Story #35: Prom Queen

Prom Queen

Four Teens. One survivor. The year 2010, March 27.

That’s me. Faith. I’m seventeen and have been traumatized for exactly one year now. I

used to go to Nixon High School in Richmond, Illinois. I was living the great teenage

life. I had expensive clothes, a ton of friends, a boyfriend, great car, wonderful parents,

and a blackberry. You could say I was rich. Cause I was. I was captain for the

volleyball, basketball, and softball team. I was number one in my class academically,

physically, and in popularity. I was dating Justin, the quarterback of the football team.

He was captain for basketball and baseball. Life was perfect.

It was a week before prom. Justin had just formally asked me to be his queen at

prom. I was as happy as could be. A couple girlfriends and I had plans to go to Prom

court in the mall to get high rated prom dresses. I was super excited! I had two dresses

picked out to try on. Each were about $400 which was cheaper than last years dress.

My dress last year was $930. It was a beautiful rosy satin color. Looked phenomenal

on me. Of course. My dress I got for this year is a 2010 special edition Primavera

Golden sequin v-neck. It was the best $1300 dollars I’ve ever spent!

“I thought you had two dresses, each $400, picked out! What’s this golden globe your

wearing that was more than last years?” shouted my father. “Daddy, it looked way

better on me than the other two I had picked out!” I replied. “It did, sir” chimed Kristy,

my bff. We’ve been friends for years! We do everything together!

“Anyways, daddy, Justin and Brent are going to a party with his cousin. Can me and

Kristy go?” I sweetly asked my father.

“Be home by one, okay?” sighed my father.

“Yes, promise!” I assured my father as I quickly kissed him on the cheek. Then up

Kristy and I went to my room. We ran up those stairs faster than cheetahs.

“I can’t wait for tonight!” Kristy yelled. “I know right?” I giggled back. We tore my closet

apart looking for the cutest of the cutest outfits.

“Do you think you and Brent are going to hook up?” I asked Kristy.

“Psh, girl, that’s like asking me if you and Justin are going to win the spotlight dance

again!” chuckled Kristy. We giggled and shrieked like hooligans for a couple of minutes.

Then we heard the BEEP BEEP of Justin’s mustang and down the stairs we went

again.

Just as I was about to shut the front door, my father called me. I rushed to the living

room where my baby brother was playing his stupid video game and my mom was on

facebook and tweeting everyone she knew. My father, who was on the internet looking

at business stuff told me to be careful and make good choices. I smiled and nodded

my head like a sweet innocent princess I am. That’s when he cleared his throat. I knew

exactly what he meant. I gave my mom a hug and a kiss on the cheek and said, “Love

you mom!”. Then I rubbed my brother’s head and barked, “Don’t stay up too late sport”,

just like my father use to always tell me when I was younger. Then my father hugged

me and kissed my forehead. He smiled and sweetly spoke, “Please sport, be careful.” I

smiled and promised him I would be. Too bad actions speak louder than words..

“I got the mo-o-o-o-oves like jagger!” belted the guys, Kristy and I. We got to a set of

train tracks and this old creepy barn and Brent asked where we were. Justin just stated

that we were just outside of the town. Four miles go by and Brent remarked, “Just

outside of town, eh?” Justin snarled, “It’s right around this corner!”

“Justin!” I snapped. “What, he’s not the driver, is he?” Justin snapped back. If there was one downfall to Justin, it was his temper. Another three miles go by and that’s when we all agreed we were lost.

“Great, just flipping great!” screamed Justin. “It’s alright, just keep driving, we’ll find

some town” Kristy said assuringly. Of course Justin just cocked his head back,

grabbed my hand and murmured, “We’ll get to the party, I promise.” Yea, just like I

promised my father. “I know” I replied with a fake smile, but he bought it. Another thirty

minutes go by and Kristy and Brent are making out. Justin and I are talking about my

prom dress. Then he looked at me funny and I asked, “What?” all cute like. He smiled

and shook his head, “Nothing”. Hello, I’m not stupid. I know what the smile was for. I

was right, he put his hand on my thigh. I pulled it off and added, “Justin, you know I’m

not like that. Plus, you’re driving.” “Babe, I know, I would never risk your life” he implied.

That’s when we heard the honking. I screamed. Kristy was screaming. Justin was

yelling and Brent was hollering “No, no, no!”. CRASH! CLANK! SNAP! RIP!

“Hello, hello? Anyone out here?” I heard a man yell. I opened my eyes further,

bushes. A lot of bushes. I couldn’t feel my legs, but I managed to stand up. A man

rushed by me and carried me to flashing lights. I closed my eyes.

When I woke up, I saw my dad, mom, brother, and the man that carried me. I asked

my dad what had happened. “You guys crashed, some drunk idiot hit you.” he angrily

snapped. “But Justin had just clicked your seatbelt off as the crash happened. Thank

God, it saved your life getting ejected into the bushes.” he exclaimed. “Where’s Justin?”

I yelled as I forced myself to sit up. Ow. My back hurt like a son of a bee. “Kristy?

Brent?” I tearfully asked. My mom crying said, “Kristy and Brent didn’t make it but

Justin is barely hanging in there. He wants to see you.” “Take me to him!” I yelled. I

was rolled into a hospital room where the only light was by a bed. There were IV’s and

buckets, glasses, books, but no chairs. Nobody was here for Justin, but me. I was

rolled right beside him. I grabbed his hand. He didn’t look at me. I whispered, “Justin”.

He mumbled, “Faith?” I wiped a tear from my eye, “yes”. The doctor whispered in my

ear, “He can’t see you, or feel you, or anything. He can hear you, but that’s it. He’s

paralyzed from head to foot. They turned his head to me, he was crying. His face,

bruised more purple than the flowers he got me for my birthday. But his eyes, those

bright green eyes stood out in his dark butchered face. He forced the words, “I love

you” right as blood started to drain from his mouth. I asked the doctor to help me up. I

had to sit on his bed with him because I couldn’t stand. I didn’t care. I leaned over and

kissed him on his cheek and told him, “Though you can’t feel the kiss I left you, know

that it’s there. I love you more than words can say, more than light the moon or sun

could ever shine, each and everyday. I love you. Sleep peacefully baby.” I sniffled and

looked at him. Tears streamed down his face. I heard a “Me too” and he started to

attempt to cough, but all that happened was more blood came clumping out of his

mouth. I wiped his tears and looked him in the eyes. I gently closed his eyes for him,

and that’s when the long, cold, killing high pitched beep came from the machine

standing there next to him. My father placed his hand on my shoulder and kissed the

back of my head.

Think of it, paralyzed from the waist down, lost the love of your life, best friend, and

your life. I get a lot of cards, balloons, emails, wall posts, and tweets. They were all

telling me to feel better and “Keep smiling, prom queen!” Truth is though, I didn’t want

it anymore. I gave the dress back and bout a plain black dress. I got black shoes and a

black hat. I rocked that plain jane dress at the funeral for my best friend, her love, and

my love. I cried in that dress, I slept in that dress, and I burned that dress. I burned my

outfit from that night. I buried all of the pictures of Justin and I with Justin in that casket,

all but one.

The first picture we took together, ever. When he surprised me with purple flowers,

prom invitation, and a poem he wrote, “I love you more than words can say, more than

the light the moon or sun could ever shine, each and everyday. I love you.”