Chapter 14

The next morning her alarm went off at eight o�clock. Tons had to be done before she could even begin to dress for prom. She had a hair appointment at eleven, she had to pick up Chase�s boutonni�re afterward, she had to call and make reservation�s at Gilbert�s (the fanciest restaurant in town), call and make sure the limo was coming, call everyone they were going in the limo with and make sure they were ready and coming at the time the limo was, and she had to get ready herself. Her mom was helping with her makeup and helping her get dress.

She arrived at the salon ten minutes early, sat and read her newest Danielle Steel, and waited for someone to offer her a seat. Once that happened, she set her book down, sat down, and told the beautician exactly what she wanted. The beautician delivered exactly that and then some. She made Regan laugh, asked her about the prom, what school she went to, what her date was like, if they were getting a limo, where they were going to eat, and many other questions that kept her mind off of the inevitable end of the evening. That was all she could seem to think about.

Once her hair was done, she paid and the tipped the beautician generously. Regan left with a smile on her face. The day was beginning to brighten up for her, and she started to feel the twinge of excitement that everyone had been having the day before.

She picked up Chase�s boutonni�re, stopped to smell a few flowers on the way out, and then headed back home. She walked in and her mom stopped to gawk at her. She had requested her hair be completely curled and then bunched up on top of her head. She wanted separate curls for the front so she could fit the roses in to her hair.

By then, it was two o�clock and she had four hours to be ready before Chase would come over. The limo was to be coming at six-thirty. Everyone was meeting up at their dates houses� and the limo was to stop by everyone to pick them up. Dinner reservations were to be made at seven.

Regan made the reservations in her name and called the limo service to make sure they were going to be making their rounds on time. The first couple they were going to pick up were Chloe and Quincy, then Bailey and Trevor, then Maria and Matthew, then Regan and Chase. After that, they were going straight to dinner. From dinner they were going straight to prom.

That year the prom theme was �An Evening of Thunder and Lightning.� It was going to be very dark, very elegant, and very fun. The ceilings and walls were banked in black to make the place very dark. Blue Christmas lights were going to be hung from anything possible to make it look as if it was raining. Dark and light gray balloon clouds were also hung from the ceiling while yellow balloon lightning bolts neatly decorated the walls. On the outside, the hall the prom was being held at was going to be disguised by black tarp painted with silver rain droplets. It was to be something every junior and senior was going to remember.

Regan started on her makeup after she called the last person to make sure they were going to be ready. She was going to be subtle about it since her dress was so loud. Some lip-gloss, light red eye shadow, and blush was all she needed. It was perfect. She had only two hours left before Chase came over.

Her hair was done, her makeup was done and all the arrangements and phone calls were made. Now all she had to do was wait. Walking around in her prom dress for two hours was not something she was looking forward to doing. So, she popped in a movie and tried to settle back and watch it.

For some reason, her nerves were on. She couldn�t sit still. She watched the movie all the way through, but kept getting up to go check her hair, makeup, get a drink, go to the bathroom, pace the room, and she even tried to write her story a couple of times. Nothing was working and she was beginning to get so anxious that as soon as she knew the movie�s last line was spoken, she shut off the tape, grabbed her dress and accessories and raced to her mom�s room.

She had the dress on in a matter of seconds. It was ten to six, and Chase had called five minutes before saying he was on his way. She frantically put in her earrings, put on her necklace, slipped on her shoes and gloves, and sighed to herself.

Regan closed her eyes and then slowly looked up at the mirror. She had to admit to herself she looked beautiful, and she didn�t look like her normal day-to-day self, which was a good thing for prom. But she was nervous, she was nervous out of her skull. She couldn�t stop thinking about what was going to happen when she told Chase what she wanted to tell him. Maria was right, he wasn�t going to react to it very well. But she couldn�t wait any longer, and he deserved to know the truth. Her heart deserved the truth.

Her mom was completely fascinated with her. She looked so beautiful and so adult. She couldn�t believe it was her junior prom already. Before she knew it, she would be married and have kids of her own. It seemed to pass so fast. She only wished Regan could relish in it for as long as she possibly could.

There was a barking outside and a knocking at the door. Chase was here. They had a half-hour to kill before the limo picked them up, so her mom invited him in. She closed the bathroom door where he was able to see her and breathed deeply to herself. Her heart was fluttering like a trapped bird inside of a cage. Her stomach seemed to be tied in a knot, and she had to close her eyes, get a grip, and speak calmly to herself before she left.

She stepped out of the bathroom and looked straight over at Chase. He looked absolutely amazing. His tux was black and his vest was bright red. It was almost the same exact color as her dress, which was amazing. He had done his hair just the way she told him so long ago she liked it. He was also clean-shaven, which would prove for a night of dancing closely together without the danger of being scratched to death.

His eyes widened in shock when he saw her. �Regan?� he asked, looking at her like he had never seen a more beautiful stranger in his life.

�That would be me, right�Chase is it?� she teased. She loved to make him speechless, and she figured this would be the only time he would ever be this speechless again.

�I�m just� wow� I�ve never seen� I just� wow�� was all he could muster as he looked her up and down, over and over again. His playful eyes kept roaming her, as if searching for something he was trying to find.

�You look great too,� she said, taking his hand and kissing him on the cheek.

�Wow, Regan�� he said again.

�So we have a half hour, what shall we do?� she said after laughing at him.

�I don�t know, why don�t we just sit down and chat for a while?� he said, motioning toward the kitchen table.

They sat down and stared at each other for a couple of seconds before bursting out laughing. They couldn�t believe they were all dressed up for prom, awaiting their limo, and they had nothing to say.

It was Chase who finally brought up conversation.

�Do you have something to drink? My stomach is about to fly several different places.�

Regan closed her eyes in pleasure. �I�m so glad you said that, I feel the exact same way!� she said, patting his hand. She got up to get them something to drink and sat down quickly.

�So what exactly did you do today?� Regan asked, extremely curious.

