"Ok, ok, just tell them that I got a date. That's all you need to do, Heath! Mom, Dad, I got a date to the prom. That's literally it!"

In a rather large house on top of Royal Woods Hill, Heath sat in his dimly lit room, reading off a stack of note cards that he had prepared.

"This is all you've ever worked for, Heath. You're making the dream come true now! You've-"

"HEATH! EMMA! DINNER!"

"Coming, mom!" A shrill voice outside to Heath's door shouted.

"I'll be right down!" Heath shouted as he put down his notecards. Taking a deep breath, he comforted his mind before the date of reckoning.

"They'll say that I can go. Why wouldn't they? They let Emma do whatever she wants! I'm the one they need to be-"

"Heath! Come down for dinner!"

"I'm coming! Just give me a-"

"RIGHT NOW!"

"-sigh- Well, here we go..." he mumbled as he walked downstairs into the kitchen. At the table sat a middle-aged man and woman, along with a younger girl.

"About time you showed up, Heath. I was about to send Emma up for you."

"And I'm glad you didn't, dad," he said as he pulled out his chair and sat down. "Now, can we eat?"

"Not so fast!" His mother said. "We haven't said grace yet!"

"Yeah!" The girl said. "We need to thank God before we eat!"

"Oh, shut up, Emma..." Heath grumbled as he put his head down. After grace was said, the family began to eat.

"So, how was your day, kids? Anything good happen?"

"Oh, it was pretty-" he began to say, but Emma cut him off.

"It was WONDERFUL! I got an A on my test, I did all of my homework, and I scored a goal in gym soccer! And the goalie was the most athletic girl in my grade, Lynn!"

"Whoop de dang doo..." Heath said under his breath as his dad began to praise her.

"Well, that's wonderful, honey! You know, I don't mean to brag, but I was actually a pretty good soccer player myself back in the day..."

"Oh, boy, THIS story again..."

"Heath!"

"Sorry, mom. What were you saying, dad?"

"Well, like I was saying, I used to-"

"THUNDER! GET OFF THE TABLE!" Heaths mother shouted as a yellow tabby cat jumped onto the table, knocking over a small vase.

"Shoo!" His dad said, waving his hand. Soon, the cat jumped off the table and trotted into the other room.

"Stupid cat... I told you we should've put it down..."

"Oh, Frank, be quiet!" The mother told her husband. "That cat was perfectly fine when we found him!"

"Uh, since when was being hit by a weed whacker considered fine?"

"Oh, boy..."

30 Minutes Later...

"And THAT'S why we should've given the cat away!"

"Oh, my goodness, Frank, it's a stinking cat! Get over it!"

"Well, I'M sorry that you insisted on keeping him!"

The entire time that the two parents were arguing, Heath had been sitting at his seat, trying to get his parents attention.

"Uh, guys? Guys?"

Finally, he had had enough. He stood up and shouted at the two.

"MOM! DAD!"

Both of them turned to look at their son, a cross look on their face.

"Heath Austin Doyle! Why in the world are you screaming?!"

"Uh, BECAUSE I've been trying to tell you something for the past few minutes!"

"Well, why didn't you say anything?"

"I did! You were just to busy dealing with the stupid cat!"

"Hey, that cat is NOT stupid, ok? I'll have you know that-"

"Oh my lord, Tina, the stupid cat should've been put down or-"

"Oh my god, GUYS! LISTEN TO ME!"

"Just wait for them to be quiet, Heath," Emma told him as she leaned over. "They've been at it for a while now..."

"Oh, they always calm down after a minute, though. I'm gonna yell again."

"Heath, don't!" His sister warned him, but too late. Heath stood up and shouted what she had been meaning to tell his parents.

"I GOT A DATE TO PROM!"

Almost immediately, the arguing ceased. Everybody turned to look at him, the same awestruck expression on their faces.

"What?!"

"Yep," he said, forcing out a smile. "I asked a girl to prom the other night. I was just waiting to tell you guys."

