Chapter 59: Carnival Celebration


    EMMA’s POV :


    It was Friday night and the air was filled with excitement.


    The moment I put on my gorgeous champagne colored dress, I felt like a princess.


    This dress was fabulous, it had A-line spaghetti straps and it was a backless dress, hugging my figure


    in all the right ces.


    Quite frankly, after my ident, I was feeling super ugly.


    I had bruises everywhere and my eyes were always swollen because I was crying a lot.


    I lost quite a lot of weight because I was depressed and some people even thought I was on drugs.


    But for the past month after senior week, things were looking much better for me.


    I felt like I got the closure I needed withn and I was starting to move on with my life.


    I felt a lot better being in my own skin and my friends were a great help as well.


    Tiff was looking gorgeous.


    She was wearing a two-piece dress, the top was this velvety ck halter and the bottom was this long


    red silk skirt with high slits.


    Her dark hair was curled and it cascaded beautifully down her back.


    Carrie looked as pretty as ever too.


    She opted for a more traditional look, she was wearing a_vender strapless dress embroidered with


    these little flowers.


    If you haven''t noticed by now, yes we were all getting ready for the prom.


    We were getting ready at Tiff’s house.


    Normally we would get ready at my ce, but since Tyler wasn''t wee in my home after my mom


    thought he was the guy that knocked me up, we decided that Tiff’s ce would be a safer ground.


    Tyler, Nick, and Mark were all waiting downstairs.


    I could only imagine what was happening there.


    Tiff''s parents were this vegan hippie couple and they were lovely people, but they also like to preach to


    people about the benefits of going vegan.


    The boys were probably being introduced to their new Kombucha brew and being force- fed to watch


    some vegan documentary.


    When Tiff, Carrie, and I finally got downstairs, the boys let out a sigh of relief.


    Mark went over to Carrie and gave her a corsage.


    Nick went over to Tiff and did the same thing.


    I looked up to Tyler in anticipation and I noticed how good he looked tonight.


    His blonde hair was slicked back and his beautiful blue eyes were on full disy.


    "You look beautiful," he said, taking the words right out of my mouth.


    "I was about to say the same thing,"I smiled back.


    He took my hand and put a corsage around my wrist.I couldn''t stop the smile that escaped my lips as I


    watched his hand shakily grabbed onto mine.


    The flower looked beautiful on my wrist and after he put it on, he refused to let my hand go.


    "Let''s get some pictures!" Tiff''s mom called out and waved her iPhone 7 in the air.


    "Use my phone, mom,"Tiff cut her off and gave her the newest iPhone model.


    "Everybody get in the frame, get closer,"Tiff’s mom and dad gestured for all of us to stand near each


    other.


    We took a couple of group shots and some couple shots too.


    Before we left, we made sure to get a shot of just us girls.


    I was feeling a little emotional when Tiff was airdropping the photos and it hit me, this was our prom.


    Ourst high school dance ever.


    Nothing was gonna be the same after this.


    "You alright there?"


    Tyler asked when he studied the creases on my face.


    "Yeah,"


    I paused for a moment and put my phone away,


    "It''s just insane.This is our senior prom.This is the end of an era,"


    "The end of something old and the beginning of something new,"


    Mark announced with his hands up in the air.


    We walked out of the house and piled into this ck limousine.We went all out.We rented a limo and


    Tyler''s dad allowed us to have a little party at his cabin after the prom.


    He was such a cool andid back dad.I met him once because Tyler and I were hanging out and he


    invited me over for dinner.


    Tyler’s entire family was nice and it was clear that they raised Tyler right.


    "To the beginning of something new!"


    The limo had pulled away and Mark raised a bottle of champagne he hid inside.He had his ways of


    sneaking alcohol into ces, so I didn’t even need to ask.


    "Hear, hear," we cheered and raised our stic sses.


    "Cheers to that, bitches!"Tiff eximed.


    "That''s right!"Nick followed


    "Fuck high school!"Mark added.


