Her Suicide Note

Chapter Nineteen

Adrian
To no surprise-at least when it comes to my own-Bianca and I walk into school Friday morning to a hallway more chaotic than it usually is. I'm not sure what it is, but school events make these people rowdier.
A couple argues on whether to take a Mustang or a Jeep Commander to the dance. A girl cries over the phone about her dress coming in the wrong color. A paper airplane flies toward us, landing at our feet: a last minute invitation to the dance for a girl named Marcie from Rick.
"I though the football game was bad," Bianca says, shaking her head.
She looks like a little kid holding my hand.
"It's the first Homecoming of the year," I remind her as if that's explanation enough.
"Lisa would've loved this," Bianca says quietly, a troubled look on her face. I've come to learn that Lisa's death has changed Bianca's feelings towards her ex-best friend, bordering between grief and anger with just a hint of hatred at being left behind. I sometimes wonder if Bianca ever thinks about going after her, following her path so that they really are friends forever.
But as quickly as it came, the conflicted expression dissipates, replaced by a playful look of annoyance. "We have PE today," she whines. "Do you think she'll let us just sit and talk?"
"Mrs. Stevens?" I laugh. "Not a chance."
I pull her to the side of the hall, leaning her against a pair of lockers. "I can't wait to see you in your dress," I state, tugging on the flaps of her sleeveless jean jacket to pull her even more closer. "Are you gonna even gonna tell me a little of what it looks like?"
"No." She swats at me. "It'll ruin the grand reveal. Besides, you're not telling me what your suit looks like."
I give her a look of exasperation. "It's a suit. I looks like...a suit."
"Well, what color is it?" she questions.
"Bordering between silver and gray," I reply.
"Nice," she comments as the bell rings. "Come on, Bio and Physics awaits."
"I don't wanna go to class," I groan. "Why are they even making us go to school?"
"Because a dance isn't going to keep them from busting our brains open," she says bitterly.
"Hey, Smith!"
Bianca and I lock our eyes on the figure running towards us from down the hall. It's amazing how much his face can sour my entire mood. I grip Bianca's hand.
"Hi, MacKenzie," Bianca greets back halfheartedly. "What's up?"
"Nothing much." He's trying too hard to sound casual as he glances at our joined hands. I fight the compulsion to smirk smugly. "I'm going to Homecoming."
Bianca raises her eyebrows in surprise. "Oh really? With who?"
"Jessica Sapling," MacKenzie answers. I catch him leaning toward her ever so slightly in expectation, waiting for a satisfying reaction of jealousy that'll never come.
"That's cool. I was actually thinking about her when I offered to find you a date," Bianca says, completely unfazed by this. "Anyways, we should get going or Mrs. Gertsby's going to have a fit."
Despite standing on her tiptoes, I still have to bend down some to let her kiss me on the cheek. The patch of skin her lips touched tingles and I try to ward off the idiotic grin from my face. "Catch you later, Adrian."

Mom's going crazy. When I get home after school after dropping Bianca off, I find my suit for tonight laid across my bed when I could've sworn it was in my closet this morning. My shoes are polished to a shine and my tie is already knotted and ready to go around my neck.
A bottle of cologne I've never seen before sits on my desk and a new razor and bottle of shaving cream sit on the sink counter in my bathroom, a full body of Axe shower gel replacing the almost empty one I had before on the water-proof shelf in the shower. It's not until I see the razor and cream that I reach up to scratch the stubble along my jaw, finally acknowledging its presence.
I've never seen Mom go to this length for one of my dances before and I think it has everything to do with the girl I'm going with, the only girl she's liked, let alone tolerated.
"You have to look your best tonight." Mom causes me to startle as she seems to appear in the doorway out of thin air.
"I know," I agree, twirling the small bottle of cologne between my palms. "But you seemed to have pulled out all the stops." I place it back down.
"This night is going to be special, I just know it." She seems to be gushing as she gazes dreamily at the ceiling, probably imagining me in my suit and Bianca in her mystery dress, dancing the night away.
"Well, come on." She snaps out of it, shooing at me like I'm not already in the room. "Get dressed. I'm walking you to her house. I want to take pictures of you guys."
Oh boy. I forgot about the standard one hundred picture procedure parents are so fond of. Knowing there's no use in dissuading her, I do as she says and get ready.