15 years prior

Evie was walking across the quad as fast as her legs could carry her. She had lingered too long chatting with her locker neighbors and she had forgotten the time. She only had a precious few minutes remaining to make it from the middle school to the high school building and third floor class. The wind bit at her cheek as she stepped outside. She could swear her backpack was getting heavier with every step. As she entered the safety of the high school building and started up the stairs, she felt what was obviously an additional weight to her backpack. Before she could think twice about it, the weight was gone and laughter caught her attention.

A few of the sophomore boys who were always teasing her had taken a small pink bag out of her backpack. Among the group today was Jake Seresin. God, he was cute. Evie was silently congratulating herself for never closing her backpack, and giving herself this interaction, when she realized just which bag they had taken.

"Guys, please, give that back," she pleaded. They were holding the little bag her grandmother had given her to store her femine hygiene products and a few Advils. When they didn't respond, but instead turned and walked away, she tried a different tactic, "It's not funny and I'm going to be late."

"No," Ryan Donovan called over his shoulder, "we can't. This bag is suspicious and as concerned citizens we need to investigate further. In fact, I think we need to take the bag into the bathroom and inspect it further, don't we boys?" This earned him a rowdy laugh and some "whoops" from his companions. Evie felt her cheeks begin to burn with a blush of embarrassment. High school boys seemed to be versed in a very specific type of torment.

True to their word, the boys took her bag into the boy's bathroom with them. They left the door ajar of course so she could see them rifling through her things. Evie didn't dare step into the boy's room. It was an intrusion of privacy to go through her bag, but she felt it would also be one if she stepped inside. There were probably other boys in there that didn't deserve being looked in upon. As they pulled out each item, they made a show of pretending to be surprised and disgusted with what they revealed. Evie looked at the watch on her wrist. She was late. She abandoned the scene and made it the rest of the way to her class. When she walked through the door, she was greeted by a surly Mrs. Yasik.

"No, Evie," snapped Mrs. Yasik, "it's alright. No one minds waiting for you."

"I-"

"Your excuses neither interest or entertain me," Mrs. Yasik paused then. Her eyes peeking over the top of her absurd cat-eye glasses. "It is a privilege to be in this class. I do not often allow the 8th graders to study up, but you need to be challenged and so here you are. Late," she gestured to Evie's empty seat, indicating she had wasted enough time on this topic. Mrs. Yasik was a former college professor who was clearly none too pleased that now she was stuck with high schoolers and one middle schooler.

The class hour passed in monotony. Evie struggled to follow the geometry lesson. Her mortification over the incident with the older boys was just starting to settle in. Not that they were unaware of periods, but to have older boys, and one you have a crush on, go through your tampons was just too much for the average fourteen year old girl.

As Yasik's class began to wind down, a few of the students around Evie began chatting about the prom. It was the first week of May and naturally this was the only thing capable of occupying high schoolers. The girls were describing their dresses to one another and the boys were whispering about getting drunk. Evie wanted more than anything to go to prom. It seemed to her at that time there was nowhere more glamorous or romantic. She wanted to wear a long, sparkly dress, have a boy put a flower on her wrist, and dance until the last song. She would need an older student to ask her, improbable, as she wasn't a high schooler yet. Next year.

The bell rang, much to Mrs. Yasik's annoyance, and kids filled out into the hallways. It was only then it occurred to Evie she would have to replace that little bag, and its contents, when someone fell in step with her.

It was Connor Friedman; one of the boys who had shamelessly gone through her bag.

"Hi," he began a shakily, "I'm sorry about the bag. It was just a joke. I guess it wasn't funny." He reached out and offered her the bag in one hand, which she gladly took back. "Jake thought it was a little too mean to tease you like that." The mention of his name piqued Evie's interest immediately. Connor continued, "I guess we do like to pick on you the most. Um, well anyways we need one more girl for prom. Would you want to come with us? Like in a group you know. To say sorry."

Evie stopped walking. Why would a group of older boys want to take her to prom? Why would she go with them when all they've ever done is tease her for the past year? She did want to go to prom though. She did want to go to prom with Jake. Well, not with Jake with Jake, but he would be there. Maybe he'd even give her one of those rare smiles. Not the taunting, almost jabbing ones he was prone to, but a real one that reached his eyes. She liked those.

"Ok," that one little syllable was all she could muster, what with the shock and all.

"Yea? Thanks. I mean we really are sorry, and you know Mr. Helmecki really laid into us after you left. Well, anyway, Jake is the only one without a date and he's gonna wear a blue tie so wear a blue dress. I'll IM you where we're taking pictures."

"Ok. Cool!" Connor disappeared into the throng once again. Evie felt weightless. Not only was she going to prom, but she was going in the same group as Jake Seresin. This new development reminded her of the first time she had come to her geometry class and he had been leaning against the wall by the vending machines. He had a languid and inviting quality to him, not to mention he was so cute. From that day on, Evie had a blush inducing, head over heels, and mildly anxious crush on him. His group of friends teasing her not only provided her ample opportunity to look at him, but sometimes even banter with him.

Evie had left class on that first day of school thinking about him. She had stumbled through the rest of the day wondering what it would be like to lounge in his arms. She went to ballet that night and fell out of all her turns. They had just started partner work and Evie fantasized that the hands on her waist, hesitant and clumsy, were sturdy and capable and Jake's.

The rest of this day followed in a similar love struck haze. One of her friends had even snapped their fingers in front of her face during the last period to see if she was still in there. When Evie's mom, Agatha Riordan, picked her up that day she finally burst.

"Mom! You're never gonna believe it. It's the most amazing thing. I'm going to prom. I'M GOING TO PROM! I have to get a blue dress. Connor said Jake is wearing blue so it has to be blue, but I don't know what shade of blue." She paused then. This pause threatened to burst this joyous bubble. "There's so many shades of blue. I think blue might be the color of the rainbow with the most shades. I'm so stupid. I didn't even think to ask and-"

"I'm going to jump in now," Agatha's voice was steady and level. "Evelyn. You're not stupid. You are excited and something slipped your mind. You will ask what shade of blue and then I'll be able to make you the perfect dress."

"Really?! I would love that, Mom. Connor said he would IM me the location for pictures. I'll ask then." This thought seemed to calm Evie a moment, but then, "Wait, boys don't know colors. They don't know shades. Connor won't know the right one!"

"Then ask him to send a photo and we'll figure it out."

"Right. That's a good idea.

"Well, I am the mom."