Heaths dad quickly sat up, composing himself as he

"Well, uh, that's wonderful, son," he mumbled. "I'm, uh, very proud of you!"

"Gee, thanks dad," he said as he rolled his eyes. His mother, however, did not sound as enthusiastic.

"Heath, you are NOT going to prom with ANYONE. You know the rules about this as well as I do."

"-sigh- Yes, mom, I know the rule."

"Which is?"

"-sigh- "No going on dates until I'm 18..."

"And how old are you?"

"17..."

Have we ever even met this girl?" His dad asked.

"Well, uh, no, but she's really nice! Her name is Leni, and she's-"

"Wait. Leni LOUD?" Emma asked with a gasp of shock.

"Uh, yeah? Why? How do you know?" He asked, but Emma was to busy laughing to answer.

"Oh, my god! Leni is the dumbest person EVER! Ha!"

"Hey, don't say that about her," he said, his face turning red.

"Heath, she doesn't even know how to count to 10! And you asked her to the biggest dance of the year?"

"First off, Leni is NOT dumb. And second, how did YOU know who she was?"

"Her sister Lynn is in my grade. I'm her friend."

"Congrats. Do you want a medal or something?"

"Both of you, knock it off!" Their dad told them. "Emma, go upstairs for a few minutes."

"But dad!" She began, but a quick death glare made her hurriedly rub upstairs.

"Honey, I know you have the sense to follow rules. So why did you break this one?"

"Mom, it's not a crime to ask a girl to a dance, you know..."

"I'm not saying that!" She said, holding up her hands in defense. "I'm just not sure that dating is, well, suitable for you right now..."

"We aren't dating, you know. I just asked her to the dance, and that's it."

"How do you know this girl?" His dad asked. "Are you classmates?"

"I've known her since kindergarten!" He stated, a dreamy look entering his eyes. "I've just been getting to know her for a few months or so. She's nice and funny, and she listens to what I say...she actually cares, Mom!"

Silence. Then, his mother cleared her throat and began to speak again.

"Well, Heath, I think that it's wonderful that you think so highly of this girl. But I still don't feel comfortable about the dance..."

"Tina, what could happen?" Her husband asked her. "The car breaks down? The dance is canceled?"

"No! Its, well, uh, it's actually pretty hard to explain..."

"Ooooooohhh... you think they're gonna have sex, don't you?"

"FRANK!"

"Well, that's what you were thinking!" Her husband said as he laughed. "And do you really think that HEATH, of all people, would do that?"

"Yeah! Yeah, he's right, mom. I would NEVER think of doing that. Not at this age..."

His mother closed her eyes, thinking on her next move. Thankfully for her son, she didn't have one.

"Heath...if you promise me that you will be home by 11 o'clock that night, AND you make sure to drop this 'Leni' off at her house, then I'll let you go to Prom."

"YES!" He shouted, but was quickly mute again as he received a glare.

"But, if I ever find out that something happened on that night-"

"-cough- -cough- Sex, -cough- -cough-"

"Oh, my god, Frank! You make me wonder why I married you half the time!"

"You're mad because I coughed?" He smiled.

"Oh, shut up! Anyways, if I find out that you DID, then that's IT! No more dances, no car, no sports, NOTHING. understand?"

"Yes, yes! I understand. Now can I go back to my room, please?"

"Yes, son. You're dismissed."

Thanks!" He said, jumping off his couch and flying upstairs. "And the meatloaf sauce needs a bit more mustard next time, mom!"

In the living room, the Doyles sat in silence, until mom found words to say.

"Oh, Frank...they grow up so fast..."

"Do you think Heath could be a chef? He knows his cooking well..."

"Oh my God…"

Upstairs...

In his room, Heath quickly sent a text to his friend.

"Good news, Leni! We can go!"

After a minute, a response.

"Great! But where are we going?"

He grinned, not because of the comment, but because of his success.

"Oh, Leni..." he typed, waiting for her to respond...