Chapter 2
The Prom Night
The succeeding day arrived and Sophia found it difficult to get up. Two hours of sleep plus a disturbing nightmare ruined her ordinary day. But having no sleep was better than a Gehenna, she thought, and noticed that she was still holding her diary, unable to set it aside when the early crack of dawn finally invited her to darkness. And to some rest.
Her mind struggled to push the memory of the nightmare, away, and focused on the painting contest instead. Although there were still four months to go, she plunged herself into it, to escape and to move on.
As usual, she looked outside through the windows and absorbed herself with the easterly sun; the sky shot with yellow rays as it glinted in her eyes.
Morning was always her favorite time of the day, the time when new chances were brought to life, like a blank page to write on another new life chapter.
Lost in thought, her scheduled alarm finally rang, the sound so earsplitting as if the four walls of her room would rupture at any moment. Then she galloped to stop it, and a text came. It was from Zarah, reminding her of their dresses for the prom. Then and there, she felt zero excitement for the occasion. Yet she tried to give Zarah a positive reply.
She sat in front of the mirror and gently brushed her soft honey-hued hair that passed her shoulders. For about half an hour, she did nothing but sit there, staring blankly and stolidly. She was bothered, truly bothered by their impending visit to Forest Green. She tried hard not to think of him, nor to allow even a flashback of his face in her memory. But it was impossible. She just couldn’t help herself seeing Jericho’s face all over again.
She thumped herself on forehead before the dresser’s mirror. Why am I seeing you? Please, let go now. Her eyes were almost tearful when she ran over these thoughts in her mind.
The moment she got her composure back, she hurried for a quick shower and kept blinking back the tears.
Miraculously for St. Thomas Academy, high school students were not obliged to wear school uniforms, only the grade-schoolers were. So for this day, Sophia could wear anything she liked. She put on her plain white sleeveless blouse—one of the thousand gifts from her mother on her sixteenth birthday of about seven months ago—and paired it with fitted jeans. The only accessories she used on her body were her silver necklace tinted with small beads of diamonds, and a leather-strapped silver watch, both from her father during her first few months with them. She had her heels on, adding one and a half inches to her five-eleven, sensual frame. Her closets were filled with elegant shoes. On the other side of her shoe closet was a colossal cabinet of signature bags. Perhaps, such passion for fashion was demanded by her artistic side. Now, with some light makeup on and a heavenly mist of her favorite perfume, she was all set for school.
On her way to join her family at the dining room, she made up her mind to skip breakfast. There was no urge to nibble on anything, not even a small piece of bread. Everything that she left in Forest Green kept on haunting her ever since her mother announced the upcoming outing yesterday, and she wished that their plan of visiting it was just a part of last night’s distressing nightmare.
Entering the room, she saw everyone already seated. Their fond gaze on her deprived her of her breath right away, and it reminded her of the first time she joined them for breakfast, just the day after she left Forest Green. The picture was the same, that seemed to congeal and leave her gaping at them, while standing. Squeezing her eyes shut for a moment, she blocked all the memory impulses that came out of her dread.
“I’m not hungry. I’m going to school now.”
“Why in a hurry?” Alex asked.
“Yeah, why?” Nadine echoed.
Sophia’s mouth froze as their gawk travelled over her, unable to process right away their questions in her mind.
“I… I’m really not hungry,” she finally admitted, while her long and thick eyelashes dropped down. “I really have to go. Bye now.”
“Sophie, are you sure?” Elizabeth rushed to ask, but Sophia already exited the dining room.
“What’s her problem?” Alex wondered.
“I don’t know.” Nadine shrugged her shoulders innocently.
But the moment was a hard punch in the gut for Philippe and Elizabeth, that drew out all the air from their lungs.
Sophia was now heading to their covered car park, which was extended, at their backyard, replacing the swimming pool that almost drowned Nadine when she was three. Parked in there were their parents’ black Mercedes Benz, Sophia’s red mini-Cooper, Alex’s silver BMW, and a Chevrolet truck, an extra one.
With her mind somewhere in the clouds, Sophia hardly noticed that her parents called her and almost chased her, across the pavement.