    "Save the speech for graduation, babe,"


    Carrie said to him before turning to all of us and said, "It''s prom time!"Our school rented this hotel


    ballroom as the venue for this year’s prom night.


    The theme was carnival celebration and they went all out.


    There were swags of red and gold fabric sweeping across the ceiling, a giant disco ball hung in the


    middle of the room, and the DJ was pumping this high-energy music, it was impossible not to get hyped


    up.


    Inside the ballroom, they also had a photo booth, games like ring toss and balloons and darts, and they


    even got a fortune teller.


    "Guys, let’s hit the photo booth!"


    Tiff eximed and pulled us all to the direction of the photo booth.


    "Can''t we get a drink first?"


    Mark whined.


    "Photos first, while our make up is on fleek,"Tiff stated firmly, ending all other arguments.


    We took turns taking pictures in the photo booth and it was a lot of fun.


    I took one with Tyler and he was being so cute.


    He kissed me on the cheek right before the sh went out, causing me to gasp.


    The picture turned out really well, Tyler and I ended up fighting over it.


    Finally, he took a picture of that picture on his phone and let me have the original copy.


    I didn’t know when he did it, but the next time I saw his phone, he had put that photo as the lock


    screen.


    We went on to y some games and danced all night.


    Mark managed to spike the punch with alcohol that really got the party going.


    The chaperones didn’t have a clue, they just assumed we were our loud rowdy selves.


    Speaking of chaperones, I didn’t seen anywhere around.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    He was probably not chaperoning this dance and I was d about it.


    It felt weird to be in a school function with all my friends and teachers, and not haven around.


    But it was also a relief.


    I got a glimpse of what my life could be like without him, and it was kinda nice and drama free.


    Prom night went by so fast.


    At the end of the night, Maddie and Brad won prom king and queen, no shocker there.


    But the interesting part was this: after the prom king and queen did their dance, Maddie dropped a


    bomb on everyone.


    We all thought she broke up with Brad because Brad was talking to a bunch of thirty girls online, but


    turns out, she was dating Ryan Russo! How about that tea? Ryan, remember him? We went out for a


    party at Maddie’s house that one time and yed seven minutes in heaven.


    Anyway, apparently they had been secretly dating all this time! Brad thought he was a yer, but turns


    out he was the one that got yed.It was the perfect end to a perfect night.


    Nothing could be more high school than that.


    "I still can’t believe that happened," Carrie shook her head in disbelief.


    "That''s high school for ya,"Tiff slurred.


    At this point, she got so drunk that Nick had to half-carry her and her heels.


    The dance was officially over and we piled back into the limousine.


    The stretched car made its way to Tyler’s dad cabin just on the outskirts of town.


    The driver knew exactly what he was doing.


    He put on some smooth jazz and it got everyone in the mood instantly.


    Tiff couldn''t keep her face away from Nick.


    Mark and Carrie tried to make small talk with Tyler and I, but I could see Mark’s hand moving behind


    Carrie’s back.


    He couldn''t keep his hands to himself.


    Finally, they gave up trying to kid themselves.


    They were full on making out as the car reached its destination.


    Tyler and I gave each other a knowing look as Tiff and Nick immediately headed for the first guestroom


    they saw.


    Mark made ament about going to the bathroom and Carrie followed after him.


    They were never the subtlest people.


    "Guess it''s just you and me,"


    Tyler shrugged.


    "Guess so,"


    "How stupid was I that I actually got board games?"


    Tylerughed as he gestured to the stack of board games on the living room coffee table, "Like I


    actually thought we were gonna be here and y monopoly,"


    "I guess we can,"Iughed and followed him to the couch.


    ying monopoly with Tyler on my prom night was never in my imagination, but it turned out to be


    pretty fun.


    I was winning, obviously.


    Tyler had the worst luck in monopoly and he was losing money left and right.