�Hmm,� he said setting down his drink and looking off to remember what he had done. �Let�s see� I woke up at noon, realized I woke up to late, took a shower, got nervous, shaved, got even more nervous, went and picked up your corsage, got home, put on my tux, did my hair, called you, came over, and now I�m nervous as hell.�

She smiled but then frowned at him. �Why are you now nervous as hell?�

He looked sheepishly down into his cup and avoided her gaze. �Because I had no idea you�d look so beautiful.�

Her face turned as red as her dress and she uttered a simple, �Oh.�

He cleared his throat, grinned, and asked her, �What did you do today?�

Regan sighed, and with a gesture of her face and arms, showed how worn out the day had made her. She explained in full detail what she had done, what she had been through up until that point. He looked at her in astonishment at all she had had to do that day. It was all worth it though, and both of them knew that.

�Well, it�s twenty after. Maybe we should get our individual pictures out of the way before the limo gets here,� Regan suggested.

Chase agreed and they walked outside to take their pictures. After seven or eight pictures, the limo pulled into the driveway. Regan and Chase smiled a mile wide as the limo stopped and the other six jumped out.

The first person out was Chloe. In her green dress, she looked absolutely stunning. It looked very elegant and very simple on her, and set off her eye color in the best way. Her hair had been curled and pulled to the back of her head, while ringlets of hair drooped by her face. She wore green eye shadow, which not only accentuated the dress perfectly, but also made her eyes that much more dazzling to look at. Quincy looked very handsome stepping out behind her. He wore a black tuxedo and a dark green vest and bow tie. Regan never got to good a look at Quincy during school, but he was definitely worth looking at right at that moment.

The next two out of the limo were Bailey and Trevor. Bailey looked beautiful in her princess pink gown. It was a brighter pink, not as pastel as some would have thought it to be. The silver stars that speckled the gown dazzled in the bright sunlight. Trevor�s silver vest and white tux looked perfect with Bailey. They looked as if they were going to be seen on the pages of a book with the words �And they lived happily ever after� scrolled under them. Bailey was pink from head to toe. Her makeup was everything pink, from her lipstick to her blush, and her hair had been pulled up and brought into a clip with three pink stars. It looked very fairy tale. Just the look Bailey had been going for.

Maria and Matthew were play fighting while they stepped out of the car. It was so typical of Maria to do something like that. Be all dressed up and perfect to go somewhere and then still act as if she were in jeans and a T-shirt and could do anything. Maria looked completely different. Her short brown hair was done so simply it looked truly beautiful. It was swept back into a loose bun, and decorated by a small gray flower barrette. The long black dress she had picked out not only made her look elegant, but it also made her look sexy and mysterious. Matthew looked exceptionally good-looking at that moment. The black tuxedo and the satin black vest set off his dark, handsome features. He looked perfect standing next to Maria even if neither of them was going to admit it.

The three girls who had emerged from the limo ran over to embrace their friend. �You look so good!� they all cooed, throwing a million questions at her. She answered them all to the best of her ability.

The men walked over to stand in front of the limo for pictures. They greeted Chase and then Regan turned to them for her hellos.

Trevor beamed with a pride that a big brother had for a little sister. �You look gorgeous milady,� he said, giving her a hug.

�You look really good too,� she complimented back.

�Hectic day for ya?� he asked, giving her a smile that told her he already knew the answer.

�Duh.�

He smiled and she moved onto Matthew. The crooked smile he gave her only made him look more handsome. He took her black gloved hand, whispered, �Euschante,� kissed her hand and winked at her.

She laughed and punched him gently in the shoulder. �How are you?� she asked.

�Doing pretty good. The excitement still hasn�t died off, but I�m sick of hearing about prom still,� he joked.

�I bet. So am I. I have been doing so much running today that when prom is over with, I�m going to cheer and sleep for days!�

�You�ll live,� Matthew said, patting her shoulder. Maria had just then burst in between the two of them and started talking fast to Regan. The next thing the eight of them knew it, they were posing by the limo while Regan�s mom took pictures. A whole roll later, Regan kissed her mom goodbye, got in the limo, and they were off.

They arrived at the restaurant in a fit of jokes and laughter. By then, Quincy was pretty well acquainted with the group and he was joining in on the jokes every now and then. With Chase, Matthew and Trevor together in the same car, it made to be an interesting night. They fell out of the limo, laughing, and could hardly contain themselves when they told the maitre de what party they were.

They sat down in their places, Quincy, Chloe, Bailey and Trevor on one side of the table, Matthew, Maria, Regan, and Chase on the other. They talked quietly at first because the place was so nice and after they had ordered their food and their drinks were at the table, they were screaming at each other like it was a normal day at lunch.

Eventually, a waitress came around to ask everyone what they wanted. Chase and Regan both ordered something small and light (they were still both very nervous for some reason). Maria ordered a small helping of noodles, thinking she wouldn�t be hungry enough to eat too much. The real comedy was when the waitress asked Matthew what he wanted.

�I�d like the ten ounce tenderloin, please,� he said as if he had ordered fancy food all his life.

�How do you like that done, sir?�

�Medium well, please,� he looked back down at the menu, assuming he was done.

�Would you like a salad to go with that, sir?�

�Yes, I would.�

�What kind of dressing would you like?�

�What kind of dressing do you have?�

�Ranch, Italian, Thousand Island, Catalina, Raspberry Vinaigrette, and French.�

�I�ll have Italian dressing with it, please.�

�And would you like a potato with that, sir?�

�Sure? What the heck?�

�How would you like that potato sir?�

�I have no idea. Enlighten me on the ways to eat a potato.�

�You could have it mashed, baked, fried, broiled, or saut�ed.�

�I think I�ll have a baked potato.�

�Would you like butter with your potato?�

�Yes, very much.�

She jotted down his order and he breathed a sigh of relief as she turned away. In the next instant, she turned back around to him and said, �Would you like me to refill that for you sir?�

�Why not?�

�What are you drinking?�

�A Scotch and water. Hold the Scotch.�

She frowned a second and then hesitatingly answered, �Alright.� She bent over and took his empty glass from him. She turned to Quincy.

Matthew and Maria looked away and started laughing silently to each other. �Why not order the kitchen sink while I�m at it?�

After the food had been passed out, everyone was intent on eating it quickly and leaving as soon as possible. They all spoke briefly because of the food in their mouths. Maria found that her serving of noodles was too little. Matthew saw his steak was far too much. They both looked over at each other�s plates, up at each other, and said in unison, �Let�s trade.�

Once the dinner was finished and everyone was full, they were all intent on teasing Matthew for what the waitress had said to him earlier. On the subject of that teasing, they moved onto his name.