“Hey! Did I mention that you look stunning with that blouse I gave you?” Elizabeth’s adoring preliminaries went beyond Sophia, as Philippe and his pained look continued to reach her.
The voice of Elizabeth did not reach Sophia right away. Instead, she was engrossed entirely by her father’s stare, and it had the power to set butterflies in her stomach, once again.
With his face undergoing the most painful ordeal, Philippe stepped closer to Sophia. “Sophia, about Forest Green…”
Sophia immediately shifted her gaze sideways and fixed her eyes on their well-crafted landscapes, filled with blossoming flowers that instantly sent a calming effect to her nostrils. She thought of Nadine, of her sister’s bouncing excitement for Forest Green. Though it killed her, she then forced herself to persuade her parents, that she was actually delighted to go to Forest Green. She tried her best to deliver it, wishing it wasn’t a lie.
Listening to her, Philippe and Elizabeth were fairly swayed and whispered their goodbyes as soon as Sophia proceeded to her car.
But something reminded Elizabeth, and she dashed to stop her daughter again.
“Oh, by the way, Soph…”
“What is it, Mom?” Sophia turned to face her mother.
“Your grandma called. She said she deposited in your bank account. Perhaps, for your dress for prom…”
Sophia dampened her lips and glanced downwards, avoiding her mother’s resolute eyes. Why would her grandma send her money, especially for an occasion that involved dancing? She had always been strict, and she never wanted her to have a social life either. What was the catch?
Ages passed by and Sophia finally said something. “In that case, tell her my warmest thanks, Mom.” It was followed by a compulsory smile.
“All right.” Elizabeth sighed and swallowed, with a prominent ripple movement in her throat. She easily perceived the forced smile in her daughter’s lips. She knew her daughter and Grandma Lucy weren’t close. Ever. But for some reason, Elizabeth did not want any melodramatic scene with her daughter again, hence, she tossed more praises on Sophia’s appearance. “You look really beautiful, Soph. Try not to turn every head, okay?”
“Thanks, Mom,” Sophia chirped. This time, her face showed no smile at all.
“Take good care of yourself, then. Be good in school. Avoid any form of trouble.” Elizabeth spoke in a rush and hastened to squash Sophia in her soft arms.
“I will, Mom, but I have to go.” Sophia struggled to escape her mother’s embrace. “Bye, Dad.” She shot a hand-wave at her father and continued her forward motion to her car.
Philippe did the same and went to Elizabeth, relieved that their conversation went well with their daughter.
Hands on the steering wheel, Sophia remembered to check the time. It was still seven twenty eight, thirty two minutes before her first class. Along the way, she noticed the mass of fallen tree branches scattered at both sides of the streets. She drove on, and at Olympus Heights’ main gate, she was greeted by the security guards, giving her a grin so awful, that strained her nerves and made her drive faster.
She passed by one of the busiest avenues in the city and longed for a cup of cappuccino-to-go at her favorite coffee shop. Unfortunately for her, the parking lot was already full. But when she finally saw a car leaving, she immediately took a U-turn and drove fast, to occupy it.
She was about to leave her car when, from nowhere, someone called her name. She instantly looked around, wondering who called her, although the voice was familiar. Then, a girl her age, in a white shirt and a red scarf appeared within sight.
“Sophia,” she repeated.
Finally, Sophia came to realize that it must be Daniella, one of her classmates during her freshman year.
“Daniella?” she asked uncertainly. “You look different. What are you doing here? I thought—” Her delighted sentence was cut when Daniella eagerly responded to her queries.
“Working! I stopped schooling for a while.” Daniella walked closer to her. “I was serving when I saw you parking your car and I thought that I could come to you, to talk to you actually,” she added with an easygoing voice.
Sophia was glad to see her good friend once again. “I thought you already left the city.” She looked at Daniella with disguised pity.
“Personal problems, that’s why…”
Beholding such a sardonic smile and desolate eyes from an old friend, Sophia decided to act sensitive.
“How are you now, Sophia? It’s been... I think, two years since I last saw you,” Daniella continued, seemingly even more outgoing, with the way she spoke now.
“I’m fine. How about you?”