    "Ah, Kings Cross Station! That’s mine, pay up, big boy!" I said and I put my hand out, smiling


    victoriously.


    "I have no more money, I’m totally broke,"he groaned.


    "Sell your property or something, I don''t know,"


    "I have nothing else to sell.Literally, I''m gonna have to sell myself,"he joked.


    Somehow that got me to burst outughing.


    "You think it’s funny? I have to sell my ass because Inded on stupid Kings Cross Station?"he said


    again and Iughed harder.


    Tyler shook his head and shoved me yfully.I shoved him back and I still couldn’t contain my


    laughter.He pouted his lips, expecting me to stopughing, but I justughed harder.


    "It''s too...funny...I can''t...stop,"


    I said through myughs.


    "You want funny? Fine, I''ll show you funny,"he said and he gave me this naughty look.


    Before I could do anything else, Tyler pinned me down on the ground and he was tickling the hell out of


    me.


    "Tyler! Ah! Stop!"


    I was screaming andughing all at once.


    "Still funny to you?"


    "Stop! Ha-ha! Stop!"


    I tried squirming and pushing him away, but that only made things worst.


    The next thing I knew, my hands were pinned above my head and Tyler''s body was hovering on top of


    mine.


    Our noses were almost touching and I immediately stoppedughing.


    He was so close in front of me, if I move my lips just a little bit, I would be able to know what he tastes


    like.


    We stayed in that position for a good few seconds.


    I think we were both caught off guard.


    When he finally pulled hisposure, his gaze darted from my eyes down to my lips beforeing


    back up to my eyes.


    He wanted to kiss me.He swallowed hard, and I found myself biting on my lower lip.


    I think I want to kiss him too.


    "Emma...?"he breathed.


    I could reply in words, but I decided actions speak louder than words.I leaned my chin up and I found


    his lips with mine.With my eyes closed, I noted how his lips were soft and sweet.


    He kissed me back almost immediately.


    His hands went to cup my cheeks and he deepened the kiss.My free hands went to roam his hair and


    rested at the back of his neck.He kissed me like he was hungry for air, but he was also very gentle


    about it.


    Kissing him felt nice, but also...it felt wrong.


    Suddenly my head was filled with shes ofn and the way he kissed.


    The wayn devoured my mouth and left me breathless.


    The way his tongue and I danced and we melted into one.


    Suddenly I was filled with all these thoughts and feelings, it was like I was getting a panic attack.


    My eyes jolted open and I pulled away from Tyler abruptly.


    I was panting breathlessly as he opened his eyes in confusion.


    "Emma?" he asked.


    "Tyler...I...I can''t..."


    I said through my breaths.


    I thought he was gonna be upset with me, but Tyler only gave out a weak smile and a sigh.


    "Emma, it''s okay, we don''t have to do this.It''s clear to me that you still can’t move on from your ex...you


    don’t have to force it,"he said as he held my face in his hand.


    "I''m...sorry..."I breathed.


    "No, you don''t have to apologize for how you feel,"


    He was being an absolute sweetheart.


    He was very understanding and that melted my heart.


    My ragged breaths had calmed down and I looked up to see his warm blue eyes.


    Reaching my hand up to his face, I said, "Oh, Tyler.I''m the worst.I''m totally ruining your prom night,"


    "Are you kidding me? I’m not even gonna have a prom night without you,"he stifled augh and said,


    "Plus, the night''s not over yet,"


    "This is unfair.I feel like I’m leading you on,"


    "No, you’re not.I’m the one who keeps wanting to chase after you,"


    He was smiling this sweet, genuine smile and I couldn''t help but smile back.He then pulled me close to


    his arms and wey like that for the entire night.He was cuddling me on that carpeted floor and we


    didn’t say another word after that, but we didn’t have to.


    All I heard was the sound of the firece crackling and it was veryforting.


    Throughout the night, just clung to each other in this beautiful silence.


    Iy my head against his chest and I fell asleep to the rhythm of his heartbeat.