The Twilight Twenty-Five
thetwilight25[dot]com

Prompt: 22. Prom
Pen Name: souplover9
Pairing/Main Character(s): Edward/Bella
Rating: T

Photo prompts can be viewed here:
thetwilight25[dot]com/round-six/prompts

I don't know how Alice and Rose walk around in three-inch heels all the time. I've only been in these white, leather contraptions for an hour and already my feet are hurting. I glanced at the clock—at least four more hours in these things.

I only hope my feet don't blister, or worse, bleed. I wasn't fond of blood.

"Bella, stop thinking about your feet. The less you think about them, the less they'll hurt," Alice said as she put the final touches on my hair.

I somehow doubted that.

I was all ready to go. My prom date was going to pick me up in forty-five minutes. Apparently he was getting ready with the guys. I still didn't know who it was. Rose and Alice had joined forces and planned everything, all the while leaving me in the dark.

I still don't know how they convinced me to go. I was pretty sure I the most anti-social girl at school. How I ended up best friends with the head cheerleader and the Student Body President, I still don't know...nor do I question it. I came to the conclusion that this is what it is, and I was so thankful for their friendship.

At first, I thought they might have had an ulterior motive (who would be friends with measly old me?), but once I got to know them, I knew their relationship was the real deal.

If I had my way, I would have stayed at home, curled up with a cup of hot tea, the new book I just purchased, and a pile of oatmeal chocolate-chip cookies I made last night. When I eat cookies, I don't stop at one, I usually devour half a dozen. What can I say? I have no self-control when it comes to cookies (unless they taste horrible, but that's a different story).

I knew better than to argue. Alice was like a child—you don't want to argue with them. I never win.

I sighed, slumping my shoulders. "Maybe I should take some aspirin."

"Maybe you should wear heels more often," Rose chipped in.

"Why would I subject myself to pain? I'm not a masochist."

"Because if you wore them more often, your feet will get used to them," Alice said as thought it was the most obvious thing in the world.

I rolled my eyes. She would say that.

"So, who am I going to prom with?" I asked for the millionth time, putting on my dangle earrings. I knew they wouldn't tell me, but a part of me hoped that if I asked enough times they would give in and tell me.

"Stop asking. We're not telling," Rose remarked.

"Exactly. Besides, you'll find out in oh, about half an hour," Alice chimed in.

"Can you guys at least give me a hint? I really don't want to be caught off guard."

"But I want to be prepared for this, because you know I'm not a big fan of surprises. Remember the last blind date you set me up on? That was three years ago, and I'm still cringing over it."

Alice placed her hands on my shoulder. "Bella, calm down. I promise you'll love your date, and it will be a magical night. You just need to relax and trust us."

"How can I? It feels like I'm betraying him by going to a dance with someone else," I argued.

Rose and Alice gave each other a look and then grinned at each other.

"You guys, come on! Throw me a bone."

"NO!" they both said resoundly, at the same time.

Startled, I bumped into my dresser. "Well, fine. Be that way. I'll be waiting downstairs."

I held up the bottom of my strapless teal floor-length as I slowly made my way downstairs, praying that I wouldn't trip or rip my dress. Once I was safely downstairs, my mom bombarded me with the camera.

"Mom, you don't need a million pictures," I said after the tenth picture.

"Yes I do!" She beamed and pulled me in for a hug. "Charlie!" She shouted over my head. "Come here and take a photo of me and Bella. And I'll take a picture of you and Bella too!"

I heard a mumbled complaint come from the living room. My dad wasn't one for pictures. Like me, he'd rather be behind the camera than in front.

"All right, woman. Let me do this so I can get back to the game."

"Charlie! Your daughter is going to Prom, and you're more concerned about a silly ball game?"

Dad turned his back to mom and winked at me—he loved riling her up. I tried not to laugh. They were such an odd couple but somehow they made it work.

"Alright, alright. Calm down. I was joking. Bella, come here, and let's get this over with."

I smiled, moving to stand next to my dad. Mom was picture happy, and dad somehow got the camera out of her hands just as the girls came down looking posh.

"Oh, girls! You look beautiful!" she wailed, and demanded more pictures.

At some point dad had pulled me into the living room. He cleared his throat and started pacing. I was ninety-nine point nine-nine percent sure what he wanted to talk about.

