<p>I’ve already put down some very clear boundaries. My friends and I already created tables, so I said something to him like… “This is the table I’m sitting at now. You can sit with us if you want, but I don’t want to move. I had always planned on going to prom with a group of friends, and I don’t want to miss out on that experience.”</p>
<p>To be honest, though, I feel really bad about acting this way. My date is one of the most picked on/ridiculed kids in my school. He’s a complete nerd (I’m not trying to say this in a derogatory way… I’m just trying to paint a picture of how others view and treat him). He tries to make friends with the potheads and makes a fool out of himself- he APPLAUDS when this one guy makes jokes. I really don’t want to sound like an absolute jerk, but I’m pretty far above him, socially (and I KNOW that that sounds arrogant and stupid, but that’s a big part of my problem). So, I would feel terrible about putting him down. I’m not leading him on… but I don’t want to crush him, either. I just feel really guilty about the whole mess, and I feel morally obligated to be the quintessential prom date for him.</p>
<p>My friends are not helping, either. About a third of them make fun of me for going with him (I don’t care, but it certainly doesn’t help the situation, either). Another third scolds me for saying yes in the first place. The last group chastises me for having a negative attitute about the whole thing, and tells me that all of “Guy’s” stalker-esque actions are “cute” and “romantic.” They make me feel guilty. And, NOW, some of his (girl) friends are approaching me to make sure that I’m happy about everything, and to find out my feelings about certain things (he’s too scared to actually talk to me- did I mention that?), and to convince me that I made the right decision. It’s just so confusing.</p>
<p>"To be honest, though, I feel really bad about acting this way. My date is one of the most picked on/ridiculed kids in my school. He’s a complete nerd (I’m not trying to say this in a derogatory way… "</p>
<p>While it’s too bad that he doesn’t have friends and acts oddly, that’s not your problem to solve. It would have been fine for you to have kindly turned him down. </p>
<p>In fact, although he’s not the kind of guy you want to date – and you have every right to have your preferences – odds are that there’s some girl at your school who would have happily and proudly gone out with him. Even if that’s not the case, however, there was no reason for you to agree to go with him. Not everyone gets to the prom. (I didn’t get to any when I was in h.s. because no one asked me out). That’s life.</p>
<p>What’s interesting, however, is that no matter how homely or socially awkward people are, most seem to manage to eventually find romantic partners. It’s not as if the prom is their last chance for romance or happiness.</p>
<p>Well… I should have listened to all of you. Prom is now going to be a complete disaster and one of the most depressing experiences of high school:</p>
<p>Today, I found out that I was kicked off of my table for prom. Why? Because my ‘friends’ are embarrassed to be seen with my date. I protested and reminded them that they were the ones who pressured me to say yes… and that they had promised not to abandon me. “Well, suck it up,” one of my best friends replied. “You’re his date, so you have to hang out with him. But you said yes, not us- we’re not sitting with him if we don’t have to.” I was taken aback, and replied that I couldn’t believe they were acting this way. How would they feel if they were in my situation? I was dreading prom as it was- I only could find comfort in the fact that I would still be with my friends. Then, the same ‘friend’ said, “Don’t be selfish. If [Date’s Name] sits with us, prom will be ruined for all of us. He’s your responsibility now, not ours.”</p>
<p>Yes. Very nice. Thank you, girls-who-I-have-been-best-friends-with-for-eight-years.</p>
<p>I now have no place to sit… and I don’t want to go to prom at all anymore.</p>
<p>Wow, LesOs…that’s awful. If they were truely your friends they wouldn’t do that…especially since they pressured you to go with him.</p>
<p>I guess I’ll say that I was in a similar situation this yr for junior prom…this guy I rarely if ever talk to asked me way before the permission slips even came out. The guy and I never really talked that much, if ever. He was really shy, and I’ll admit I feel selfish because I didn’t want to go with him because I wanted to have a good prom. I couldn’t decide whether I was going to tell him I wanted to go stag or if I had already had a date, but my best guy friend ended up asking me that day so I told him I already had another date. I ended up having a pretty good time, but the guy wouldn’t even so much as look at me the whole night. Confusing month or so, 5 guys ended up asking me, but now, I’m just glad it’s all over. I can only imagine senior prom drama next year…</p>
<p>My best friend was planning on asking me, too… he chose to tell me this today, which didn’t really help.</p>
<p>There are three other tables that I could sit at (two that include people that I’m friends with, one that includes the people that he’s friends with), but I feel extremely betrayed… and just terrible in general. I know that I’ll eventually make up with the friends who rejected me, but I view our friendship much differently now.</p>
<p>lol. prom-drama sucks. i was in the dilemma, except i said yes and i’m close to regretting it. it’s made the day so much more difficult, for one.</p>
<p>Well, everything worked out okay. My friends and I figured out our tables, and now I’m all set (I’m with all of the down-to-earth people who cause no drama- thank GOD! At first, I was at a table with all of the gossip-y, clingy, fickle girls… who I love at times… but at other times, I get fed up with all of the gossip and manufactured drama. So, I’m very happy with my table. For the first time, I’m -kind of- looking forward to prom. Well… I’m not dreading it anymore, at least).</p>