“Very funny,” says Aunt Jen. “I didn’t even go to my Senior Prom, not that I cared at the time. But still, how exciting. Oh Bren, this is happening too fast. Our little Bree is a lady.”
As I string the pearls around my neck, I push away the memory of Sean’s fingers grazing my skin after playing the guitar, and the way his breath always sped up when I touched him. Especially at the lake. “Can you unhook this necklace Mom, it’s too old ladyish and it’s suffocating me.”
Aunt Jen nudges my shoulder. “I hear you’ve been busy lately. Spending a lot of time with your new little friend.”
“Funny you should mention that. Bree came home around two a couple weekends ago,” says Mom.
I narrow my eyes. “Really, Mom?”
“So it’s getting serious, huh?” Aunt Jen asks. “Then let’s not beat around the bush. Are you still on birth control?”
My cheeks redden. “Omigod I can’t believe we’re talking about this.”
“Believe it, girl. Otherwise the next thing you know you could be knocked up and living in a van down by the river.”
“Jen, don’t joke. We’re serious about this, Bree.”
“How can I focus on the right accessories with you two butting into my sex life.” I push through Aunt Jen’s jewelry box frowning at an aquamarine the same shade as Sean’s eyes.
“Your sex life? Good Lord.” My mom falls back onto her bed. Aunt Jen laughs, fanning Mom’s face.
“Yes, my sex life. I’m seventeen, and only a few short months away from legal adulthood. But since you’re just dying to know, I don’t have an actual sex life per se.” Not anymore anyway. “But no one knows the future. I know all about STDs and thanks to MTV reality TV, I’m not trying to have a baby until I’m like a hundred years old. I’ve been taking my pill every single day for the last year and a half, and I also might even have a condom in the bottom of one of my purses.”
“Well, okay, I guess you told us.” Mom swats me on the butt.
Aunt Jen laughs. “Who knew your own daughter would be more of a lady than you were, huh Bren?”
“Don’t you dare,” Mom swings the string of pearls toward her. “This one. Wow. This might be the one, Bree.” She holds up another necklace.
“That was Mom’s. It’s a sapphire and probably perfect.” Aunt Jen throws my hair into a high bun as Mom clasps the necklace.
“Oh hon, it looks great on you. It is perfect. It would look good with a crown as well.”
I shake my head. “Well, if Kallie manages to win over Molly, I’ll let her wear the necklace for the crowning.”
As Mom and Aunt Jen lecture me on believing in myself and other things that have no relevance over Prom politics, I can’t help but wonder what Maisey would have worn. If she would have gone at all. I let my hair fall back down over my shoulders and try to picture her in my dress. I can’t. I can’t picture her in anything but the faded army green cargo pants and old gray sweatshirt she hid in every day.
If Maisey would’ve been at Prom, Jane and everyone would’ve been taunting her about declining the nomination. Kids would’ve been singing snippets of the Maisey song and throwing stuff at her. And I probably would’ve stayed silent. I grasp the sapphire between my fingers, the edges smooth, then sharp at the corners. At first I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to do anything else with Maisey’s letter—or how I could make it right. But as I soak in the realities of my reflection, a girl, almost a woman looks back at me, alive, looking like she has everything. Even without Sean, for once it almost feels like I do. Almost. And for that, I decide that I don’t really have a choice. If I deny Maisey’s last request, I know I’ll never forgive myself.
“Hey don’t look so bummed,” my Aunt Jen says. “Don’t listen to us, we’re old!”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. I do believe in myself okay? And I definitely don’t need a crown on Prom night to validate me. I also won’t need it to put some of those other kids in check.”
“That’s what I’m talking about.” My mom smiles and Aunt Jen wraps me in a hug.
TWENTY-EIGHT
School and home are a blur the next week. Everything moves fast but me. Teachers hand back stacks of old assignments, surprising us with last-minute review quizzes, and assigning busy work. I move through it like a zombie. Dead, cold, and hungry. Everyone has checked out. And everyone is talking about Prom.
“So, let me get this straight,” Kendall asks over a tray of pizza and wilted salad. “It’s gonna be you and Sean, but you’re not even speaking to him; Chris and Laura since they’re back on again, Brian and Jane, Molly with Justin, and Kallie’s still going with Todd?”
“Yep,” I say with a mouthful of pizza, “that’s about right.”
Sam leans in. “You’re starring in a reality TV episode with too many stars and too many side plots. It doesn’t make sense. First off, why are you and Sean in a fight?”
“Just like I told you on Monday, Tuesday, and yesterday. It’s not a big deal and I’m not getting into it.”
“Okay. It was worth a try. So, second most important question: Why is Molly going with Justin now?”