�Why do you like to be called just plain Matthew?� Chase asked him.

�Yeah, I remember in sixth grade Matt was the cool name for you to be called. Then freshman year you got all anal about it,� Chloe pointed out.

�Well Matthew, honestly, sounds more mature than Matt.�

�Well Matt sounds cooler than Matthew,� Trevor said.

Bailey rolled her eyes at Trevor. �Matthew sounds distinguished, makes him feel educated.�

�Huh?� Matthew said, looking at her in confusion.

They all started laughing. �That�s why she said makes you feel educated not makes you educated,� Maria said between laughs.

Matthew glared down at them. �Hey, my name is cool. You all wish you had this name. Matthew�s name stands for someone who is hot, sexy, and��

�Full of shit,� Regan finished.

Matthew�s jaw dropped open as they began to laugh hysterically. �YOU ARE NOT FUNNY!� he screamed, causing people to look over.

�Sure we are,� Maria said, taking hold of his hand. �We love ya though, that�s why we�re picking on ya!�

�Well anyway,� Matthew said, clearing his throat. �I would prefer to be called Matthew, end of discussion.�

Regan looked up and cleared her throat obviously.

�Oh yes, I forgot that Regan is the only one who can call me Matt.�

Maria looked at both of them in disgust. �Uh! That ain�t right!�

�How come?� Regan said, getting into what they so lovingly called the �Jerry Springer� stance.

�Because he is mah prom date girl!� Maria to her, snapping her fingers.

�Whateva, whateva. He was mah mayn before you eva went to prom wit hiym oky?� Regan retaliated.

Matthew put his arms out. �Ladies please! There�s enough of this Matthew love train to go around,� he said in a suave voice, putting his arm around Maria.

�A HA!� Maria said, covering up her mouth and using her ever-infamous laugh to emphasize her point.

�Are you dissing on the love train?� Matthew said to her, looking offended.

�Of course not. Why would I ever diss on my Matty-poo?� she asked, pinching his cheeks. �My Matty-boy, my Muffin Matt, my Matt-Zilla, my Matt of Love, my Welcome Matt.�

�OKAY! You�re getting loud enough, jeez!� he screamed, covering her mouth with his hand. Seconds later he pulled his hand away in disgust and wiped his hand on his pants. Maria sat there, smirking evilly, her tongue poised between her lips.

Soon after that, the check came, they paid, got up, and went back to the limo. It was now time to hit the dining hall for the prom.

The drive over there was anything but normal. At this point, Quincy had become completely comfortable with Chloe�s friends, and they were asking him different questions. After a few courteous and polite questions, the rude and off the wall ones came. The first one to ask one of these was of course, Maria.

�So, why�d you ask Chloe to prom?� she asked.

He looked uncomfortable for a second, but Chloe wanted to hear this. �Well, we�ve been friends since marching band last year and when she auditioned for Wind Ensemble and made it, we got to be even better friends. I thought it would be fun, since I think she�s fun to be with.�

�Awe,� Maria said in a tone of mock.

�What do you mean by fun?� Trevor asked, suddenly wanting to get into the torture.

Quincy rolled his eyes and sat up straighter. �Fun as in, she makes me laugh, she�s a good person to talk to.�

�Oh so you don�t mean fun like� FUN,� Matthew piped up, emphasizing the �fun,� causing everyone to laugh.

�You know what I mean!� he shouted back, beginning to become a little more comfortable. He realized this was simply a form of initiation.

�No, actually, we don�t, be a little more specific,� Chase said.

�I like talking to her. I�ve called her several times��

�OOH!� the rest of them teased. �You�ve CALLED her!�

Quincy couldn�t hold it in any longer. He started to laugh uncontrollably. �You guys suck it�s not like that.�

�Then what�s it like? You don�t ask someone to prom that you don�t like more than a friend,� Regan stated.

�Well� I�� now Quincy was at a loss for words. Everyone else was laughing too hard to notice that he and Chloe were the only two not.

�Come on Quincy, we want the dead honest to God truth,� Bailey spoke up.

Quincy sighed, put his head down, and rubbed his eyes. He then looked back up at the group and smiled brightly. He had decided it was now or never, he knew he probably wasn�t going to be able to muster up the courage to tell Chloe how he really felt about her any other time that night.

�Well to be completely honest, all that time being friends with Chloe kind of got to me. We became really close and I suddenly found her under my skin,� at this moment, he turned his attention away from the floor at looked at Chloe. �I realized that no matter what, I couldn�t stop thinking about her. I realized that my life didn�t seem as good or as sweet. Whenever I saw her or talked to her, my day would just brighten up. Inviting her to prom was my way of thinking maybe I could mention that I want to be more than friends with her. I was so nervous about asking her, afraid she would say no or someone had already asked her. I figured there was no more of a perfect time to bring up my feelings.�

There was silence. All the girls in the vehicle were staring at him, but he and Chloe were only staring at each other. They had the loving, passionate look in their eyes and it was obvious they weren�t going to tear their eyes away any time soon. And out of nowhere, someone spoke.

�Can you clone yourself?� Maria asked, still staring at him in shock.

This caused a burst of laughter from everyone, and the silence was instantly broken. They decided to stop harassing Quincy at this moment, since he and Chloe were to busy talking quietly with one another.

Within minutes, they had arrived at the dining hall. All the young men in the limo stepped out to open the door for their dates. They linked arms when they stepped out, and walked into the hall as if they were all royalty. Well, everyone except for Matthew and Maria, who were teasing each other and were being quite loud about it. It was blatantly obvious that they in each other�s eyes, they were more than friends.

Their arms did not only link Chloe and Quincy, they were so close together that it was a wonder they were walking and not tripping on each other. What Quincy had said in the limo had definitely pulled Chloe in. She was now trapped under his spell, and there was not a single person or thing that could pull her out of it.

