Every Road Leads Back

By Dottie

Copyright 2012

Chapter 05

            After the boys left, the girls throw themselves full force into school and work. Even though they said she didn't have to work, Giselle really wanted to get a part time job. Without parents to speak of, when it's time to get out on her own, she's going to have to be able to take care of herself.

            At the beginning of April, prom talk revs up at school.  Giselle ignores most of it, not really thinking she's going to go. Until one sunny Saturday when she's at the mall with Meagan and Kendall.  They are trying on prom dresses when out of the blue, Meagan says, "OK, we picked out our dresses, time to find yours, G."

            Meagan's dress was an orange multi-colored dress with a sequined bodice. The halter style and low back made her look much older than her 18 years.  Kendall's dress is short, with shades of pink and a hint of purple. The dress is strapless and the top, both front and back, is completely covered in mulit-colored sequins.  It perfectly matches her personality.

            Giselle looks at them and says, "I don't need a dress. I'm not going."

            Exasperated, Kendall says, "Oh yes you are!"

            Giselle turns to walk away. "Ken, I swear, just drop it, ok? I don't have a date and I'm not going."

            Meagan grabs her arm to stop her. "You could have a date. I know at least three guys that asked you."

            Giselle shrugs her off. "They asked to get closer to you, Meagan. Who are you going with anyway?"

            Meagan blushes and says, "Brian."

            Kendall and Giselle's mouths drop open and Kendall says, "Since when?"      

            Meagan tries to look nonchalant. "Since I called and asked him too."

            All the girls squeal and Giselle says, "I can't believe it!  AJ never said a word!"

            Meagan sighs. "Because no one knows.  If they know, they'll just tease Brian."

            Kendall squeals. "Well whatever, that is WICKED cool."  Turning back to Giselle, she says, "G, seriously, you can't skip senior prom. You have to go."

            Giselle shakes her head. "Ken, I don't...no. No."

            Kendall puts her hand on Giselle's shoulder. "What's the big deal? Seriously, is it because you don't have a date?"

            Giselle shrugs. "Kendall, the guys that asked me didn't want to go with ME. They knew going with me would get them closer to Meagan. They all like her. I'm a means to an end."

            Meagan shakes her head. "G, seriously, you can't believe that's the only reason they asked you."

            Giselle throws her arms out. "Meg, seriously, look at me.  I'm not you and I'm not Kendall. Why would they WANT to go with me?"

            Kendall is shocked. "G, you're beautiful! Stop selling yourself short."

            Giselle stands and says, "Whatever. I'm just not going. Period."

            Before either of them can keep razzing her, she gets up and walks out of the store. Sitting on a bench outside the store to wait for them, she calls AJ. When he answers, she says, "AJ, can you get Kendall and Meagan off my back?"

            Instantly in protective mode he asks, "Why? What did they do?"

            She whispers, "They won't leave me alone about the prom."

            He thinks Giselle is over-reacting. "Really? Who are you going with? What does your dress look like?"

            She sighs and says, "I'm NOT going so I don't have a dress."

            He doesn't understand. "Elle, you have to go. It's senior prom!"

            She counters with, "Well you're not going, why should I?"

            He sounds as frustrated as Kendall when he says, "Elle, that's not the same. I quit school. You know that."

            She throws it back in his face. "I know you didn't have to quit. Seriously, if I can't go with who I want to go with, then I'm not going at all.  Chucky, David and Miles all asked me. To get closer to Meagan. I'm not going to be a go between."

            He catches her slip up. "Elle, who do you want to go with?"

            She says, "What?"

            He quotes her. "You SAID ‘If I can't go with who I want to go with' so who do you want to go with?"

            She sighs and says, "That's not what I meant..."

            Cutting her off, he says, "Bullshit. Who do you think you're talking to?"

            She closes her eyes and says, "AJ, please..."

            A light goes off in his head. "Oh...now I get it. You want to go with Nick!"

            She blushes, thanking God he can't see her and she says, "What? Are you crazy?"

            AJ laughs and says, "I saw that kiss, Elle. We all did. You like Nick. Nick likes you. Ask him. Odds are it will be the only chance he ever has to go to prom."

            She's still unsure. "AJ, he's what, 16? You think that's a good idea?"

            AJ replies, "He's 17 and yes, why not? Geesh, don't tell me you don't like younger men. That's just...Elle, seriously, just ask him to go."

            She sighs and says, "AJ, what if...what if he says no?"

            AJ chuckles and says, "I dare you to ask him. He won't say no."

            In the background, Giselle hears Nick say, "Who won't say no, Bone?"

            Before she can say anything, AJ says, "Giselle's on the phone for you."

            The next thing she knows, Nick is saying, "Hey Giselle."

            Once again thankful it's a phone call and not face to face, she says, "Hi Nick."

            Quietly, he says, "So, umm, you wanted to ask me something?"

            Sighing, she says, "Well, yeah, I guess. I was wondering if...well...if you're not too busy, do you want to...umm..."

            When she trails off, he asks, "What, Giselle?"

            Giselle hears AJ say, "Nick, she wants you to take her to senior prom but she's too shy to ask."

            Giselle groans and whispers, "I swear I'm going to kill him."

            She can hear the smile in Nick's voice when he says, "You really want me to take you?"

            Meagan and Kendall come out of the store and both see the blush on Giselle's face. They stand and listen as she says, "Well, yeah, I, umm, thought about it. If you want to. And you're not busy."

            He's sounds interested to Giselle. "When is it?"

             "May 9," she answers, ignoring her friends as they look on.

            Kendall's and Meagan's mouths drop open when they realize Giselle is talking about the prom. They both stay quiet though, but each of them is dying to know who she's talking to.

            She can hear the smile in his voice. "Sounds like fun. Are you sure?"

            Relieved, she says, "Yeah, I'm sure. You really want to go?"

            Kind of shyly, he says, "I really want to see you again, so yeah, I really want to go."

            Her heart in her throat, she whispers, "OK, then...Sounds like a date."

            Meagan and Kendall jump and down and high five, causing Giselle to blush worse.  She says, "Get my number from AJ and call me later."

            Nick says, "I'll do that. Thanks for asking me."

            Smiling a goofy smile, she says, "Thanks for saying yes."

            When she hangs up, Meagan says, "AJ? Who did you ask?"

            It dawns on Kendall. "NICK! OH MY GOD YOU ASKED NICK!"

            Giselle blushes and says, "Yeah."

            The other girls hug her tight before Kendall says, "Come on, I know just the dress."

            Half an hour later, Giselle is walking out to Kendall's car carrying her prom dress.  It is a long, chiffon gown that is turquoise at the top that fades to white, and then turns into purple at the bottom. Kendall was right; Giselle fell in love with it. It combines two of her favorite colors, turquoise and purple.

            Once she's home, Paula comes into her room and says, "Let me see your dress." When Giselle shows her, she says, "Oh, Sweetie, that's beautiful. Who are you going with?"

            Giselle slowly zips the bag back up and says, "Nick."

            Paula says, "Nick? Nick Carter?" When Giselle nods, Paula says, "Honey, that's wonderful. You'll make such a cute couple. But you're gonna need heels for that dress so he doesn't make you look like a dwarf. Would you like to go shopping after school tomorrow and I'll help you find a pair?"

            Giselle looks up and says, "I don't want to impose...you've done so much for me already."

            Paula hugs her and says, "Stop it; you're a joy to have here."

            After she leaves the room, Giselle sits on the bed and thinks about how her life has changed.  She went from being a nobody to having a date for senior prom. A gorgeous date. Whoever thought it could happen to her?