Sitting down in an empty room with the principal, she noticed her palms were sweaty. He wasn't thrilled at all, as evidenced by the grimace on his face. Why, though, did he confront her? Why was her dress not appropriate?
Her eyes welled up with tears when the principal explained why she was called away. Their excuse was horrendous, and she was shocked.
The Most Important Event
The 17-year-old Kerry Gallagher was just as normal as any other 17-year-old. It was important to her to have fun while she was still young. Despite all this, her prom was her most anticipated event..
The school prom drew nearer every week, and she wanted nothing more than to attend it. The clothing would be the only problem. They simply couldn't afford a dress, her mother said to her.
Making A Plan
In Kerry's family, her father recently lost his job, so her mother became the sole provider for the family. The parents were very upset when their daughter didn't get the prom dress she wanted, but they simply couldn't afford it.
However, Kerry didn't give up and made a decision to come up with a plan. She was reassured by her boyfriend that she could still make it to prom.
Doing It Herself
Kerry's mother advised her to attempt to make one herself. In this manner, it could appear just like she desired and wouldn't cost a lot of money. She considered all the intriguing materials she could work with.
Kerry began making plans for her outfit when the idea took hold, but she was unaware that it would draw criticism from someone with a position of authority.
Who She Was
She spent two days sketching up the design of the garment. She then understood that she had to purchase the necessary supplies. She created the clothing to convey who she was to everyone truly.
She would add green to the outfit and gorgeous orange flowers to the painting. Kerry didn't realize, however, that not everyone would be pleased with the garment after it was finished.
The Final Product
Kerry's mother, Janet, assisted her in cutting and sewing the garment together, and before they knew it, they were admiring a stunning gown fit for a queen. Kerry and her mother could never have anticipated how beautiful the dress turned out.
Kerry's prom was only a few days away, the dress was finished in a timely manner, and her boyfriend Joshua had already received his outfit.
Excitement
Kerry was eager to show it off to all of her friends since her stunning gown came out much better than she could have anticipated. She was eager to go to prom with Joshua and was keeping track of the days till it.
However, Kerry had neglected one element of her outfit, and when her principal noticed it, it caused controversy.
The Big Day
Having waited for what seemed like forever, prom day finally arrived. Her excitement festered as she slipped her dress on and squealed with delight. Her hair was combed, and she wore her most flattering heels.
She looked forward to her boyfriend picking her up for their prom and driving her there. She would soon be confronted with an ultimatum that would send her world spiraling out of control.
It Was Perfect
Everything Kerry could have wanted was at the prom. Stage lighting and a DJ spinning her preferred tunes were there. When she ran into her pals, they yelled with delight when they saw the outfit she had mentioned to them.
She now had a triumphant feeling. However, her prom would soon be cut short when someone could no longer just monitor her.
Rude Interuption
Kerry kept dancing with Joshua, lost in what she could only describe as joy. She had the impression of being the star of a sentimental Hollywood film. She turned to see some of her pals dancing close by. Everything was perfect.
Her principal abruptly requested her to accompany him as he stormed across the dance floor, interrupting her moment of happiness. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a teacher giggling. What was wrong with her?
Something Wrong With Her Dress
She felt her pulse race as she sat down in an empty room with the principal. The scowl on his face showed that he wasn’t happy at all. But why had she called her out? What was wrong with her dress?
When the principal opened his mouth to tell her exactly why she had been called away, tears started streaming down her face. She was shocked at what terrible excuse they gave her.
Not Up To Code
The principal told her that her dress wasn’t up to code but wouldn’t even explain what was wrong. He told her that she would have to leave if she didn’t change her dress.
But what could she change if she didn’t know what was wrong? Kerry was crying while her boyfriend tried reassuring her. But what would they do?
Getting Real Answers
The principal finally gave in when he saw Kerry’s tear-stained face, her makeup ruined. He told her that she had to alter the cut of the dress because it was “too revealing.”
She couldn’t believe what she had just heard, but not all hope was lost. Her boyfriend did something she could never have expected.
Getting Creative
To make her dress work with their policies, Kerry would have to raise her dress by an inch to show less of her cleavage. She wanted to argue that it was just because of her body type that she got the attention, but she knew it would be no use.
But that’s when Joshua took off his tie and got out some scissors to get to work fixing everything.
Happy Ending
Joshua cut his tie into straps for her dress and quickly got to work adding them to her dress. All they had around were safety pins, but they would last the night. She couldn’t believe what he was doing for her.
The principal approved, and even though the dress wasn’t the one Kerry had imagined, it was still enough. She still got her happy ending, which is more than what the next girl in this story did.
Senior Year
Joan was like many girls about to clear high school. She'd been to junior prom, which she spent with her best friend, Maria.