“You know, after all that happened... I am actually thankful these days. Being away from my foster family now is like an unchained reef knot in the neck!”
“What? Don’t tell me you ran away from home?” Sophia’s loads of curiosity manifested entirely through her face.
With a mysterious smile, Daniella answered, “Um, something like that,” while taking a look inside the restaurant at the other side of the street. “I think I have to go now. More customers are invading the diner,” she exaggerated, while smiling, and Sophia conferred her a sincere grin and a tight hug, that brought them back to their memoirs of freshman year.
Sophia was left alone again and a sudden recurrence of the night she was with Daniella hit her; a night that Sophia was now ashamed to remember. She recalled exactly how her parents searched the entire city and found Daniella and her intoxicated in the streets. It was so risky, such that her parents grounded her for almost a month. She recalled how empty she felt in those days.
The sound of a harsh car distracted her thoughts as it passed by in front of her. She looked at her wrist watch and discovered that it was almost time for her English class. Groaning, she hurried back to her car and drove like a jet.
With shivering hands, Sophia rushed through the hallway and climbed the stairs up to the third floor of their one-hundred-year-old five-story school building. She was five minutes late now.
At the door, she noticed that all her classmates were already seated, wishing to survive Mr. Anderson’s one-hour-and-a-half boring lecture. Cautiously, she opened the back door so as not to distract the class, but Mr. Anderson saw her and gave her an intense look that made her blood heat up on her face. She quickly apologized and went straight to her seat.
“Where have you been?” her best friend, Zarah, asked, whose seat was just beside her.
Sophia beamed, not saying anything to avoid any further noise that would infuriate their English teacher. She was pretty aware of his limited patience towards those students talking during discussions. Then, she took a momentary look at her back and saw Giovanni. The gloomy look of him made her feel she owned all the brunt in the world. Pressing her eyes tightly, she risked smiling at him, trying to tell him that she was sorry, but Zarah’s whisper unfocused her.
“Girl, don’t forget about our dresses, okay?”
“Yes, I won’t,” Sophia replied under her voice, forcing herself to feel excited, too, for the prom. Having Zarah as her brother’s girlfriend always seemed to compel her to agree to everything Zarah asked her. Nonetheless, Zarah had always been a good friend since they first met in the summer, before they turned juniors.
When the class ended earlier than usual, Sophia asked Zarah if she could accompany her to the cafeteria for some beverages.
“Sure,” Zarah agreed delightedly. They got up from their seats but Giovanni was suddenly upon them.
Zarah knew that the two needed to talk, so she left them, in the meantime.
Sophia appeared like a little chick in front of a livid rooster. “I’m sorry,” she said, holding her hands. “I’m sorry that I overreacted. I didn’t know.”
“It’s okay. I miss you already.” Giovanni’s response echoed piningly, as he offered her a warm hug. “I couldn’t stand a day without you talking to me,” he said to further bare his emotions.
Sophia’s face felt like glowing. One of the hefty burdens on her shoulders had just been lifted. She hugged Giovanni back, telling him that she was again sorry and that she forgave him for being late at their meeting place, the other night. (It was their first month together at that time, and Sophia was already at the restaurant, waiting for him. She did not know that Giovanni was actually busy preparing for her, a huge surprise.)
“I’m glad that you’re no longer mad at me.” Giovanni’s gaze lingered, exposing his heart, and kissed his girlfriend’s forehead.
Sophia half-smiled and set her roaming marine eyes on his black hair that passed his hairline, featuring a uniform length that had spikiness all throughout.
They were distracted when Zarah slipped in and reminded them of the cafeteria. Her loud voice, which the two could overhear, made Giovanni a tad frustrated.
Giovanni, instead, held Sophia’s hand as they walked to the cafeteria with Zarah.
“Okay! So here’s the plan. After buying our dresses, I will be at your house,” Zarah talked to Sophia as they looked for an available table, leaving Giovanni listening in.
“All right.” Sophia made sure some thrill bounced off of her tone to compensate her best friend’s eagerness for the prom. Then, she took a quick look at Giovanni, and perceived his own enthusiasm for the event.
