A week, a month, a year; the time passed like a shooting star. One minute I was junior getting through the year by taking online classes and the next I was back at Degrassi, almost finished my senior year. Dylan now knew how to walk and was beginning to talk a little bit. My mom and dad had returned from the hospital. My mom was doing better, but not by much. After a major blow out between me and Dallas, I moved back in with them. Dallas left his hockey dreams and me behind and went away to college. He's a year away from getting his bachelor's degree. He also is way more involved in Rocky's life.
It had been forever since I had gotten a call from him or from Katie.
Returning to Degrassi after a year away was hard. All my friends had new lives. Tori and Tristan were the president and vice president of the school and welcomed me back with open arms. Zig, now involved in a rougher crowd, never talked to any of us and avoided eye contact with me.
But I was doing alright, that is until prom came up.
Tori and Tristan were planning an elaborate masquerade ball for the senior class. And when I told them I wasn't planning to go they flipped out on me.
So somehow I got here, in a dress store downtown, with Tori and Tristan handing me things to try on.
"I already told you, I don't want to go!" I whined as Tori laced up a long, poofy, pink dress.
"Oh hush Maya; it's your senior prom you have to go!" She took a step back to admire her work. "I love this!" she squealed with glee.
She turned me around to face her and Tristan.
"Hmm…" Tristan looked me up and down. "She looks gorgeous but… it's not right, definitely not right. I get to pick the next one."
He handed me another dress.
"Tris," I whimpered "I've already tried on so many! None of them are going to be right!"
"Just put it on! I promise you, you won't regret it." He encouraged.
The dress was very elegant and pale blue; it flowed to the ground, and was made of silky fabric. And the best part, it wasn't poofy.
"Oh my…" Tori mumbled. Both of my friend's mouths had dropped.
"What? Do I look that bad?" I asked nervously.
When neither of them answered I turned around and eyed myself in the mirror. Surprisingly I looked really good. I wouldn't go as far to say beautiful but the dress fit me perfectly, accentuating my every curve. It also made my eyes look bluer than ever.
"You look…" Tristan started.
"Amazing" Tori finished.
"This is it, this is the one. No arguing, Tori and I are going to buy it for you right now."
They forced me out of the dress, grabbed it, and ran to the counter; leaving me to an empty dressing room.
It was nice to have a moment to myself. I still didn't want to go to prom… Dances weren't my thing, and I was tired all the time anyway, and I didn't even have a date, and who was going to watch Dylan?
I had listed every excuse in the book, but none of them worked, and none were the truth.
The real reason was… well… when I was a freshman I had always thought that I would go to prom with Cam. And I just couldn't help thinking about what it would be like if he were still here. And I didn't want any guy to see me in this dress other than him.
It was stupid, I know but I couldn't help it.
Who wants to take a teen mom to prom anyway…?
When I pulled up to my house, ready to pick up Dylan there was a familiar car in the driveway. I ran inside to find my sister sitting in the living room with a smile on her face.
"Katie!" I cried.
"Hey little sis!" She stood up and held out her arms.
I ran to her and hugged her as tight as I could. "What are you doing here?!" I asked.
"Well I'm on spring break and I'd thought I come visit you!" She paused. "I also heard from a little birdie that you're trying to protest prom."
I rolled my eyes "More like trying and failing… Tori and Tristan are relentless."
"Well I'm glad they're making you go, I think it'll be good for you. And that's why I'm watching Dylan that night. To make sure you have no excuses."
"I don't have a date and its next weekend…" I muttered.
"Yeah, yeah but you'll find one! You're just being too picky!" When I didn't answer she changed the subject. "I also heard you were living with Mike Dallas while mom and dad were away."
Ugh I knew she was going to bring this up! "It was short term; he was just helping me out."
"Alright, but you know how I feel about you two being together. He's no good Maya."
"Well you don't have to worry about it, we got in a fight and he moved away." I frowned and eyed the ground blinking away tears as I flashed backed to that night.
"I quit the Maple Leafs." Dallas had barely made it through the door before spitting it out.
"You what?!" I asked shocked.
Cam's mom was in town and had taken Dylan to give me a night off. I was sitting in a pile of laundry.
"Here, let me help you with that." He said sitting down next to me.
He went to pick up a sock, but I slapped his hands. "Not until you tell me what happened!"
"What's to tell?" He asked nonchalantly.
"Oh I don't know, maybe why you would quit the job you've dreamed of your whole life?"
"Oh that…" he took a deep breath "You know, I just wasn't feeling it anymore…"
"Well in that case," I punched his arm. "You idiot! Do you have any idea what this means? We're screwed! Did you think ever stop to think of me, of Dylan?!"
