But there’s no sob story here. In contrast to his junior prom, Herlong, 18, had planned to go stag to his senior prom. The big event was held Friday, May 9, at the Embassy Suites on Harrison Oaks Boulevard.

“It’s not that bad,” said Herlong, who traded a date for the company of eight of his male classmates and their companions. “I’ll be saving money. It’s a positive alternative.”

In advance of the big night, The Cary News followed Herlong through his prom preparations from start to finish.

Thursday, 3:30 p.m.

A confident Herlong strolled into the Men’s Wearhouse store in Cary’s Crossroads shopping center. He unfurled a receipt and informed a young employee that he was there to pick up his tux.

After initially declining to try on the suit, Herlong gave in. He soon strolls out of a dressing room, clad in a simplistic, black-and-white outfit accessorized with a black vest and tie, and steps in front of a mirror.

It was a perfect fit. “I’ve never had a suit that fit me so perfectly,” he said.

Ryan Wands, a Men’s Wearhouse employee who assisted Herlong with his order, said that minimalistic styles are, generally speaking, more popular for guys attending area proms. A popular style this year, Wands said, was a black shirt and vest coupled with a bright-colored tie.

“It’s a stark contrast, and the guys seem to like that,” Wand said.

Herlong wasn’t so sure. “I think it looks too ‘teenagery,’” he said.

Friday, 2 p.m.

Herlong left school about a half hour early.

Unlike most area proms, Cary High scheduled its event on a school day. Herlong said that fact made for an atypical situation. He said some of his peers, especially the girls, left school much earlier in the day to prepare for the night’s festivities.

“During the first two class periods, there were a lot of people at school,” Herlong said. “But by the third and fourth periods, a lot of people were out to get stuff done.”

Herlong said the school’s administrators told students they must attend classes that day for at least two class periods in order to avoid an absence.

3 p.m.

While many of their female counterparts underwent their prom routines — tanning, manicures and hairdos — Herlong and friend Taylor Davis kicked back for an afternoon of relaxation.

“We had planned to play basketball,” Herlong said. “But it was too hot.”

The teens instead played video games and talked about what the evening would hold. “It was probably better because we didn’t want to waste our energy or anything.”

6:05 p.m.

Herlong was among the last to arrive at the home of friend Parker Stephenson on West Marilyn Circle, where the prom group gathered for photos and to wait on their transportation.

Across the street, Stephenson’s grandparents, David and Marilyn Martin, hosted the students and their parents for refreshments, including chocolate-covered strawberries, cheese and punch. Only a few munched on the snacks.

“We just wanted to do something to get them all together,” said Diane Stephenson, Parker’s mother. “But I know they’re probably too excited to eat right now.”

After formal pictures at the neighboring home of Dale Dascomb, the teens took part in an impromptu photo shoot at the Martins’ home. Herlong stole the spotlight when he posed for a series of photos in front of the group’s eight females.

A party bus limousine arrived at the Martins’ home about 6:50 to transport the group to the Chop House Grille for dinner. Driver Danny Ray said prom business at the Touch of Class Limousine Service had been slower than in recent years.

9 p.m.

Herlong and company arrive at the prom. This year, Cary High chose the theme “Arabian Nights.” Joanne Crooks, a teacher at Cary High who sponsored the event, said about 670 tickets, which are free to Cary High students, were distributed this year. Last year, the school issued about 825 tickets, Crooks said.

1 a.m.

The group leaves the prom, and Herlong joins some of his friends at the home of Kyle Jones, where he spent the night. Herlong said he fell asleep after several hours spent talking and playing video games on Jones’ XBox.

“I was pretty exhausted,” he said.

Although Herlong said prom “seems to be blown up to be a lot more than it really is,” he added that he was “not disappointed.”