I could feel all eyes on me, I mean us. I am used to this but Kendal isn’t. I can tell she’s feeling panicky already, so I grab her hand and she looks at me and I give her an assuring look.
She calms down eventually and we settle down onto the couches. Emerald brings us the champagne and we all take it.
“Cheers to whatever the hell our life holds for next!” Jack says, Kendal laughs and I do too.
Emerald and Ruby force Kendal to the dance floor she gives me a ‘help me’ look and I mouth, ‘have fun’.
Diamond joins them eventually and they are all laughing and having fun.
Three months ago, if you told me that the Stewart sisters would be our friends, I would have laughed at your face. But they aren’t as bad we made them to be.
After sometime, Kendal sits next to me out of breath.
“Having fun?” I ask her and she nods.
“She would have loved this night”, she doesn’t need to mention the name, and I know who.
I simply nod, “Hey, you know what? Come dance with me!” she says and drags me even though I say no.
I jump around and she jumps around too and we laugh, then all of us join in and we all do some crazy things and laugh. Repeat.
Jack gets the homecoming king and Diamond gets the homecoming queen.
We all whoop and cheer, Jack and Diamond shimmies their way into the crowd and does a duet, and we all laugh.
When the slow song comes, we just sway and smile the whole time. This is the happiest I have felt in a long time.
The day finally comes to an end; we drop off Jack, Diamond, Ruby and Emmy.
But I don’t drive straight to home; instead I go to Kez’s. We both planned this earlier, Kez’s mom would be alone and we are leaving in two weeks. So we meet her after the prom.
“I am nervous” says Kendal.
“Don’t be” I say and she nods.
We stop at the entrance and I knock on the door.
Kezya’s mom opens the door, her house is empty. “Are you moving?” Kendal asks her while she allows us inside.
“Yes. I am going away to Pennsylvania. I’ve got a job there. I could start fresh”
We both nod in an understanding way.
“Oh, look at both of you. You look beautiful. No wonder my daughter set you up” she says and her eyes are glistening with tears.
“We bought you cookies” I say and Ken hands them.
“Oh, thank you both of you. For everything” she says and hugs us.
“It’s nothing” Ken says, “We can visit you right? In Pennsylvania?”
“Of course honey! I’d be waiting!”
“Bye, Ms.Cerise” I say and turn to leave. Kendal waves.
“Oh, wait!” she says. We turn around and she gives us a pale green album. “This is yours. It has photos of you guys, I thought you’d like to have it”
Kendal is now crying and so is Kez’s mom.
“Thank you, Ms.Cerise. Means a lot to us” Kendal says.
“Call me Keeley” she says. “Keep in touch kay’?”
“Sure” we say and leave.
And the entire ride to home is painfully silent; I know Kendal is silently crying in the backseat.
This is all ending. We are changing and Kezya isn’t here.