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  As her mother took photo after photo of her striking a myriad of poses, she noticed Mason standing rather forlornly on the steps that rose above her. She felt an instant sadness in her heart at the sadness that seemed to emanate from her brother as he looked upon the scene with puppy dog eyes.

  "Come and take a picture with me, Mason," she yelled up at him, over the sound of the flashes of the camera and her mother shouting demands on where and how to pose. Mason looked at her, surprised, and began to walk down to her.

  "How can I miss this momentous occasion," he caustically said as they stood closely beside one another as her mother pulled out her hidden paparazzi skills. After feeling like she was going blind in her right eye, she felt Mason slowly pull away.

  "Ok, mom – enough with the pictures," she mouthed. "You will see me again, you know."

  She realized that that comment wasn't entirely true. It was a certain possibility that she wasn't going to come back from that Prom that night at all, well, at least in her old/young Darcy mode. Suddenly, the loud beep of a car outside shook them all from their manic photo taking session, instantly followed by the sound of the doorbell ringing.

  She quickly made her way to the door while her parents continued to take pictures of her. She looked back over her shoulder several times to have them get at least one good shot, but her main goal at that moment was to get the hell out of dodge and have some real fun.

  She pulled open the door and saw Charlie, resplendent in his brown and black Renaissance-influenced costume. His wavy hair was slicked back neatly behind his ears, but Darcy noticed the few wisps that fell over his eyes, which made him look vulnerable and gorgeous. He wasn’t wearing his mask yet so she had a chance to see how his brown eyes looked at her own costume and the mammoth smile that slowly crept upon his lips.

  “Wow – Darcy,” he finally said, dimples in full effect. He seemed transfixed at the sight of her. His eyes slowly rose from the long, golden gown to the tight bun that rose at the top of her head. “You look perfect.”

  She smiled warmly, and felt her cheeks redden. Her parents were right behind her after all, and Mason could certainly hear without problem any words that were being shared.

  “Thank you,” was all she could mumble before turning around and waving goodbye, perhaps for the final time, to her new/old family.

  Her parents smiled as she walked onto the porch, her arm slowly rising into the nook of Charlie’s arm that was raised out to her. She looked back once more and smiled as Charlie guided her down the front steps. She kept her eyes to the ground as she didn’t want to fall or make any sort of typical Darcy stumble, so at first she didn’t see the car they were slowly walking towards.

  When she finally raised her eyes to take in the car that Bennett was responsible for renting, she thought she was going to faint right then in there in pure shock. While she had been fully expecting some sort of abomination of a limousine or a weird fusion of a Rolls Royce and an RV, she was pleasantly surprised at the sight before her.

  She instantly saw Bennett’s mega-watt smile, holding a bouquet of roses, as she stood in the limousine, her head and upper torso hanging out of the car’s retractable roof.

  “Come one, come all. There’s enough room in this thing for almost half of the senior class!” she screamed with sheer delight.

  The limousine was at once classy and posh. It was long, not as long as a stretch limousine, but certainly longer than a Town Car. It seemed to vibrantly shine, the hues of the soon-to-be setting sun bouncing off the black chrome, causing Darcy to bring her hand to her eyes and used it as a visor to block out the rays. With the impossible challenge of finding transportation to take them to the Prom in one week in a small town that barely had one decent car rental company, she thought Bennett was going to show up with a jalopy, or even a taxi. She was utterly speechless.

  “Get on in here! I know, I know, you were expecting me to show up on my brother’s double-rider bike with a wagon hooked onto the back,” Bennett said enthusiastically as she tried to get into the limo with as much grace as was possible in a gown that weight about 30 lbs and a corset that made breathing a chore. Charlie helped her in, but for that small spot where no one could help her sit down, she thought she would’ve busted out of the corset all together.

  “You got me,” she said, finally being able to sit comfortably. “You scored on this one. Kudos.”

