[Lance POV]
One of the most anticipated highlights of the last year of senior high school is none other than the prom. For the last few weeks, everyone was getting ready with the dresses they'll wear. Some have their gowns or suits made by personal designers, others have been roaming around different malls and shops until they find "the One".
I, on the other hand, had chosen a simple white long sleeve with black laces outlining the cuffs, the button line, and the collars. I wore it under the black suit I originally have, paired with high-cut slacks to highlight my shoes. The truth is, I'm not that particular with what I wear, I can pull off anything and stand out. No, I'm just kidding! Besides, I was part of the student council, so I am expected to be part of the event organizers.
The call time for us is 4:00 PM.
We already prepared everything last night, Chris was nowhere to be found these last few days. I still don't know what's happening. I don't even know if he'll attend tomorrow. He seemed really off these days, so different from his normal self. I just wonder what his problem is. I tried calling and chatting with him, but guess what, he never replies. I'll not talk to him ever again!
We finished late. I arrived at my apartment at 12:00 midnight. And from the chats, I have bombarded him with. There was only one reply.
"Hey..."
Hey what? Hey me? What the f is his problem?
I thought that if he's going through something, I need to be there for him. I want to ask him about it. But I guess he's still not ready, so I only asked him one question.
"Are you coming tomorrow?"
I tried to wait for his reply, but my work on organizing the prom took a toll on me, I was tired that I didn't even realize that I was already asleep.
I woke up. I just woke now! Not with the sound of my alarm but on my own! I checked my iPad.
It's 4:00 PM! OH NO!
What am I going to do?
I checked the chats; Chris has not replied yet. But I didn't think about it now, all I need to do is to prepare as quickly as I can.
And that friends... is how to get ready for prom in 15 minutes.
I'm not even kidding, I think I just took a bath for five minutes, wore my outfit, and went to Prom without even drying my hair. Thank God, my hairstyle does not need any further styling!
I arrived at 4:45 PM, not exactly late since the Prom would actually start an hour late to cater to Filipino time. The other members of the student council have been looking for me.
"Lance!" Our president said. "Looking good huh?"
I gave him a shy smile.
I went to the bathroom to check and fix myself. Everything seems to be fine. My hair is quite on point, it dried out as I was walking to the venue and there! Ready for Prom!
I went to the table reserved for us near the stage. I texted Chris again. But there's still no reply. After a while, the event started, there was the cotillion court with an instrumental of "A Million Dreams", afterward comes the dance. The music started and as members of the student council, we are expected to start it. We paired up with each other, I asked our secretary for the dance, and we danced and laughed, and talked and laughed. May is one of my best friends this semester, especially after the election. Then, we took turns dancing with the other members.
The first dance ended, and we proceeded to eat our meal. Oh, I love the pasta and the dessert.
After a while, there's the rave.
And the student council. We are assigned to crowd control! HAHA!
Well, a good thing. I don't like raves that much, I'm not a party person.
I went to the photo booth to have my picture taken and proceeded to my classmates for the next part of the formal dance, I danced with each of them, laughed, and told stories. After a short while, I returned to my table to rest.
The emcee then proceeded to announce something everyone was anticipating. The awards for the night. For a split second, I completely forgot about it. The King and Queen award was pre-voted before the actual Prom, it was a tradition of our school, some people used to even campaign for it. The SC was supposed to be the ones to count and tally the votes, but the others insisted that I shouldn't since I'm one of the nominees for Prom King.
As if I wanted that award...
The one I voted for was still nowhere to be found. Sigh!
The best dressed was announced, the face of the night was also announced and May, our council secretary, won it.
Other awards came next.
Now it's time for the Prom King and Queen, I wonder who won.
"I know you are all waiting for the Prom King and Queen, but before that, we still have another set of awards." The emcee announced.
There's another? Well, it's not in the plan, right? Oh, that's why they're two extra chairs on the stage.
"This year the committee decided to have our Prom Prince and Princess. They are the runner-ups to the votes cast for the Prom King and Queen."
"For the Prom Princess, we have Trisha."
Everybody cheered, she's a crowd favorite. One of the most popular girls on campus. Well, I admit she was very beautiful and elegant. A real star. The sort you'll see at red carpets. And she's really a good actress. I sort of had a crush on her back then.
"For our Prom Prince, the one with the most beautiful smile at the table down here. The student council's very own, Lance!"
Everybody shouted, my heartbeat was out of control, well I never actually expected it, it was rather not in my mind, but I still went to the stage and gave my best smile. I was crowned by one of our teachers. Trisha said Hi to me, I smiled at her.
"And.... the one you've all been waiting for!"
The people went silent.
"The Prom Queen! Our Prom Queen is no other than our Campus Star. Pink!"
She received cheers from the crowd and jeers and glares from the girls HAHA!
"Congratulations to our Prom Queen!"
"And last... for the King who graces the night with his radiance..."
