Glasses.

14

"So prom's right around the corner, how many guys have been lining up to take you?" Toby asks as he takes out the film roll from his Pentax film camera. Taylor snorts then shakes her head. Guys.

"I don't do prom."

"Really?" He asks and huffs out, genuinely looking surprised at the revelation. "I mean no offense Taylor but we've been in the Yearbook Club for the whole four years of our high school lives and within that time I've come to believe you really weren't that kind of girl. Until this year when you started hanging out with the cheerleaders."

"The cheerleaders?" Taylor scoffs and laughs lightly. "Oh come on Toby, I wasn't aware you cared about hierarchy. And besides, the cheerleaders I hang out with are pretty good people you know."

Toby hums in response and nods his head, "Agreed. But still you were quite different then you know, compared to how you are now. You were so...reserved and you had this like, own space, to yourself. Like your own little bubble, your own world and I never really know who you are outside of this club."

"You're right, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. I mean consider yourself a late bloomer, you've got some really awesome friends to have helped you find more of you. That's pretty cool if you ask me."

Taylor smiles and hops off the counter, feeling bewildered herself to hear what Toby had to say about her...character arc. "So no prom?" Toby asks, sounding a little hopeful but sighs when Taylor shakes her head in disagreement. "No prom it is."

The pair continue to work on their own individual photos, compiling, editing, all before they had to narrow down to their best works to submit. Soon some will make it to their yearbook, some won't. Forty minutes pass by before Taylor feels her eyes strain in a way wherein she herself feels like she shouldn't continue to work more today else she'll permanently destroy her eyes - even more so anyway. She bids farewell to her partner and heads out of the room.

Taylor sees the halls cluttered with cut out hearts and colorful springs and she can't help but feel bad for their janitors. She beelines to the right side of the building just as she was about to exit when she reaches her lockers and takes some notes out. Advance reading would probably best, while everyone else is prepping for prom season she'll lock herself up in her room and lose herself in her school books that way she'll have an advantage.

She finally leaves the building and curses herself for not leaving sooner when she notices the dark skies. She settles on her bike and begins to back up when she hears a car horn behind her. Taylor looks over and squints her eyes until she finally recognizes Romee. The older girl beckons her over. She stood right beside her car, doors closed.

"Hey." Taylor breathes out once they were close enough to hear each other. Her eyes travel towards the interior of her car. It was filled with balloons, red heart shaped balloons. And multiple cheesy pick-up lines in posters. And she knows who they were from, and her heart involuntarily clenches.

Romee follows the brunette's eyes and she can't help but feel embarrassed and she doesn't know why. "Heading home?"

"Uhm, yeah I guess so."

"Okay." Romee replies. And the blonde just stands there looking at everywhere but at Taylor and they feel the atmosphere shift into awkwardness. They were never awkward with one another before.

Taylor breaks the silence first, "So...I'll go now. I'll see you around." She settles her right leg on the paddle and was just really about to go when Romee stops her.

"Wait," She breathes out. "I'll drive you home. It's getting dark out."

Taylor looks back and eyes the bouquet of roses on her passenger seat and smiles sadly. "It's okay Romee, I'll manage." And with that she takes off, paddling like a mad woman wanting to get away from anything and everything.

Back at Davis' High, Romee Carey laughs bitterly and has to restrain herself from screaming. Instead she swings her leg and kicks her front tire, which she realized was a bad idea when all she got was pain and zero satisfaction. She had no idea why Taylor rejecting her offer ticked her off so much. She'll be fine going home by herself, she's a grown woman. But still, she resonates with herself in her head.

"Wow Romee, that was so dramatic." The blonde hears a voice behind her. She looks back at rolls her eyes when she realizes it's just Jas.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to see you make a fool of yourself." Romee eyes her seriously and she puts her hands up in surrender. "I just got here, jheez."

"What's got your panties in a twist blondie? I thought Laurens' promposal was a success? I mean, I was there and it was pretty sweet and you both looked happy so..."

Romee shakes her head, Jas is right. Her loving boyfriend gave one of the sweetest promposals the school has ever seen, he put up a show himself on the field. Even when Romee knew he hated to be in front of crowds, except when he was playing. With the help of the team, the school field was adorned in red petals emulating the word, prom.

"Nothing," Romee fakes a smile. "You should head out Jas, your driving skills suckass and it's about to rain."

"Gee, thanks. I'll make sure I hunt you first if I die."

"Well, I pray you don't."

The next day was a weekend and Romee found herself going shopping with Laurens and Noe. Well, she was window shopping. The other two splurged and though Romee thought some of the things her boyfriend bought were completely unnecessary, she decided not to comment. Finally the brothers tire easily and they headed straight for the food court, Romee was not in it today. But she liked being with Laurens so she accepted his offer.

"You okay?" Laurens leans in and gives her a light kiss on the head. "You haven't touched your food."

"Yeah, I think I'm just tired." Romee replied. Laurens shakes his head and grabs the burger, feeding the blonde himself just so she can eat. He knew she wouldn't refuse.

"You guys are annoying." Noe groans from where he sat.

"That's because you're a bitter single being," Laurens taunts jokingly and laughs when his older brother flips him the bird. "So? Did you ask Taylor yet?"

"Yes, she said she doesn't do prom."

"Maybe she said no cause you're like, so old." Romee teases and throws him a fry, one that he catches with his mouth expertly.

"It's fine. She said we can hang out though."

"Hm." Romee hums and takes a sip of her drink. "And what do you plan to do?"

"Haven't thought about it yet. Maybe we'll go see a movie and then ice skate."

"Dude you are so corny," Laurens says as he shakes his head. "You always do that with your girls."

Romee turns to face Laurens her tone laced with seriousness, "His girls? What does that even mean?"

"Nothing. Your boyfriend's just being a prick." Noe addresses the blonde, almost terrified of her piercing gaze. "And I haven't been like that since highschool."

"Good." Romee sighs, "Wouldn't want to have bad blood with you, Noe."