Tonight was the night I was going to tell Jake I loved him. As I was getting ready for prom with my best friends, Sarah and Hayden, I thought of all the ways I could tell him. I think that when the music is quiet, and there is silence in our conversation I can say something, but then sometimes I think just blurting it out might be cute. Jake and I have been dating for about 5 months now, but I’ve known him since freshman year. I thought since prom only comes once in your life, tonight would be the perfect night. Jake and I have always talked about how we loved masquerades, and coincidently it was the theme for our prom. I had my dress picked out weeks before, and my mask was hand crafted by a cute boutique nearby. I could hardly wait.
My friends and I all started by doing each others hair. Sarah’s mom was a hair dresser so she gave us a lot of tips.
“How are you going to tell Jake tonight Peyton?” Sarah asked.
“I’m not exactly sure, I’m thinking when they crown king and queen, and play a slow song I will kiss him, and then take off our masks. After that, I will just tell him those three little words he told me a week ago.”
“He told you a week ago!?” Sarah shouted.
“Was he mad you didn’t say it back?” Hayden asked.
“No, he understood that I just wasn’t ready to say it, but he knows how much I care about him, and I wanted it to be special. But I’m so nervous.”
“Don’t be! You guys are amazing together, and tonight is going to be a night to remember.” Hayden generously said to cheer me up.
After all the curling, straightening, and brushing of our hair, we started doing one another’s makeup. I felt so blessed to have my best friends there to help me get through tonight. Dating was very knew to me. Hayden has had her boyfriend, Evan for two years, and Sarah has been dating Tim for a year. Luckily Tim, Evan, and Jake are all good friends, and the 6 of us hang out a lot. I’m hoping that just being with all of them will distract me from being so nervous. I think I’m so nervous because I have never said that to anyone not in my family, or my best friends. I’m also freaked out by the fact I waited until after he already said it. But I know how I feel, and shouldn’t be afraid, I tell myself.
Hayden and Sarah were almost done getting ready, but I kept getting distracted. As Hayden looked out the window, she screamed and said,
“Look! There’s that creepy red van that always drives by you, and stalks you.”
“Oh no, I have to call 911 again, and as soon as I start dialing he will drive away again.”
Then before I knew it he was gone.
“That is still so scary! The police need to catch him already!” Sarah said frightened.
“Alright ladies, lets get dressed and have a good night now!” I said, as I was already starting to get extremely excited.
We all put on our long gowns, our bejeweled decorated masks, and our tremendously high and uncomfortable heels. The three of us all walked downstairs and showed our parents.
“You ladies all look so beautiful!” All of our parents proudly told us in-sync.
“Thank you guys, but we are kind of running late so can we go already!” Sarah anxiously said.
We all drove with our parents to pictures.
As I walked up to the Taylor’s house, where the pictures were at, I saw Jake standing in the front. He was holding my white flower with his hands crossed, and talking to his parents. But all I can focus on was his tightly fitted tux, his perfectly tied bow tie, and his black hair gelled back. He was glowing, and I was never more attracted to him than I am right now.
At pictures Jake and I exchanged flowers and took cutely posed, “typical”, prom pictures. Then Sarah, Hayden, and I took a few pictures together, and eventually let our boyfriends jump in. However, there were like 20 other people there. So the 26 of us then all took one group picture, it was chaotic to say the least. We all hugged our parents, had small talk with our boyfriends parents, and said goodbye. All the people in our group then ran to the party bus trying to get good seats.
As Jake and I held hands we walked onto the bus together. Rap music was blasting, blue, red, and green lights were flashing, and people were already dancing in the center of the bus. Jake also looked a little nervous. I asked,
“What’s on your mind Jake?”
“I just am very anxious for tonight, but you look very pretty, and I’m happy to be here with you.” Jake said.
“Aww thanks, I’m excited too Jakey. I just want to get there already,” I said, just as anxiously as Jake.
After about a 15 minute drive we arrived at this local hotel where the prom was being held, and we all were sleeping at the hotel after the dance. Jake and I ran off the bus. We sat at our table, which was Sarah and Tim, Hayden and Evan, and Jake and I. The vile, sloppy looking, greasy chicken arrived at the table pretty quickly. None of us really ate it.
Jake stood up and stuck his hand out, and said
“Would you like to dance my lady?”
All the girls looked at me and smiled. They knew that I would be telling him how I felt soon. Jake and I put on our masks and we walked onto the dance floor. Jake and I danced for what felt like an hour. I still couldn’t find the courage to say the words. I excused myself to go to the bathroom, and reconvene with Hayden and Sarah.
“Guys I’m freaking out the dance is almost over and I still haven’t said it. What if he doesn’t feel the same anymore?” I said with a tear in my eye.
“Trust me Jake feels the same! You just have to put your heart out there, and tell him how you feel.” Hayden said, supportively.
“Yes you can do it! Lets go dance ladies.” Sarah said.
Us three girls went to go dance, we searched for our boyfriends as a slow song came on. Jake had a smile, but almost like a smirk. I think he knew what was about to happen. But never did I think what was going to happen next would...
Jake and I walked up to each other in silence, and started slow dancing. As I started to say “I L.o.v...” I tried to take off his mask, but he wouldn’t let me. I laughed and said,
“Jake I have something important to tell you, but I want to look at you when I say it.”
All of the sudden I see Sarah and Hayden getting picked up, and carried off forcefully. The next thing I knew was I was aggressively picked up. I felt sleepy, and then my eyes shut. I think someone slipped something in my drink.
I opened my eyes and saw Sarah, Hayden, and I all tied down to chairs, and three guys in masks.
“Guys I don’t think these are our boyfriends..” Sarah stated the obvious. 
One of the dark haired males walked directly up to me, brushed my face, and said,
“What you don’t recognize me?”
His voice was deep, and all of the sudden I remembered. It was the stalker in the red van who kept following me. I went to shout my realization, but then grey duck tape was immediately placed over my mouth, before I could murmur anything. Hayden and Sarah screamed and screamed. They asked what the guys wanted. They said nothing, just stood there all scary and intimidating.
I heard screaming and almost crying from the closet, I looked at the girls. Then all the sudden Hayden screamed,
“EVAN!”
The three stalkers looked at each other. They taped Sarah and Hayden’s mouths too.  They walked over to the closet and as soon as criminals opened the door, Jake, Evan, and Tim jumped out. They all started punching the three stalkers.
Out of nowhere the leader of the stalkers pulled out a gun, but before anyone could react to it the police broke open the door. There was about 10 police men all dressed in uniform. They screamed,
“FREEZE! And drop your weapons!”
A gun went off, the stalkers shot at our boyfriends, but luckily missed. The three of us girls all started bursting into tears. The police handcuffed, and unmasked all the stalkers. It turned out to be our three favorite teachers. We we were stunned, emotional, and freaked out. We were all in shock. We were hysterically crying. And I asked everyone,
“Why would those teachers do this?”
One of the policemen responded, and said,
“We searched their houses, and found shrines of all three of you girls. I believe they were obsessed with you guys.”
The police took off all of our tape, and ties to the chair. I ran up to Jake hugged him, and blurted out,
“I love you so much Jake!”
Jake smiled, and said,
“I love you too.”