"Uh yeah, that's kind of exactly why I quit."
"What?!"
"Look, do you actually think I would quit hockey for a stupid reason? I've been trying to quit for the past 2 years! I don't want to have to travel around and have an unpredictable schedule. I want to stay here and be with you and the little guy." Dallas explained.
"How noble…" I muttered, rolling my eyes.
"Hey! I did this for you! I want to go to college and get a real job to support you guys!"
"Dallas! We aren't even your real family; I don't need you to support us! It's not like we're going to run off and get married. Wake up Dallas, this isn't a movie." I snapped.
His eyes flared with the anger and rejection he'd been feeling ever since he entered my life.
"Oh, so when I'm rich we're family but when things are about to get tough you want no part of me? I see how this works… If you don't need me to support you then why are you here Maya?!"
We both knew at this point, this wasn't about the money. It was the same battle we had been fighting since day one.
"I don't need anything from you Mike. I'm here because you asked me to be. So I think the real question is, why are you here?"
"God damn it! Because I love you Maya! I don't know what else I can do to prove it to you! Cam's gone alright? He's not coming back, but I'm here. I'm standing right in front of you, and I will do anything you ask me to do!" Dallas reached out a hand for me but I backed away. "Maya please… just open your eyes and see that you and me, we work. You can't honestly tell me you don't have feelings for me."
"Moving here was a mistake…" I murmured. "I led you on and I'm sorry."
"Maya…"
"I'm moving back in with my parents. I'll start packing now."
Dallas was silent as I moved back to my room. "Fine, if that's what you want go ahead." His voice was full of pain.
I hadn't seen him since.
"Annddd done" Katie said putting the curling iron down beside me.
She was adding the finishing touches for prom.
Finally I slipped into the dress, Katie beamed at me.
"Oh Maya, you've really grown up into a beautiful woman…" Tears filled her eyes and surprisingly mine too. "Oh no don't cry, you're messing up your make up!" She licked her finger and ran it under my eye, fixing my mascara.
"Ew Katie, anything but your mom spit!" I cried, grabbing her arm.
Then the doorbell rang.
"Looks like your date is here," Katie smiled and handed me my mask.
I ran out to let Tristan in.
Neither me, nor Tristan had much luck finding a date so we were going together.
After taking multiple pictures, and gushing over how cute we both looked, Katie decided to let us leave.
"Make sure Dylan doesn't eat too much, and that he at least takes one nap!" I yelled over my shoulder as Tristan pulled me to his car. I felt bad leaving Dylan for a whole night so I could go to some stupid dance. "Oh, and if he starts crying just sing to him, he loves that!"
"I've got in under control little sis, go have a good time!" She called to me.
Tristan opened the passenger door for me. I hesitated, maybe I shouldn't go… for a split second I considered running back in but I knew Tristan would stop me regardless. So I climbed in.
The dance didn't start out too bad. Tori was there with some guy from our chemistry class but ditched him to come fast dance with us.
Everything was fine until about the third slow song.
"Oh my god…" Tristan whispered to me as we stood awkwardly by the punch bowl.
"What?"
"Tanner Carlson is totally coming over here…" He hissed in anxiety.
The tall, artistic blond from our grade walked up to us. "Hey Tristan, do you want to dance?"
Tristan raised his eyebrows at me and then looked back to Tanner. "Sure Tanner, I'd love to!" He chirped and off the two went.
I was happy for Tristan, he had been crushing on Tanner all year, but now I was left to stand there all by myself looking like a loser.
Finally I decided to go sit by myself at one of the tables, but when I turned I ran into a tall, handsome man wearing a mask.
"Oh I'm so sorry…" I mumbled, trying to conceal my blush.
"Oh, you're fine Mama." A voice all too familiar said.
I reached up and moved the plain, white, straightforward mask off his face.
"Dallas what are you doing here?!"
"Well… I heard a pretty friend of mine didn't have a date so I came to help out. Plus I love crashing proms." He chuckled.
"Aren't you too old to be here though?" I asked.
"Let's just say I have my connections with the student council." He winked at me.
I looked over my shoulder to see both Tristan and Tori watching me. I'd get them later.
"So, would you like to dance?"
I raised an eyebrow at him.
"Strictly as friends of course" He added with a smile.
"Of course Dallas" I answered taking his hand.
AN: Two-parter because I'm crazy! Please review, follow, whatever tickles your toes! Oh and if you get the time, check out my new story She Will Be Loved and or my friend xxwinterbeautyxx's story Fall To Pieces. Love ya!