cherry blossom girl, part 2 (prom 2088)

May 2088. 

seniors: Delphie Deppiesse, Dakota Deppiesse, Austin Turner, Desmond Banks 

juniors: Ryanne Phoenix, Malia Kapule, Sam Harris, Shannon Brett

chaperones: Violet & Orion Deppiesse 

—

The next morning at breakfast, Shannon sat at Dakota’s table, which must have been the first time she even attempted to speak to Dakota since their big blowout back at home. 

“I didn’t see you at the lights festival last night,” Shannon said.  

“I went home, it was kind of boring.”

“It wasn’t boring, you were just in a mood. I had plenty of fun. Did you see my kimono?”

“Maybe for a minute.” 

“You went home with Austin?” 

“Maybe, why?”

“Did you guys do it?”

Dakota scoffed. “What’s it to you if we did? Are you jealous? You can’t be jealous. You have a boyfriend at home.” 

“But did you?”

Dakota refused to offer anything, not even a hint of expression on her face. “Maybe we did, maybe we didn’t.” 

Shannon rolled her eyes. “Ugh. Whatever.”

They didn’t, for the record. But Dakota didn’t mind letting Shannon sweat about it a little.

—

This morning’s adventure was also highly anticipated among the group. They would hike through a supposedly haunted bamboo forest.

Ever prepared Delphie was ready with their itinerary. “Centipedes and Denkimushi are prevalent in the woods, so make sure to wear your bug spray!”

But the forest was just a forest. They didn’t see any magical spirits or giant bugs. They viewed some graves. They took some selfies.

“Oh my god I’m so bored I could die,” Ryanne complained to Sam. “Why is there nothing to do here but look at stuff and take selfies? You wanna make out in the graveyard?”

“That’s weird,” Sam said, “But I’m not saying no.”

—

After an uneventful hike, the kids went back to the hotel for lunch. Maybe Dakota had flirted with Austin in front of Shannon, knowing how much it would catch her attention. And it did catch her attention wonderfully. Dakota didn’t have to look to see Shannon’s eyes burning a hole through her peripheral vision. But then it dawned on Dakota why she was so mad at Shannon, how she felt so used in Shannon’s personal exploration. Dakota liked Austin too much to use him like that. 

She liked Austin quite a lot for someone she’d just met. Austin was cute in a grungy cowboy sort of way. He had great taste in music and a bad attitude and quick wit, and Dakota couldn’t get enough, to be honest. Being with Austin was cozy and fun. She could use a new buddy. He wasn’t going to uni next year, but he would be in Sierra Nova, and she envisioned many fun shenanigans ahead for the two of them. But she knew she didn’t want a boyfriend. And she didn’t want to put him through what Shannon put her through, the thrill of something new and exciting only to be tucked away in a back pocket like it was nothing. She wanted him to know where they stood.

So Dakota told him everything. Or at least, everything that was certain so far.

And he was like, “Cool, no biggie. I was maybe gonna ask Malia out anyway.”

Cool. Perfect. Really.

—

 

 

Happy Prom 2088. Having a blast in Mt. Komorebi. Their theme is, “Tokyo Lights,” and their prom song is, “Cherry Blossom Girl” by Air.



Delphie is reluctantly single tonight, but she didn’t want to let that stop her from dancing to some peppy music.

Shannon is also here stag, having blown her chance with Dakota.



Austin asked Malia to be his date to prom, and she said yes.

Ryanne and Sam, longtime sweeties, are here together of course.



Desmond asked the pretty girl he met at the lights festival to be his date, and she showed up.

And where is Dakota???

Dakota entered the dance floor in sparkly blue, twinkling like a sapphire.

“Wow, you look amaz—” Shannon started, just as Dakota launched into a fiery barrage of names and insults in the middle of the dance floor.



“You’re a tease! You’re a liar! You’re a cheater! You’re a coward!”

“Holy whoa,” Shannon said, pulling Dakota quickly off the dance floor and outside before too many people noticed the commotion. There was little hope of that, unfortunately. Dakota was mad and Dakota was loud. Shannon was sure everybody had heard everything.



And for poor Desmond, this was also the moment his own date went sour.

This prom venue must have some bad mojo tonight.



Half of the prom-goers were fighting with each other, and the other half were making out on the sofas. That left Delphie alone on an empty dance floor.

What’s new? she thought.

It felt pathetic to dance alone in an empty hall, and it would feel even more pathetic to hang out with the chaperones—her parents, remember—so she took her homework to another room and stewed over it.

Teachers weren’t even grading homework for seniors anymore this close to graduation.









Dakota held back her barbs as she and Shannon walked through a silent and serene forest. Maybe the fresh air and nature calmed her, because when they finally came to a stop, she spoke instead of screaming. “Admit it. You used me.”

Shannon shrugged, looking snotty. “It seemed fun at the time.”

“That’s all you have to say for yourself?”

Shannon shook her head. “You don’t know what it’s like.”

“I know what it’s like,” Dakota said. “I broke up with my boyfriend, and you didn’t because you’re a coward.”



“No, you don’t know,” Shannon insisted. “Jake isn’t just my boyfriend. Jake has been my best friend since I was two years old. Jake’s parents were best friends with my parents. They’ve been planning our wedding since we were in diapers. And you’re going to college this summer. Eric is two years behind you, and you were going to break up with him anyway. It’s not the same. You don’t know.”

Hmph, Dakota huffed.

“Are you sorry you ever met me?” Shannon asked.



Dakota grinned, against her better judgment. “No. I wouldn’t say that.”

“What would you say?”

“You look pretty hot in that dress.”

“Yeah? Well, you look pretty fierce yourself. I was trying to tell you so before you screamed at me in front of everybody.”



They made heart eyes at each other in the moonlight. Shannon shrugged. “Hey, maybe I screwed up prom, but don’t we still have the summer?”

Dakota wasn’t sure how much integrity she wanted to have, but since she’d come this far, she might as well stick to it.

“Maybe we do if you can unload that boyfriend,” Dakota said. “I’m no angel, I know, but I don’t want to be a cheater. And he seems like a nice guy. He doesn’t deserve it.”

Shannon nodded. “I liked you though, for real. I wasn’t using you. Not really. I guess I am a coward. Maybe I won’t always be.”

“Well, you have two months to decide,” Dakota said. “Come on, let’s go back inside. We are looking too good to not dance our asses off at my senior prom.”

—

gameplay notes: // Dakota and Austin // Ryanne is bored // Dakota doesn’t want any integrity