Prom Night

Prom is one of those nights that sounds kind of silly on paper, a bunch of teenagers renting formalwear to stand around on a lawn, and then you actually go and it turns out to be one of the best nights of the whole year.

Getting ready

I went with the full setup: a black suit, a navy polka-dot bow tie I was weirdly proud of, and a deep burgundy rose pinned to my lapel that I kept checking in every mirror I walked past. There's a specific kind of fun in getting dressed up with your friends, everyone fixing each other's ties and pretending we do this all the time, when really we're all just nervous and excited and trying very hard not to spill anything on ourselves before we even get there.

The venue

The place itself was gorgeous, this terrace up on a hill with a little gazebo and a view that went on forever, and we rolled in right as the sun was going down and turning everything gold. I spent the evening drifting between groups of friends with a drink in one hand, taking it all in, very aware in the moment that this was one of those nights I'd want to remember exactly as it was: the light, the music, everyone looking their best and laughing a little too loud.

Some nights you just know you'll be telling stories about for years. This was one of them.