her direction, the principal steps up on the stage and calls for everybody's attention.
Don closes his eyes in annoyance as the music stops, knowing that he is about to announce prom queen and king.
Just get it over with.
…
Aram flushes the toilet, and unlocks the washroom stall door. He just finished chatting up Samar Navabi (who may actually like him back! She may actually like him!), and he's quite sure they hit it off better than he expected.
Suddenly loud booming voices that can only belong to Tom Keen and his fellow football Neanderthals enter the washroom, and for fear of being ambushed by them if he comes out, Aram quickly locks the door again and tries to stay as quiet as he can.
"Man, I have got this in the bag!" Tom exclaims unsteadily. "She's fallen for every word I've said! I told you, Raimo, those six-hundred dollars I paid for that room at the Ritz-Carlton will be totally worth it."
Aram withholds a breath. So that's his angle.
"I don't know, Keen. I wouldn't bet money on it." someone else replies.
"Shut up." Aram hears (and can smell) Tom light a cigarette. "This is my night, I can feel it."
"Whatever, man." the guys linger in there for another minute, then leave.
Once he is sure they're gone, Aram frantically opens the door, washes his hands, then rushes out of the washroom.
"Aram, what is it?" Samar asks worriedly as he approaches her breathlessly.
Aram quickly fills her in.
They've got to do something now.
…
"And your 2015 prom king is. . ." the principal finally announces after droning on for five minutes about how proud he is of the graduating class.
Don scoffs impatiently as the principal struggles to open the envelope.
Please hurry up so I can talk to Lizzie, he thinks to himself, tapping his foot.
". . . this certainly isn't a surprise. Don Ressler."
The whole room erupts into cheers and Don exhales sharply, walking over to the stage and halfheartedly high-fiving people.
Once he's on the stage, the principal puts the plastic crown on his head and hands him the scepter.
He spots Lizzie in the front row, who immediately looks at the ground.
Please be done with this, he repeats over and over in his head. Please please please. . .
"And your prom queen is, in the closest vote in ten years . . . Audrey Bidwell."
Half the room cheers just as loud for Audrey, while the other half who supposedly voted for Lizzie keeps quiet.
Audrey rushes upstage and grabs the tiara and scepter from the principal and puts it on herself, ignoring Don.
"Okay, Mr. Ressler or Miss Bidwell, any words to add for the graduating class of 2015?" the principal asks, handing Don the microphone.
Before he can begin, Audrey snatches it from him and starts speaking into it.
"Okay, to those for you who voted for me, thank you, you made the right choice," she says boldly, facing the crowd. "But for those of you who voted for Lizzie Scott, shame on you, that was stupid."
The crowd starts booing, and one of the teachers takes the microphone away from Audrey and ushers both of them down the stage.
Back on the floor, Tom joins Lizzie again. "You should have won that."
Lizzie shrugs, although she can't help but feel a little jealous as Audrey puts her arms around Don as the principal takes the picture. "No, it's fine. I never cared anyways."
"You want to get out of here?" Tom asks into her ear.
Lizzie watches on as Audrey kisses Don lightly on the cheek, and starts to feel that sinking feeling in her stomach. "Yeah. Let's go."
Tom takes her hand and leads her through the crowd as a few people grin at her and tell her that she should've won instead of Audrey.
The principal finally finishes taking their pictures and Audrey gives Don a hug before rushing off to meet some of her cheerleader friends.
Don breathes a sigh of relief, free from Audrey, as a few other people congratulate him. Then he spots Samar and Aram pushing and shoving through the crowd
"Aram heard something in the washrooms," Samar says, panting a bit after running through the crowd. "Tell him, Aram!"
"D-Don," Aram says breathlessly, as Samar urges him on. "In the washroom, Tom Keen was there, he said he bought a r-room at the Ritz for the night, he's going there now with Lizzie."
It only takes a few seconds for Don to register what Aram just told him, and then he's sprinting at full speed, throwing the crown and scepter to the side, out to his car.
Tom. So this is what it's all about. Son of a-
"Wait, Don!" Samar calls after him, then hands him his car keys. "You forgot them at the table."
Don smiles gratefully. "Thanks Samar."
He gets into his car and drives off in the direction of the Ritz-Carlton (of course if was the Ritz, what was he expecting from someone like Tom Keen?)
He's got to stop him before it's too late.
...
A/N: Only two more chapters left, and I promise in the next one Keenler will finally happen! Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this story since the first chapter! Until the next update :)