Double Date Dare -11- Melanie E. (Patreon)

11.

Don’t cry. Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry.

“Honey, you look so….”

I looked in the vanity mirror into Mom’s eyes as she stood behind me. She, too, was on the verge of tears. I desperately hoped she wouldn’t cry either, because that would be sure to set me off, and I had been practicing my makeup for the evening for three days, and it had still taken me over an hour to get just right, and there was no time to repair it if I ruined it.

“I love you, mom.”

“I love you too, hon,” she said, giving me a ginger hug from behind. While I had done my makeup, she had put my hair up in a fancy updo that I hoped she could show me how to do myself some time. “Now, dress time.”

Gulp.

I wasn’t worried. I was NERVOUS because it was prom night, and I was going with a boy, and there were Nefarious Plans in motion that might change some of my friend dynamics in a big way for good or bad. But I knew that I looked beautiful, I knew my dress was perfect and that nobody would be able to tell I couldn’t find a replacement zipper in the right color on such short notice. And I knew that I would be surrounded by people who loved me, with my folks only a phone call away if things went wrong somehow.

Dress.

Shoes.

Accessories.

Was I missing anything?

“Pictures!”

Oh, yeah!

As I left Sandy’s parents’ room, where Mom and I had been sent to get me ready, I almost immediately ran into her, Aunt Julia doting over her just as much as my own mom was doing over me.

“Ohmigod, sis, you look gorgeous!” She said, wrapping me in a much less careful hug than the one my mom had given me.

“So do you!” I said back. It was true: with the alterations made, the champagne dress looked incredibly sophisticated on her. I couldn’t think of a time either of us had ever looked better.

“I know!”

“Come on, girls, pictures! Downstairs now!”

We were still grinning like idiots at each other as we followed Aunt Julia down the stairs to the sitting room, just as eager to have some pics taken of our dresses as our moms were. In fifteen minutes, the boys would be around for even more pictures, and then, our night would REALLY begin!

We were still posing for shots when the doorbell rang. Mom ran off to answer it, and when she returned, she had Butch in tow… and a wary but nicely-dressed Ted as well!

I had let Mom and Aunt Julia know ahead of time that Ted tended to be nervous around women and girls. I fought not to laugh as I watched both of them treating him almost like a lost deer they were afraid would run away if they spooked it. Despite the awkwardness, though, I was proud of Ted too: he was clearly nervous and uncomfortable but was doing his best to handle things, even pinning my corsage with only a little help from yours truly.

With the boys there more pics were in order… and thus the plan that me and Sandy had been working on for a week began.

There were the pics taken of the two boys, then each of us with our respective partners. When she saw that our moms were getting ready to stop, though, is when Sandy sprung the first part of the trap.

“Butch? Can I get some pics with Ted as well?”

“Really?”

“Umm.”

Butch and Ted both gave Sandy surprised looks.

“Yeah! We’re all heading out together, and I think it would be fun. And you could have some with Donna too.”

“Really?” Butch said again, in a different tone. “Ah, I mean, if you want – if Ted wants to?” He said, turning to my date, who had sidled back against the wall and looked pale. “What ya think, buddy?”

“Aah,” Ted started, looking at Butch, then Sandy, then at me. When he caught my eyes, I gave him a wink and nodded slightly, hoping Butch wouldn’t notice. “I, oh… okay?”

“Great!” Sandy crowed, walking over and grabbing me. “Donna, you and Butch go first, so I can chat with Ted a bit.”

“Sure thing!” I said, giving our mothers and Butch a very real grin as I traded places with Sandy and took Butch’s arm. “Ready, Romeo?”

“I… yeah,” Butch said, looking down at our linked arms, then at Sandy, who was gently reaching out toward Ted’s like she was afraid he would break if she wasn’t careful. “This’ll be fun,” he said, giving me another more confident look.

I turned us to face my mom and Aunt Julie, both of whom were giving me and Sandy looks that told me no matter how things went down that evening, we would have some explaining to do. Nevertheless, they were both grinning as they raised their phones and took a few shots of the two of us, side by side, and even with Butch standing behind me with his hands on my shoulders.

With our little photoshoot done, I looked back over at where Sandy had been dealing with Ted and was happy to see the arm and arm, stepping forward to take mine and Butch’s place for more photos. Ted still looked ready to freak, but there was another look there, too, something subtle in the way his lip was quirked, almost like a smile fighting his fear for control of his features.

As we stood to the side and watched Sandy and Ted go through the same motions as we had just finished, I kept Butch’s arm in mine, though I kept my eyes forward, watching Ted and Sandy carefully. Because of that, Butch managed to catch me by surprise when he leaned down and breathed into my ear.

“Eep!” I jumped, giving him the side-eye, only to see a crooked smile on his own face, more in his eyes than anywhere else.

“Just what are you two planning?” He asked me.

“Planning? Us?” I asked back, innocently.

“Mm-hmm.” He nodded and stood straight again but still looked at me with those smiling eyes.

It only took a few moments for Sandy and Ted to finish their own posed photos, and like that, we were trading partners again.

“Thanks for letting me borrow him,” Sandy told me as she let go of Ted’s arm and took Butch’s on the opposite side from where I was. “He was a good photo partner once he loosened up a bit.”

“He is, isn’t he?” I asked as I let go of Butch and stood next to Ted instead. “Not like Butch, who tried to grab my ass.”

“Hey!”

“Butch, I can’t believe you!” Sandy said in mock outrage, punching him in the shoulder with her free hand. “Not in front of her mom!”

“I didn’t – wait, what?”

As if on cue, a honk came from outside, reminding us that Butch had rented a limo for our group for the evening.

“PROM!” Sandy yelled excitedly, jumping up and down while still holding onto a now very confused Butch. “Come, our night awaits!”

Without another word, the three of us followed her out. Sandy was in control of the evening, and the first stage of the night’s insanity had gone down without a hitch.

Would the rest of Sandy’s crazy plan work as smoothly? I was both excited and apprehensive to find out.