“You gonna eat those?” Chris asked pointing to Florence’s French fries.
“I eat everything on my tray,” she replied. “I eat everything I possibly can while I’m young because I know it’ll all change when I get older. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I’ll probably be fat, so I’m enjoying food now while I’m stick thin.”
Chris had stopped listening to her and turned to Clara.
“You gonna eat those?” and she shook her head and smiled.
“Is anyone else sick and tired of hearing about prom?” Florence asked. “Why is everyone talking about it already? Isn’t it a little early?”
“I think to get students excited about it,” Evan said.
“I think it’s a waste of money and a waste of time,” Florence replied. She shoved a French fry in her mouth.
“Yeah, and as soon as someone invites you, you won’t think that,” Chris said. He wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand.
“Oh, I have no intentions of being asked,” Florence replied. “But thanks for reminding me that I won’t.”
An uncomfortable silence fell over the foursome.
“It’s just a stupid dance,” Chris mumbled and downed the rest of his Coke.
“I know,” Florence said unaffected. “Who are you taking?”
Chris swallowed then replied. “Caroline.”
“Oh, she’s pretty,” Florence said. “She’ll make a pretty date.”
Chris smiled, unsure.
“But these two will be the scene stealers,” she said pointing at Evan and Clara. Clara blushed. Evan hadn’t even asked her yet, and she wished Florence would stop talking.
“And why do you say that?” Evan asked.
Florence looked at him in disbelief. “Really? Try the most awesome story of the school year! Cool guy befriends shy girl and then they start a passionate romance that nobody at school can understand. All the popular girls are jealous, and all the nerds feel vindicated. It should really be a movie.”
Evan laughed. Clara wished that Florence would stop constantly lumping her in with the nerds. She preferred to be a nobody which was an entirely different group of students.
“Who would play Clara in your movie, Florence?” Evan asked.
“You’re asking me?” Florence said. “I don’t know any celebrities. Why doesn’t Clara play Clara?”
“I don’t think you can play yourself in a movie,” Chris interjected.
“John Malkovich did,” Evan replied.
“Who?” Florence asked.
“Yeah, but he can get away with that because he’s famous,” Clara pointed out.
“And she talks,” Chris said teasingly, and Clara grinned. “Say, if you two are going to prom, maybe we could get a limousine or something. Do a double date thing.”
“I’ll let you know, man,” Evan said, but he already knew he had other plans.
That night Evan picked Clara up for a date. They went to the movies and sat in the theatre trying to answer the questions included in the “Before You Watch” pre-movie segment.
“You’ve never seen The Lost Boys?” Clara asked.
“I’ve never even heard of the movie,” Evan said scratching his head.
“My mom is big into 80s movies, and she used to make us watch them with her. Well, Beatrice wasn’t allowed to watch all of them. Certainly not The Lost Boys or Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Anyway, maybe it’s kind of like your progressive rock music. Weird that you would listen to it. Weird that I know all about 80s movies.”
Evan smiled. “Clara?”
“Hmm?”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you something,” Evan said.
“Yes?”
“Well, I thought if you weren’t busy on April 18th you might be interested in going to prom with me.”
Clara grinned.
“It’s not because of lunch earlier today. I planned on asking you tonight anyway,” Evan went on. “So what do you think?”
Clara’s grin faded. “Aren’t tickets expensive?”
“Clara, it’s my senior prom, and I’d love to take my girlfriend with me. I don’t care what it costs.”
Clara thought for a moment. “Okay.”
“Okay as in you’ll go with me?”
Clara nodded, and Evan leaned over to kiss her. She tasted like butter from their popcorn, and he thought he’d like to snack on her instead. She clutched the popcorn container against her chest as his kiss turned into something more forceful. She was aware of the other moviegoers, the lights that had not yet dimmed, and pulled away.
“There are people all around us,” Clara whispered.
“Oh Clara,” Evan said. “You still haven’t listened to Silver Rainbow?”
***
“Do you know a song called Silver Rainbow?” Clara asked her mother at breakfast the next morning.
Ellen and Beatrice looked at her shocked. It was the first time Clara directed a question to her mother in five days. Ellen didn’t dare to hope, but a part deep within her suggested that maybe Clara was softening. Trying to adjust. Trying to forgive.
“Well, let me think,” Ellen said. “Is it an older song?”
“I don’t know. I think so,” Clara replied. “Maybe progressive rock?” she suggested as she poured Cheerios in her bowl.
“Good morning, Clara,” Beatrice said. She watched as Clara got up from the table for a cereal spoon.
“Good morning,” Clara said tersely not looking at her sister.
“Silver Rainbow. . . wait! I got it! It’s a Genesis song from the 80s. Oh my God, I cannot believe I remember that!”
But of course she could believe it, Clara thought, because her mother knew every song from the year she was born until now. She sang, or at least she used to sing, all the time around the house. That’s where Beatrice got her gift, Clara thought sourly. Why couldn’t she inherit something good?
“Off their self-titled CD. My God, it’s got yellow shapes on the front,” Ellen said to herself. “Wait here, girls. I think I know where it is!” And she hurried off to her bedroom.
She emerged with a CD player and CD—one with yellow shapes on the front. She plugged in the player and set it on the kitchen table then inserted the CD.