"Um, Bells…well, you see… uh…tonight…what usually happens after—"

I blushed furiously. Mom was the one who usually talked to me about these things—not that I did them.

"Dad, stop. Don't worry. I'm waiting until marriage."

"Oh, right," he said sheepishly. "Well, be safe—not that you won't be, because you're in good hands—and have fun. But not too much fun, because you know…"

Talk about awkward. I didn't know how to respond or react, so I just zoned out and sat there waiting for someone to save me.

My mom came to my rescue, declaring we needed a picture with us girls only, before the boys arrived. But before she could execute her plan, the doorbell rang.

Alice and Rose rushed to my side in the foyer, waiting for my mom to open the door.

"Boys! You all look so handsome." She proceeded to take more pictures as they entered.

Emmett and Jasper strolled in, greeting and complementing us. I stood in the foyer, peering out the door, looking for my date.

Turing around, with a slight frown, I asked: "Hey, guys, where's my date? Better yet, who is my date? I couldn't get a peep from these two."

The boys looked up from putting the corsages on their girlfriends, and gave me identical smirks.

"He's behind you," said a velvety voice.

I stood still, wondering if my ears were playing a trick on me. It couldn't be. Slowly, I turned around, praying to the heavens that it truly was him.

"Edward?" I asked shakily. Please be him, please be him.

With arms wide open, he beamed at me. "The only and only."

I let out a squeak and lunged into his open arms. He pulled me into his warm embrace and I didn't ever want to let go.

"What are you doing here?" I whispered into his chest. "Don't you have school?"

"Nope. I finished at the end of May."

I was so happy to see him that I wanted to cry.

"I missed you so much," I continued whispering.

"I missed you too," he whispered into my hair. "Even thought we talk everyday, and Skype often, it doesn't compare to the real thing."

His words warmed my heart. "I feel the same way." After a moment I added, "And long distance relationships suck."

He chuckled and loosened his hold on me. "True that, but we've made it work for two years. On the bright side, you'll be in Chicago with me next year, so we don't have to worry about that anymore."

"Sorry to interrupt the reunion," Emmett said, "but we really need to get a move-on."

With a permanent smile on my face, we pulled apart and continued with the rest of the evening.

Dinner was spectacular, simply because Edward was with me. We were in each other's embrace the entire time (except for when either of us had to use the bathroom). The groups understood—it had been two long years since we had been in each other's presence.

At the dance, continued to cuddle, even when some of the other students came to talk to Edward. They mostly asked him about Chicago, and what his life was like there. After an hour of sitting, he pulled me onto the dance floor, much to my chagrin. Either he forgot how bad of a dancer I was, or he wanted to see me fall. I went with the former.

Amazingly, I didn't fall, and he was a graceful dancer.

"Where'd you learn how to dance?" I asked, highly impressed.

He grinned at me. "PE class."

"No way."

"Way."

"Really?"

"Yeah. We had an entire unit on dance. It was mostly square dancing, but we also learned salsa and the waltz."

"Hot damn," I replied smiling.

He laughed and looked around before bringing his face close to mine.

"Can I kiss you now? I've been waiting all night."

I beamed. "Yes. I never thought you'd ask."

He let out a small laugh and brought his lips to mine. After two years of not kissing him, I swore I was in heaven (or at least Cloud 9.) His lips were just at I remembered: firm, but soft (I think he uses chap stick), and luscious.

Out kiss was gentle and slow, an "it's very nice to be back" kiss. We pulled away to catch our breath.

"Wow," I muttered. The spark was still there, and if I wasn't mistaken, our connection was stronger.

"Yeah, wow. I can't wait to do this all summer long."

My eyes widened. "You'll be here all summer?" I asked surprised at his revelation.

"Yeah. I'll be staying at Em's. And if you don't mind, I'll help you move your stuff to Chicago at the end of the summer."

"I love the plan."

"Good." He smiled before leaning in and kissing me again. This time, it was more passionate, but not too passionate, because being pulled apart by a chaperone would have been embarrassing. His kiss sent tingles down my spine, made my heart race, and made me forget where we were, until Emmett made a cat call. I blushed, and Edward chuckled.

After that, we ignored the other students as we swayed to the music, lost in our own world. Alice was right; this was magical: My boyfriend was back, and as far as we were concerned, we wouldn't have to be apart ever again.

Author's Note:

Still not betaed. And thanks for reading.