34). "If you were waiting for the opportune moment, that was it." // 73.) "How do you know so much about so much?" (post AFL, more Prom goodness)

The signs has been posted. The ticket sales were on. And many a young lady in attendance at Brookwood High School had already picked out the perfect dress… The big question was asked in any variety of ways: via text, over the phone, a note passed between classes, a creative instant message, and in a rare while, in person.

You're not going to ask him, are you?

I didn't want it to come to that, but if I must… Maybe it's only fair, considering how Homecoming went down.

Is it so wrong to want to be asked? I mean, I am a girl.

Meet him halfway, set the mood.

It was easier said than done. With soccer being a spring semester sport, Wes was far busier in the spring than he had been in the Fall. Lucy had been keeping busy with Indoor, and there wasn't a lot of time to create any sort of magic. With time running out, Lucy decided she had no choice but to pounce on Wes as they took the extended path to class one not so specific Tuesday morning.

"So, Wes?"

"Yes, Lucy?"

"Umm, so May is almost here…"

"I know, I can't believe it – graduation, state finals, it's crazy! It feels like I just got here!"

"Yeah…" She tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

"Lucy!!!" It was Mike, who she hadn't seen in awhile, and he promptly manhandled his former section mate down the hall. She shrugged and gave a small half wave to her boyfriend as she was whisked away.

I guess it won't be today...

"Wes?" Tom strolled up from his nearby locker, forcing some books in his overloaded bag.

"Yes?" asked a very confused young man. Wes felt like he had missed something important in the last conversation, but wasn't quite sure what.

"Can I talk to you, one dude to another?"

"Sure…?"

"Have you thought about Prom at all?" The question was rhetorical, as Tom knew that Wes had not. The same question, while perhaps minor or unimportant to Wes, was practically eating Tom's very good friend alive.

"No. Should I?" The quizzical expression had not left his face.

"Look, bro, let me put this plainly, have you asked Lucy yet?"

"I just assu—"

"Tsk, tsk," Tom quickly interrupted, "Let me guess, you assumed you were going together because, after all, you are dating? And who else would you go with?"

"Well, basically, yes."

"You need to ask her."

"I do?"

"You do."

"Oh." Realization dawned on Wes, and he said more clearly, "Ohhhh."

"Yes. And if you were waiting for the opportune moment, that was it."

"It was?"

Tom shrugged casually, and said, "Well, it wouldn't be my style exactly, but… Yes."

"How do you know so much about so much?"

Tom put his hands in his pockets and walked towards his classroom, "I just do."

AN: This is a brilliant distraction from the novel, and it made my day a lot better.