Chapter 9

Let's Spend the Night Together

Prom Night, 1990s

Billy Hayden was holding an after prom party: the music was pumped, booze littered on the table, drunk teenagers laughing, some boys and girls were making out on the couch and then, running off towards bedrooms or wherever. Ruby, in her green dress, standing next to her date, her best friend ever, Zack. He was so ruggedly handsome in his tux and his corsage that she picked out for him: a yellow rose. Perhaps this would be the night that she could tell him how she felt because she had feelings for him since the fifth grade. Maybe lose her virginity to him. She smiled impishly. She had saved up all her allowance to buy sexy panties and condoms. After all, the prom was supposed to be a night to remember.

Her dad had been drilling into her the importance about safe sex since she was a child:

"Remember, Rubes, if you're gonna have sex, be safe. Wear a condom."

God! Her father was so embarrassing! He didn't know what she had in mind and frankly it was none of his business.

"Hey, Rubes," Zack said. "Wanna grab a beer?"

"Sure," she said.

Zack grabbed two beers and handed Ruby one. They sat on the couch, popping off the bottle caps.

"Wow! I feel so...wrong..." Ruby said, giggling.

"I know, that's why it's so great," said Zack. He raised his beer bottle. "I'd like to propose a toast: to our friendship. Rubes Tues, you are a great friend to have."

"Here's to our friendship," she said, with a little bit of hesitance in her voice.

"Cheers."

They clinked their bottles and took a sip. They sat on the couch, watching idiot teens drink themselves stupid and make out. She sat there, drinking her beer with her best friend, thinking about what she was going to say to him. She stared at Zack, looking at his features: his smooth shaven face, his once neat brown hair became messy. His collar was undone, his sleeves were rolled up and his tux had been thrown somewhere.

"Um...Zack?" Ruby said, taking another sip from her beer.

"Yea?" he said, looking at Ruby.

"There's something I want to ask...well, more like tell..."

"OK."

"Well, um...it's...well, how long have we known each other?"

"Since the second grade."

"Yea. Anyway, what I want to tell you..."

"Zack Bradley!" said a rather annoying voice.

Goddammit! It was that annoying, slutty cheerleader, Crystal Harmond. She was puffing her large, double-Ds towards Zack, batting her heavy eye make-up eyelashes and had a really low, cut dress that showed off her cleavage. Clearly, puberty had hit Crystal early and she got her wish to have big boobs.

"Crystal!" he said. "You sure do look nice."

"Yea. So, could I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure. Ruby, do you mind?"

Ruby was quite miffed, but plastered a fake smile on her face. "No. Not at all. I guess it could wait."

"Thanks, Rubes. You're a great friend."

She watched as he disappeared into the back room, holding Crystal's hand. She sat there like a pathetic loser, drinking her beer alone. Her opportunity was right there and the door was slammed in her face.

XXXX

She remembered that night and those six words that he said that night. Prom night was the most painful memory. For as long as she knew Zack, she always lost the opportunity to tell him how she felt about him because a buxom girl stole him from her. But, perhaps it was time to accept that she and Zack were just not meant to be, no matter how painful it was.

She got up and went to the locker room. Ruby went to her locker to get her purse to go home, completely depressed. Maybe a nice box of Double-Stuf Oreos™ or a tub of Betty Crocker's ™ cake frosting or a box of Ho-Ho's ™ would be a perfect therapy session. There was note attached to the front. She opened it and it read:

Let's go back to yesteryear to relive Prom Night. Meet me here after the store banquet is over. Be sure to wear something nice.

Ruby smiled and shook her head, tucking the note into her pocket and went home to change out of her manager's outfit and into her cocktail dress that she spent so much money on, along with her lingerie and tucked condoms inside her purse. She fixed up her make-up came over, her stilettos clacking. She came back to an empty Super Club and found Iqbal, Lon, and Russ dressed in tuxedos, smiling and leading her to the empty floor where the abandoned tables and stage were from the banquet not three hours ago. It was dark.

