Chapter 29

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CHAPTER 29:

I jumped as the doorbell rang. A second later I heard my mom running to her bedroom to get her camera as Dad answered the door. I turned and looked in my mirror one last time, smoothing my dress. Kya and her mom had found the dress behind two others and had automatically known it was made for me. It was a deep blue with a sweetheart neckline, and silver strap on one shoulder. The dress highlighted the natural curves of my body, while somehow hiding my insecurities in the waves of blue material that fell at the waist. Kya had helped me match my dress with silver heels and diamond earrings my grandmother had left me. "You look beautiful, sweetheart." my mom sighed from behind me, pining up a loose hair. "It was all Kya. From the curls to the shoes." I said, turning to face her. "But it's you that makes it beautiful." my mom said, smiling, even as a tear fell from her eye. She hugged me before leaving, motioning for me to follow.  

 I stepped out into the hallway but stopped at the top step. Zander and I had only fallen harder since we found out I got into Ole Miss, but the pain of knowing goodbye was coming flared up every time I looked into his blue eyes. I took a deep breath and started descending the stairs. I met Zander's eyes and watched as they widened and his grin spread to a smile when he saw me. I had almost reached the bottom of the stairs when my mom took her first picture. The flash blinded me for only a second, but it was long enough for me to trip. I yelped as I started to fall but was caught by strong arms. I looked up to see blue eyes staring into mine, a smirk on Zander's face. "Falling for me more?" Zander whispered as he put me down. I rolled my eyes and smoothed my hair. 

"I'm sorry baby. I thought the flash was off." my mom said, her cheeks turning red. "It's fine mom. No damage done." I reassured her, as I took the camera from her and turned the flash off. "Here." I said, handing her back the camera.  My dad just laughed, clapping Zander on the back. "Good catch." he announced, holding back more chuckles. Zander just smiled and listened as my mom told us what pose she wanted us in first.

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We arrived at prom half an hour later; my mom had only stopped taking pictures when her SD card ran out of memory. I smiled when I spotted Lilli, Trevor, Kya, and Jenna already seated at a table. It looked like Lilli and Kya were attempting to talk Trevor and Jenna into dancing with them. Zander and I continued to weave through the crowd until we finally reached the table and sat down in the two empty seats. "You all look beautiful." I said to the girls, and meant it. Lilli was wrapped in a pale pink chiffon gown, Jenna in a midnight black dress that hugged her figure and flared out at the knee, and Kya was in a deep purple dress that looked as though she had stole it from a princess' closet. "Hey! What about me?" Trevor asked, pointing an accusing finger at me. "You look very handsome, Trev." I told him, rolling my eyes. Before Trevor could respond, Zander cut in. "Almost as handsome as me." he said, tugging his lapels, a cocky grin on his face. I rolled my eyes again, grabbing his hand.

"I think we should all be dancing instead of yapping." Kya declared, the exasperation on her face saying she was repeating this sentiment. She suddenly stood, grabbed Jenna's hand, and yanked her onto the dance floor with more strength than I'd known she had. Jenna's laugh echoed back to us as Trevor, seeming to sense that something similar was about to occur, turned to Lilli. "Do you wanna dance, babe?" he asked and before I could blink Lilli was pulling him, as well, to the dance floor. I turned toward Zander in my seat as he said "Well that took all of ten seconds." I laughed as he too stood up. Instead of walking toward the dance floor, he bowed at the waist, and kissed my hand, before asking me to dance. "Of course." I told him, blushing to the top of my head as he pulled me up and forward.

As we walked onto the dance floor, "No Air" by Jordin Sparks started to play from the giant speakers. I simply smiled and walked a little faster to catch up to Zander. When we reached an empty spot among the other dancers, he grabbed my hands, wrapping them around his neck, and planted his own hands at my waist. Zander smiled down at me as we began to sway to the music. I laughed as he suddenly spun me and pulled me back in closer. One look in those blue eyes and I pulled his head down to meet mine. I kissed him, trying to convey everything he meant to me. When I pulled back I kept him close. "I love you. I love you so much I can't breathe when you're not with me. I don't know how I'll survive leaving you." I confided in him, the music still rushing over our heads. He lifted my chin up and looked in my eyes. "I love you too. More than you'll ever know." he said, but his eyes told me just how much he did. He pulled me back into him and rested his head on mine as we danced. "I love you." he repeated before suddenly dipping me. As he pulled me back up I thought I heard him whisper "Always.".


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Author's Note:

The song "No Air" by Jordin Sparks was actually the inspiration for Zander and Ava's relationship in "Truth, Dare, or Kiss?". If you listen to it, it conveys the way Zander and Ava feel as they get ready to leave each other for college.  

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