When they finally found an unoccupied table, Giovanni intervened in their chat.
“By the way, I’ll drop by your house later. Alex asked me to help him tonight,” he said as he put on the table a box of mocha cupcakes from his backpack. They were perfectly prepared, topped with espresso frosting that no one would dare to resist. (It was made by Giovanni’s mom for Sophia, and there was no denying that his mom truly adored her. And she even joked Elizabeth about an arranged marriage for their kids. After all, they belonged to the same line, in the business world.)
“Oh! I see,” the two girls reacted simultaneously as they sat opposite each other on a small square table. The guys could have arranged something for them.
Still standing before them, Giovanni asked what the two girls wanted to drink.
“Greek frappé,” Zarah quickly responded.
As for Sophia, she ordered cappuccino.
Briefly, Giovanni left them and went to the counter.
While waiting, Sophia and Zarah talked of the previous storm and their late session buying dresses for tonight’s prom.
When Giovanni returned with the girls’ orders in his hands, he sat beside Sophia and volunteered to open the box of cupcakes.
Sophia watched him do so while Zarah began sipping her favorite coffee.
“How’s Alex? I haven’t seen him these past few days.” Giovanni poked Sophia about his bandmate. He and Alex became friends when both of them joined a musical camp back in grade school. Being the lead guitarist, with Alex as the drummer of Zion, Giovanni’s every rehearsal with Alex augmented his fiery interest in Sophia.
“Alex’s fine, he’s always Alex,” Sophia answered in a low tone. But when she noticed that her brother was not yet coming to join them, she finally asked Zarah.
“He just texted me. He can’t join us. He’s still in his History class,” responded Zarah while going through the other messages from Alex.
In a flare, Zarah spoke again but in an irritable way. “Soph, please tell Alex to enroll in the same section this coming senior year, okay?” She let her time-bomb fury at Alex explode, before Sophia managed to calm her down.
Though there were still two months to go before the end of their junior year, Zarah still couldn’t believe that Alex was actually serious in enrolling in a different section when they had a mega dramatic and overrated fight back during their enrollment period for junior year.
“Yes, I will tell my brother.” Sophia handed a smile and took a bite of the cupcake. “Wow, this really tastes good—” She was saying, when she realized Giovanni’s warm look, directed at her, for he was very much entertained by her delicate bite of the cupcake. It was as if fireworks flashed in his eyes, and she barely noticed that Zarah was there. But the moment she recovered, she distanced her look straight away, before Giovanni’s glow could turn her or anyone completely into ashes.
Now, Zarah distracted them. “Hey, you guys. I think it’s time for Chemistry.”
With a splotch of embarrassment, Giovanni and Sophia agreed and rose from their seats, quick as a flash.
Thereafter, they went back to their classes, while postponing their conversation about their plans for prom.
As soon as their last class-period ended, Sophia and Zarah rushed to leave their school for the perfect dresses that would stun everyone for the night.
“I hope we find something that will fit us,” Sophia told Zarah as she drove her car.
“Come on, we’re both skinny and I’m pretty sure it would be easy for us,” Zarah smooth-talked, reapplying her red lipstick as she sat beside Sophia, in front of the car.
“It’s really funny that we’re buying our dresses four hours before prom,” Sophia conveyed, in irony.
“Well, it rained heavily for almost a week and most of the malls were closed.”
With a face fogged up, Sophia continued driving until they arrived at Nile, the country’s longest shopping mall that was named after the world’s longest river.
Hastening to the lady’s department, the two gave their best shot, to spot the best eye-catching dresses, in an instant.
In a minute, a scarlet satin dress enthralled Sophia’s awareness and it reminded her of the same color of a dress she received three days before her thirteenth birthday. Frustratingly though, she never knew who sent it and she never got the chance to wear it.
Waking up from reminiscing, she took a fond hold of the dress, positioned it in front of her, and looked at the mirror to see if it suited her. It was silken, with an obviously glamorous manner of couture, that would hint at a lady of vogue. It was tinted with glittering geometrical design, fair enough to compliment her radiant olive skin.
“It’s beautiful! It’s à la mode,” Zarah commended as she was holding her chosen dress too. It was plain black, backless, and daring.