  The inside of the limo was sleek and smart, just like its exterior. Shiny black leather, which looked like it had just been cleaned, surrounded the three friends. Charlie sat beside her, while Bennett opted to sit across from them along a bench that could have fit about 4 people comfortably. Bennett sure wasn’t kidding when she said that they could have fit a good 16 people in that car.

  Taking in the sights around her, she felt calm and serene. She also felt really, really happy and content. For the first time since the Switch, she felt like the internal monologue that constantly plagued her thoughts had been turned off and she was able to fully enjoy the excited mood that filled the car.

  “Let’s get to this prom, people. I want to break it down and see what our beautiful friends and neighbors have decided to adorn us with visually on this night of a thousand nights!” Bennett proclaimed, opting to once again to stick her head out of the retractable roof.

  As if that was his cue, the driver started the car and they began to move.

  “Is she always like this?” Charlie asked her innocently, a smile upon his lips. His eyes, however, looked semi-frightened.

  “Always, Charlie. She’s got a lot of energy and a heart of gold,” she honestly replied, laughing at Bennett beginning to break down some dance moves, visible only from her torso down.

  ***

  As with every location in Martin’s Falls, the ride from her house to the banquet hall where the Prom was being held took under 10 minutes. She had wished it would have taken longer as they were having such a fun time. Bennett had wasted no time in taking out the flasks that she had filled with her parents' alcohol and took a few, big swigs en route. Charlie had even participated, albeit not as aggressively as the girls did, and all three friends were feeling tipsy and giggly as the limo pulled up in front of the hall.

  As she stepped out of the car, carefully of course, she instantly had a case of déjà vu. She didn’t know if was because of the few shots she had in the car ride just moments ago or just the natural high from being happy and excited for a momentous event in every teenager’s life, but she could have sworn the banquet hall itself looked just like the exterior of Marina’s Bookstore.

  There was a marquee sign that was flashing in red letters proclaiming “Martin’s Falls – The Prom”. Being part of the Prom Committee, she had known that they had ordered the sign weeks ago and that it was going to be big and bright, but the clear similarities to Marina’s flashing sign were nearly eerie. The darkness that seemed to surround the banquet hall itself was also strange – much like that first day that she had stumbled upon the bookstore when she first moved to the big city. It was like the Banquet Hall itself was the only thing that existed for miles around, just like the thought she had had about Marina’s bookstore on that secluded street that was not all that far from the urban jungle.

  “Are you ok, Darcy?” Charlie asked, noticing her concerned expression while was looking around the sights around her. Bennett was also looking at her warily.

  She smiled, taking a small breath. She did not want anything to take away what could have very well been the last few hours of being a teenager again, and at that time, she resolved to just let things be. She had no control anymore of what was to happen. She wasn’t even all that sure that if posed with the possibility of going back to her adult life, that she would be heartbroken about it.

  “Yes. Let’s do this. Masks on, worries off!” she said as all three friends smiled and put on their respective masks, instantly making them mysterious and unidentifiable.

  The three of them slowly climbed the few steps th
at would take them to the event of the evening that they had all been secretly really excited about for weeks on end. They had to take their time as the masks restricted their sight of what lay before them, and Darcy knew she couldn’t afford to walk faster than she wanted to at that point as the corset that lay just below the surface of her lustrous golden gown dug into her ribs sharply. She knew that by the end of the night the corset would be off and the dress would have to do the work in giving her a cinched look, but she didn’t care, for at that specific moment, she felt beautiful, and she vowed nothing would take that away from her.

  ***

  The interior of the banquet hall where the Prom was being held could not have been better done or adorned, she thought, as she caught sight of the limo pulling out of their final destination. There was a sense of finality in the air that didn’t escape her, but she was adamant on enjoying what could be the last few hours she had in this new life.

