As most teenagers are picking up extra shifts to earn money for the prom dance and post-prom boat ride, Cheryl Watkins `16 has taken on an extra financial burden: a male escort as her date.

“My mom said she’d be disappointed and ashamed if I didn’t get a date,” Watkins said. “Plus, I couldn’t face the lifelong embarrassment of not having a date to my high school prom.”

Watkins lost hope in a teenage boy asking her to the dance after a friend tagged her in a couple of embarrassing photos on Facebook, however, she didn’t want to be the only one of her friends single for the dance. So she took matters into her own hands and found Chris Austin, 23, online.

“I was initially drawn to Chris because his profile picture indicated he had a younger looking face,” Watkins said. “I made sure to communicate the dress code and dancing protocol to him prior to the dance just so there was no confusion.”

As far as the price for such a date goes, Watkins babysat for six weekends straight so she could afford to take Austin to prom, she said.

While some speculate that the age gap between Austin and Watkins is super inappropriate, Austin finds no fault in attending a high school prom, he said.

“When I was in high school, there were a couple girls who went alone to prom, all of whom are now either drug addicts or felons,” Austin said. “I couldn’t help but feel a moral obligation to help the poor girl out after discovering the severity of her situation.”