The Seeker: Dreamer Part 19

"So you'll go?" he pressed.

I looked at him through slitted eyes. "You tricked me. But yes, I would love to go with you to the prom, if you're sure you don't mind going. I don't know why I want to. I must be crazy."

"Maybe because you're about to graduate from high school and it's one of those things girls are hard-wired to want to do. It's a rite of pa.s.sage, babe." He leaned in to kiss along my jaw. "I don't want to hear you complaining when we're 80 that I never took you to your prom." I gave him a dirty look. He laughed. "I love it when you get jealous, querida."

"Thank you for asking me to the prom, Jack. I didn't even know I wanted to go. It'll probably be awful, but at least I won't feel left out. You are the sweetest guy I know. I love you an awful lot."

"I know." He leaned back in and took my mouth, framing my face with his hands as he devoured me.

"Well, well, well," Tara interrupted us. "This does look more fun than the lame movie. Don't mind me. I'm just getting more popcorn. Carry on."

I laughed and jumped down from the counter. "Jack and I are going to prom."

"Really?" she squealed. "Yay! Mat and I are, too, and I was going to bully you into it later tonight. Thanks for saving me the trouble." I was staying the night with her after the party. "Let's go shopping for dresses tomorrow. Oh my gosh, this is going to be so much fun!" She pulled me into an enthusiastic hug. I met Jack's amused eyes over her shoulder as he grabbed the popcorn and retreated to the living room. I hugged my best friend back and made plans for prom shopping the next day.

Tara, Veronica, and I scoured the mall Sat.u.r.day for prom dresses and shoes. It was hard to not get excited about the dance in the face of Tara's glee over all of us going together. Well, she wasn't excited about Veronica and Remy going with us, but was managing to be nice to her on our shopping trip. She still wasn't a huge fan of Veronica, and even less of her and Remy together, but she was trying. When Remy heard I had agreed to go with Jack, he announced we would all, of course, go to dinner together beforehand and then on to the dance in the limo he would rent. He said he wanted the full American prom experience. Jack balked when he learned we would be going with Remy, but finally agreed when I said, wistfully, that I had never ridden in a limo. I had figured out he would do pretty much anything to make me happy, even if he wasn't particularly jazzed about it. I knew for a fact he didn't have the least desire to go to prom, but he knew I wanted to go-I'm still not sure why I wanted to go-so we were going.

I had three dresses over my arm I planned to try on. Tara looked at them and put them back on the rack, shaking her head. "Honestly, Ally! What are you going to do when I'm not around to shop with you?" She went through the rack, pulling three different dresses out and handing them to me.

"I'll probably dress like a homeless person. Does that make you happy? Black? I don't know if I want a black dress."

"You will look amazing in black. Trust me; it will set off your hair perfectly. Veronica, have you got something to try on? Good. Let's go." She marched to the dressing rooms like a general leading a charge.

She was right, of course. I ended up buying the second dress I tried on, a short, tight, black sheath. It had a halter-top, which showed my shoulders and upper back, something I thought Jack might appreciate. It made me feel pretty and s.e.xy and Tara said I had to get it. So, even though it was more than I wanted to spend, I bought it. She and Veronica a.s.sured me that while it was s.e.xy, it wasn't trashy. Tara found a deep pink dress that swirled around her knees in a fun, flirty manner. I was a little jealous because I have never been able to wear pink. Veronica settled on a deep blue strapless dress that highlighted the fact that she was quite well endowed. I was sure Remy would be a huge fan. After a brief stop in the food court for re-caffeination, we headed to a shoe store to complete our outfits. I found some strappy black heels that I knew would be crippling me by about thirty minutes into the dance, if not sooner. But my dress demanded high heels, so I bought them. By this time Grams had given up the illusion of my credit card being for emergencies only and gave me a monthly spending limit. I think she was actually glad I had finally decided to show a modic.u.m of interest in fas.h.i.+on, rather than phoning it in as I had for the previous sixteen years of my life. This shopping trip was certainly maxing out this month's limit.