  As the limo drove off, Charlie walked with both ladies deeper into the event location. They teased him for being such a gentlemen as they straightened their gowns and adjusted their masks. That was a strict rule: before entering the prom itself, all attendees had to don their masquerade masks, students and teachers alike.

  Her burgundy mask perfectly complimented her golden dress, and both Bennett's and Charlie’s masks were similarly green colored. It was pretty crazy at how quickly the masks made their appearance indistinguishable. Now everyone’s wearing a mask, she immediately thought.

  Bennett and Charlie had both gently chastised her in the car (due to the liberal drinking from their now not so full flasks) for being so quiet. She couldn’t help it – she felt like she was on the precipice of something that was going to end badly. The non visits from Marina, in addition to her lack of tangible feelings and actions that made ‘things better’ made her sure that by midnight, she was going to be back in her adult bed, dog in tow, and stressed with the task of having to find a new job.

  For this first time in many months, however, she wasn’t that entirely turned off by these thoughts. It was no secret that the teenage life she was thrust into couldn’t have been more different then the fictional accounts that flooded the books that she loved to read, courtesy of Marina’s book shop. She did not have simple conflicts that she was expected to settle, like choosing the typical bad boy or the good boy, or being faced with decisions of taking drugs or having sex when she was not ready. The issues that were plaguing her were more serious and strangely adult, and she wasn’t sure, deep inside, if this was something she wanted to explore and experience further. Her first teenaged experience had been bad enough, and having to re-do the whole thing over with larger obstacles to overcome, made her queasy.

  “We all look so amazing – just saying,” Bennett boasted as all three friends slowly made their way up the bright lights and loud music of the prom that had already begun. Charlie took her hand, and squeezed it gently, a gesture at once both re-assuring and soothing.

  They walked into the banquet hall that would not have been out of place at a Renaissance Fair. The entire place was so authentically coordinated and decorated that whoever walked through the entry door felt like they were going back to a time to where there was no electricity, Royalty provided only talks of scandal, and washing clothes in the river was a daily activity and not out of the norm.

  “Names please,” Chrissy piped up to them as they made their way to the name card table advising them where they were going to be sitting for dinner. At first she thought Chrissy was being difficult in asking for their names but she then realized that the girl probably didn’t recognize them – she knew that Chrissy’s mask perfectly covered up her expression of usual judgment.

  “It’s us, Chrissy,” Darcy replied. “We’re at table 4.”

  Chrissy momentarily hesitated before grabbing the placard for table 4 and handed it to Charlie.

  “Wow – Darcy, you look beautiful,” she said. For the first time since knowing the girl, Darcy heard the authenticity in her voice. She felt touched.

  “So do you, Chrissy. You’ve got the prom queen vote in the bag,” she replied.

  “You’re probably right,” Chrissy replied back, a smile on the part of her face not hidden by the mask. “Have fun, guys.”

  They continued to walk deeper into the banquet hall that was cast in shadows and soft lighting. She noticed the ornate set up of the photographer who was taking snaps of students who wanted a photo to commemorate this event, as well as the chocolate fountain that, while not exactly common place for a renaissance themed party, was a hit amongst the kids, judging by the amount of students enjoying the sweet delicacies.

  They quickly found table #4 amongst the mania that filled the banquet hall room itself. There were about 20 tables that seemed to be already half full, and the DJ was spinning songs that had a few of the more brave students dancing in the center of the dance floor. The bar was undoubtedly the busiest spot in the place, and while they were promised not to sell any alcohol based drinks, she couldn’t help but notice the way the flashing lights of the dance floor seemed to catch upon the flasks that every 3rd person seemed to have in their pockets.

  “This really came together awesomely, guys. I’m so impressed,” Charlie said as they neared the table. He pulled out the chair for her to sit down on, and once she was seated, did the same thing for Bennett.

  “It was a team effort. Chrissy literally ate, drank, and breathed this thing for months,” Bennett replied. “But I will take full credit for the tablecloths and napkins combination. My parents supplied them from their shop.”

