The Prom

It was finally the day of the prom. Since the prom will start at five in the afternoon, the students were given the whole morning and afternoon to prepare for the whole program. Everyone was busy and excited, all except one person.

"Alice it's almost noon and you're still sleeping?! Get up, eat breakfast, and dress up! I still have to bring you to the salon!" Alice groaned when she heard her mother banging on the door.

"I'm already up. I'm about to take a shower, and Happy Valentine's Day mom!" It was a lie though. She just got up and she's still rubbing the sleep off her eyes.

"I swear if you don't start moving now I will personally drag you out of there and bring you to the salon! Your greeting won't change a thing!" her mother threatened.

Alice quickly rolled off her bed and she dragged herself to the bathroom. After that, her mother did drag her towards the salon and she was in for a rough afternoon.

Hours later it was time for the prom, Mark together with his parents and Ivan has just arrived. "The venue looks good," his father commented.

"You think so? Alice designed it and we worked on it," Mark nodded in approval as he too appreciated their hard work.

"So Alice is talented too huh? She's such a catch Mark," his mother immediately teased. "By the way, where is Alice?"

Mark looked around. "I guess she's not yet here," he sighed.

"Mark, your friends are calling you, we'll just stay at the bleachers, good luck," his mother said.

"Okay, I'll see you later. Well, I'll head there." Mark told.

He walked to the table his friends were staying at. "Lookin' good bro!" Alex lightly punched his shoulder.

"Same with you," he chuckled.

"Hey, our girlfriends are staying at one table! This is so awesome," Gerald grinned.

"Yup, it's a total of seven couples." Lance added.

"Seven? Aren't there only six?" Matthew asked.

"Mark and Alice," he laughed.

"Oh shut it," Mark groaned.

"Where is Alice?" Josh asked.

"What if we wait outside for her?" Vincent suggested.

"No need, she'll come." Mark grunted.

"Come on, we know you want to go," Gerald grinned. Mark could only smile and follow them.

The guys headed outside and waited for Alice. There were already many people in the venue and the place was really packed. Good thing they arrived early and they were able to reserve seats. The program was about to start when a car was headed towards them. They thought it was about to crash when it stopped quickly.

"What kind of parent drives this recklessly?" Matthew whined.

"Hey, what are you all waiting outside?"

They all gaped in shock when they saw Alice. She was wearing an above knee cocktail dress and black high heeled shoes. "Hey, why do you have to be so surprised?" she chuckled when she saw them.

"You look… different," Mark muttered.

"For once in your life, you look like a real girl." Alex cooed.

Alice punched his shoulder. "Damn you idiot," she grunted. Her parents stepped out of the car.

"Alice, are they your friends?" her mother asked. Alice nodded and she introduced them one by one. Her father was eyeing them like they were some sort of criminals.

"You better take good care of my daughter, and if I catch you all staring at her that long again I swear I'll gouge your eyes out," he threatened.

"Yes sir, we're taking good care of her." Gerald squeaked.

"Shall we go inside?" Alice asked nervously. Her parents agreed and they went inside.

Alice introduced her parents to her friends' parents, particularly to Mark's parents since she stayed over at their house for a week. They were all relieved to know that their parents get along well as much as they do. After that they headed to their table, they took their seats. "You really look pretty today," Mark gazed at Alice.

"You look pretty too," she giggled.

Mark slumped his head onto the table. "You'll never understand. Why can't you take my comments seriously?" Mark groaned.

"What do you mean?" Alice asked.

"Nevermind," the guys mumbled.

"You're just too dense," Vincent uttered.

The program started not long after, the production numbers, the cotillion dance, and crowning the prom king and queen. To their surprise, Alex actually won as prom king. After that, the students had their dinner and the family members were with the students.

"Let's take a group photo," Alice suggested. They all agreed.

"Hey, one more photo," Mark's mother said. Then before the camera flashed, Alice and Mark were pushed near each other and the photo had surprised looks from both of them. "Looks cute," Alice's mother laughed.

