Dancing Under the Stars

Dancing Under the Stars
by Verne Ahyong
word count: 258

          Lying on my bed, I stare at the calendar hanging on the wall beside me. It's the month of February. A series of thirteen X-marks precede a haphazardly drawn lipstick-red ring encircling the number fourteen.

          I turn my gaze forward, towards my dresser, where my prom dress is hanging. The gown is pink, my favorite color. It's custom made to fit me perfectly. My mom's favorite tailor with his ever trustworthy measuring tape did an excellent job copying the dress in a photograph from my latest copy of Seventeen.

          I imagine how good it would look on me during prom night, after my trip to the parlor. I think about how my boyfriend will stretch out his hand towards my own gloved one. Hand-in-hand, we would then dance the night away under a ceiling of stars.

          I painted them there. I know exactly where to be, so that the light that reflects on the silver stars would shine down upon us while we dance. It's my surprise for him. I want him to see how happy I am to be with him; that I love him. I can only imagine the joy on his face as I say those three words.

          Tears sting my eyes as they begin to stream down my face. My prom dress is tattered and torn. A pair of scissors is the murder weapon. But, where is the murderer? He is probably dancing under the stars I painted, admiring the woman that now holds his heart, while I lay here in the darkness.

          Alone.