There was something profound about watching Amy deliberate. Among our close-knit circle, Amy was the last one I'd - or anyone would - describe as cute. And yet, there was no mistaking the blush on her face or the careful stammer on her lip.
If not for the possibility of having my heart shattered into smithereens, I might have started laughing again. Amy must have sensed my unease, because her decided response was to wrap her arms around my shoulders and pull me into a hug.
"Ian, I... I'm flattered," she began, stroking my hair while we were still looking away from each other. "I didn't think... I... Oh, Ian." She made an odd sound, a compromise between a chuckle and sob.
"Did I say something... wrong?" I couldn't help myself.
"Wrong? Ian, I've fucked with a lot of guys. More than once. None of whom I'd consider remotely to be boyfriend material. But you..." Another choked chuckle. "Ian, I didn't think I'd be the one you picked for prom, never mind your girlfriend."
"Why's that?"
"Because you're the last person I want to see having his heart broken." She pushed us back into view of each other, surprising me with the tear glistening in her eye. "I've never even thought about settling down with one guy. If I see someone I like and respect, I get in his pants if I feel like it. No strings attached. ...That's part of why I expected you and Elizabeth to get together. I thought if anyone deserved to have a beautiful, loving relationship, it was the two of you. You deserve... someone better than me. Someone capable of loving you."
"Amy... how could you say that about yourself?" It was my turn to lean in and give her a hug. "After all you've done for me, how could anyone possibly say you don't deserve love?"
"You'd really take a chance on me?" she whispered. "On a girl who isn't even sure she can love you?"
"You guys were the ones who gave me a chance. Now I'm sharing it with you."
"Oh, you... God, Ian." Grasping my back, it was clear that Amy was crying and trying to laugh it off at the same time. "Just what the fuck have you done to me?"
"Well," I declared, "I fell in love with the most awesome, kickass girl I ever met."
"Damn right you did, you twisted little bastard." Quick on the recovery, Amy gave me an affectionate noogie, and we laughed. We laughed like we'd just climbed the tallest mountain, claimed it in our name and gave the world below us the biggest, most vulgar finger gesture.
And then we kissed. After all we had been through, it was surprisingly chaste - and somehow, that moment stood out the most, like bathing in light shining from an Alpine sunrise. Simple yet indescribably deep.
"You know, I did wonder why Corrine and Stephanie were giving me sly looks the last few days," Amy murmured after we parted. "I guessed it might have something to do with you and prom. I didn't think it was going to be something this big."
"So... Is it a yes? About prom?"
"After that performance? It'd take a fucking ice queen to not go to the prom with you," smirked Amy. "You blew my mind; I'd be damned if I didn't blow yours."
"And... after that?"
That meek addition earned me another arm-punch and tickling under the ribs while the both of us continued to laugh. "Don't get ahead of yourself, you moron!"
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