"Uhm"
Gwen was really not expecting a Prom invite. She considered herself to be so low on the "probability of guys making her their prom date" that she just figured she would never bother going. It just...wasn't going to happen.
Gwen wasn't sure how she felt about that. Hell, she wasn't entirely sure if she'd say yes or no to a hypothetical invite!
So when her doorbell rang a little before Prom, and Gwen opened it to find Maynard Hurst of all people asking her to go to prom, she genuinely didn't know how to respond to it. So she said uhm, as opposed to actual words. And she just sort of stood in the doorway looking at him in a not-quite-mouth-agape expression, but one of a deer caught in headlights.
Maynard was nice, sure, but Gwen wasn't sure if she considered him the kind of person she liked romantically. Honestly she wasn't even sure she liked people; she'd just never had any real sexual attraction to anyone.
But did that really matter in Prom? Gah, this was so weird!
"Uh..."
Uhm
"Gwen! Hi! Uh...so...uh...I was...uh...I was wondering if maybe you'd like to maybe possibly go to Prom with me? Hypothetically? Like, as in together? I mean, not together together, just...together? Uh...so...do you?"
Okay. That wasn't what Maynard expected to come out of his mouth when he rushed up to Gwen O'Connor's house to ask her to Prom.
And...the resounding "Uh...you're nice, but...no" he expected to be emanating from Gwen's violet lips hadn't occured yet. In fact, she hadn't said anything.
Except for...
"Uh..."
She had to say yes...he needed her to say yes...
He knew he wasn't the most desirable Prom date. Hell, when she opened the door he half-expected her to pull out a canister of pepper spray. But...
His parents wanted him to go to Prom. They'd had the whole "hysterical daughter" with Juniper, and Augustine's bout of glandular fever had prevented him from taking too active a part in his senior Prom. Maynard, on the other hand, was "fit and healthy." Well, according to his mother, anyway.
And there was no one else. They were either too pretty, too smart, too just damn out there. Gwen was perfect. She was...she was all he wanted. Just to have that one social aspect of high school be fulfilled...
Hmm. Maybe he should say that. No. He shouldn't talk. Bad things happened when he talked. She'd say something soon, right?
...
Right?
Okay. That wasn't what Maynard expected to come out of his mouth when he rushed up to Gwen O'Connor's house to ask her to Prom.
And...the resounding "Uh...you're nice, but...no" he expected to be emanating from Gwen's violet lips hadn't occured yet. In fact, she hadn't said anything.
Except for...
"Uh..."
She had to say yes...he needed her to say yes...
He knew he wasn't the most desirable Prom date. Hell, when she opened the door he half-expected her to pull out a canister of pepper spray. But...
His parents wanted him to go to Prom. They'd had the whole "hysterical daughter" with Juniper, and Augustine's bout of glandular fever had prevented him from taking too active a part in his senior Prom. Maynard, on the other hand, was "fit and healthy." Well, according to his mother, anyway.
And there was no one else. They were either too pretty, too smart, too just damn out there. Gwen was perfect. She was...she was all he wanted. Just to have that one social aspect of high school be fulfilled...
Hmm. Maybe he should say that. No. He shouldn't talk. Bad things happened when he talked. She'd say something soon, right?
...
Right?
Maynard looked so desperate! Gwen felt really, really uncomfortable. She genuinely had no clue how to reach to this, and it made her feel bad that it was so hard to decide. Besides, wasn't it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?
Gwen knew she had to say something, but she just couldn't say yes or no yet. So, she settled on a third option.
"Maynard, why me?"
It was not the best question, certainly, but it would hopefully give Gwen the time to decide.
Gwen knew she had to say something, but she just couldn't say yes or no yet. So, she settled on a third option.
"Maynard, why me?"
It was not the best question, certainly, but it would hopefully give Gwen the time to decide.
"Maynard, why me?
Oh. Uh...
Think, Maynard. For once in your life just THINK.
"Well, you see...Gwendolyn...you're so...uh...you're really..."
...
"I...when I'm with you I feel I can be myself. When I'm around others I always feel so nervous and stuff, but with you I feel...happy. Uh...I don't exactly know why, but..."
He trailed off and shuffled his boating shoes against the porch steps.
"Gwen, you're...you're my most favourite..."
"Gwen, I like you!" It's so simple, just say it!
And then...a mumble.
"So...do...do you wanna go with me?"
Oh. Uh...
Think, Maynard. For once in your life just THINK.
"Well, you see...Gwendolyn...you're so...uh...you're really..."
...
"I...when I'm with you I feel I can be myself. When I'm around others I always feel so nervous and stuff, but with you I feel...happy. Uh...I don't exactly know why, but..."
He trailed off and shuffled his boating shoes against the porch steps.
"Gwen, you're...you're my most favourite..."
"Gwen, I like you!" It's so simple, just say it!
And then...a mumble.
"So...do...do you wanna go with me?"
Gwen did her best to take advantage of Maynard's explanation, but it made her feel bad that she was only half-listening. She did manage to catch the parts, "my most favorite" and "do you want to go with me".