Sophia no longer searched around for anything else. She knew it was the perfect one for her. Without second thoughts, she informed Zarah that she would take it.
Zarah agreed and together, they went to the counter with their chosen dresses.
They continued through the lady’s department and stopped at a boutique of cosmetics, mapping out for the perfect makeup colors that would definitely make themselves glimmer, all through the night.
Leaving the mall now, Zarah sang with vim and vigor until they approached Sophia’s car at the parking lot.
With a laugh, Sophia sang along with her.
They arrived at Sophia’s and pressurized themselves in her room. Zarah took a shower first and Sophia brought out her best friend’s pack of personal stuff. It was what Zarah used, everytime she decided to sleep over at their house.
They still had a couple of hours to prepare.
While waiting for the shower room to get vacant, Sophia devoted her time hanging their dresses and cutting out the price tags, like an OC.
Before long, a call from Giovanni distracted her deep-in-thought-stare at the dresses.
“Babe, where are you now?”
“I’m still here in my room with Zarah.”
“Okay! Just called to check if you’re ready. Can’t wait to see you, babe!”
While on the phone, Sophia saw Zarah coming out of the bathroom.
“Gio, can you call me again later? I just have to… prepare.”
“Right! See you later, babe.”
“Bye,” Sophia concluded in a hurry. Considering everyone’s growing anticipation, it only took her ten minutes to bathe.
“Hey, I’ll do your hair, okay?” Zarah told her. She knew Sophia very well. She never liked styling her own hair that much. On the contrary, hairstyling was Zarah’s interest and forte, no matter what everyone believed about her.
Sophia agreed with her best friend’s offer and waited until Zarah was done curling her cinnamon hair that complimented her glowing porcelain skin.
Then, Sophia put on her liquid foundation to contour her face, especially her cheekbones, and to prepare for the bold account of vibrant red lips and smoky eyes.
Zarah was astounded to see her best friend with such makeup on. It was rare for her to see Sophia that way. Afterwards, Zarah looked at her, in every angle, and started on the idea of making Sophia’s hair just as splendidly gorgeous.
Downstairs, Alex and Giovanni were already waiting; impatient, too, to see the girls, at long last.
Philippe and Elizabeth just got home from picking up Nadine in school.
“So… are, you guys, excited for tonight?” Elizabeth talked to the boys as she put her shoulder bag on the couch and sat.
“Mom, do you have to ask that?” responded Alex in wonder.
On the spot, Elizabeth laughed. “Of course! It’s the prom! I can’t believe I just asked that!”
“I wish I’m in high school too, Mom!” expressed Nadine, quite jealous that everyone’s all dressed up while she was in her boring uniform.
Elizabeth and Philippe just laughed at her.
“Wait, honey, and you will also get there.” Elizabeth tried her best to explain to her daughter.
“You look good,” Philippe applauded Alex and Giovanni. They were in hot tuxedos that triggered Nadine to ask for a picture with them.
The two boys, of course, agreed, tittering.
To keep the ball of ecstasy running, Philippe volunteered to take a photo of them while Elizabeth gleefully watched them in motion.
Sophia ended her makeup with a light blush-on to make it more natural. But when Zarah was done with Sophia’s hair, she was amazed to see Zarah pin-up the twirls that fell in waves, with a touch of class and with a few pieces that were pulled back, to give her face a frame.
“Wow, this is amazing, Zarah. Thanks!”
“You’re welcome.” Zarah pleasurably accepted the appreciation. As for her, she had her hair down with tousled waves, and full bangs swept over to one side.
They wrapped it all up with dazzling diamond accessories, from their ears down to their forearms.
Now, they were ready to go.
Then standing at the living room, Alex and Giovanni were, for a moment or two, mesmerized, as their girlfriends, at last, walked down the stairs.
Even Philippe and Elizabeth were stunned.
“Wow! How I wish I was wearing one of those dresses!” Nadine let her amazement show, and everyone chuckled at her.
Alex and Giovanni could not completely help but do stare at the two, forgetting to pin on their partner’s dress the corsage they had in their hands.