Bailey and Trevor were doing what they usually did with each other. Holding where they were supposed to be holding, but making fun of each other mercilessly. But after all of the teasing and all of the jokes, they�d look at each other like they were the only two that existed in the world and kiss. They were the perfect picture couple. They talked about getting married after senior year, and having kids three or four years after they were married. They both planned on going to the same college and getting married not to soon before college started. Even though they acted like they couldn�t stand each other sometimes, it was all a part of how love worked out.

Regan and Chase were pleasantly walking together with their arms linked. Chase had a smile on his face that could only mean pride and contentment. It was obvious he was completely enchanted by the woman on his arm, and Regan couldn�t help but feel like crap because of it. She had planned out a way to break the news to him all night. She had been extra silent because of it, and no one seemed to notice. It was all in the hype of prom, and she was sure someone would say something after a couple of hours at prom. It was inevitable. Once they were seated at their table and they had calmed down some from being there, the questions would begin. She was dreading the moment when they would come, but she was prepared.

Her plan of attack was formulated in her head while she had been eating. They�d enjoy each other�s company at dinner and at prom, and then once they left, they�d hit a party or two. A few friends of theirs were throwing some after prom parties, and they were almost certain they were going to be at a few.

She had decided that before Chase suggested they go to a room together, she take him aside (preferably outside the party) and tell him everything. She had prepared for everything. She was ready for just about anything, whether that be grinning and bearing it or breaking down and swearing on his grave he would never speak to her again, she was ready for whatever reaction he was going to give her. She wasn�t going to expect a great reaction, but she hoped he would understand.

Regan gripped Chase�s arm tightly and he looked at her in concern. �Something wrong?�

�Nope,� she said, looking up at him with a grin. �Everything is perfect.�

�Then why do you have a death grip on my arm?� he wondered, frowning a bit and rubbing his arm playfully.

�Sorry,� she said sheepishly, letting go a little. �Guess I�m a little excited is all.�

�Same here sweetie,� he said, smiling widely and looking out to survey the hall before him.

Once they had all made it through the main lobby, they walked into the actual hall. It was absolutely gorgeous, and already stuffed full of people in prom dresses and tuxedos. Everyone looked absolutely fantastic and so elegant. It took Regan�s breath away to see some of her classmates dressed up so formally. Some of these people she had never seen even do their hair in more than a ponytail were now in full prom attire. Her eyes widened at the sight, and she smiled widely because of it. Prom really was a big thing to a lot of people, and seeing all of the people in this room dressed nicely was just more truth to that fact.

Matthew and Maria found a table close to the dance floor and everyone took a seat. Once they were sitting and comfortable, they looked at everything around them. It was decorated really beautifully, and everyone looked like they were having a great time. The music was extremely lively and upbeat. Everyone on the dance floor had some kind of enthused look on their face. The decorations were beautiful, the atmosphere was pleasant, and the people she cared about most were happy. That was all that mattered.

After a couple of minutes, all the women at the table were itching to get up and mingle. They were especially eager to dance. Once they had done their usual rounds and said their usual �You look great� to everyone, they headed straight to the dance floor. The four girls looked over to see that their dates were mingling on their own. They would find their way to the dance floor if a slow song came on.

They danced to Destiny�s Child, Pink, Britney Spears, and Backstreet Boys before things began to slow down. A familiar tune blared over the speakers while couples joined together to share the moment.

Chase found his way to Regan in record time. He surprised her from behind by wrapping his arms around her and lifting her up into the air. She turned around, giggling and smiling, knowing that life couldn�t get better than that exact moment.

She looked into his eyes and the feeling she had had moments before left her. All he felt for her was pure love and devotion, and she wished with every ounce of her being she could return those feelings for him.

They locked together tightly while the song that was playing spoke the words Regan knew were true to the bottom of her heart.

�Regan?� Chase whispered suddenly. His lips were right next to her ear and she jumped when she heard her name.

�Yes Chase?� she whispered back shakily.

�We�ve only been here for a half-hour, but I�m already having a great time with you.�

�Thank you Chase. I�m having a lot of fun too.�

�I mean it Reag,� he said, pulling his head off of her cheek and looking deep down into her brown eyes.

She blinked a couple of times and sighed. �I know Chase.�

�Walking in with you on my arm was one of the proudest moments of my life. Did you see the way people looked at you? I felt so lucky to have you.�

�Chase I��

�Wait let me finish,� he said, cutting her off.

�Alright,� she sighed.

�I do love you a lot Regan. I know that most high school relationships don�t last very long. But we�ve been together for a long time. I feel like that means something.�

�Chase��

He held a finger up to her lips gently. �You�re the first person I�ve ever had these feelings for, that�s got to mean a lot. I feel like no matter what happens between us, we�ll always be friends.�

Her eyes widened. �Really?�

�Of course. We�ve been friends for years. Nothing will ever change that.�

�No matter what happens to us, you mean to tell me you feel we will always be friends?�

�Regan,� he said, taking her chin in his hands and looking her deep in the eyes. �I know it.�

They continued to look at each other for a couple of seconds and finally, the first time that night, Regan smiled a smile that truly reflected how she felt. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly against her. He didn�t know what that meant, but he smiled lightly and held her just as tightly in return.

Regan couldn�t believe that Chase had actually told her what he had told her. It was as if he had read her mind. She wondered what that could have meant, but she didn�t question it. She held him for as long as she possibly could, and listen to the song�s last sweet words play over the speaker.

After that, a faster song came on so Regan took that opportunity to get some punch and chill out for a while. She was soon joined by her three other friends. They were just as tired and sweaty as she was. They were also as happy. Especially Chloe, who was so happy she was radiating.

�What�s with you?� Regan asked, giving her a knowing glance.

She smiled to herself, sipping the punch. She didn�t make eye contact with anyone and kept staring out at the dance floor. She held the cup to her chest and finally spoke. �Do you mind if Quincy and I leave from Ron�s party early?�

Bailey and Maria exchanged a glance and Regan caught on to the end. �What for?�

Chloe still didn�t look over at the other three. When she spoke, she spoke softly and sweetly, like her words were traveling on the wind. �Quincy and I wanted to talk alone tonight so he�s coming over.�

This time the other three girls didn�t hide their glances from Chloe. They stared blankly at her.