She stood in the middle of the floor where there were empty chairs and tables. It was dark and quiet…

Soon, there were footsteps behind her and there he was: messy, just rolled out of bed hair, unshaven face, an impish smile on his face, dressed in a tux. He was holding a corsage with pink roses and baby's breath.

"Hey," he said.

"What's this all about?" she asked.

"We're going back to yesteryear, the night of the prom. Oh, and this is for you." He held up the corsage. "May I?"

She nodded and he opened the box and slipped it onto her wrist.

"Care to dance?"

"Sure."

Soon, he signaled Iqbal and he pressed play on a stereo and the song began to play. The song they slow-danced at the prom: Let My Love Open the Door by Pete Townsend.

"You remembered our song?" she said.

"How could I forget? You dragged me out on the dance floor."

She smiled and looked into Zack's brown eyes, shyly. She remembered how wonderful that slow dance was. It was the best minutes of her life. The first time Zack had held her, looking into her eyes. Only this time, it felt much better, more real, much nicer. She laid her head on Zack's shoulder, drowning herself in the niceness of it all.

"Zack," she said.

"Mm?" he said.

"I...I've been meaning to tell you for so long...but, every time I had the opportunity, the door slammed in my face, therefore I could never..."

Suddenly, he pulled her face to his lips and her talking was silenced by a fabulous kiss. A kiss that she had wanted to experience for a long time. Ruby felt her knees buckle, her body melted like butter, and her blood heat up. Zack pulled back and smiled.

"How was that?" he asked.

Ruby just stared, silent, unable to find her words.

"Why the hell did you stop?" she said, laughing.

He kissed her again and they continued to dance.

"Wanna blow this place?" he said with an impish grin.

"Yea," she said, grinning back. "My place?"

He grinned impishly. " got anything?" he asked.

"Booze and rubbers."

"You came prepared, Lubes." He gave a cocky smile that matched her face.

"Care to do a little re-enactment of Prom Night?" She giggled. "You know the part where I lose my virginity to my best friend this time?"

"I'm game." He eyed her up and down, seeing the curve of her breasts. "I bet you were hot under that dress back then."

"Well, my friend, you didn't really miss much…well, except that time you touched my boob when we were wrestling."

"We were eleven. And you were cheating."

"Liar. It was there for like five minutes."

"Well, you matured early. I couldn't help it if it was so…" He lost his words, remembering. "Soft."

"Well, let's bail."

"Right behind you, Lubes."

They raced to the car, both of them laughing like two horny teenagers. Ruby drove to her apartment and they raced up the stairs. Once at the door, she opened it with her shaking hands.

"Booze in the fridge," said Ruby. "Well, you know where my room is, don't you?"

"All those times I've been over playing video games with you, I sure do," Zack replied. He grabbed some beer from the fridge and opened two of them. He opened his collar and tossed his tux on a chair, kicking off his shoes and socks. Ruby came in, wearing her silk bathrobe. She lied on the bed next to Zack and he handed her a beer bottle.

"Here's to friends…and lovers," Zack said.

"Cheers."

The classes clinked and they chugged down a beer.

"Mind if I start?" he asked.

He untied the sash to her silk robe and found her wearing a camisole and matching underwear. He tossed her robe on the floor. She straddled him and began fumbling with the buttons on his shirt and unzipping his pants. Both were on the floor instantly only to be followed by her cami and two pairs of underwear.

XXX

Ruby's alarm clock buzzed in background at 7:00. She looked at a sleeping Zack, who looked satisfied after the night of carnal desire.

"Hey, good morning," she said.

"Morning," he said."Well, looks like we got to get up for work."

"Maybe not," she said, grinning impishly. "We could call in sick."

He nodded.

"Good idea."

She picked up the phone.

"Hi, Glenn Gary, it's Ruby. I'm calling in sick today. See you tomorrow."

Zack smiled. He called in sick as well on his cell phone. They faced each other and smiled.

"Wanna do it again?"

"You bet."

They kissed and rolled around in the bed.

THE END