"Have you seen the theme for Prom?" Michelle asked me, waving flyer around in the air.

"No," I said, grabbing the flyer from her.

"Mardi Gras?" I asked, looking up at Michelle.

"I'm pissed," she informed me.

"It could be okay?"

"No way! That's like the stupidest prom theme the Senior Council could've possibly chosen."

"Well I'm sure there were worse ones on the table."

"Stop playing martyr and get angry with me."

I handed off the flyer to a passing Freshman, who just gave me an odd look.

"I'm still going to rock prom, lame theme or not," I informed her, looping my arm through hers. "And so will you."

"Me and my single ass? Yeah right."

"We'll find a smoking hot date."

"Unless his name is Zac Efron, I'm not interested."

"I'll find you someone," I promised.

"No thank you."

"Well we'll at least go prom dress shopping together."

She shrugged as we headed to lunch. "I guess that will suffice."

I rolled my eyes, holding the lunchroom door open for her. "And plus, who said I even had a date?"

"Hello bozo, you're dating Parker Adams."

"Yeah, but he hasn't even mentioned the word Prom, let alone asked me."

"He will ask you," she promised, dropping her backpack on our lunch table.

I wasn't too doubtful, but I just shrugged for Michelle's sake.

Parker had been super sweet and romantic lately, which was highly unlike him.

So I was looking forward to his Prom ask.

~*~

"So it's the week before Prom," I pointed out to Michelle, as she laid out across my couch.

"And?"

"Parker still hasn't mentioned Prom. Tickets are going to sell out! Not to mention all the good dresses."

"So then mention it to him."

I raised my eyebrows at her.

"Who said that the boy has to ask the girl? This isn't the 19th century," Michelle scoffed. "Ask him to prom. He's your boyfriend."

"I can't do that."

"Well why not?"

"Because it's unnatural."

"So is watching old recordings of Wendell & Vinnie because the show was so bad that it was cancelled, but you seem to do that too."

"So I just, like, ask him to prom?"

"Just like he'd ask you."

That seemed so foreign, so strange.

"For God's sake, you're not asking the boy to marry you," Michelle huffed.

"Okay," I agreed. "You're such a bully."

"It's for your own good." She pulled up Pinterest on her phone, mirroring it onto the Apple TV. "Now let's find a cute way to ask the boy."

~*~

"I cannot believe I'm doing this," Emmett said, rolling his eyes.

"The agony," I exaggerated, laying my hand across my forehead.

He pressed his phone to his ear, flipping me off with his other hand.

I stuck my tongue out at him in return.

"Hey man," Emmett said. "I'm down at the practice fields and I wanted to get a couple of shots in before the other guys got here. Mind coming down to be my goalie?"

I exchanged excited smiles with Michelle.

"Shut the fuck up and get your ass down here," Emmett ordered. "Bye."

"Is he coming?" I asked, as Emmett tucked his phone away into his back pocket.

"Yeah he's coming. He wasn't happy about it, but he's coming."

"It's because he's a good friend even when he doesn't want to be."

"I really don't want to hear you swoon over Parker, okay?" Emmett asked, making a disgusted face.

"You mean you don't want to hear about the way he kisses?" I teased. "About the way-"

"Keep talking and I'll call him and cancel."

I giggled, smirking at him.

"He's coming!" Michelle called, from her position at the top of the bleachers.

"How do I look?" I asked Emmett, running my fingers through my hair.

"Like my sister?"

"Does my hair look okay?"

"I guess."

"You're so useless to me."

"I'm the one that got Parker here!" Emmett defended.

"You're lucky I-" Parker started, jogging out onto the soccer field. But he stopped when he saw what was actually here.

Emmett had stepped off to the side, leaving just me and seven soccer balls.

Five of them spelled out PROM? And one said yes, and one said no.

Of course, if that bitch chose no, we'd have an issue.

"Will you go to prom with me?" I asked Parker, smiling at him. "Yes or no?"

Parker let out a laugh.

I raised my eyebrows at him, as he continued to laugh.

"I thought Emmett was asking to me to Prom," he explained, sobering up a bit. "And I was a hella confused."

"I'd be a great prom date!" Emmett defended.

Parker strode over and picked up the YES ball, grasping it in his hands before planting a kiss on my lips.

"It was implied that you were supposed to shoot it into the goal," I whispered.

"Is my answer not clear?"

He turned around and punted the ball, and it sailed into the goal.

Mad skill right there.

"If you had waited two more hours, I had a whole thing planned out," he informed me. "But I think I prefer this."

"Well you waited too long."

"Clearly." He wrapped his arms around my waist and continued to kiss me.

"Glad we could make this happen," Emmett said, stepping between us and putting his arms around both of our shoulders. "Now which one of you is taking me out for some pizza?"

Parker rolled his eyes.

"So do I still get to see what you had planned?" I asked Parker.

"You still want me to ask you even though you already asked me?"

"Well it only seems fair."

He chuckled, shaking his head at me. "I can't say that I understand you Emily, but if that's what you want."

"Oh damn, I was in on that one too," Emmett muttered.

"Let's go," Parker said.

"Wait, you knew that he was asking me later today?" I asked Emmett.

