He sat at the table, pertrified. “Don’t worry about it,” “Everything will
be fine,” “Nothing will happen,” “We’ll be there right behind you.” The
constant buzz of words was becoming grinding. His sight went blurry. Then,
a gentle touch on the knee brought him out of his trance. “C’mon, let’s
go.” He stood. The familiar fingertips led him out into the open. Music
played but it faded into the buzz, just like the words. Everything began to
play in slow motion. The protective bubble he had always felt, popped. He
embraced his boyfriend on the dance floor. Terrifying thoughts raced through
his mind at 600 mph…..”Are people staring? Are they talking? Are they
going to do something? Will anything happen when we try to leave?”
Suddenly, he felt a soft kiss on his cheek along with whispered words, “It’s
okay.”
He turned away. An eternity later, the buzzing ended. They lost their
embrace. The urge to run away and hide was so overwhelming, he could hardly
walk back to the tables. “Let’s leave now to beat the rush in the parking
lot.”
In the car, tears formed pools in his eyes. He was engulfed by
disappointment and shame. The pools turned into rivers. He choked out the
first words he had uttered in half an hour, “I’m sorry…” His boyfriend
looked at him lovingly and replied, “You have no need to be.”
And he was right. The event that occured in the last 30 minutes was filled
with more emotion than most people experience in a lifetime. This one single
event revolutionized their relationship. They had always loved each other
but never found it necessary to prove it. Especially to other people. But
this oen tremendous feat proved to his boyfriend, and all of the people in
that ballroom, just how deep his love flowed for him. Despite all of the
terror and dread, he still stood up and proudly walked onto the dance floor,
at his high school prom, with his boyfriend.
Nothing he could ever do again would even come close to what this meant to
both of them. Their relationship was indestructible and we should all be so
lucky to experience even a fraction of the love they shared against all odds.
–Anonymous