The following Sat.u.r.day was prom. The three of us girls decided to get ready together in Veronica's palatial bedroom and the three boys would pick us up from her house. Veronica had every kind of cosmetic and hair appliance that has ever been made. She was even better at makeup application than Tara; I certainly benefitted from her artistry that evening. She and Tara worked together to coax my hair into an elegant up-do, made possible by the fact it had grown out enough since December. Veronica loaned me some sparkly earrings I hoped were not real diamonds, but probably were, which completed my look.

"Oh, my G.o.d, Ally," Tara gushed. "You look amazing. Veronica, we are miracle workers!" She high-fived Veronica.

"Thanks," I said sarcastically. "So, you're implying it took a miracle to make me look like this?"

"Oh, don't be cranky. Look in the mirror." She pushed me in front of Veronica's full-length closet mirror.

I didn't recognize the sophisticated young woman staring back at me. She looked like I had always wanted to look: sleek, elegant, and so put together. I stared in disbelief as Tara hugged me from behind. "Thanks, you guys," I whispered. "You are miracle workers."

Tara kissed me on the cheek. "I know, right? Jack is gonna flip!" She laughed. "Okay, the boys are here; Mat just now texted me. Let's give them a minute and then we can make our grand entrance. Veronica, kudos on having a great curved staircase for that purpose."

"Yeah, we had it installed for the occasion," she murmured.

Tara looked at her, surprised, and then tipped her head in respect at the snarky comeback. We each glided down the stairs, one after the other, as per Tara's orders. The boys were waiting downstairs with Veronica's mom and stepdad, turning as we made our appearance.

"Holy-" Mat began. Jack backhanded him lightly, nodding his head toward Veronica's parents. Mat cleared his throat and stepped forward to greet Tara, leaning down to kiss her cheek and present her with a wrist corsage. Remy picked up Veronica's hand, kissing the back of it in true Remy style.

Jack stepped forward, took my hand and spun me around slowly, saying, "Wow. Just wow." He leaned forward to kiss my cheek. "I have a lot more to say about this later," he whispered. As he placed a corsage on my wrist, I got a chance to look at him fully. He was wearing a black tuxedo with a stark, white s.h.i.+rt. He looked amazing. Actually all three of the guys did; they could easily be posing for a spread in GQ.

Veronica's parents took quite a few pictures since they had promised to take plenty to share with Tara and me. They took a few with our cell phones, as well, so we would have some immediately. Once we finished the photo shoot, we were off in the limo to dinner at Seasons Rotisserie and Grill, where Remy had made reservations. We soon found out by reservations, he meant he had booked a private room. I was beginning to realize Remy was quite wealthy and loved to spend money. He told us to order anything we wanted; dinner was on him. Jack and Mat objected to this, but Remy charmed them into accepting his generous, yet ostentatious gesture. He ordered an a.s.sortment of appetizers for us to start with as we perused the menu. I settled on honey-poached artichoke ravioli while Jack ordered prime rib. I tried to be conservative about how much I ate so I wouldn't have a food baby sticking out of my dress, but it was hard. The food was so delicious and Remy insisted on ordering a sample platter of desserts, insisting we had to try some of each. Jack was going to have to roll me out of there.

Prom was held at the Albuquerque Convention Center and it was lovely to be dropped off by the limo right in front of the doors. As predicted, my feet were already killing me, and I was glad to not have too far to walk. There were several other high school proms being held that evening, but we finally found the ballroom for Oso Grande High School and entered into an old-time circus theme, complete with big top and three rings. There were decorations all around for the various freak shows one might expect at a 1930s circus and fake campfires interspersed throughout the room. It was absolutely horrifying.

I stood staring at one of the tissue paper campfires as Jack enveloped me from behind. "What are you looking at, querida?"

"I'm trying to figure out why they would have open flames so near a totally wooden circus. It makes no sense to me." I could feel him shaking with laughter. "G.o.d, Jack. This is atrocious. I'm so sorry I dragged you to prom."