She took a breath. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to go to prom, and worse-case scenario, she could always laugh about it later. She nodded.
"Sure, we can go together. As friends, right?" She smiled, brushing a lock of violet hair from her forehead.
She took a breath. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to go to prom, and worse-case scenario, she could always laugh about it later. She nodded.
"Sure, we can go together. As friends, right?" She smiled, brushing a lock of violet hair from her forehead.
As friends? That...was better than he'd been hoping for.
"As friends, yeah!"
He grinned. Maynard didn't really care for his smile; he hoped it didn't appear to maniacal.
"Uh...yeah, this is gonna be way awesome!"
Now now, Maynard. Don't get too hyper.
"So, uh...about transport and stuff...uh...we don't have a really classy car, and then there's timing and everything...I guess I could work with whatever you have in mind. Uh...I can get a corsage, though! They still do those, right?"
"As friends, yeah!"
He grinned. Maynard didn't really care for his smile; he hoped it didn't appear to maniacal.
"Uh...yeah, this is gonna be way awesome!"
Now now, Maynard. Don't get too hyper.
"So, uh...about transport and stuff...uh...we don't have a really classy car, and then there's timing and everything...I guess I could work with whatever you have in mind. Uh...I can get a corsage, though! They still do those, right?"
"Okay, sounds good." Gwen smiled. Maynard's enthusiasm was getting a little catchy. "Corsages are pretty, I guess. I don't follow a whole lot of that kind of thing, but why not?"
Gwen was momentarily distracted by trying to remember if she owned or had access to any nice dresses. She was pretty sure she still fit into that one dress...
"So, pick me up at 7?" Gwen laughed; the line was cheesy, which was always fun.
Gwen was momentarily distracted by trying to remember if she owned or had access to any nice dresses. She was pretty sure she still fit into that one dress...
"So, pick me up at 7?" Gwen laughed; the line was cheesy, which was always fun.
Okay, yes to the corsage. Now he just needed to find a shop that sold them. Most florists did, right? And don't corsages need-
"Uh...forgive me if I'm getting a little too ahead of myself, but what colour do you think your dress will be? I mean...if I get a corsage, I'd like it to compliment your dress, I guess."
He blinked and paused. He'd forgotten something, hadn't he?
His voice cracked as he remembered; "Oh, yeah! Seven should be good for me! This is gonna be so much fun, Gwen!"
"Uh...forgive me if I'm getting a little too ahead of myself, but what colour do you think your dress will be? I mean...if I get a corsage, I'd like it to compliment your dress, I guess."
He blinked and paused. He'd forgotten something, hadn't he?
His voice cracked as he remembered; "Oh, yeah! Seven should be good for me! This is gonna be so much fun, Gwen!"
"Well, my dress is going to be a little different." Gwen smirks. "It's black, with white ruffles, sort of Victorian." Gwen liked the dress, but she didn't often have occasions to wear it. She still owned it, though, just in case.
She always thought buying a dress for a solitary occasion was stupid.
"Yeah, I'll see you then. It'll be fun, right?" Gwen smiled, and stretched. She tried to push down her concerns; it was freaking prom, she had a date (sort of) and she might as well try and enjoy it.
"See you then!"
[[Gwen O'Connor's story continues in A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity]]
She always thought buying a dress for a solitary occasion was stupid.
"Yeah, I'll see you then. It'll be fun, right?" Gwen smiled, and stretched. She tried to push down her concerns; it was freaking prom, she had a date (sort of) and she might as well try and enjoy it.
"See you then!"
[[Gwen O'Connor's story continues in A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity]]
"That sounds so adorable!"
Hmm. And by proxy that makes Gwen adorable, Maynard. And girls don't like being called adorable. It's a word reserved for kittens and puppies. Not actual people.
This was going to be nice. 24 hours ago his plan for Prom was sitting with a DVD of Black Butler and a bowl of celery, crying and writing a sonnet about how he was "Forever Alone." This...seemed considerably better. Gwen of all people actually wanted to go with him. This. Was. Awesome.
Maynard bade farewell to his Prom date and rushed off, not a care in the world. Except...where would he get an outfit matching Gwen's? If they went in matching outfits, wouldn't it look so much more organised? With Prom so close...Maynard could barely contain his excitement and rapidly burgeoning anxiety over the event.
((Maynard Hurst continued in A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity))
Hmm. And by proxy that makes Gwen adorable, Maynard. And girls don't like being called adorable. It's a word reserved for kittens and puppies. Not actual people.
This was going to be nice. 24 hours ago his plan for Prom was sitting with a DVD of Black Butler and a bowl of celery, crying and writing a sonnet about how he was "Forever Alone." This...seemed considerably better. Gwen of all people actually wanted to go with him. This. Was. Awesome.
Maynard bade farewell to his Prom date and rushed off, not a care in the world. Except...where would he get an outfit matching Gwen's? If they went in matching outfits, wouldn't it look so much more organised? With Prom so close...Maynard could barely contain his excitement and rapidly burgeoning anxiety over the event.
((Maynard Hurst continued in A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity))