With just a few weeks until the homecoming dance, I have yet to figure out what I was going to wear. The biggest reminder that I was running out of time was the last call for homecoming Mums to be ordered.
Part of Texas's unique homecoming tradition were the Mums. Mums were these very elaborate and decorative arrangements of ribbons, bows, and bells and all kinds of ornaments.
Tacky as hell, but it's the tradition.
The best way to describe them is to think of them as a hybrid of a football trophy, a valentines day gift and a Mardi gras parade float neatly attached to a shield made for a hobbit.
The boys would wear a garter version on their sleeve. (Pretty simple.)
As for the girls, they would get a grand versions that would dangle around their neck like a giant medallion from hell.
And these came in small, medium, gigantic, ginormous and GARGANTUAN!
I remember my freshman year seeing these girls looking like a whole parade float. They would just be strolling down the hallway with all kinds of ringing and jingling. You could literally hear them from across the damn school.
The school booster club ladies selling the Mums this year. They had a few premade ones on display at the tables. Prices varied by size. The smallest being $25 each and going all the way up to $300 depending on what customizations you wanted.
(DEAR GOD! $300 FOR A 1 TIME USE MEMORABILIA?)
I had enough saved for a small set for Lilly and Me. As grand as some of these mums were, I went simple.
It felt overwhelming just by the small ones and I didn't want to overwhelm Lilly with such things. But, Traditions are traditions, I went ahead and placed my order and reserved it for Alfie and Lilly.
With the clock ticking, I needed to have a serious discussion with Lilly about the wardrobe. I didn't have any formal attire of any kind in my closet.
Frantically, I flipped through the pages of an old middle school agenda I had saved her number in. Once I found it, I'd give her a call. It was the first time I was calling her number—even though I had it ages ago.
(Now to wrangle the phone away from my sister.)
Pebbles, being the teen that she was, was always hogging up the phone—talking with one of her many friends or a boyfriend. I quit keeping track.
I really hated asking her for anything because I always got attitude. Still, I took a nice deep breath before knocking on her door.
Pebbles opened the door halfway with the phone glued to her ear and gave me a dirty look. She didn't even have to say anything, her expression said What do you want?
"Hey. Can I use the phone right away?" I had my hands pressed together, begging and groveling to her. "It'll be quick, I swear."
She rolled her eyes and went back to her call. "Eyy. Let me call you back right away." She ended the call and passed me the cordless phone.
I took the phone back into my bedroom. Now that I found her number, I dialed it into the phone and waited.
"Hello?" Said an unfamiliar voice that sound similar to Lilly answered.
"Yeah, uh, hi. Is Lilly there?" I don't know why I was becoming so bashful all of the sudden. I've talked to her many times before in person.
"Hold on a sec." The girl said. She set the phone down and faint voices could be heard in the background.
One was definitely Lilly. That must have been her sister that answered.
Lilly: "Who is it?"
Girl: "I don't know. Some dude."
Lilly: "Did you ask?"
Girl: "No."
Lilly: "Seriously?!"
Yup—definitely her sister.
The phone rustled. Then—
Lilly: "Hello?"
Alfie: "Hey. It's Alfie."
Lilly: "Holy shit! Hey, Alfie. Thought you lost my number."
Alfie: "In a way, I kinda did. But I found it."
(Truth was, I'd been too chicken to call.)
Lilly's Sister (in the background): "Ooh, who's Aaalfie?"
Lilly (yelling): "None of your damn business!"
She fumbled with the phone.
Lilly: "Alfie, hold on a sec."
Alfie: "Umm… sure."
I heard her walking away with the phone and closing a door.
Lilly: "Sorry, I'm back. What's up?"
Alfie: "Well, I'm trying to figure out what to wear. So far all I got is a nice FUBU shirt and some jeans."
Lilly: "Umm… yeah. There's no way in hell you're wearing a FUBU shirt to homecoming."
Alfie: "I know. Just messing with you."
(I let out a little laugh.)
"I do need to figure it out though. What are you wearing?"
Lilly: "Actually I—"
*CLICK*
Pebbles (on the other line): "Alfie smells like dick!"
Lilly burst into hysterical laughter.
Alfie (growling): "GET OFF THE PHONE!"
*CLICK* My sister finally hung up.
Lilly (still giggling): "You actually do."
Alfie: "Fuck off!"
That just made her laugh even harder. My face was burning red.
Alfie: "Sorry. That was my bitch of a sister."
She took a long breath, finishing her laughing fit.
Lilly: "Anyway—before that hilarious interruption—I got a dress last weekend at Dillard's. It's a really pretty wine red. Probably pairing it with a black cardigan."
Alfie: "WINE RED?!"
(I had no idea what that meant.)
Alfie: "I only know the basics. What's the difference between that and regular red?"
Lilly (giggling): "Goofball. It's a deep red. Like red wine. Duh."
Alfie: "I wouldn't know that. I'm not a wino."
Lilly: "Mhmm. Sure. But you're Catholic—I'm very sure you do."
We both laughed. Same old back-and-forth.
Alfie: "Alright, alright. I'll look for something in wine red. Hopefully the store people know what I'm talking about."
Lilly: "I'm sure you'll figure something out. Don't make me regret this."
Alfie: "Oh—almost forgot. I already ordered our mums."
I paused for a reaction.
Alfie: "Yours is massive. I think only your head will be visible."
I could feel her death glare through the phone.
Lilly: "Are you fucking with me again?!"
I couldn't help but mess with her.
*CLICK*
I was waiting for her to call back immediately. But that didn't happen.
(I'm sure I'll get an earful the next time I see her.)
The moment I opened my door, my sister was already on her way to get the phone back from me.
"Eyy. Was that a girl you were talking to?" Pebbles gave me a questioning look.
"Yes." I scolded at her. "Thanks for embarrassing me."
She sucked her teeth. "Shit....I thought it was one of your nerdy friends. Sorry."
I tossed her the phone."Yeah whatever."
"Nah for reals." There were very few moments when you can actually tell if she was messing around, lying or being sincere—She was being sincere. "What was that about?"
I sighed deeply. I hated being ridiculed but it was always pointless retaliating with her. Might as well tell her. "Just figuring out what to wear for homecoming"
"Wait wait wait." She crossed her arms and became very interested all of the sudden. "You're going to homecoming?"
"Yeah." It surprised me that she became invested with what I was up to. "With Lilly."
"Shut the fuck up." Pebbles jaw fell with shock. "Did she like ask you or something?"
My sister knew me far too well. She knew I would always withdraw before initiating anything.
(Such a curse to be so timid.)
I got a little defensive and straightened up with confidence. "No. I actually asked her for once."
"Whaaaat! You?" She really couldn't believe a word I was saying. "When?"
This actually made me think back. "Umm ...Like... a while ago. When they first announced it."
My sister stiffened her lips and became very interrogative. "Does mom know you're going?"
And just like that—
I froze.
My eyes widened.
There it was.
The one detail I did not think about.
My parents didn't know.
It was the one thing I needed to do in order to make all this planning work...
I had to tell Mom.