"I think I actually dragged you, babe. I had to trick you into going with me. Besides, G.o.d-awful decorations aside, I wouldn't have missed seeing you in that dress for the world. You look absolutely amazing tonight." His hands smoothed over my bare shoulders as he leaned down to press his lips to my exposed skin. "Please, never get rid of this dress. I'm going to dream about it for the foreseeable future."

I turned in his arms. "You, sir, also look amazing tonight." I gripped his lapels and pulled his face down to mine. "I'm going to dream about you in a tuxedo for the foreseeable future." I kissed him, lingering for a few sweet moments.

"Come on, Ally," he said against my lips. "Let's dance."

We danced in a group with Tara, Mat, Veronica, and Remy, having more fun than I ever expected to. After the first set, I sank gratefully into a folding chair and eased the instruments of torture, otherwise known as shoes, off my aching feet.

"Babe, they do killer things for your legs," said Jack as he pulled one of my feet into his lap and began ma.s.saging it, "but you need to ditch them. Most of the other girls have already." He pointed to a pile of high heels in the corner. I was happy to acquiesce, as were Tara and Veronica.

We spent an enjoyable evening, dancing nearly every dance. Remy was a fantastic dancer and pulled the rest of us along with him, not allowing us to sit out. Jack and Mat both held their own in dancing, Tara and Veronica were both great, and I was simply along for the ride.

"I've told you before you have other qualities, which more than make up for your dancing deficit," he said as he held me close in a slow dance.

"Oh yeah?" I challenged. "Why don't you name a few? I'm feeling like a complete klutz right now."

"Hmm, let's see," he pondered, his hands caressing my bare back. "Well, you chose me as your boyfriend, so you clearly have excellent taste."

I laughed. "Anything else?"

"I'm thinking. Oh, you have great taste in prom dresses."

"That's it? You can't do any better?" I pouted.

"I'm just getting started. You also smell divine." He nuzzled my neck as he said this. "And you are a pretty good kisser."

"What? Pretty good? You-" I pulled back, offended.

He laughed and pulled me back for a lingering kiss. "Sorry," he said. "My mistake. You are a great kisser," he teased.

I smiled at him and leaned my head into his chest, breathing in his magical scent. "I love you, Jack Ruiz."

"I know," he replied. "And I love you too, Ally Moran. Happy prom, sweetheart."

We all stayed until the very end of the dance and then Remy had the limo driver drive us to Nine Mile Hill to look at the city lights. We went out for breakfast at about 2:00 a.m. at the Frontier, a 24-hour restaurant across the street from the university. Jack and I shared one of the enormous cinnamon rolls swimming in b.u.t.ter sauce, which the restaurant was famous for.

I was the first one dropped off. Jack and I spent a few precious moments at my front door, sharing cinnamon-flavored kisses until Mat hollered out the limousine that they needed to get the other girls home before dawn.

Two weeks later, I stood in front of my bedroom closet mirror trying to get my mortarboard to sit at the proper angle on my head. Honestly, after hundreds of years, was this the best hat design they could come up with? There was no way to make it look attractive, not to mention the fact it was bright scarlet, which clashed horribly with my red hair. I paused in the act of jamming in yet another bobby pin and gave it up as hopeless. "Ugh! I look ridiculous!"

"No, you don't. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Here's your gown." Grams carried in the freshly ironed, matching bright red graduation gown. "Are you about ready? We need to get going or we'll be late. You look beautiful, by the way." She carefully set the gown on my bed and came to hug me from behind. "I can't believe you're graduating from high school today." I saw her chin tremble. "Are you sure you don't want a senior year? I'm sure we could work something out."

I smiled at her in the mirror. "Yes, I'm sure, Grams. High school is so last week."

She laughed, as I had hoped she would. "Let's go."

An hour later I was sitting three rows in front of Jack, due to the alphabetical nature of our seating arrangements, listening to the valedictorian urge us to follow our dreams, forge our own pathways, blah, blah, blah. I craned my head around to look at him to see if he was as bored as I was. He looked up and winked at me. His aunt and uncle were hosting a joint graduation party for us later this evening because I had insisted Grams and Mom were too busy with wedding plans to throw me a graduation party. Trina couldn't stand the thought of me not having a party, so she insisted on expanding Jack's to include me.

