Chapter]<br > blERE S A BOW TIED around my neck and I m dying for a smoke.<br > s m<br > Tonight s the senior prom ard there no way I going to get<br >through this ordeal sober. I wouldn t be going at all， but I promised<br >my girlfriend， Emily: She said the prom only happens once in your life<br >and I d regret it if I blew the wh(，le thing off. "Humor me，" she said.<br >On the off chance she s right， I agreed to take her--a decision I now<br >regret.<br > I figure if I catch a buzz bef~)re I pick her up， maybe the night<br >won t be a total disaster. Emily always says she can t stand being<br >around stoners， but then again st，e can never tell when I m stoned.<br > Besides， there s no use comp aining now. I have the whole thing<br >lined up--the black tux， the white limo， the red corsage. I even<br >rented a room at the ttyatt. It s something you re supposed to do， I<br >guess. It s not like I think some cheesy hotel room will make Emily<br >want to sleep with me. I know she won t. It s not even worth trying. I<br >probably won t even tell her I g，)t it. If she ever wants to go all the<br >way， she ll let me know. Her pare ats left her home alone for an entire<br >weekend last month and she still wouldn t put out. A hotel room isn t<br >going to make any difference.<br > The most we ever do is kiss， s~)metimes until our lips are chapped.<br >Every time I try to push it a little farther， she pulls away and I stop.<br >Supposedly， most guys don t， lake the guys she used to go out<br >