The morning of Prom

[Acelister†]

((John Smith continued from Personal Victory))

The cellphone alarm went off and John Smith scowled, rudely awoken by the harsh noise. He chose it to make sure it woke him, but he still hated it.

He opened his eyes, part of his mind starting to wonder what the time was. He grabbed his phone and pressed the button to cancel it - then saw the screen. It wasn't his daily alarm - it was a reminder he set.

Prom. Tonight.

"Shit!" he blurted out, scrambling out of bed. He thought it was ages away, still! No wonder people kept asking who he was taking...

"SHIT!" he practically squeaked. He hadn't even asked her yet! He grabbed his phone, scrolling to her name in his phonebook. He hesitated with his thumb over the green button. What if she had already agreed to go with someone else? He was sooo late in asking her...

He cancelled and wrote a text message, sending it to Celeste Beaumont.

'Hey. wanted to no if ull be my date 2 prom? ;)'

If she said no, he could pretend it was a joke. If she had a date, same thing. If she said yes - then score!

He looked at his closet. He probably doesn't have anything good enough for tonight...

[Moth†]

((Celeste Beaumont continued from Knock 'em Down))

Celeste left the bathroom with a towel around her body, trying to get to her room fast enough so her hair didn't drip water all over the floor. She frowned slightly as she stalked to her door, slipping inside. Not a single guy'd asked her to the prom, no matter how many she'd talked to, how many hints she'd dropped, what she wore...Celeste started to wonder if perhaps she might be cursed. Some god of beauty or sex appeal or whatever must really hate her, she decided.

Her cell's display screen was blinking, alerting her of a text message. Wondering if perhaps it might be someone changing his mind, Celeste moved to it, hitting the button to see what the text was. Oh, it's John, she thought, lips curved in a smile. Oh, of course he'd send her a text! They'd exchanged numbers, and he'd really seemed to like her, hadn't he? Celeste checked the time it was sent out--half an hour ago. Not too bad...She wasn't super-late or anything.

'Hey. wanted to no if ull be my date 2 prom? ;)'

"Well now!" Celeste laughed, sitting back down on her bed and grinning at the phone with a Cheshire Cat smile. He'd pulled through for her after all! Celeste really shouldn't have underestimated him. "Aw, John, you big sweetie..." she chuckled, sending a reply.

'^_^ Sure, Big Guy.' Celeste took a minute to wonder if maybe she ought to use chatspeak instead (and then wondered why John hadn't actually called rather than text) but shrugged it off. She hit 'Reply' and started to get dressed, putting on a pair of jeans and a button-up shirt. She didn't need to check the closet to see she had no dress...Why she'd been putting it off, she didn't know. Some part of her told herself she'd go shopping when she found out who her date was, but that didn't seem to work. Well, she could go shopping for a dress before she got her done...courtesy of Mom's credit card, of course.

[Acelister†]

John got dressed and left the house chewing a piece of gum to make it at least smell like he brushed his teeth. He would before the prom itself, but he wanted to get to the mall as fast as possible. Hopefully they had a tuxedo or something he could rent.

His phone went off as he sat on the bus and he quickly took it out of his pocket. It had been ages since he sent his text, but maybe he woke her. Or she was waiting and choosing careful words to kick him with...

'^_^ Sure, Big Guy.'

He grinned as he read and re-read the words.

"YES!" he called out before getting strange looks from the few people around him. He blushed a deep red as he shrunk into his seat to text back.

'Cool. See u l8r. I'll bring a ride'

He hit send and noticed that the bus had stopped. He stood up and filed out, the mall just up ahead. He had to find a good suit - where sold good suits...?

[Moth†]

Celeste's phone went off again almost right after she sent her text. The girl giggled a bit as she left the house for the mall. Someone's eager.

'Cool. See u l8r. I'll bring a ride.'

"Well, I don't think there's any point in hoping it's a limo," Celeste mumbled a bit, nodding and pocketing her phone. She wasn't exactly sure of John's financial status, but she did know that one could never make assumptions that another could afford very many fancy things. Besides, she didn't really care that much...He was taking her to Prom, right? What the hell difference did it make if it was a limo or a bus? Er...I hope I don't have to sit on the bus in a prom dress, she thought with a shudder.

Arriving at the mall, Celeste checked the map near the front before moving towards a hair salon. Interesting that they'd have one here...