"Jack," I had tried to apologize. "I'm so sorry. I never intended to horn in on your party."

He had stopped my lame protests by simply kissing me until I shut up. "Shh. I think it's a great idea. We have the same friends, anyway. This way we combine our families. It's probably time they started getting to know each other, don't you think?" He had moved my hair aside to kiss my neck, which sent s.h.i.+vers all over my body, making it very difficult to concentrate on what he was saying. It finally sunk in.

"Wait, what are you saying, Jack?" I pulled away from his hypnotic lips to question him.

He smiled, brus.h.i.+ng my hair behind my ear. "Well, I'm not proposing yet. But it's coming. Just thought you should know."

I threw my arms back around him, pressing my face into his neck.

"Hey, why the tears, querida? Is the thought of marrying me so horrifying?"

I laughed, as he obviously meant me to. "No, of course not." I kissed him. "And I'm not saying yes, yet. But it's coming. Just thought you should know."

"Alethiea Grace Moran." I walked across the stage, accepted my diploma, and shook hands with the princ.i.p.al, vice-princ.i.p.al, and school board representative. The cheers and clapping I heard were from Jack's family, for the most part.

I resumed my seat and impatiently waited for Jack's turn. "Jackson Ivn Ruiz." I added my whistle to the clamor from his family. A few minutes later, "Tara Lynne Scott." We had all done it: Jack a couple of years late, Tara and me a year early, but we had done it.

As soon as we recessed and were free of the New Mexico Public Education system forever, I found Tara and Jack. I hugged Tara, practically squeezing the life out of her, before turning to Jack to do the same. "You did it, Jack. You did it. I'm so proud of you. I love you so much."

He kissed me softly before pulling back and saying, "I know. I love you too."

The party was in full swing and Grams and Manny had certainly hit it off. Jack's father, Marcos, was present and I spent a few minutes getting acquainted with him, trying not to show my resentment since he was the reason Jack and I had broken up for more than a month. To be fair, I knew deep down the real reason was Jack's response to his father, not Marcos himself, but it was so much easier to blame him. I made a concerted effort to be nice to him, however, because I didn't want him thinking his son had a shrew for a girlfriend.

"So, Ally," Marcos said, "Jack tells me you will also be attending the University of New Mexico. What are you planning to study?"

"Well, sir, at this point, I'm planning to get a double major in English literature and education."

"Please, call me Marcos. That's wonderful. You want to teach English? At the high school level?"

"Yes, that's the plan." Why was it so awkward and difficult to talk to my boyfriend's father?

"Well, I, of course, think literature is wonderful thing to study, although I recommend you broaden your scope beyond English literature. Be sure to take some cla.s.ses in world literature, as well. Perhaps you could take one my cla.s.ses sometime," he suggested.

"Yeah, sure. That would be great." I looked around, hoping to find an excuse to get out of this conversation. Hopefully, I would not always feel so awkward talking to Jack's dad.

Mat was introducing Tara to all of his vast extended family and Megan came to appropriate me, claiming Jack had been hogging me lately. When she finally got bored and went off to the den to watch a movie with some of her cousins, I began to look around for Jack, who seemed to have a habit of disappearing at his own parties. I figured he was in his bedroom, trying to find a few minutes of peace and quiet, but I ran into Remy and Veronica before I had a chance to find him.

"Congratulations, Ally," Veronica said as she hugged me. "I can't believe you're not going to be there next year. What am I going to do without you?" Her eyes were actually s.h.i.+ning with unshed tears as she pulled away.

"Thanks, Veronica. You'll be fine next year," I said weakly, but I wasn't sure if I believed it. Her former friends continued to shun her, not that it was any great loss, but I knew she would struggle without any sort of support network. I suddenly wished I had talked to her about joining Tara and I in taking extra cla.s.ses in order to graduate early. "Veronica," I hesitated, "have you ever thought about getting your GED? You could join us at UNM this fall. I don't know, it's probably a stupid idea. Never mind."

