Chapter 23

Last seen: Eight seniors and many of their friends, from Patricia Loyalton School for Girls and Kingston School for Boys, piling into a black stretch limo, heading to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where the Class of 2005's prom is being held tonight.

He stood outside their school, waiting for her to come trotting down the stairs. He knew she wouldn't fly into his arms like she used to, but hopefully she would stop, and at least allow him to hold her hand, or would rest her hand in the crock of his arm like she usually did.

A glimmer of sun caught her golden blonde hair, and she air kissed her best friends as she bounded down the stairs. It was very movie-esque how her hair blew out behind her, and her head was turned back towards them, smiling and calling to them, blowing a kiss as she went.

She turned, saw him, and easily walked over.

She allowed her cheek to be kissed, and her hand to be grabbed, her fingers to be laced through his.

Sure, Emma Graham didn't see Luke Brown in the way she used to. He was no longer her Prince Charming, but he was pretty damn close...

As they strolled around the reservoir together, she thought through their relationship, and how many times they may have walked in this exact place, looking as cute, if not much more so than they looked at that exact moment.

"Hey Emma?"

"Mhmm..." she murmured, looking up at him, with that look of love that he had been praying would be returned to him for a long time.

"Will you..."

"What?" she asked wonderingly and sweetly.

"Will you go to prom with me?"

She smiled, and stopped, slipping her arms up around his neck, and kissing him softly on the lips. "Yes."

Prom night.

They had spent the whole day perfecting themselves. Facials, manicures, pedicures, and fresh hair cuts and blow dries by their respective stylists at Frederic Fekkai. They had all dressed at Emma's house, while their parents all drank martinis with Emma's parents in the living room, waiting to take pictures. They all looked beautiful. All the moms got teary. All the dads looked proud. Once the boys came, ridiculous numbers of pictures were taken.

Luke slipped a beautiful blue corsage on her wrist, and laced his fingers through hers as they headed out.

She looked beautiful, making him instantly forget her.

In the limo, they sat by couples on the two long buttery leather seats that faced each other. But the girls immediately started gabbing, talking about what they were wearing, about their corsages, about the after parties. There was a huge one at Brittany's Hampton house, the same girl whose party they had been to a long while back. They would all be heading there by limo after the official prom was over.

Once they arrived, they paired off, heading in by fours. First was Luke, Emma, Amanda, and Chris. Then the other four. They kissed and hugged various people on their way in, and then proceeded to thoroughly enjoy themselves.

The after party was crazy. Alcohol was in extreme abundance, it was like Brittany's parents kept an unlimited supply in that house.

The music was crazily loud and crazily great.

The food was incredible.

They were actually having the time of their lives.

And partying until like six in the morning.