Search Results: buy a prom date

Is it weird for me not to go to my school's senior ball? I currently go to an all boys school and at the school hosts a 7th form (final year) ball. Honestly, I have no idea who to ask, and I don't know too many girls, simply cause I go to a boys only school and my schedule is a bit hectic, so I only really socialize at school. I have a lot of friends, and I tend to hang out with the "popular" crowd, which only makes me feel worse about my situation. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not socially awkward around girls or anything, I actually went on a date with a girl I met from another school a couple months ago, and she was pretty into me, but I was really time strained (my external exams were coming up and I really had to study for them) and we kind of drifted apart. One of my close friends is a girl (she's also my neighbor) and I considered maybe going with her as a friend, but she's told me before that she's not really interested in going to school balls and stuff so that isn't happening.

So anyway, my friends keep telling me that I'll seriously regret not going to the ball, and that if I don't go I'll end up being branded a "looser". But I just don't want to go cause it costs a lot of money (Tickets are about $200 and then I have to buy a suit and stuff), I can't think of anyone to ask (some people are just going with random girls that they're friends hook them up with... I don't really feel like doing that) and most are going just for the after ball (which my parents won't allow me to go to anyway cause it's a party - this is why I'm moving out for university).

P. S. Oh and my friends said that if you don't go to the ball, you get branded a looser and that in the future (college/uni) if a girl finds out you didn't go to your ball she'll think your socially awkward and loose interest. Is this true?