"No." She shook her head. "It's not a stupid idea. It's a really good idea. I'm not saying dropping out of high school is a good idea for everyone." She laughed tightly. "But under the circ.u.mstances, it might be the best option for me."

"Well, I think it is an excellent idea," said Remy. "This way I would not be dating a high school girl any longer." He leaned down to kiss her on the cheek.

"Well," I said awkwardly when she turned and met his lips. They didn't look like they were going to surface any time soon. I left to find Jack. Remy called to me as I walked away.

"Ally, I need to talk to you later. Can I call you tonight?"

I stared at him a moment before nodding tightly. We had yet to discuss our plans to get me to France to meet his grandmother, the Oracle. "Sure, Remy. Call me later."

As expected, Jack was in his bedroom, taking off his jacket and tie. I leaned against the doorframe and watched him until he saw my reflection in the mirror.

"Hey, gorgeous." He smiled. "What are you doing up here? Did you get bored at your own party?"

"I'm looking for my boyfriend. He seems to have disappeared. Have you seen him?"

"Hmm. No, I haven't. Sounds like an idiot, though, to leave a beautiful girl like you all alone. I think you're better off without him. I could give you a much better time."

"Ooh, that sounds like an offer I can't refuse," I said as I pushed away from the doorway and sauntered across his bedroom to where he was standing. I stood in front of him, running my fingers up his chest naughtily. "Well? What have you got?"

He captured my wandering hands and held them against his chest. "Let's see," he said, nipping my chin lightly. "I might have a little something here somewhere," he continued along my jaw all the way to my earlobe, taking it gently between his teeth, then soothing it with his tongue.

I groaned and he laughed, continuing his path toward my lips. "This boyfriend of yours sounds like a real tool. Why don't you let me take his place?" He kissed each side of my mouth.

"Okay. I like the way you kiss. I guess I'll go out with you." I turned fully into his kiss, opening my mouth under his. Not that I have a whole lot of previous experience to draw on, but Jack was an amazing kisser.

"I'd say 'get a room', but you already have," Mat drawled from the open doorway. "Jesus, you two. Don't you have any sense of propriety? I was sent to find you. Mom will s.h.i.+t kittens if she finds you up here making out."

We broke apart and Jack leaned his forehead against mine, panting slightly. "Get lost, Mat. I'm kissing my girlfriend."

Mat laughed. "Yeah, I can see that. Fine, I'll go, but I'm leaving this door open, kids. You two better be back downstairs in no more than five minutes. I a.s.sume it would take even you slightly more than five minutes to do anything really interesting, Jack."

"You stupid f-" Jack began, but I grabbed his face and pulled him back in for more kissing.

"Let's not waste our five minutes on him," I said against his lips. I could hear Mat laughing all the way down the hall.

Mrs. Hayes had finally scheduled a long-delayed funeral for Ashley. She had wanted to wait until Ashley's remains were released to her, so we gathered on a bright, sunny Tuesday morning, a few days after graduation, to commit Ashley Hayes to the earth. It seemed disrespectful to bury her on such a beautiful day, but spring in Albuquerque rarely produced dismal, rainy weather, which would have better suited the occasion. Mrs. Hayes had opted for a simple graveside service rather than a church funeral and Jack and I stood together at the grave, solemn, but glad Ashley finally had justice. Brian stood next to us, looking grim. Mr. and Mrs. Graves were there, as well as Scott and his wife. He had tears running down his face as he held Anna close to his side. It was beautiful to see how he expressed his love for one woman while mourning another. I wasn't sure I fully understood it, but I knew I was glimpsing true love at its deepest level.

"Almighty G.o.d," intoned the minister. "Into your hands we commend your daughter, Ashley Hayes and her child, in sure and certain hope of resurrection to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

"Amen," we all echoed.

"These bodies we commit to the elements," he continued, "earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. Yes, they will rest from their labors for their deeds follow them."