magic in the air

the night of prom is pregnant with potential, there is a certain magic in the air, that when mixed with hormonal teenagers often leads to either fairy tales or down the crooked road of broken heartedness. this one is no different.

the tie we choose, black and silvery white, accents his new black suit. he decided not to get a tux, this year, and save that for his senior year. a suit was more reasonable anyway; he can wear it to church, to look fancy as he ushers the elderly ladies down the aisle to the front row, where they can hear the music better. he likes looking fancy, because they give him compliments that make his cheeks burn from smiling so wide.

we did get him fitted for a tuxedo, just to see what it felt like, and as the twenty year old vixen that took his measurements teased him playfully, his cheeks burned as well. she stopped playing after asking him how he lost so much weight, and his reply was "well, i go to the bathroom every fifteen minutes." i tried to help him save face, but really he didn't even notice her slack jaw. he was to happy with himself.

dressed in his suit he looks handsome and he knows it, strutting like a rooster out front of the hen house, doing quick turns to flash those pearly whites. the camera likes him, and he likes it, striking poses. he is a prince and declares the dance floor will be his kingdom.

it's a quick ride, down the block, cutting through the food lion parking lot to catch a side street, to his date's house. she spent all afternoon on make up, getting her hair done and it shows. she has never been more beautiful. her dress is sleek and red, with stones glittering on the neck line. his smile is shy, in her radiance.

he really doesn't know what to do with his hands, as we take pictures, but he remembers to open the door for her to get in the back seat of the van, just like we talked about, sliding in next to her. it's quiet the five minutes it takes to get to the dance, but as they walk toward the door, i can't help but feel the that curious tingle.

for a few hours, they will swim in the same sea of dreams with 'normal' kids, not tucked into a classroom all their own and while others may not understand the garbled words they share, they understand each other quite perfectly. some may say he's 'special', i won't argue, he is. an eight year old boy in an eighteen year old body, and tonight is his fairy tale.

his mom's heart is the only one breaking, as she heads for home, missing her baby.