She had never really given the idea of prom much thought, seeing it as another event to slog through and forget about. But all this changed when she reached her senior year.
The High School Experience
Most girls who end high school usually have a massive part of their early adult life figured out. They know which school they want to attend or what gig they would like to pour their energy into.
They know who their last high school kiss belongs to and if they will go with that person to prom. For Joan, finishing high school didn't carry the weight she thought it would. That was until she met Tina.
Tina Is Different
With Tina, everything seemed sped up for Joan. She had never had strong feelings for people, only breezing through high school with one boyfriend to who she wasn't even romantically attached.
Talking about Tina, she said, "She hit me like a towering tidal wave, rearranging everything I thought I knew. She showed me how much I was missing out on and taught me how to be a better person." She didn't know that a dark day was ahead.
Meeting Her
Joan and Tina met at a school symposium in their small town on the Northern side of New Orleans. They came from different schools, both private schools that followed strict religious views.
The two immediately clicked, seeing many similarities between each other. But although a budding love would sprout between them, a huge problem would arise with it.
Saving Each Other's Skin
Joan and Tina knew they would be in big trouble if their respective schools got wind of what they were doing. Each trying to save the other from getting suspended, they didn't act on their feelings.
But they knew that they were walking a dangerous path. Joan's best friend warned her, "Suppressing feelings only resulted in the worst trouble imaginable."
Be Real With Each Other
Joan and Tina continued being friends, stamping down whatever feelings they had for each other. They met after school, went to the movies, and listened to music in the park.
But the weeks passed, and the two realized that whatever they were doing was wrong. Maria was right, and if the two continued suppressing what they felt, the fallout would be beyond disastrous.
Coming Out
Keen to find a way to allow them to be together while also not getting in trouble at school, Joan and Tina opened up to their parents.
Tina went first, telling her mom and dad that she really liked a girl from the private school across from her. On hearing the news, her parents left her with a warning she'd never forget.
The Hard Truth
Before coming out to her parents, Tina told them that she'd had to pretend to be another person because she didn't want to get in trouble. She also wanted to protect her friend from getting on the wrong side of her school.
Her dad took her hands in his, telling her that she should never feel like she has to dumb herself down to fit in anywhere. She was perfect in every way and deserved the best in the world. But he also said something else that opened her eyes.
His Advice
Tina's dad commended her for trying to protect herself and her friend. Everything had a consequence, and sometimes, things demanded sacrifice and compromise.
If she chose to be with her friend in her conservative school environment, she might get in trouble and lose her scholarship. But he acknowledged that living in the shadows was also tiring. He asked her to speak to Joan before making a decision.
Joan's Side
On the other hand, Joan was having a bit of a difficult time opening up to her grandparents, who were her guardians. Her granddad was okay with her coming out, but her staunch Christian grandma couldn't understand what was happening.
But as she listened to her granddaughter speak about the girl she liked, she seemed to warm toward the reveal. In the end, Joan's grandparents told her to follow her heart. But they also left her with a warning.
Her Grandparents' Advice
Like Tina's parents, Joan's grandparents told her everything had a consequence. The school she attended was very strict regarding search issues, and they couldn't promise that the administration wouldn't come for her.
Joan and Tina met a day after sharing their news with their families. They were not shocked that their guardians left them with the same warnings. The ball was in their park now.
A Joint Event
Prom was around the corner. Although Joan and Tina didn't care much about it, since their schools would have different proms, they couldn't help but wish they could go as a couple.
Missing the event wasn't scary until they heard that their schools were joining forces to throw one massive prom event. Anxiety flashed through them as they realized they were in trouble.
Secrecy
Joan and Tina had seen each other in secret. It was effortless since they went to different schools. But now that their schools were throwing a single prom, they knew it wouldn't be long until someone caught up with them.
Joan considered not attending the event but saw how much Tina wanted to be a part of it. Unlike her, Tina loved prom and its significance in their lives as high schoolers. Joan had to compromise.
Attending Prom
Joan and Tina decide to attend the event. They got their dresses in time and took the time to ask each other.
With both agreeing to accompany the other on the highlight of their high school career, they had Joan's granddad drive them in one of his luxury cars. The event went well until, out of nowhere, disaster struck.
A Night Leading To A Great Life
Joan and Tina were busy enjoying their night, with Maria chaperoning, when one of Joan's teachers called them to the side. She told them that she didn't like what she was seeing between them, threatening to take the matter to the principal if they continued being together.
Joan didn't know what to do. She wanted to leave, but she didn't want to hurt Tina. She also knew staying would get them in trouble. It was then that Tina pulled her out of the event, asking her to accompany her to the movies. For them, prom was over, but their life together was only beginning.
Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.