Girl Shows Up With Homemade Prom Dress, Principal Calls Her To His Office

What Was Wrong?

When she sat down in the principal’s office, she felt her heart pounding in her chest. On his face, he wore a scowl that showed just how unsatisfied he was. What was his reason for calling her out? Did her dress have something wrong with it?

She started crying as soon as the principal spoke to explain why she had been sent away in detail. She was horrified by the pathetic justification they provided her.

Kerry Gallagher

Kerry Gallagher was a normal 17-year-old girl. She wanted to go out and have fun while she was young. But there was one thing she looked forward to more than anything else – her prom.

Her school prom was getting closer by the week, and she desperately wanted to go. The only issue would be a dress. Her mother told her that they just couldn’t afford one.

Struggling For Funds

Kerry’s father had recently lost his job, so her mother was the only one working. As much as it hurt them to see their daughter upset, they just couldn’t afford an expensive prom dress. 

But Kerry didn’t lose hope, and she decided to make a plan. With reassurance from her boyfriend, she knew there was still a way to go to prom.

An Idea

Kerry’s mother suggested that she try and sew one herself. That way, it could also look just how she wanted, and it wouldn’t cost too much. She thought of all the interesting materials she could use.

The idea stuck, and Kerry started planning her dress, but she had no idea that it would get unwanted attention from a place of authority.

Designing The Dress

She spent two days drafting up what she wanted her dress to look like. From there, she knew she needed to buy the appropriate materials. She designed the dress to really show everyone who she was. 

She would incorporate green in the dress and paint beautiful orange florals. But Kerry was unaware that once finished, not everyone would be impressed with the dress.

Stitching It Together

Janet – Kerry’s mother – helped her cut and stitch the dress together, and before the two of them knew it, they were staring at a beautiful gown fit for royalty. It had turned out better than Kerry, or her mother could ever have imagined.

The dress was finished just in time, Kerry’s prom was only days away, and her boyfriend, Joshua, had gotten his suit months ago.

Counting Down The Days

With her beautiful dress turning out so much better than she could have imagined, Kerry couldn’t wait to show it off to all of her friends. She was counting down the days to prom, excited to experience it with Joshua.

But there was one detail about Kerry’s dress that she had overlooked, and it would spark controversy as her principal took notice.

The Day Of The Prom

After waiting for what felt like forever, it was finally the day of the prom. Kerry squealed with excitement as she took her dress out of her closet and fitted it on. She did her hair up and put on her best heels.

She waited excitedly as her boyfriend picked her up and drove them to their prom. Unfortunately, she would soon be met with an ultimatum that would turn her world upside down.

The Prom

The prom was everything that Kerry could have asked for. There were stage lights and a DJ playing her favorite music. When she bumped into her friends, they screamed in glee as they saw the dress she had told them about.

She now felt on top of the world. But soon, her prom would be interrupted as someone couldn’t just stand by and watch her any longer.

Called Aside

Kerry was engrossed in what she could only call bliss as she continued to dance with Joshua. She felt like the leading lady in a romantic Hollywood movie. She looked over at a few of her friends dancing nearby. Things couldn’t have been better.

But her bliss couldn’t last forever as her principal marched across the dancefloor and asked her to follow him in a snappy tone. She saw a teacher laughing in the corner of her eye. What had she done wrong?

Something Wrong With Her Dress

She felt her pulse race as she sat down in an empty room with the principal. The scowl on his face showed that he wasn’t happy at all. But why had she called her out? What was wrong with her dress?

When the principal opened his mouth to tell her exactly why she had been called away, tears started streaming down her face. She was shocked at what terrible excuse they gave her.

Not Up To Code

The principal told her that her dress wasn’t up to code but wouldn’t even explain what was wrong. He told her that she would have to leave if she didn’t change her dress. 

But what could she change if she didn’t know what was wrong? Kerry was crying while her boyfriend tried reassuring her. But what would they do?

Getting Real Answers

The principal finally gave in when he saw Kerry’s tear-stained face, her makeup ruined. He told her that she had to alter the cut of the dress because it was “too revealing.”

She couldn’t believe what she had just heard, but not all hope was lost. Her boyfriend did something she could never have expected.

Getting Creative

To make her dress work with their policies, Kerry would have to raise her dress by an inch to show less of her cleavage. She wanted to argue that it was just because of her body type that she got the attention, but she knew it would be no use.

But that’s when Joshua took off his tie and got out some scissors to get to work fixing everything.

Happy Ending

Joshua cut his tie into straps for her dress and quickly got to work adding them to her dress. All they had around were safety pins, but they would last the night. She couldn’t believe what he was doing for her.

The principal approved, and even though the dress wasn’t the one Kerry had imagined, it was still enough. She still got her happy ending, which is more than what the next girl in this story did. 

Senior Year 

Joan was like many girls about to clear high school. She’d been to junior prom, which she spent with her best friend, Maria.

