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Chapter Twenty

"Why's Noah sulking?" Kayleigh asked.

"Oh, he was planning on hanging out with Logan tonight, but Logan's going to his school's prom. It's going to be crazy. Every high school but Tremont has their prom tonight."

"Logan's not a Junior though, is he?" Kay asked.

"No, he's a Freshman."

Kayleigh was running lotion up and down her legs. We had just arrived back home from the salon. We both had gone for sweeping, curling updo's. I admired my tiara in the mirror.

"Well, it's because he's a model. A hot model. I would make an age exception rule for him."

I rolled my eyes. That was one of the reasons I tried to keep those two separated at all costs.

"Hey Brooke, mom wants to know--"

Noah pushed open the door. I waited for him to continue. When I turned to look at him, he was staring at Kayleigh. Kay wasn't even aware. She was still lotioning up her legs like she was getting ready for a sporting event.

I sighed. "What Noah?"

He blinked and reddened.

"Mom wanted to know if you girls need anything from the store. Make-up, or...or anything girly."

Kayleigh opened her mouth and I had a feeling whatever she was about to say would either make Noah drool more or embarass the hell out of him.

"Nope, tell her we're good," I said. Noah nodded and headed down the hall. Kay just laughed.

"It's a good thing I don't live closer," she said. "His eyeballs would fall out."

"He just needs a serious girlfriend," I said.

"I'm surprised he doesn't have one. He's hot," Kay said.

I looked at her in surprise. Kay had never called Noah hot before.

"What? He is? I mean, he's not my type. He's too young and innocent. I like a take charge type of guy."

"I thought you liked to be the one in charge."

Kay laughed again. "You can have both Brooke."

I just shook my head. I opened my make-up case and got to work.

"Where's your purse?" Kay asked.

"It's over there. The red one. I transferred all my stuff over to it this morning."

I know some girls carefully decide whether or not each item in their purse will make it over to their new purse. I was a 'dump and go' type of gal. I was probably bringing more useless crap to prom than anyone else.

As I applied my lipliner, I saw Kay open my bag. She reached into hers and transferred something over.

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"You put something in my purse!"

Kay walked to the door, looked down the hallway, then closed the door. She went back to my bag and held up a package.

"Condom."

"Kay, I don't need that," I said.

"Birth control is only 99.9% effective. This is your extra .1%"

It was probably the one math problem she knew. Kay sucked at math.

"No, I don't need it because Garrett and I are not having sex tonight," I said.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not ready! We haven't been dating that long."

"But it's prom."

"So? If we're still together next year for prom, then maybe I'll need it."

"You are seriously not waiting until your Senior year to lose your virginity," Kay said in astonishment.

I smiled. "I'll wait for when the moment's right."

Kay hummed and stuck the package back in her bag.

"Alright, babe. You know where to find them if you change your mind."

She came back over and sat beside me at my make-up table. We faced each other and began to finish off our make-up.

Something told me that Donnie was going to get lucky tonight.

---------------------------

"Oh Brooke," dad said softly.

"You two look beautiful," mom said with a grin.

"Where's your magic wands?" Landon asked.

Peyton was sprawled on the couch eating a Pixie stix. She looked up and gave me a thumbs up. That was about as much reaction from dresses as I was going to get from her.

Kay and I both were hovering at the upstairs landing. Mom and dad both raised cameras and the flashes began.

I was pretty sure they had both used a whole camera card by the time Kay and I got to the bottom step.

And dad was crying.

"You look gorgeous baby girl," he said. He walked over and I hugged his neck.

"Thanks daddy."

"Okay Kay, smile," mom said. Kay did a model pose, flashed a perfect white smile, and stared at mom's phone. There was a click.

"I'm sending this to your mom and dad," mom explained.

Kay's smile flickered a little.

"Wow."

Noah had been leaning up against the couch but that was the first word he actually said. And of course, it was directed to Kay. He was looking at her like he had never seen a vision so beautiful. I was pretty sure that if there was a huge volcanic pit between the stairs and the door and Kay wanted to cross, that Noah would lay down and become crispy bacon just so she could walk over him.

I really needed to find him a girlfriend.

Dad touched my tiara. "You're all grown up," he said wistfully. "I remember when you were little you said you'd go to Prom with me."

I laughed and squeezed his arm.

"I wouldn't want to step on mom's toes," I teased. I kissed his cheek.

"Okay girls, let's get some more pictures."

Mom lived for photography. We had a small closet filled with scrapbooks and cameras. By the time the doorbell rang, Kay and I were both seeing distinct white spots in front of our eyes.

"I'll get it," dad said.

"Be nice," mom warned.

"Aren't I always?"

Garrett and Donnie were both waiting outside. Garrett was wearing a white tux complete with white top hat and cane. I have to admit, I was surprised. I was assuming he was going to wear a black tux like Donnie. Garrett almost looked like a pimp. Donnie looked like a normal Junior going to prom.

"Come in," dad said. Both guys shuffled in. Dad looked at Donnie.

"Do you hunt?"

Mom and I both groaned.

"Nickolas..." mom warned. Dad gave her a look and sighed.

"Okay, here's the rules. You have to have the girls home by midnight."

"Midnight?" Kay said. "But prom doesn't let out until eleven thirty! Then there's the afterparty."

"No afterparty for Juniors," dad said. Kay made a face.

"Yes sir," Donnie said. Garrett just nodded.

"Garrett?"

His fingers tightened around the cane.

"Yes, sir."

"I expect you to treat both of these girls like the ladies they are. There's to be absolutely no drinking of any kind."

"Yes sir," Donnie said. Garrett started to nod, but then gave dad a "Yes, sir."

Dad's face contorted. I think he was trying to think of another rule.

"Okay, who's ready for pictures?" mom said.

As much as I hated it, we were saved by the flash.

"You look gorgeous," Garrett said when dad finally let him pass. I smiled.

"Thank you."

He opened the lid of a plastic container. A corsage with one little rose and tons of babie breath lay inside. I held out my wrist.

Snap, snap went the camera. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a HUGE pink and white rose corsage being slipping on Kay's wrist.

Mom went through the whole routine of poising us anywhere and everywhere. When I finally could see, I glanced at the clock.

"Mom, we better go," I said.

"What? Oh yeah. You have a prom to go too."

Mom and dad (and Landon) all gave me hugs and kisses. We had to listen to the rules one more time.

And then we were free to leave.

"Have a great time!" mom called after us. She lifted the camera as I turned and waved.

Snap.

Garrett and Donnie had driven seperately. The huge red car Garrett told me about was parked in front of the house. A little black car was parked behind it.

"This is the best I could do," Donnie said apologetically. Kay batted her lashes at him.

"No problem."

"And this is the best I could do," Garrett said grandly. I smiled.

"It's nice."

He opened the door and I slid in. The seats were so large and my dress so silky that I almost slid to the floorboard. I had to scramble to sit up and even then I had to lock my knees to keep from sliding. Garrett got in, reached across me, and pulled a huge seatbelt down.

As I buckled myself in, I took a deep breath.

I glanced down at my corsage.

A petal was already falling off my rose.