By The Sidelines

I

"Who do you-"

"What are you wearing?" Alice cried out in surprise at me.

She blinked at me. Once. Twice. Three times. Then she shrieked.

When she had walked over here, she had expected to find me in a similar state of excitement for our prom, happening that very night, and hopefully a sensible choice of attire.

However that was not the case.

"My pyjamas," I explained, gesturing at my clothes.

"I can see that," Alice exclaimed. Honestly I'm so difficult. "I mean, why are you not ready for Prom?"

I snapped at her. "Why are you bugging me, when you should be with your boyfriend?"

"He's not my - "

Mind you, after she had sneaked out of her house, Daniel had taken her out on the most fabulous date ever.

The study session in the library was just a ploy, probably ward off any jealous onlookers hoping to ask Daniel to be their date for prom.

Well, boo hoo to them, Daniel was her date.

At first her stepfather was not happy with what had happened but when Daniel had politely asked her in front of her mother and him, he had to grudgingly accept.

Unfortunately, Daniel was not going to pick her up from her house but instead meet her there. So her stepfather arranged for her to go to the prom venue in a limousine.

But she didn't want to go alone. So she planned to surprise me at my house.

She didn't think that I wouldn't be prepared.

Alice sighed, "That's not the matter here. Why are you not ready for Prom night?"

"I'm not going Alice."

Her jaw dropped. "Not going!" She crossed her arms. "What's your exscuse?"

I opened the door behind me and let Alice in. When she entered our living room, she could see a couple of blankets on the couch. There was also a bowl of popcorn as well as a couple of drinks. On the table there was a range of movies spread out on the table.

"I'm babysitting my neice for my sister and Travis," I explained. "The two are going on a date tonight so I offered to take care of Melissa."

"That's a poor exscuse Rosy."

"Please don't shorten my name at your will Ali."

"Why do you not want to come?"

"I just don't want to. It wouldn't feel very welcoming."

"But Rosina this is your Year 11 prom. You'll only have one of those in your life."

"It's a party. I wish to avoid all of them," I said sighing.

"That won't do Rosina. I need my cunning sidekick to help deal with all of the boys," Alice bribed.

"You have Daniel for that."

Alice knew that I was stubborn when I was determined in something but she was insistive to get her own way for once.

Fortunately, for her, a light patter of feet coming down the stairs brought eager help.

Melissa appeared in front of us in a purple fairy godmother costume and her hair done up into five simple braids.

Suddenly Alice felt an idea spring into her head.

I smiled at Melissa. "So you decided to show up now," I teased, " and here I thought I was going to have the misery of choosing a movie to watch from this selection!"