But argh, what to get? Celeste tugged at a strand of hair, thinking it over. Well, her hair was very long, perhaps she could do it up in a bun? A fancy bun? And would a tiara be a bit much, or should she just ask them to put a bit of glitter in her hair. Urgh, the guys have it a lot easier for this thing, she thought bitterly. All they gotta do is get a suit, shave and shower. Oh, and pay for things, of course.

[Acelister†]

John headed upstairs, having been told last week that he could rent a suit at a place up there.

'So long as they have one...' he thought to himself, grimacing slightly. If they have rented out all of their suits, there was no chance Celeste would want to have a repeat performance of their time together... He had been led to believe that proms were important to girls - a t-shirt and sneakers were not to be worn.

He entered the shop and looked around, feeling quite intimidated by all of the suits hung up. There were shoes, ties, shirts and suits of various sorts. This was going to be quite a different experience...

[Moth†]

She'd made it to the salon, but it had started out on a sour note. They were having a Prom Special...discounts for hairstyles and haircuts, and glitter to be added free of charge, but when Celeste had asked for it, they'd thought she was kidding. I am so a senior and I am so going to Prom! she thought angrily, arms crossed underneath the protective bib.

"Ow!" Celeste yelped, flinching and nearly lifting her hands to her scalp. One eye opened, glaring mildly at the stylist's reflection in the mirror. "Ow, careful, this is my real hair! No extensions!" She sighed, leaning back in the chair and watching the woman work...So far her hair looked okay. It was being curled and piled up into a bun at the back of her head...Celeste wondered if maybe she should get a tiara, to sit at the base of her bun. It might look better than glitter...

Smirking a bit, Celeste pulled out her phone, holding it above the bib and sent John a text. 'You're gonna love my look tonight. ;)' Sending the message, she started to wonder what John himself would look like...Aw, shoot, was he going to buy a corsage? He had to know what color her dress was then! Eh, I'll text him when I find a decent one...

[Acelister†]

John had just picked a suit and been measured up when his phone went off in his pocket. He took it out and saw a new message from Celeste. He grinned as he opened it.

'You're gonna love my look tonight. ;)'

John's eyebrow raised. She was going to look different to normal? She must be doing something special. Like getting a fancy hairdo and professionally done make-up, or something... And all he's doing is renting a suit!

'Have 2 try hard 2 beat ur normal look.' he sent back. Pay her a compliment when he hasn't a clue how else to respond. Though he could have told her how he can't wait to see her...

"Do you wish to buy a corsage, too?" the salesman asked, having been told John is going to the prom. For a nice suit, there must be a girl involved.

"A what?" John asked, blinking at the question.

"For your lady friend." the salesman said, indicating a case containing a small selection of wrist corsages beside the counter.

"Why do I need one of those...?" John asked, not getting it.

"You present it to her at beginning of the night." the salesman explained patiently. "It is seen as romantic."

"Give me one." John nodded rapidly. There was no way he wanted to look unromantic. Maybe he'll ask Celeste to be his girlfriend tonight. He hadn't had any luck finding another girl who would sleep with him. It didn't help that he also hadn't actually asked anyone else.

"Which colour, sir?" the salesman asks, opening the case.

"I dunno..." John frowned, looking at them. He didn't know Celeste's favourite colour...

"May I suggest the same colour as her dress, sir?" the salesman asked.

"I dunno that either..." John muttered. This wasn't going so well...

[Moth†]

'Have 2 try hard 2 beat ur normal look.'

Celeste chuckled as she read the message, hitting the button to exit the text. That reply had come pretty quickly too...Either he was very eager and waiting by the phone like a lovesick girl, or he was out somewhere. Most people did carry their phones with them when they went out, after all, and it was Prom...He's probably out buying something too, Celeste thought, leaning back in the chair.

"You're finished, Miss," the stylist said, lowering the chair away from the mirror and carefully undoing the large bib. Celeste smiled, handing the credit card over to her before she was told that she had to go to teh woman at the counter. Blushing slightly--she hadn't had her hair done in ages, how was she supposed to know?!--Celeste made her way over and paid.

Well, that was done...All she had to do now was go out and buy a dress. While walking around the mall in a curly bun. Eh, maybe no one would say anything. A pretty girl walking around in a pretty hair-do, moving towards the dress store? Had to be a special occasion, right?

Unfortunately for Celeste, she soon discovered most of the dresses were too big for her. After she'd gotten one of the clerks to help her find something, they'd spent quite some time over on the racks, looking for something smaller...no dice. "Miss, perhaps you'd like to try another store?" the woman suggested nervously.