She had never really given the idea of prom much thought, seeing it as another event to slog through and forget about. But all this changed when she reached her senior year. 

The High School Experience 

Most girls who end high school usually have a massive part of their early adult life figured out. They know which school they want to attend or what gig they would like to pour their energy into. 

They know who their last high school kiss belongs to and if they will go with that person to prom. For Joan, finishing high school didn’t carry the weight she thought it would. That was until she met Tina. 

Tina Is Different  

With Tina, everything seemed sped up for Joan. She had never had strong feelings for people, only breezing through high school with one boyfriend to who she wasn’t even romantically attached. 

Talking about Tina, she said, “She hit me like a towering tidal wave, rearranging everything I thought I knew. She showed me how much I was missing out on and taught me how to be a better person.” She didn’t know that a dark day was ahead. 

Meeting Her 

Joan and Tina met at a school symposium in their small town on the Northern side of New Orleans. They came from different schools, both private schools that followed strict religious views. 

The two immediately clicked, seeing many similarities between each other. But although a budding love would sprout between them, a huge problem would arise with it.

Saving Each Other’s Skin

Joan and Tina knew they would be in big trouble if their respective schools got wind of what they were doing. Each trying to save the other from getting suspended, they didn’t act on their feelings. 

But they knew that they were walking a dangerous path. Joan’s best friend warned her, “Suppressing feelings only resulted in the worst trouble imaginable.”

Be Real With Each Other

Joan and Tina continued being friends, stamping down whatever feelings they had for each other. They met after school, went to the movies, and listened to music in the park.

But the weeks passed, and the two realized that whatever they were doing was wrong. Maria was right, and if the two continued suppressing what they felt, the fallout would be beyond disastrous. 

Coming Out 

Keen to find a way to allow them to be together while also not getting in trouble at school, Joan and Tina opened up to their parents. 

Tina went first, telling her mom and dad that she really liked a girl from the private school across from her. On hearing the news, her parents left her with a warning she’d never forget. 

The Hard Truth

Before coming out to her parents, Tina told them that she’d had to pretend to be another person because she didn’t want to get in trouble. She also wanted to protect her friend from getting on the wrong side of her school. 

Her dad took her hands in his, telling her that she should never feel like she has to dumb herself down to fit in anywhere. She was perfect in every way and deserved the best in the world. But he also said something else that opened her eyes. 

His Advice 

Tina’s dad commended her for trying to protect herself and her friend. Everything had a consequence, and sometimes, things demanded sacrifice and compromise.

If she chose to be with her friend in her conservative school environment, she might get in trouble and lose her scholarship. But he acknowledged that living in the shadows was also tiring. He asked her to speak to Joan before making a decision.

Joan’s Side 

On the other hand, Joan was having a bit of a difficult time opening up to her grandparents, who were her guardians. Her granddad was okay with her coming out, but her staunch Christian grandma couldn’t understand what was happening. 

But as she listened to her granddaughter speak about the girl she liked, she seemed to warm toward the reveal. In the end, Joan’s grandparents told her to follow her heart. But they also left her with a warning. 

Her Grandparents’ Advice

Like Tina’s parents, Joan’s grandparents told her everything had a consequence. The school she attended was very strict regarding search issues, and they couldn’t promise that the administration wouldn’t come for her. 

Joan and Tina met a day after sharing their news with their families. They were not shocked that their guardians left them with the same warnings. The ball was in their park now. 

A Joint Event 

Prom was around the corner. Although Joan and Tina didn’t care much about it, since their schools would have different proms, they couldn’t help but wish they could go as a couple.      

Missing the event wasn’t scary until they heard that their schools were joining forces to throw one massive prom event. Anxiety flashed through them as they realized they were in trouble. 

Secrecy

Joan and Tina had been seeing each other in secret. It was effortless since they went to different schools. But now that their schools were throwing a single prom, they knew it wouldn’t be long until someone caught up with them.

Joan considered not attending the event but saw how much Tina wanted to be a part of it. Unlike her, Tina loved prom and its significance in their lives as high schoolers. Joan had to compromise.

Attending Prom

Joan and Tina decide to attend the event. They got their dresses in time and took the time to ask each other.

With both agreeing to accompany the other on the highlight of their high school career, they had Joan’s granddad drive them in one of his luxury cars. The event went well until, out of nowhere, disaster struck. 

A Night Leading To A Great Life

Joan and Tina were busy enjoying their night, with Maria chaperoning, when one of Joan’s teachers called them to the side. She told them that she didn’t like what she was seeing between them, threatening to take the matter to the principal if they continued being together.

Joan didn’t know what to do. She wanted to leave, but she didn’t want to hurt Tina. She also knew staying would get them in trouble. It was then that Tina pulled her out of the event, asking her to accompany her to the movies. For them, prom was over, but their life together was only beginning.  

Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.