When no one said anything, Chloe looked over at them and frowned in confusion. �What?�

�TSCHA!� Maria screamed. �Miss I�m-Going-To-Wait-Till-I�m-Married! Whatever!�

Chloe�s eyes widened. �Oh you think we�re going to have sex? No way!�

Bailey looked at her and smirked. �Sure,� she said with much experience in her tone. �We�re going to leave our friends early to �talk� at my place. Alone. In my bedroom.�

�We won�t be in the bedroom.�

�How do you know?� Maria intervened. �You know what will happen� you�ll be in the living room �talking� and he�ll say something like, �Can we go somewhere more private? Where�s your room?� It all happens from there.�

Chloe surprise them all by not giving her usual response. Normally she would have denied every single word, but all she did was continue to stare at them. �So what if it does?� she asked.

Every single girl opened their eyes up so widely they were sure their eyes were going to pop right out and fall onto the floor. �YOU! CHLOE LEANNE ZIMMERMAN!� Regan finally screamed. �You are the one who has been preaching to all of us for so long about waiting for marriage. What happens if something does go on between Quincy and you tonight?�

�Girls,� she said quietly as she watched Quincy approach. �I have it under control.�

Quincy stood next to her and smiled brightly at the other girls. �Are you ready my dear?� he asked Chloe lovingly.

�Always,� she replied, setting her cup down and winking at the other three while walking away.

They watched her walk away with their mouths still hanging open. �Did she seriously just say that?� Bailey asked.

�I believe she did. Looks like Little Miss Celibacy is finally growing up,� Maria answered.

They brought their mouths back up but didn�t tear their eyes away from them. �Looks like she�s falling in love. She�ll know what it�s all about. She had confidence and didn�t falter when you guys tried to scare her out of taking him home. That must mean something big.�

Bailey and Maria stared at their friend adoringly. It was true. Chloe was growing up. In fact they all were, it just wasn�t clear to them at the moment. In one night, Chloe�s entire perspective on making love to someone had changed. That�s what falling in love did to someone. Regan, Bailey, and Maria couldn�t help but feel a tug at their heart when they thought about losing their friend in a new way. In a way it was sad, but it was a whole new beginning and was beautiful.

Since Chloe was on the dance floor with her date, the other girls were left by themselves in front of the drinks. They talked quietly amongst themselves about certain people who were there, who their dates were, and small tidbits about their night they hadn�t gotten to share before. They described the reactions they had all gotten from their dates. It was very funny to hear what they had said.

�Are you serious?� Regan cried, laughing.

�Of course! I wouldn�t lie! Trevor actually did that!� Bailey cried.

�Oh geez!� Maria yelled, laughing. �He actually put his greasy hands on your dress?�

�On the best part of the dress no less,� Regan pointed out.

�For real!� Bailey said, making a disgusted face and wiping off the chest of the gown.

�What did Chase say when he saw you and how hot you look?� Maria asked, winking at Regan.

Regan chuckled to herself, remembering what Chase had done. �Nothing coherent.�

They laughed. �That sounds so like Chase,� Bailey pointed out.

�He just kind of stood there, jaw dropped, saying, �Regan� Wow� I�. Uh�. Wow��

They continued the normal tradition of picking on their men while the prom raged on around them. Every so often someone would walk up to get a drink and say hi, and they would chat rather noncommittally, but other than that, the only conversation the three girls were having was between them.

It made Regan very happy to stand with her two best friends in the world and talk about nothing really important. Their dates didn�t seem to notice that they had been standing by the drinks for over half an hour, talking without any use of them.

Finally, Trevor broke up the party by walking over and pretending to punch Bailey in the stomach. She slapped his shoulder and he took her gloved hand off of his arm, kissed her hand, and led her out to the dance floor.

�I�ll talk to you guys in a sec,� she called over her shoulder.

Maria and Regan were the only two left. It was just as well. Chase and Matthew were standing in the back of the hall, joking around with a group of friends, not really aware of where they were. To them, they could have been at school during lunch and they could have been in their normal attire. It didn�t matter to any of them that it was a formal occasion and they were supposed to be acting respectable. It seemed like it was a normal day to them, which was extremely heartwarming. It assured both Regan and Maria that their dates hadn�t lost their sense of humor and their old selves in light of such a romantic and special evening.

They watched Chase and Matthew joke around with their friends for a couple of minutes before Maria nudged Regan violently.

�Have you told him yet?� she asked, raising her eyebrows at her while she sipped her thousandth drink.

Regan sighed, looking into her empty cup. She didn�t look up at Maria when she answered, �There�s a good reason for why I haven�t told him.�

�And what would that be? I�m anxious to hear it.�

Regan set her cup down and made a mental note to refill it as soon as she was done telling Maria what she had to tell her.

�First of all, I didn�t want to ruin his night right off by telling him what I had to tell him. I wouldn�t want to flat out tell him everything before we came, come on. That would have ruined his night,� Maria nodded understandingly. Regan continued. �So I told myself I was going to tell him after prom. I can�t let it wait for much longer.�

�I understand your reason of thinking� but where do you presume to tell him?�

�At Ron�s party,� Maria looked at her disapprovingly and Regan rushed to explain the rest. �Hear me out! I figure if we go to a party, he will suggest we go to a room together� and I know what he will want to do. I�m afraid that if I resist him, he�ll be hurt. But I�m afraid also that if I don�t resist him, sleep with him, and then tell him tomorrow or the next day that I don�t love him, he�ll think I was using him or something. I don�t want him to think that at all about me. That�s why I want to tell him at the party before anything happens.�

�I understand now,� Maria said, nodding her head. �I still don�t like that you haven�t told him yet.�

�I know you don�t,� Regan sighed. �But it�s just as well. It�s hard to tell him, and I didn�t want him to think he asked me to prom and I said yes for nothing. I didn�t want to do that to him.�

Maria nodded, and Regan filled up her glass clumsily after a moment of silence. �So, will Jasmine be at Ron�s party tonight?� she asked, changing the subject.