"No! I don't even have much time..." she shot back. Not entirely true but if one told that to the clerks, they would try even harder to help you. She turned back to the racks of dresses, moving down the line towards the back. Grinning as she saw the numbers on the hangers steadily get smaller. It was another few minutes, when Celeste was nearly in the very back, that she found something in her size--and in a good color. "Ah, this one's perfect!" she announced, pulling a royal blue dress off the rack. Ooh, and it sparkled too! No need to glam her hair up any further!

Celeste took her phone out again after she held the dress up high, snapping a picture of it and sending it along to John. Give him a little teaser... "This one, please," she said to the woman, wincing slightly at the price. Well, at least it was for a good cause...Her mom shouldn't kill her, at least.

[Acelister†]

"Perhaps sir would like to come back when he does have an idea of the colour?" the salesman asked, starting to sound quite snotty to John. That was the sound of a patient man getting to the end of his.

John's phone rang out about another message. He grinned - he could ask Celesete what colour her dress was!

He took it out of his pocket and saw it was a picture message. He opened it and grinned. It would probably look even better on her.

"This one." he stated, showing the image to the snotty sales clerk.

"Ahh, yes." the salesman nodded, a thin smile coming over his lips. Soon this kid would be leaving! He plucked an almost-dark blue corsage from the selection and showed it to John as he closed it. "Present this to her, and I can guarentee she will be thrilled."

"Cool." John nodded, looking at it through it's clear-plastic box. "Looks good. Ring me up."

"Indeed..." the salesman said, going to the register and inputting the figures.

John's jaw dropped when he saw the total. He had hoped to at least get a taxi to Celeste's house and then to the prom itself... He took his wallet out and counted out the bills. Good thing he hadn't been buying much manga the past month. He had saved up his allowence. True, he was saving up for two specific things - a figure of Chii from Chobits in a maid outfit and a set of six Love Hina figurines in swimsuits. But - this was more important.

He handed over the notes and took his few cents change, then picked up all of the items he'd just rented and bought and left.

[Moth†]

Okay, got the dress, got the hair...Got some jewelry at home, and what I don't have in that department, I can borrow from Sis... Celeste walked through the mall, dress neatly folded in a thin bag, on its hanger. She ran a mental checklist of things a girl needed for Prom. A dress, a hair-do, shoes (she had a pair of heels lurking somewhere at home), jewelry, maybe perfume--oh! Make-up!

Celeste caught her reflection in a darkened store window, a shop that had closed up a few months ago and had yet to be reopened or replaced. She leaned forward, staring at herself and poking her cheek. Hmmm...She didn't want to go the usual route with her make-up...It seemed so ordinary in comparison to how a girl was meant to look tonight. She straightened up and looked around--a lot of the make-up stores she frequented had make-overs available. Maybe she should go to one of those!

Actually, that IS what I'm going to do! Celeste thought with another smirk, holding the bag over her shoulder and moving towards her favorite make-up department. They had some perfume there too that she could buy, and then she'd be finished! ...Right?

In the shop, it actually took a few minutes to convince the clerks that she was indeed going to Prom. Damn, why was it so hard for people to believe? But finally, she was in the chair, eyes closed as another young lady--in-training, no doubt--applied eye-shadow. Celeste smiled again. This was going to be so much fun! She wondered if John would even recognize her, before snorting a bit. Of course he would. She was unmistakable.

[Acelister†]

John got on the bus to go home, his pocket a lot emptier than it had been. But at least it was in a good cause. A better cause than semi-erotic statuettes of manga/anime characters. There was plenty of hentai doushinji online of the characters in question, and that was free! Never mind fantasising about static versions that were clothed.

He shook his head to clear it as he noticed his stop was coming up. He gathered his things and got off the bus when it stopped. He was feeling quite nervous as time went on. What if he was late? What if he forgot the corsage? What if he forgot a condom?

"Shit!" he blurted out. He blushed and looked around but nobody was close enough to care why he swore. He'd forgotten to buy condoms. Sure, Celeste was on the pill, but people said to use the pill AND condoms. And probably whatever else you could find on short notice. Even then there was still a marginal chance he could knock her up.

He carried on home, hoping they would be fine doing it just one more time without condoms. If she put out tonight... He didn't actually know if they had somewhere they could go. Though with it being this time of year, it shouldn't be too cold to get a little naked out of doors...