Again, the crowd went silent, but I think they're already expecting who won but still he's nowhere to be found.
Suddenly, like a lost boy who has just finished running towards the venue. A boy still buttoning his suit went near the grand entrance. He was wearing an all-black attire; his hair was slicked back. He's a little different today. But still, he can pull off anything and still be the one everyone looks up to. A real handsome man!
He's the one who never replies to my messages these past days. I hate this guy!
As if waiting for his grand entrance, he looked around and everyone was looking at him. Maybe, they were all wondering where their crush was. I'm sure everyone was here to see him. I think I heard giggles from the girls on and down the stage.
"Well, Our Prom King just arrived. What a grand entrance! Let us all welcome our Prom King! Our Campus Moon, Chris!" Then a spotlight hit him, and he walked confused towards the stage!
But how come he gets a spotlight and I do not. Just kidding!
There! He was welcomed by a running Pink, who immediately clings her arm on his.
He was crowned by the director. Then for the picture taking, I was beside him. He keeps on looking at me, trying to talk to me but I'm not in the mood to talk to him. After snubbing me for days. And now, you're going to talk to me?
Afterward, we are asked by the emcee to dance with our pairs.
He keeps on looking at me, and I do not know why. I am also looking at him. We have those awkward eye contact.
"How are you and Chris?" Trisha said.
"I don't know," I said.
"Really?" She asked.
"He stopped talking to me."
"Then, why are you two glancing at each other ever since he arrived?" She made a point.
"I'm just worried, he seems to have a problem he doesn't want to share," I told her. Trisha is the type of person you'll immediately trust, a complete reverse of Pink.
"Oh, any way you look good tonight." She spoke.
"You too… you always look beautiful. I actually had a small crush on you back then."
She laughed. "Your boyfriend might get jealous!" She giggled.
Trisha was one of the kindest people I met, she's beautiful inside and out. After some time, I escorted her back to her seat and smiled at her. I also returned to my seat.
The Prom was ending. It was time for the most important part. The last dance.
For me, I do not need the last dance now. That last dance was enough. I don't want to dance with anyone!
I looked at my crown, It's cute. It's a silver laurel crown much simpler than the radiant gold crown of that KING! The laurel symbolizes wisdom. I don't need any power, wisdom for me is enough so I'm really proud of this, something I'll treasure forever.
"Don't play with it!" May said who was sitting beside me at the organizer's table. I put my crown back.
I thought of our Prom King, and I just really hate him! How can he not reply back and suddenly show up out of nowhere? I was really agitated that I kept fidgeting with the spoon and fork on the table.
Someone tapped my shoulders, I brushed it off, I was not in the right mood. The person kept on tapping, I put down what I'm holding and looked with an agitated face.
It was him. The person wearing the Gold Crown. I can't even say his name. He only said a few words...
"Can I be your last dance?"
The music stopped or I think that was only in my mind. I looked around and everyone was looking at us. Even May was shocked. All eyes are on us, everyone's mouth was open.
Everyone got their phones ready.
What will happen next will surely trend on Twitter, I'll bet on it! But I'm not afraid anymore.
Before I even gave my word...
May, my very good "supportive friend" pushed me towards him.
Gosh! That was awkward. I was almost on his chest. He was holding me. Everyone was taking pictures. Then he laughed.
I made a small fist. He held that hand and dragged me to the center of the dance floor. This time the music really stopped, it ended, and it seemed like everybody left to try and see what was happening on the organizer's table.
As if the world stopped around us, the music started to play again. It was "Beauty and the Beast". Ok! Look I don't know if it is romantic or what, but I'll accept it I'm the beauty and he's the Beast! A scary evil bad Beast!
'Tale as old as time. True as it can be...'
Our feet moved together as we held each other.
'Bittersweet and strange. Finding you can change. Learning we were wrong...'
Our hands are confusingly finding their place in each other's bodies.
'Certain as the sun. Rising in the east.'
We momentarily looked at each other's eyes as if seeing something brighter the moon and the stars.
'Tale as old as time, Song as old as rhyme'
We swayed to the everlasting music with smiles on our faces. Our eyes filled with tears.
'Beauty and the Beast'
I don't know how two men can dance together. I kept thinking about where to put my hand, but sometimes you just need to enjoy the moment. He placed my hands on his shoulders and he held my waist and he told me to look at him and only him. I did for a few seconds, but I can't. I can only look down. I can't face Chris.
The moment got to me. A meaningful song. The King and the Prince having their last dance. The beautiful memories of the past flash back. Everyone joined to have their final dance and feel this bittersweet moment.
There were flashbacks of the night we first knew each other, our few encounters before that, our memories from the Star and Moon competition, moments inside the classroom, the beauty of the friendship which formed between us.
Then after a while I raised my head and looked at Chris. There are tears in his eyes. Time stops. Suddenly, a single tear started to fall from the corner of my eye.