Right after the main program, the parents had to leave the venue. The students and teachers will be left behind. The lights dimmed and it was time for the dance, the guys left and went to their dates leaving Mark and Alice at the table in a very awkward situation.

"So, what should we do?" Mark asked.

"Don't know," Alice shrugged.

"Mark, can you please dance with me?" Mia went to their table.

"Sorry Mia I—"

"Go, I want the table all to myself," Alice chuckled.

"Please Mark, this is the last time I'll ever talk to you." Mia pleaded.

"Fine," Mark sighed in defeat. He took Mia's hand and they waltzed.

Everyone looked confused when they saw Mark dancing with Mia. "Forever alone," Alice slammed her fists on the table, which caught many people's attention.

"Yo, keep dancing peeps!" she laughed awkwardly.

"So I'm your first dance?" Mark asked.

"Yes," Mia replied. Silence followed afterward.

"Mia, sorry I have to go." Mark muttered.

"Yeah, I know you have to dance with Alice before somebody else dances with her." Mia smiled.

"Yes," Mark nodded.

"Can you at least tell me why you love Alice so much? You were even willing to sacrifice our relationship as best friends for it? Why you didn't love me instead?" Mia mumbled.

"Mia, I can't explain, a part of why I sacrificed our friendship was because you changed but about loving Alice I just don't know," he then looked Mia in the eyes and smiled. "It feels like I'm just meant to fall for her,"

"You really do love her, good luck Mark." she smiled as she let go of his hand.

Alice was slowly sinking on her chair. "This is why I hate prom, I was afraid that this would happen." she bellowed. She was feeling hopeless when she suddenly saw Mark walking towards her. "Why are you returning? Mia replaced you again?" she joked. Then to her surprise, Mark reached out his hand.

"May I please be your first dance?" he asked in a very sweet way. This caused Alice to blush.

"O-oh, shut up," she stuttered.

"Alice, I mean it. Can I have this dance?" he asked once again. Alice blushed even more, she stood up and took his hand.

"I-I'm only d-doing this because I-I don't want you to get embarrassed," she said stubbornly.

Mark led Alice to the dance floor, and then there they waltzed just like they practiced back then. Mark stared at Alice's dark brown eyes.

"You couldn't resist me, can you?" he chuckled.

"Just shut up. It's just because I felt left out," she avoided eye contact.

"It's just natural that I'd dance with you, I can't believe you haven't guessed yet," Mark lilted.

"Why? Is it because I helped you back then?" she asked.

"Let's just say you're my Valentine today," Mark smiled.

"I don't get it, are you that desperate to get a date that you randomly chose someone without a date?" Alice pouted.

After the dance, they headed to the garden to watch the fireworks. Most of the students were still enjoying the party inside so Alice and Mark had the garden all to themselves.

"It's cold," Alice shivered.

"Here," Mark took off his coat and draped it around Alice's shoulders. He then took Alice's hands and she faced him curiously.

"Alice I want to tell you something," he said as he looked down.

"What?" she asked.

"I-it's," he said nervously as he released her hands and looked down.

"Alice, I love you." he closed his eyes when he said it, too afraid to see her reaction.

Then he heard the fireworks start. "Good the fireworks didn't interrupt me this time." He slowly opened his eyes, it was like a slap to the face when he realized that Alice isn't there. He saw Alice in a corner watching the fireworks while holding a white iris.

"Look! Don't you think that fireworks are like flowers? I wonder if there's a white iris too," she said in delight. Mark facepalmed.

"Oh right… what were you supposed to say?" Alice asked.

"The setting was perfect, the timing was great and the way I said it was beyond sweet but you ruined it because you thought the fireworks looked like flowers?!" Mark yelled.

"Eh, what?" Alice asked.

"Forget about it, you broke my mood." he groaned.

"Why? What did I do now?" Alice whined.

No one, indeed no one in the world would be as dense as Alice Villanueva.