Flowers in D
May 25, 2006
Thursday night
It was night before the 50th annual Belleview High School senior prom. It felt more like a
bridge that needed to be crossed. Torey did want one perfect high school dance since
she and Drake got back together after the junior prom last year and not during it, was
something that never sat right with her. She wanted the perfect proms that she read
about in Seventeen and read in her guilty pleasure teen romance novels. It was a
vintage (yet again) strapless pink dress that was floor length, but Torey took it to the
tailor to get it knee-length as to make it look more modern but still keep that traditional
look to it. She purchased a matching wrap because she wasn't sure if she wanted to
show her shoulders. It wasn't so much regarding Drake, but the prying eyes of the
cliques. Only one month to go and she'd be rid of them forever. Of course being with
Drake was enough Torey just wanted every moment to be just so because there was
always this underlying feeling that it wasn't going to last. She didn't have to work at
Ralph's tonight, but Drake did have a short shift at Guitar World and that was why she
was sulking in her room not spinning herself around the room in her pink formal gown
fantasizing about how Drake would hold her and sway around the wooden dance floor.
"A penny for your thoughts?" Drake wrapped his arms around her.
"Drake!"
"Did I scare you, Torey?"
"A little." She was glad that he was here and made frequent use of the house key she
gave him.
"Sorry," he kissed her neck and was instantly raptured in her Perhaps perfume, "Do you
want to grab a bite?"
"I'm not hungry."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Put the radio on."
"Okay." He found an instrumental classical station that he knew was one of Torey's
favorites.
"I bet you are thirsty…" She stood up ready to go to the kitchen
"Not really. It was Steven's birthday at Guitar World. His girlfriend came by with a cake
and soda."
"That was nice of her."
"Torey—are you sure you are okay?"
She put her hands on his shoulders.
"Why wouldn't I be okay, Drake? It's our senior prom tomorrow, not to mention we
graduate soon and have our whole lives ahead of us…." The engagement ring on her
finger was proof of that.
"I love you." He said kissing her on the cheek.
"I love you, too."
Torey kissed him on the lips. He did taste like a combination of Mocha Cola and vanilla
cake with coconut icing. Drake tasted her strawberry lip-gloss as they fell backwards on
her bed. Usually in these instances they'd stop but they weren't stopping. Torey was
unbuttoning Drake's black shirt with the vertical pink stripes.
"H-hey," Not that he wanted to stop his fiancée, but this was rather out of the blue,
"Torey…Don't you want to stop?"
"No," she replied breathlessly, ignoring her nervous body and letting nature take its
course, "I-don't…"
Drake got as far as undoing the ribbon fastening of her green apple colored blouse.
"I do—". Drake couldn't believe he said that. He thought about this moment with Torey
about one billion times and never once did he stop in it. Since he was on the top it was
easy for him to get up without making the moment too awkward.
"Dr—"
"Be honest with me. I don't think you are ready. You are just pretending to be. Why?"
Torey sat up in her bed. She hated the ultra girly pastel and flowered theme. Light green
sheets with little perfect blue generic flowers embroidered on them.
"I," she heavily sighed as Drake sat beside her, "Think we should. I want to be with my
fiancée and I can't even do that right." Torey put her hands over her face and cried.
Drake hated seeing her like this.
"I think we should too—but not this way and not tonight." He hugged her tight. Her whole
body was trembling.
We may not have many nights left!
Drake kicked off his sneakers to get into bed with her.
"I hope you aren't…"
"I could never be angry at you, Drake." She rested her head on his chest.
He kissed her forehead and wiped away her tears with the side of his hand.
"No more crying, babe. It's going to be all right."
"I know."
They both fell asleep.
Drake was doing a great job missing his curfews. He was almost graduated from high
school. Audrey knew he'd be okay. Her job regarding raising her son was complete.
Drake had his own opinions and values and even though it hurt especially without Walter
by her side she made a conscious effort to cut the "apron strings".
When Torey got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom she couldn't help but
stand by her bed amazed by how beautiful Drake was while he was sleeping. His
features were softened and he looked like he didn't have a care in the world. She quietly
made her way back inside the bed and giddy that her mother left a voice mail saying
she had to work an extra shift.
All it started was with one innocent wake up kiss and all the problems of the night were
swept clean like the writing on the sand that the surf eventually washed away.
"Are you sure?" he asked, getting into her confident and ready kisses.
"yes." She slid his shirt off and put her hands on Drake's bare shoulders and tenderly
kissed him. "I love you, Drake--You'll be gentle?" Her whispering voice was shaking as
the water of gratitude softly fell out of her eyes.
Torey didn't know where the thought came from. All she knew was that she wanted to be
with her fiancée. How damn cliché that it happened on prom night though. She never
wanted them to be a bland couple, but Torey was afraid of eventually bringing Drake
down and into a mediocre life. It happens to couples all the time. Especially regarding
the partners that were "high school sweethearts".
"yes." He whispered in her ear. "I love you, Torey." Drake blinked to stop a tear from
flowing down his cheek while he kissed her on the neck.
And during this time neither one of them stopped.