Icing on the Cake

Knowing she couldn't afford a prom dress, Lindsey's friend nominates her for a free one.

Prompt: Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.
C. S. Lewis


The Monday Before Prom

Sara Gibson stifled a deep sigh, and looked at the teenager sitting on the other side of her desk. The girl’s face was so red, Sara could feel the heat four feet away. Though the girl was staring at the floor, Sara could also see tears forming. The teen quickly wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her worn sweatshirt and looked up.

“This was not meant to embarrass you, Lindsey,” Sara said in her calm counseling voice.

“I’m not embarrassed,” snapped the girl.

Ah, the quick mood change of a seventeen year old, Sara thought.

“I mean really,” Lindsey, continued the tirade, “who does she think she is?”

“Lindsey,” Sara explained, “Bethany was just trying to help”

“Help with what? If I wanted to go to the prom,” Lindsey clarified, “I could buy my own dress. I don’t need a hand-me-down.” Lindsey was talking about the local radio station’s project to collect used prom dresses, clean them up, and give them to needy students.

“Ms. Gibson, I’m not a charity case, I don’t need a dress for Saturday night, and I’m not going.” Pride, Sara thought. It was hard to argue with pride.

“Oh, and I’m never speaking to Bethany again either,” Lindsey declared as she left the office.

Feeling helpless at watching a friendship fall apart, Sara didn’t stifle the sigh this time.



The Wednesday Before Prom

Sara listened to Ben as he explained the reason for his visit.

“I don’t understand what I did wrong, Ms. G.,” Ben wailed, “We’ve been talking about going to the prom since last summer. Now Lindsey won’t even talk to me.” Sara’s heart melted for the boy, but she was also impressed. Most of last summer’s romances had fizzled before Thanksgiving. He and Lindsey had made it almost a whole school year.

Ben continued, “we didn’t get in a fight or anything. Last week I asked her if she had a nice place in mind for dinner before the prom, and she told me she changed her mind about going. She hasn’t talked to me since.”

Sara wanted to scream, because she can’t afford a dress, to the mystified teen, but didn’t want to embarrass Lindsey’s any more than she already was.

“Ben,” Sara tried a roundabout way, “do you think it could be something else besides you? Maybe there’s another reason…” Sara let her question hang, mentally urging him to come to a different conclusion. Come on Ben, she thought, think of all the old clothes Lindsey always wears.

Ben missed it though. “She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Ms. G.,” Ben’s voice started to crack. “She’s the sweetest person in the whole school…”

Sara patiently listed to the hundred and one reasons that Ben loved Lindsey. She couldn’t blame him. Lindsey was a well-liked, kindhearted girl.

Dang it, Sara thought, Lindsay should choke down her pride, thank her best friend for caring about her and go on a double date to the prom. Lindsey’s survival didn’t depend on the prom, but life needs icing on top made up of sweet memories at a high school dance with sweet friends.

Sara’s job, though, was to guide, not gossip, so she, with a helpless sigh, watched yet another student leave her office in despair.



Thursday Before Prom

Sara watched Bethany slowly sit up in the chair. She had been doubled over, sobbing for five minutes. Sara waited for her to cry all the tears out before getting to the root of the issue, but she had a fairly good idea.

“Sh…Sh…Sh…She...wo…wo…won’t…talk…to…me,” Bethany somehow managed to get out after her heavy crying.

“I know it hurts, Bethany,” Sara said quietly, giving the girl a few more minutes to catch her breath. Sara knew it hurt. Badly. One of the most important things in a teenager’s life after shelter, safety and food was a friend.

“When they made the announcement on the radio,” Bethany finally continued, “saying that if you or someone you know needs a dress, so I turned Lindsey's name in. I didn’t know it would hurt her feelings. She’s just never had things her whole life, and I wanted her to have this.“

Bethany let a small sob escaped. “Did you know we’ve been friends since second grade?”

Sara shook her head no, and let Bethany tell her story over the next hour.

“Thanks for listening, Ms. Gibson. I don’t know if it will do any good, but I’m going to try to talk to her again this afternoon,” Bethany said as she was leaving.

Sighing yet again, she felt more useless than ever.



The Prom

Sara wondered again what she had done to deserve chaperon duty, as she kept an eye out on the door to see every student that came in. Some, she knew, would need more “chaperoning” than others.

Sara also watched the space between the couple in the corner slowly disappear. She had already pulled them apart once, but hormones had a magnetic effect on teenagers. One more inch, Sara thought, and she’d have to intervene again.

She saw Bethany come in about twenty minutes ago, holding on to her date. Sara smiled at her when she entered, but Bethany’s return smile never made it to her eyes. This is so silly, Sara thought, all over pride.

A few minutes later a slow song came on, so Sara scanned the dance floor, looking for potential fires to put out when she saw Bethany again. The girl was staring at the door with a hand over her heart and her mouth gaping in surprise. Sara followed her gaze to see a transformed young woman in an elegant floor length gown.

“Lindsey,” she whispered in surprise.

Sara saw Bethany weaving through the crowd. Ben, his eyes shining with joy, released Lindsey to meet her best friend half way.

Sara sighed. Sweet friends, she thought, making sweet memories, the icing on the cake.


Tina B

Word Count=992
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