Maria�s face lit up and a large smile spread across her face. �That�s what I hear.�

�So what�s the deal with them?�

�Oh� you want to hear the whole gruesome story?�

�Spare the first couple of years, I know all that story.�

Ron Stetler was a friend of the girls� since seventh or eighth grade. He was a junior and had been on the Varsity football team since his sophomore year, a huge feat for an underclassman. He was a very affectionate young man, and very outgoing. Just about everyone liked him, which was the reason why most of the junior class was going over to his house for his party.

The girls were also friends with Jasmine Peters. She had gone to Central Wayne during middle school, and was a bright, bubbly girl that everyone had fallen in love with. She was sweet as anyone could possibly be, and it devastated everyone when she switched schools before freshman year. She was now attending Lumcoast High, a private school. They all still kept in contact with Jasmine as much as possible, but it was hard considering how far away Lumcoast was.

Jasmine and Ron had been intimately involved before Jasmine left. Ron was not ready for a committed relationship and therefore, he ducked out at the last minute and left Jasmine broken. They were both still obviously in love with each other, but neither of them wanted to admit it. Ron took it upon himself to invite Jasmine to his party, even though her school�s prom wasn�t for another two weekends. It was going to be a treat seeing Jasmine again, and the girls were going to be not only happy to see her, but happy to see her and Ron together again.

Since Jasmine had gotten to her new private school, she had met a lot of different guys, but thought none of them up to Ron�s level. She was still very much in love with him. To make up for not dating any of the guys there (she was very beautiful and very much desired by many guys), she decided to introduce some of her guy friends to some of her girl friends at Central Wayne. One of her guy friends she had told Maria about and set up with on a blind date. He and Maria did not find interest in each other besides that of a friendly nature. Therefore, Maria and this young man were now great friends and kept in contact as much as possible. He was searching for someone to date desperately, and had run out of luck at his own school. He begged Maria to introduce him to some people, and she agreed to do it.

�I really hope she�ll be there,� Regan said happily.

�She definitely will be,� Maria said, giving her a little wink.

A couple minutes later, Chase and Matthew left their group of friends to escort their dates to the dance floor. The rest of the time they were there they were with the men they had walked in with.

Finally, at around eleven thirty, the troupe was ready to go. They got into the limo and all chatted over each other about how much fun it had been, how great the place had looked, and how they were looking forward to Ron�s party. The only person not talking excitedly about the party was Regan. Maria gave her a look of encouragement and continued to talk with the rest of her friends.

They got to the party fifteen minutes after leaving the prom, and were amazed to see the house already bulging with people. The yard and driveway was too full to find any one car, so the girls decided to wait until they got into the party to see if Jasmine had actually come.

They opened the door and were greeted with loud music, packed rooms from wall to wall, and the smokiest climate any of them had ever been in. They all saw tons of familiar faces, and some faces none of them had ever seen. They were amazed at how popular Ron had become, and how many attendants were already at his party.

�MARIA! REGAN!� screamed a deep voice a few feet in front of them.

�RON!� they both yelled together.

He walked over to the two ladies and wrapped a broad arm around each of them. �Glad you guys could make it! The party is just starting to get good!�

�We�re glad to be here Ron,� Maria answered for them. Ron recognized a couple more faces, left the two girls he was with, and went off to greet them.

�How Ron of him,� Regan laughed, watching him walk away.

About an hour later, the eight kids were all really starting to enjoy themselves. That included Chloe and Quincy, who had been a little apprehensive of the party at first. They both were still anxiously waiting the moment when they could get back to Chloe�s to be alone.

Matthew, Maria, and Regan had all retreated to the den, where one of the love seats was free to sit in. Chase had decided to walk around and mingle a little bit before returning to Regan. She had trouble keeping him at her side. She wanted to talk to him before he ran off, but decided after a while he was entitled to go have some fun before she laid the news on him.

The three chatted about anything and everything in the den. They talked about prom, dinner, the party, how much fun they were having. They talked about Matthew and Maria�s relationship, about Chase and Regan�s relationship. Regan revealed to Matthew what she had planned to tell Chase that night.

�You�re not serious are you?� he said, looking into her eyes for any sign of deceit.

�No, it�s what my heart is telling me to do. Honest and true, I have to tell him. I can�t go on having sex with him and making him believe I love him when I don�t. It�s not right. I have to tell him what I feel, before I become any unhappier than I am, and before it hurts him too much in the end. It�ll already crush him as it is.�

�That�s true,� Matthew said, nodding. �He told me a dozen times at prom tonight how lucky he is to be with you.�

Regan closed her eyes painfully. �You�re making this harder.�

�Sorry,� he said. �It just made me feel really good when he said that.�

�I know, I know, I understand,� Regan sighed. She looked over uneasily at the party going on in front of them and shook her head. �This is not going to be an easy task.�

�Breaking up with someone never is,� Matthew pointed out, and Maria nodded subtly.

�Yeah, I know trust me,� Regan said, breathing heavily. Matthew rubbed her back unconsciously for a second or two, knowing what she meant. After all, it had been a break up heard all over school.

She sat there and thought for the next couple of minutes while Matthew and Maria talked quietly beside her. Finally, she gradually rose to her feet, smoothed down the wrinkles in her dress caused by sitting, and looked down at her two friends, giving her encouraging looks.

�I�m going to go look for Chase, you guys wouldn�t happen to know where he is?� Regan asked hopefully, trying to postpone what she had to do for as long as she possibly could.

�No I don�t sweetie, but good luck,� Maria said, touching her hand briefly before Regan sighed and walked away.

Before she could get to the door, in a flash of bright pink chiffon, Bailey ran right into her in a mad dash. �You guys! I need help!�

�What�s wrong?� Regan asked, instantly forgetting her own problems. Matthew and Maria popped up directly from the couch.

�It�s Trevor�� she said, trailing off. She looked up suddenly, heard some hoots and hollers, and grabbed Regan briskly. She dragged her out the door; Maria and Matthew hot on her red platform heels.

Regan followed Bailey out to the dining room of Ron�s home and couldn�t believe what she found there. It was Trevor, alright. It was Trevor, half-naked on top of the table with a shot of what appeared to be either whiskey or bourbon, splashing all over his bare chest.

�TREVOR!� Bailey screamed, for what seemed to be the thousandth time in the course of ten minutes.

�Hold on honey,� he slurred, continuing to dance to his own beat. The boy had rhythm Regan had to give him that much. It was unfortunate however that he only had rhythm when he was drunker than an Irish college freshman.