  Darcy and Charlie smiled and looked at the seemingly authentically patterned pieces that she just referred to. As the prom committee money dwindled, and the team realizing they didn’t even discuss napkins and tablecloths, Bennett was kind enough to get her parents to provide the items in the last minute. They owned an enormous textile company that apparently everyone in Martin’s Falls were familiar with.

  “Well, kudos to you and your eyes for style,” she giggled and all three friends smiled. The flask made one more appearance before she felt the urge to go to the washroom. The corset was not going to let her go that easy. She decided to go to the bathroom and actually loosen the corset a bit, so she asked Bennett to go with her.

  Charlie said he was fine staying alone but got up anyway as both girls made their way to the girls' bathroom that was just conveniently located just to the right of their table. She looked back at him and smiled before entering the brightly lit room that had no line up to get in, something that would not be the case later in the evening, she was sure.

  “Let’s go in here,” she said, motioning Bennett into the wheelchair accessible stall that was at the rear of the bathroom. Both girls went in and she immediately sat down, lowered the top part of her dress, and asked Bennett to begin loosening the corset that was making it hard for her to breathe.

  “Aren’t you going to buy me dinner first?” Bennett laughed and went to work at gently tugging the corset and loosening the ties. She immediately felt the relief and sighed loudly.

  “Yeah, you probably don’t want to do that in here. We probably will get kicked out before the prom has even started,” Bennett said and she laughed. Bennett couldn’t have been more right – Ms. Wright, the teacher liaison for the prom, made it abundantly clear that there was to be ‘no hanky panky anywhere’ and that kids who were caught ‘canoodling’ were going to be removed from the premises immediately.

  Moments later, and lungs gently breathing in full of air, both girls left the stall, giggling, and she nearly fell into Claire and Rena who were applying their make up above the sinks. They had their masks off, as did Bennett and Claire, so they instantly recognized one another. She suspected that she would have recognized Claire anyway. Rena – not so much, considering she sort of disappeared into any background she was in.

  “Oh, sorry!” she mouthed, stepping back quickly, nearly causing Bennett to fall back into the stall. “I w
as having some corset issues. Bennett was helping me out.”

  Claire lowered the lipstick she was putting on her lips and looked at her from the mirror. The two friends were polite and kind to one another after what had happened at the Senior Stay Over, but their friendships was de facto cancelled. The awkwardness and anger wasn’t there anymore, and she didn’t know if it was because the prom was happening before them or what, but Claire appeared defeated in some way that she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

  “I was thinking of wearing one too, but then I remembered that I wanted to be able to breathe and drink on a regular basis tonight,” Claire replied, a smile creeping on her lips. Rena, to the surprise of no one, followed suit.

  “Well, you were thinking right because I think I broke about two ribs on the way over from my house to get here,” Darcy replied, adding to the semi-uncomfortable but all together ok vibe. Rena and Bennett looked at each other as if to acknowledge that they should probably leave and let the two old friends have some time together.

  Rena washed her hands quickly and Bennett followed suit.

  “See you at the table. Breathe as deeply as you want!” Bennett said, ever the joker, and Rena followed her out the door. There didn’t seem to be any other girls in the bathroom.

  After a moments silence, which she used to reapply her own make up and wash her hands, she heard the soft music enter the bathroom. It wasn’t what she thought the DJ would play, in fact, hearing “There’s Always Something to Remind Me”, waft through the walls made her instantly nostalgic and sorry. Sorry for the way her and Claire’s friendship had pretty much eroded for the last few months, despite being there for each other during some pretty serious drama.

  “I thought Chrissy was adamant that there was no retro music to be played tonight”, Claire finally said. She turned around and put her lipstick in her makeup case. “She’s going to flip when she hears this.”

  “I think she’s too busy sizing up everyone asking for their table cards”, she replied. “You look beautiful, Claire. You really do.”