Waiting on a Friend for the End of the World

Alice Walker

She carefully placed the flowers in her hair one by one, knowing one wrong move would mean the end for her fragile braid.

Pink, red, blue then back to pink again.

She smiled once she had finished decorating her long braid with the colorful flowers.

"Honey, your date's here!" Alice's mom shouted from downstairs.

"Be down in a second!" She shouted back.

She fist bumped the air, not trying very hard to hold off her excitement.

Finally her date was there to pick her up for the most important night of her high school career. Prom.

"Sweetie, he's waiting," her dad called.

Grinning at her reflection in the mirror, she checked her hair one last time before grabbing her purse and rushing to the stairs (as much as one could rush in heels).

Walking down the stairs felt like something out of a movie. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she made her way to the excited faces below. Her date, Toby, turned around slowly as she reached the midway point on the stairs. His blue eyes sparkled, only on her as she made her way down the final steps.

"You look amazing," he breathed out.

Alice could feel a blush slowly creeping its way up her neck while she awkwardly fingered the dark fabric of her dress.

"Thanks," she smiled, looking up at him. "You don't look too bad yourself."

They continued to stare somewhat awkwardly at each other before her mom declared that it was time for pictures.

Alice had no idea how long she and Toby posed for her parents to take pictures, but by the time they had finished she was practically aching to get to prom.

"Have fun you too," her mom told them, wiping tears from her eyes as she shoved them out the door.

With the door now closed and Alice's mother crying quietly inside the pair turned to each other and sighed in relief.

"Think they bought it?" Toby laughed.

"Definitely," Alice replied. "I was a little worried at first but they definitely bought it."

Toby grinned triumphantly.

"Thanks again for doing this for me. I hate to keep you from your real date"

"Don't worry, Katie totally understands your situation and I'm always happy to help out a friend in need." Toby shrugged. "Now come on your real date awaits."

She smiled, ready for the night to officially begin.

*******

"This has got to be one of the most amazing nights of my life," Alice's date wispered into her ear later that night.

Prom had been fun, but the after party had been so much better. The music was louder, the teens tipsyer, and the dancing dirtier.

Alice grinned into her dates neck before feeling a slight tug on her chin.

"Hey, don't hide that smile from me."

The pair had been dating for nearly four months, but for Alice it felt like four weeks.

"I would never hide from you," she responded, as cheesy as it sounded.

Her date laughed, a bright sound that caused the butterflies to flutter in her stomach.

"I think I'm in love with you."

Her date froze, soft brown eyes harding.

"No," she said.

"W-what?" Alice questioned, dread filling her like cement.

"I-I'm sorry, but no. I can't right now."

Alice stiffened.

"You can't love me. Not yet at least," she wispered. "Or better yet never."

"It slipped. I'm sorry just pretend it never happened. I didn't mean it."

"Yes you did," she told her, expression sad. "I have to go. Tonight was fun, Alice and I hope our paths cross again somday."

Quickly she let go of Alice and was swept up by the current of bodies.

"Please..."

Alice tried to ignore the tears welling in her eyes as she tried to find her first girlfriend lost in the sea of people. Ex girlfriend now.

Suddenly, Alice found it hard to breathe and fled from the big house with the loud music. No one noticed her leaving, but she wished someone had.

Not noticing where she was rushing to (carrying her heels this time), it came as a surprise to her when she ended up at the bus stop five blocks away from where she had been. Realizing that this was now her only way home she stayed. She paced in front of the bench, walked around the stop several times, and stood there tapping her foot for a while before deciding that it would be a bit longer before the bus showed up. She sat on the bench and placed her head in her hands. She sighed and wished she had never opened her mouth in the first place.

"This seat taken?" A voice asked.

Alice shook her head and felt someone sit beside her, the Stranger's knee brushing up against her's.

They sat in silence for a while before the stranger spoke again.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Alice shook her head.

"What is the matter, young one?"

Alice shrugged. "Why do you care? It's not like you know me."

The stranger chuckled. "I know more than you think, Alice."

She froze. Slowly she lifted her head and looked, hoping to see the person next to her. To her surprise the seat was empty.

"Wh-"

"Miss, are gonna get on or not?"

Alice looked in front of her, confused, and was greeted with the site of an annoyed looking bus driver.

"Um... yeah," she got on, still looking around her for the stranger, but she wouldn't hear from him again for a long, long time.