�Trevor,� Regan said, approaching him calmly and tugging at his nice white pants. �Sweetie, please get down, you�re going to fall!�

�No I�m not Reg-g,� he said, struggling with her name. �I�m going to be just fine!� He turned quickly and slipped on his shoes and into the arms of Regan, Bailey, Matthew, and Maria.

�You�re not fine Trev,� Matthew pointed out, struggling to hold him up.

�No ser-ou-sly,� Trevor groped for a word, having trouble moving his tongue. �Look a me! I am just fine�� And without warning, his eyes closed and the weight in the four teenagers� arms became even greater.

�Oh just great! He just had to go and pass out on me!� Bailey retorted angrily, almost letting him go.

�Hon, let�s just put him in the limo for the time being,� Maria suggested.

�Good idea. Should I stay with him?� she asked, looking around at the party she was obviously going to miss being a part of.

�You probably should. He is your boyfriend. There�s a TV and cable in the limo, you won�t be totally lonely,� Regan reassured.

�I suppose you�re right,� Bailey sighed dejectedly, looking down at Trevor�s limp body in her arms. �Alright, let�s haul this fag out to the limo.�

They all laughed whole-heartedly as they placed Trevor carefully into the backseat with Bailey following.

�I�ll come back in once he�s revived,� she informed them.

�Don�t worry,� Matthew intervened, holding up a hand. �We�ll probably be leaving pretty soon here, Maria and I are getting tired. Besides, I�m sure Quince and Chloe want to be alone.�

�Alright then,� she said, sneaking a glimpse at Trevor. �I can�t believe he drank so much when I told him not to. Every time he drinks he does some stupid shit, and I can�t talk him out of it. Then when he�s got the hangover from hell, he blames me for not stopping him.�

�That�s men for ya,� Regan joked, noticing the dirty look Matthew was giving her. �Some men,� she said, throwing her arm around his shoulders and squeezing him.

Bailey and Maria laughed and Matthew finally spoke up. �Well, we should be heading out here in about a half hour,� he told her.

�Okay, I�m thinking he won�t be up then. We�ll just have to take him right home and drag him into his bed,� she said, poking at Trevor�s paralyzed feet.

�Alright Hon, we�re going to head in. We�ll gather everyone and come back out, that should take a half-hour in itself,� Maria said, closing the door.

They all waved to each other and headed back in. Regan sighed heavily, realizing with a full hitting force what had to come next. It had been knocked out of her mind once she saw Trevor with barely any clothes on. Now it had come back to her.

�So are we going to wait until you talk to Chase before we leave?� Maria asked her quietly, finding a hold of Matthew�s hand.

Regan silently nodded, and looked up at them. They smiled sympathetically at her, and she crunched her knuckles together. �Guess I better get it over with as soon as possible.�

�That�s advisable,� Maria said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. With a beating heart and sweaty palms, Regan walked hastily into the packed house to find the man she had to confess it all too. Every step she took, she thought of the pros and cons, and most of the time the cons outweighed the pros. The fact that Chase was unbelievably in love with her made her more and more anxious to just turn around and run back to the limo, demand to go home, and hide in her room forever.

Chase confessed to her all the time how lucky he was, and every single time he said that, she wanted to hang herself for denying the fact that she didn�t love him. She never would. She was still very much in love with Evan, and Chase even knew that. It was obvious that whenever she spoke of Evan, she radiated from inside out. Yet Chase would tell her how much he loved her and every time they made love, she felt the love he felt for her and it killed her.

Her heart pounded as she glanced around for Chase�s sweet face in the crowd. She had no success in the living room, and none in the kitchen, dining room, den, bathroom, or the rec. room. She went upstairs, knowing there was no way he could be up there. There were only bedrooms.

She knocked on a couple and yelled Chase�s name and heard nothing but moans and cries of pleasure in the first couple of rooms. Fed up with her lack of success, Regan barged in the last bedroom, not caring what she found.

What she found, she didn�t like one bit. Chase was lying wrapped up in the sheets, clearly nude, his tux rumpled on the floor, and a faceless woman underneath him. �REGAN!� he screamed.

�CHASE ALLEN WALKER! What the HELL DO YOU THINK YOU�RE DOING?�

�Um, uh, I,� he stumbled, grabbing his blankets and wrapping them around his waist. �Regan, I can explain.�

�Screw that CHASE! I came to find you and talk to you but NO! You�re too busy FUCKING SOMEONE ELSE!�

�REGAN! Baby, please, I love you, I can explain all of this��

The girl on the bed stirred, and looked up at Chase seriously. �But you told me you loved me.�

Regan�s mouth dropped open and her eyebrows flew almost to her hairline. �E-Excuse me and who exactly are you?�

�She�s nobody, Regan, please,� Chase began.

�NOBODY?� the girl on the bed shouted. �Chase give me back my dress, I�m leaving.�

�As well you should,� Regan shouted at her, not angry at her exactly, just taking it out on anyone available. �Chase Walker, I expected someone as sincere as you to at least have the dignity to tell me you are fooling around on me.�

�Oh Regan,� he said, getting up to go to her.

She backed up disgustedly. �Don�t bother getting up. I�m through with you. Don�t expect me to ever talk to your sorry ass again.�

�REGAN! Baby please, I love you.�

Regan turned around swiftly and glared at him with eyes that could have burned a hole through his skull. �Don�t you ever call me baby and don�t you lay there, naked on top of someone else and tell me you love me. If you really loved me, you�d keep your pants buckled and your tongue in your own mouth.� And with that, she stalked out of the room, on the brink of tears.

She stormed down the stairs and almost ran over Matthew and Maria.

�Sweetie! Sweetie!� they screamed, but she kept walking. They didn�t hesitate to follow her out of the house and watched her collapse on the lawn, covering her face in both of her hands.

�Omigod Regan! What happened? Did it go that bad?� Maria asked, flinging herself beside her best friend. She nodded, sobbing through her tears. Matthew knelt in front of her and stared intently into his friend�s eyes.

�What is what he said?� Matthew asked, and Regan shook her head, unable to stop crying.