Elizabeth reminded them and also asked to take a photograph.
Alex and Zarah were photographed, first. But when it was Giovanni’s and Sophia’s turn, Elizabeth could not help but admire her daughter’s gorgeous look. Anyhow, she took three shots of them and even asked Alex and Zarah to join them.
Picture! Picture!
The last shot was when they compacted altogether and the camera was timed for ten seconds.
They were about to go when Philippe suddenly excused Giovanni, hoping for a private and fine conversation with him.
At his office, adjacent to the living room, Philippe unlocked a fragile chat with him.
“Giovanni, look…” Philippe sighed very uneasy. “I trust you, okay?” he said, with piercing eyes that curdled Giovanni’s stomach. “I really do! So bring her home on time, in one piece.”
“Thank you, sir!” Giovanni replied with an ashen smile, but he survived, and put on a bright one.
“Good,” Philippe smiled slightly, accompanying it with a light slap on Giovanni’s shoulders. “See that you do.”
Now, they were all set. They got into the limo breathlessly, and left.
When the two pairs arrived at the venue, everyone was busy taking a lot of photographs: selfies and all that. The music was so loud that everybody just wanted to dance and have fun.
Camera flashes were all over the place and the party rocked, as everyone expected it to.
Throughout the night, Giovanni never took his hands away from Sophia. It was a sign, forbidding any guy to dance with her. But it was prom night, and she could dance with anyone else, unless she declined.
Sighing, Sophia had nothing to do but sit down and watch her schoolmates who swayed, bumping each other, moving with the music. With the undesirable return of memories from Forest Green, she wished for a dance with Giovanni. Giovanni’s reason for being a bad dancer was not an excuse to her, at that point in time.
At last, the music went slow and Giovanni, after a long wait, finally asked Sophia for a dance. His touch on her waist, his dearest stare as he swayed with her—Sophia then began to feel the weight of Giovanni’s fondness. The music went on and changed pace. Then Alex meddled, informing Giovanni about their band’s sudden performance. They were given the chance to perform, and when they were on the stage, they dedicated their songs to their girlfriends.
It was the night of their lives for Sophia and Zarah. It was a long night where they did not notice that they were taking too many drinks. They spent the entire night enjoying every moment.
Plainly, it was an occasion that Sophia was desperate of, to drift away, to tear herself away from torrents of veiled melancholy that was almost drowning her.
The prom was now about to end. The excitement was still bursting, or perhaps they did not desire it to end, but the principal had finally spoken those pedagogic closing remarks. The discontentment was felt, but nevertheless, they all had to go.
“We’ll take the limo, okay?” Alex joked Giovanni.
“All right!” Giovanni assented.
Hastily, Alex and Zarah left them and went nowhere.
Giovanni looked dearly at Sophia. “I’ll take you home now,” he spoke, like his mouth was budding with beautiful flowers.
Sophia nodded, without saying any word.
“Hey!” Giovanni perked her up and hung his right hand on Sophia’s shoulders. “Did you drink too much? You seem so drunk,” he spoke, bubbly, as they made their way outside the venue.
“A little.”
“Just a little? I don’t think so.” Giovanni put on a small laugh.
“Don’t judge. I’m still myself, okay?” Sophia also laughed.
“Okay.”
Outside, while waiting for his car to be delivered by the family driver, Giovanni stared hard at Sophia, as if her face was glowing with the stars from above.
“You are a goddess,” he crooned, fascinated, as Sophia looked up at the glittery sky. “I’m sure Aphrodite will get jealous of you, even Snow White’s stepmom,” he progressed in a laughing way, hoping to brighten up Sophia’s face too.
But it sounded like a piece of trash music to Sophia. However, she was able to bestow him a short-lived smile.
Giovanni strove to wash all the negativities away, and persevered, until his car finally arrived.
Supporting Sophia so she could get inside his car, Giovanni fixed the hair that covered her face, as she struggled to sit down. But his mind warred for a moment. The picture of seeing his girlfriend in her most fragile allure warmed him. Yet, he remembered what her father told him and it just smashed him into pieces. He loped over to the driver’s seat, and handed his driver
