Chapter 20

                                    

                                          
"One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving."
                          
                                                                                   - Paulo Coelho
                          
I feel arms wrap around my waist and a head leans on my shoulder. I didn't have to look to know who it was. "Josh! Why are you so annoying? And who told you you could come in?" I scold, a little irritated. There wasn't much time left to get dressed and have my makeup put on. "Hey, what's wrong?" Josh still doesn't go away. "Just go out for awhile, okay? I need to prepare." I reply, breaking free from his grasp. Josh plants a kiss in my cheek before exiting my room, leaving me alone to dress up.
                          
Tonight, Josh and I are going to his junior prom together. I am really excited since this is all I wanted ever since I started dating him. I pull my full-length prom dress on. It's sparkly silver all the way down to my waist, then it changes to a flowy fabric. The shade of blue on the lower half changes from baby blue at the top to dodger blue at the ankles. I walk over to my dressing table and curl my hair and put it in a waterfall braid before putting on some makeup, not too much, but not too little either. Then I grab my purse and my phone before walking out of the room. Oh wait, I forgot something. I grab the box sitting on my bedside table before walking out again.
                          
I quietly come up behind Josh and wrap my arms around his waist. "Oh hey." he greets, trying to turn around to look at me, but I hold him tight. "Awww, let me look at your dress please." he begs. "Kiss me first." I demand, motioning to my lips. "You're kidding, right? I'll get my lips red is I kiss you now!" he complains. "Fine." I say, walking away. "Hey, I was just kidding! Of course I'll kiss you. I'll kiss you any day." he says as he spins me around and kisses me right on the lips. "Okay, okay. That's enough kissing. Do you like my dress, or nah?" I ask as he plants a line of kisses down my neck. "I haven't seen the front yet." he says, pulling away. He gawks when he sees my whole dress. "It's amazing! Now I have a perfectly beautiful girl to go to prom with." he says, grabbing my hand and twirling me around.
                          
"Oh yeah, I'm supposed to give you your corsage." Josh suddenly remembers and walks me over to the table. He picks the rectangular dark blue box and turns back to me. I'm so excited to see what he got me. I hope it's roses. He knows I like roses. "Close your eyes and no peeking." he instructs. I do as I'm told, hearing the box being opened and feeling the corsage wrapping around my wrist. "Okay, now open them." I open my eyes and lift my wrist so I can see the corsage. I gasp when it comes into view. "You like it?" Josh asks, smiling. "Yeah. But it must have cost you a lot. I mean, white roses aren't cheap. You could have gotten me red or pink ones." I reply. "The cost is no big deal. Besides, no other colour would match your dress and I didn't want to get anything other than roses." he says simply. "I love you so much, do you know that? Anyway, it's my turn to give you your boutonniere." I say, opening up my box. "I don't have to close my eyes? Don't you wanna- Woah..." He stares at the boutonniere I got him and I cannot figure out what he is thinking. "Do you like it?" I finally ask. "Yeah, I do. It's sorta cool. I love the colour." he replies. "I got blue so it would match my dress." I admit, pinning the boutonniere on. "Seems like we're all set. You ready to go?" Josh asks once I'm done pinning the boutonniere. I nod in reply and take his hand as we walk outside.
                          
I'm a little sad my parents cannot be here to witness this. They are over at my aunt's place. She is really sick and I would have gone too if my parents did not insist that I stayed and went from prom. Josh opens the door to the passenger side of the car for me and I get in, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. He's such a gentleman. The engine roars as it starts up, then we're off to prom.
                          
.~.
                          
"Oh hey Chloe and Josh!" Paige runs up and hugs us. She's wearing lemon chiffon high-low strapless dress with a rhinestone band around the waist and has her hair curled and half-tied. "Your dress is so lovely!" I exclaim. "You don't look too bad yourself!" she laughs and comliments back. "Josh, let's go hang out with the other guys." Matt grabs Josh and drags him away, leaving Josh with only enough time to blow me a kiss before disappearing into the crowd. "I can't believe I'm actually gonna say this, but Josh looks pretty good. His boutonniere is beautiful!" Paige whispers to me. I laugh, but then I remember something that makes me feel a little sad. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm sad Maddie won't be here." I admit. "Me too. She's back to being nice Maddie now and I love it." Paige agrees. We walk up to the refreshments table and start getting some food. It's what we always do at parties, dances, formal events etcetera, we get to the food first. 
                          
We're standing near the entrance, eating, when Kendall finally arrives with Ethan. "Hey girls!" she yells, giving us a hug and making many people stare. That's Kendall for you: loud, outgoing, brave and shameless. "Where's the guys?" Ethan asks, anxious to get out of here. Paige tells him they are in the corner and he speeds off immdiately after giving Kendall a quick kiss. Kendall is wearing a dress with a rhinestone-studded top half and a calamine-coloured bottom. She has a pink rose corsage fitted around her wrist. "Wow, we can be corsage twinnies." I say to her, putting my wrist next to hers. Kendall laughs and takes a photo of them for Instagram. "Hey! I feel so sad and left out. Matt didn't get me a corsage!" Paige whines. "That's okay. At least you didn't have to get him a boutonniere." Kendall jokes. That puts the smile back on Paige's face. 
                          
"Hey look!" Kendall suddenly exclaims, pointing behind me. Paige gasps as I turn around to see Maddie walking in with Christ. Christ is on the hockey team so I know him pretty well. Plus, he lives just three blocks away from me and I used to have a crush on him too. Maddie walks over to join us and we all hug. "I'm so glad you came!" I says to her. She smiles in response and tells us she was glad too. "Christ is just bringing me along as a friend. He's totally so sweet. I told him I was sad I couldn't join in the fun and he offered to bring me." she explains. She's wearing a strapless white knee-length dress with a ribbon around the waist. The four of us then do what we do best, gossip.
                          
.~. 
                          
An hour later, the boys come looking for us to dance with them. A slow song is playing when we join the other couples swaying casually in the center of the gymnasium. Josh puts one hand on my shoulder and the other on my waist and starts taking steps. "Erm, Josh, I may be a dancer, but I can't ballroom dance," I whisper into Josh's ear after he nearly steps on my foot. He chuckles and signals me to just follow his feet. I try as best as I can to do that and soon, we're more coordinated. Just then, the song slowly starts fading away and a new one replaces it. I immediately recognise the song as 'Forever and Always' by the band Parachute. "This totally describes my relationship with you," Josh breathes down my neck. Awww, that was sweet... 
                          
I want you forever, forever and always
                          
Through the good and the bad and the ugly
                          
Yes Josh, I will want you forever and always. I'll stick with you through everything.
                          
We'll grow old together, and always remember
                          
Whether rich or for poor or for better
                          
But my love is not just meant for you. I'll stick with you too, girls. We'll get through all the times together. We'll grow older and older and just look back and say, "wow, the times we had when we were younger..."
                          
I'll love you now and I'll love you forever. That is how much you all mean to me. I'll forgive you again and again no matter what happens. You're part of me and I simply cannot live without you. And we'll stick with each other forever and always.
                          

                          
THE END
                          
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          
A/N: Yay! It's finally done. I'm gonna be editing it and adding/removing parts so it'll get a little complicated. Please bear with it, sorry :) The prom dresses and corsages/boutinnieres are at the side so go check them out. Bye love ya guys! Xoxo
                          
*PS: I'm writing a sequal to this story. It doesn't exactly link, but the background info stays and everything. It'll probably be released a few months down the road so look out for it!*