�Well, what happened? What�s wrong? Why are you crying?� Maria asked frantically, desperate to find out what had happened.

Regan tried opening her mouth and found that she couldn�t. She opened it only to find herself choke on her sobs, and continued to think of what she had seen and what he had said to her.

Her two friends were at a loss for words and didn�t know what else to do except pick her up and lead her to the limo. Maria stayed with her, holding her and letting her cry on her shoulder while Matthew went back into the party to collect Chloe and Quincy, assuming Chase would not be coming with them. He apologized to Ron for leaving so early, but Ron only patted his shoulder and told him he was glad he had come.

Once Chloe and Quincy had been gathered and ducked into the limo in a giggling and loving heap, Matthew directed the driver to take them to Chloe�s first.

Chloe and Quince stopped laughing the moment they saw Regan�s sobbing form next to Maria. Maria looked concerned while she whispered to her friend that it would be okay and stroked her now fallen blonde hair.

�What happened? Was it Chase?� Chloe blurted out, causing Regan to sob harder. Maria nodded, put a finger to her lips and continued to console Regan.

They were all silent in the car despite Regan�s crying and Maria�s hushed tones. They arrived at Chloe�s shortly after, and Chloe thanked them all for a great time, kissed the top of Regan�s head and told her to get better soon.

The next place they went to was Trevor�s, and Bailey had decided to spend the night with him to make sure he was going to be okay. Besides that she had no way to get home until the next day.

She did the same as Chloe had, and by this time, Trevor had woken up somewhat. He was able to walk on his feet, but that was about all he could do.

Maria had full intentions on going straight home after prom, but decided to stay with Regan that night because of her condition. Matthew offered to be dropped off at Maria�s so he could pick up his car and go home. Maria agreed, and smiled tenderly at him while she held onto her blonde friend tightly.

They pulled up in front of Maria�s house, and Matthew kissed her softly on the cheek, thanked her for a great night, and picked up Regan�s face from Maria�s arm.

�Sweetie, whatever he said or did to hurt you, you deserve better,� he said, watching as a small smile appeared on her face. He kissed her forehead and smiled at her. �You�ll be okay honey. You always are.�

With that, the driver turned out of the driveway and made his way to Regan�s. He pulled up to her house, apologized to Maria for whatever had happened to Regan, and she smiled quietly, leaving him a generous tip.

Regan walked slowly into her house and as soon as she hit the front door, she proceeded quickly upstairs to her room. She yanked off her jewelry, took off her shoes forcefully, and untied her bustier with enough force to rip the whole dress.

�REGAN!� Maria screamed as soon as she saw how aggressive Regan was becoming with her top. The aggression she showed at the moment was what made her a terrific soccer player, but a lousy person to hang around with when angry.

�I-I�m sorry. I just� I�m so angry�� she managed to force out. It was the most she had said since she caught Chase�

�Well, let me take off your dress, and you tell me what actually happened. I know something other than what you claim happened, so explain it to me sweetheart.�

As Maria calmly undressed her, Regan finally let it all spill out. She told Maria everything. Everything she had been thinking when she was going to talk to him, her search to find him, where and how she found him, and the words exchanged between them afterward. To say Maria was shocked would be an understatement. She was furious, shocked, appalled, and completely taken aback with what Regan had told her.

�You�re kidding me? After all he has said to you and all the bullshit you went through just to tell him you didn�t love him, it turns out he didn�t love you?� she screamed, suddenly becoming just as aggressive.

Regan nodded, tears sliding slowly down her cheeks. �Apparently. He told her he loved her too, so that must be his line or something.�

�I don�t know what to say,� Maria said, taking the dress from Regan and hanging it up carefully.

�I don�t know either, but I told him I would never talk to him again, which is a promise I fully intend to keep,� she retorted.

�As well you should,� Maria agreed. �But if you look at it in a positive way, it is kind of a relief to you. You don�t have to worry about telling him you don�t love him, because you basically lost all your respect for him in those few seconds.�

�Yeah,� Regan said, thinking as tears welled up in her eyes again. �But he broke my heart.�

�Oh Reggie,� she said, walking over and embracing her friend. �How did he break your heart?�

�I just thought he was so in love with me, and I love him so much even if I�m not in love with him. I held such a special place in my heart for him that it hurt me to see him with someone else. It felt like such a betrayal. Giving myself to him and hearing him tell me he loved me was one of the most special nights in my life. I can�t just forget about him for that. And then hearing her say that he told her he loved her too made me realize I was just used. I gave him my most intimate embrace and he took it like it was nothing!� she spilled.

�I can�t say I know how you feel, but I understand where you�re coming from,� Maria said honestly. She held her while Regan shook with sobs.

�I�m giving up,� Regan muttered.

�What?� Maria asked her.

�I�m just going to give it all up. I can�t take any more heartbreak. I had too much with Evan and now Chase. I can�t do it anymore. I have to let go of love altogether.�

�Hon, you can�t just give up on love when you have a bad experience. You can let it go for a while, but you can�t let it go forever. It�s too important to you,� she mentioned.

�It doesn�t matter. I hate it and I don�t want to deal with it anymore. Too many ups and downs. It hurts too much. I can�t deal with it anymore. I don�t want to deal with it anymore. It causes so much pain.�

�Yes, that it does Regan. But it can also give you so much pleasure. It can make you feel like the world is whirling underneath you. No one can touch you when you are in love.�

�But what happens when that love is over? When it�s abruptly ripped out from under you? I�ll tell you what happens. You crash on the ground of reality, and you crash so hard your teeth rattle. It knocks you backward and finally makes you realize that it was all just a lie. It was all some well thought out plan to make you fall so hard you don�t dare ever get up again. I can�t stand it. I don�t want to live in a few months of bliss only to realize that the few months of bliss will soon be replaced with a few years of agony. It�s too hard. I�m giving up on it,� she concluded.

�You can�t just completely forget about love altogether,� Maria reminded her hastily. �Of course it�s hard at times, but you have to work through it. No one said love or life was easy. You just can�t give up.�

�I want to,� Regan told her, looking her straight in the eyes. Fresh tears spilled down her made up cheek. �It hurts too much to go on.�

�I know,� Maria said, holding her again while she sobbed. �I know.