Douglas was alone in the bathroom crying his eyes out from the beating he had just taken. He had broken up with his girlfriend, Cailey, who had just thrown another one of her fits. Everyone knew from the scars on Douglas’ face and the limp in his walk when she threw her fits. Douglas had dated her since kindergarten and now, halfway through his senior year, everything changed. Some days he loved her, some days he did not. She was the apple of his eye, but also the broken bone in his arm.

The boom of thunder made Douglas spring from his seat in the bathroom. He was finished being heartbroken and now was beginning to feel a sense of freedom. He felt free because he knew he was no longer tied in a marriage-like relationship. Douglas would no longer live in fear of Cailey beating him again.

As he stepped out in the hallway, he stumbled into Brittany and Chelsea. Papers scattered everywhere and immediately Douglas started picking them up. When there were only two papers left, he reached for both of them and found his right hand touching Brittany’s hand, and his left hand touching Chelsea’s. Douglas knew that both of them had a secret crush on him but had kept it to himself.

“Hey Douglas,” said Brittany and Chelsea simultaneously, ”Who are you going to prom with?”

“Umm, I haven’t given it much thought,” said Douglas nervously.

Immediately, the two girls began fighting over him. Douglas was torn apart. He could go with Chelsea, who was smart and sort of pretty, or Brittany, who was dumb as a rock but gorgeous. Both girls grabbed him, pulling him in opposite directions.

As this was happening, Cailey wandered up and began screaming at the two girls for trying to steal her Douglas. The screaming got worse and worse until the three girls began fighting with each other. This was Douglas’ moment to escape. He took off, half sprinting half limping, toward the exit and could hear the girls chasing after him. Finally, Douglas reached an empty room and made it his hiding place. Inside, he found one of his friends, Macy, studying.

“Hey Macy,” said Douglas, “Wanna go to prom with me?”