"Well yeah," Emmett said.

"And you didn't say a word while I was setting this entire thing up and complaining that Parker hadn't mentioned Prom to me or asked me yet?"

"Well that would break bro code."

"I hate you."

"That's okay, I hate this plan."

Parker chuckled, fishing his car keys out of his backpack. "See you in a few hours babe." He reached over and pecked me on the lips.

"I'm excited to see what you have planned," I said, with a smile. "But I'll bet it doesn't beat mine."

~*~

The call came from Emmett exactly 2 hours and 36 minutes later while Michelle and I were enjoying some Starbucks after a few hours of shopping.

"Hello?" I asked, unable to keep from laughing.

"Hey, so I'm down at Lincoln Park and I need a jump," Emmett informed me.

"You need a jump?"

"Yep, my car won't start."

"Why don't you just ask Parker?"

"Funny thing, he just won't answer his phone."

"Funny how that works."

"Yeah, hilarious. So I need you to come down to Lincoln Park and give me a jump. I'm over at the basketball courts."

"And you can't call Mike from the Autobody-"

"Oh would you just come?" Emmett demanded. "Damn."

I laughed. "Yeah, I'll be there in a few."

"Great, bye."

"So is it time?" Michelle asked me.

"It's time," I agreed, throwing away my empty Starbucks cup.

The two of us headed down to Lincoln Park, parking down by the basketball courts.

Funny thing was, Emmett's car was there, but he wasn't.

"So now what?" Michelle asked me, as I stepped out of my car.

Even from the parking lot I could see the sidewalk chalk writing on the courts.

Michelle followed me as I headed over to see what it said.

7 Reasons I Want to Go to Prom with You.

There was an arrow pointing towards the nature trail.

"Aw," Michelle cooed.

"This is actually really cute," I said, snapping a picture of the chalk before heading towards the nature trail.

"Did you expect it not to be?"

I ignored her, spotting the sidewalk chalk up ahead a bit.

1) You're my girlfriend.

"That's a good reason," Michelle said, laughing.

I rolled my eyes. He was such a goober, I swear.

The arrow pointed us to the right and a little further down the pathway.

2) You'll be the prettiest girl there.

"Well then," Michelle scoffed.

"Aw," I said, a smile forming across my face. "That's so sweet."

The arrow led us down the trail and then another arrow led us to the left.

3) Emmett already has a date.

I laughed so hard that tears streamed down my cheeks.

The arrow led us just a little down the path. I could see the writing from where we were standing.

4) When they play the slow songs, I wouldn't want anyone else in my arms.

I could feel my heart swelling in my chest.

Parker could be so sweet when he wanted to be.

The next couple of arrows took us down the path and around a few corners.

When we got there, there were two mom-aged women already reading the sidewalk chalk.

Michelle and I exchanged glances.

"Sorry," one of them apologized. "We've just been following this little scavenger hunt here. Isn't it just the cutest thing you've ever seen?"

Michelle just laughed.

"I'd say so," I said, with a smile of my own.

"Any idea who it's for?" the second lady asked.

"It's for this wonderful lady here," Michelle informed her, pointing to me.

"Well you're one lucky girl," the first lady said, smiling at me before the two of them left.

"Strange people walk these trails," Michelle said, before I read the next reason.

5) Even though the theme is lame, it's worth it to get to spend the night with you.

I wanted to cut out this piece of concrete and take it home with me.

"I'm dying from the feels," Michelle informed me. "And I'm not even being asked to prom."

The next arrow led us just down the path, and the two ladies were already gone.

6) Who else would put up with me?

"That's so true," I said, with a nod.

Michelle just laughed.

And then the last arrow set of arrows led us on a full five minute walk.

"Where the hell are we going?" Michelle demanded.

"I hope he knows how to get out of here," I said, looking around at my surroundings.

I felt like I was deep into the jungle or something.

Even though I was probably only like 7 minutes from my car.

I came upon a small clearing.

Parker was standing in the middle, holding a bouquet of flowers.

7) Because I love you.

Okay, Parker wins. This was the cutest way to ask a girl to Prom.

"Well it took you long enough," Parker huffed. "Two ladies already passed through, as well as a few joggers."

Always one to ruin the moment, I swear.

"That wasn't your line," Emmett informed him. "Did you need a Teleprompter?"

Michelle chuckled.

"Emily Winston, will you go to Prom with me?" Parker asked.

I crossed the sidewalk chalk, throwing my arms across his neck and planting a kiss on his lips.

"You're such an asshole," I informed him. "But you're my asshole. Of course I'll go to Prom with you."

***************************************************************************************************************

So what did you guys think about Emily asking Parker to Prom? A little twist in events there huh? Nobody called that one. And then what about Parker asking Emily to Prom after that? Who do you think won?

The picture off to the right was submitted by BubblePopz. Check it out! -->

So I know this story is supposed to be finished by November 15th for the People's Choice Award for the Watty's Award, and I swear that I'm working on it. That's in 10 days in case you guys didn't know. It's going to be close...

Teaser: Emily's prom dress experience isn't exactly how she imagined it. And then it's time for Prom!