He entered his house and headed up to his room, hanging up the tux as soon as he got there. He brushed his hand over it to ensure it was straight, then headed for the shower. He had to be cleaner than a whistle. Nothing could go wrong tonight. If it did, he'd freak out...

[Moth†]

"And you're finished now, Miss."

Celeste took the mirror, blinking in surprise at her reflection. The make-up was a bit subtler than what she usually wore, but it looked a lot better...Interesting. She leaned closer, looking at the liner and shadow first and then her lips. Hm...everything else might last longer than the lipstick--oh, no "might" about it...So it looked like she'd have to spend some more money.

"Can I get everything you used on me, please?" she asked, handing the card over to be swiped. Hey, she'd already bought an expensive dress, a new hairstyle, why not go the extra mile and get the make-up too? She didn't see how it would make much difference, it just another few tens of dollars. "Oh, hey, thanks," she flashed a smile as another girl handed her a thin, pink bag of the cosmetics. Well, her mother would understand--it was for a good cause, after all.

Finally, Celeste was on her way home with her purchases and the knowledge that her mother's bank account as going to be made a lot lighter. Eh, it's Prom season. She should know that some cash's gonna get blown, Celeste thought to herself. She sneaked a look inside the bag that held her dress. John had better appreciate her look.

The bus pulled up to her stop, and she hopped off the bus, nearly dropping the bag of cosmetics as she did so. She checked the clock on her phone and started for home, wondering how she was to spend the next few hours before Prom started. She was already showered and had her hair made up, so...it looked like there was not much else to do but relax and get some lunch.

[Acelister†]

John exited the bathroom and made his way back to his room wrapped in a towel. It wasn't even three in the afternoon. Still hours until he had to pick up Celeste. Until his dad met her... What if his mother wanted to go too?! Maybe he should just get the bus with her...

'Stupid idea.' he decided as he got clean socks and boxers out of the drawers, tossing them onto the bed. 'Who arrives at prom on-foot after a half-hour bus journey?'

He finished drying and put on his underwear. Was it too early to put on his tux? He tried it on in the store, so he knew it fit him. He checked his face in the mirror on his desk, in case the steam of the bathroom meant he missed making himself clean-shaven. He then ran his hand over his cheeks and chin for a third check.

He sighed and sat on his bed. He saw There's Something About Mary just the other day and wondered if there was any truth in what the bald guy said. Should he spank the monkey before this biggest of big dates? He chuckled, remembering the quote and scene.

"Flog the dolphin..." he chuckled, picking up his phone and checking it for messages. None. Whether that was a good sign or a bad sign was yet to be seen. He went into his message inbox to double check his parents hadn't been into his room, read a message and run off again.

He sighed again and looked at his desk. He could read, go online or entertain himself. That ran the risk of making him tired though, and less likely to have fun later. It was so tough being a guy... He got up and grabbed a random manga from his shelf before opening a drawer and taking a twinkie out and returning to his bed.

[[ooc: shall we skip to the evening?]]

[Moth†]

Celeste sat down on the couch--carefully so she didn't mess her hair up, and turned on the TV. Taking a bit from her peanut-butter sandwich, she chuckled a bit at the irony--Carrie was on TV. Others might have gotten nervous by such a thing, but Celeste wasn't worried. No blood was spilled at Prom--not unless someones cut themselves on a glass, or if there was a fistfight over a date. Part of her really did hope there was a fistfight...it'd make a great night even more entertaining!

Celeste checked the clock as her meal was finished. Still quite a ways to go...May as well finish the movie. Celeste grinned and drew her legs against her body, wrapping her arms around them.

[[OOC: Sounds good to me.]]

[Acelister†]

John straightens his clothes, looking at his small desk mirror. He was feeling quite nervous. If he gots this dirty, he wouldn't get his security deposit. And it could get dirty from a number of sources. Food, drink, fun-time fluids...

He sighed and straightened himself again. He then re-comed his hair twice before sighing. He looked good, but he wasn't sure he looked good enough.

He went to the door of his room and sent a message to Celeste.

'I'll be there in 5.'

He pocketed his phone and headed downstairs. His dad noticed and stood up, going to get his coat on - luckily his mother didn't want to go as well.

"Ready, sport?"
"Sure thing." John smiled, giving his mum a hug and kiss before going to the door. "Don't wait up."

His parents chuckled and his dad opened the door and headed to the car.

John stepped outside and his eyes widened before he sprinted back upstairs. He went into his room and snatched the corsage from his desk before heading back downstairs. "See you later, mom." he said, heading out to the car and getting in the back seat.