Her red ruby dress glittered from every angle as the light hit it and she twirled. Her eyes were lined with thin, black liner and her lids powdered with a soft pink. Her black, wavy hair was all pulled to one side and her bangs swooped down across her forehead and pinned back to keep them out of her eyes. Overall, she was absolutely stunning.

“Better close your mouth, Biersack. Don’t wanna catch flies.” Lily joked, patting his cheek lovingly. “I still wish you were going…” She pouted. “It won’t be the same without you.”

Andy shrugged. “Dances just aren’t my thing.”

The doorbell rang and Lily’s face lit up with sheer joy. “That’s him!” She squealed.

“I’ll get it.” Andy walked to the door and opened it to reveal a handsome looking Tyler.

He smiled and held his hand out for her to take. “Ready to go?” He asked and she nodded, taking his hand and letting him lead her to his green jeep sitting out on the street next to the curb.

Andy watched as he opened the door for her to get in and then walked around to the other side to get in, himself. He started the car and zoomed off down the street, taking the love of Andy’s life along with him.

The car ride to the school was slightly awkward. He tried making small talk to fill the void but each conversation died out quickly. Eventually, he turned up the radio and let it fill the awkward silence with music. When he escorted her into the gym, everyone gawked at who Tyler was with.

“Lily? But she’s a nobody.” They whispered to one another. “But she does look beautiful tonight, doesn’t she? She almost… fits in for once.”

Lily smiled and tightened her hold on Tyler’s arm. For once, they weren’t making fun of her. She had them all at a loss for words.

“Lily!” Her friends all squealed when they saw her and especially when they saw who she was with.

She and Tyler danced for two solid hours with slight breaks in between. She was having so much fun already and there were still two more hours left. She didn’t want this night to end. It was more perfect than she could have ever dreamed.

“Hey, are you thirsty? I’ll go get us some water.” Tyler said.

“Okay. I’ll be here.” Lily said and watched as he walked away.

She sat there for twenty minutes and he still wasn’t back yet. Lily started to get curious as to where he could have gone. She asked her friends and they said they had no idea where he was. She asked one of his friends and he said he last saw Tyler in the line to buy water. Well, at least he was being truthful.

Hmm, maybe the line is really long? Lily thought. It is quite hot and stuffy in here.

She walked out of the gym and down the hallway but there wasn’t any line for concessions. In fact, there wasn’t anyone there at all.

Laughter floated down the hallway and she turned towards the sound. She followed the sound to the first classroom on the right side of the hallway and peeked in through the slight crack in the door. There, she saw Tyler with the most popular girl in school—Jessica Wilder. She was undoing his tie and slowly unbuttoning his shirt.

Lily leaned in on the door accidentally, causing the door hinge to squeak and Tyler and Jessica to look over at her tear stained face looking back at them. Tyler pushed Jessica off himself and started for the door but Lily was too quick for him. She had already turned, running as fast as her high heels would let her and disappearing around the corner.

She put both hands out in front of her and pushed the heavy, metal door open, stumbling out into the chilly November air.

*****

Andy sat in his room, listening to music and thinking about Lily; about how good of a time she must be having with Tyler. The sound of his phone ringing broke his thoughts. He already knew it was Lily because of the ring tone but he didn’t know why she was calling him. It was only nine-thirty. The dance didn’t end until eleven and Tyler would be bringing her home anyway. Maybe her phone was in her bag and hit something in it. But he answered anyway.

“Hello?” He said and waited for a response.

A-Andy? Lily’s shaky voice responded.

“Lily? What’s wrong? Are you crying?” He could hear her sniffling.

Andy, I-I need you to pick me u-up.

“At the school?” He asked.

She nodded but then realized he couldn’t see her. Y-Yeah…

“I’ll be there in five minutes.” And the line went flat.

Andy grabbed his keys off his bedside table, slipped on his black and white checkered Vans and ran outside to get in his run down 1998 Toyota.

When he pulled up to the school, Lily sat on the two-foot wall surrounding the outside of the school beneath a street lamp. He pulled up next to the curb in front of her and she stood up when she recognized his car. She got in and slammed the door behind her, sinking down in her seat.

“He’s a fucking cheater…” She muttered.

“Now you see why I didn’t go.” Andy said and she looked over at him, confused. “Homecoming is for losers.” He said. “He’s the perfect example of that.”