I'll Stop the World (26)

Eventually, Rose created a makeshift spot behind a massive FRANKLIN GIBSON FOR MAYOR sign, trying her best to ignore the way the giant red letters made her stomach clench.

Straightening her skirt and smoothing her hair, Rose moved toward the crowd gathered around the dancing flames in the center of the Derrins’ sprawling front yard. The marching band blasted the school fight song into the dimming twilight, the notes mingling with the glowing embers that wound up into the air.

The lawn was filled with students, teachers, and parents. The PTA sold refreshments from behind folding tables lined with posters touting various school activities, while a little farther down, Rose spotted some of the teachers from her school, looking oddly casual in jeans and T-shirts and sneakers. Veronica was there, too, rocking slowly from side to side, her toddler in her arms, as she laughed at something Rose’s history teacher said. In Rose’s mind, she associated Veronica with the campaign, and forgot sometimes that she was married to the school guidance counselor.

Rose turned away hurriedly, before Veronica could spot her. Tonight, Rose didn’t want to think about the campaign or anything else having to do with her family. She just wanted to have fun.

Once she reached the edges of the teeming masses, though, she stopped, uncertain where to go next. There was Shawn, moving through the crowd with an ease she would never understand, bouncing from one group to another, his smile a glowing constant. If she didn’t know better, she’d assume this was his house, his party, instead of a school event where he was just another kid in the crowd.

Speaking of the owner of the house, where was Charlene? Rose didn’t see her or Lisa anywhere. She’d hoped to hang out with them, but that wouldn’t be an option if she couldn’t find them.

Rose made her way to the nearest refreshment table, figuring that getting something to eat would at least give her something to do with her hands. She’d just finished paying for a baggie of chocolate chip cookies when someone poked her in the shoulder.

“Hey, you!” Noah grinned at her as she turned. He was freshly shaved and smelled of warm spice, and she had to resist the urge to lean in and inhale deeply. “When you didn’t show up with Lisa and Shawn, I worried you weren’t coming.”

“Just drove separately,” Rose said, unable to hold back her smile.

“I would’ve given you a ride!”

“It was a last-minute decision.” She laughed, her heart giving a little flutter at his obvious disappointment that she hadn’t asked. Had he wanted to go to the bonfire together? “Want to go find a place to sit? I think I see a spot over there.”

“Oh. Uh, I kind of . . . came here with Steph . . .” His eyes drifted from hers, and Rose belatedly noticed the two cups of pink punch in his hands. He was wearing a black-and-red striped polo shirt she’d never seen before. It must be new.

Of course. Steph. The girlfriend.

Would she ever get used to that?

“Never mind,” she said hurriedly, wishing the grass would turn into quicksand and swallow her whole.

“You can come join us if you want,” he offered. “Steph went to find a good spot.”

“No, that’s okay—I was, um . . .” Rose cast around for someone, anyone, she could claim was waiting on her, but she knew he’d never buy a lie. He knew her too well.

“Come on; it’s totally fine. She won’t mind,” he said, leading the way.

Not knowing what else to do, she followed him to the faded red blanket that they had once used to construct elaborate forts in his basement, now spread out near the fire. Steph sat in the middle of it with her arms hugging her knees, her eyes searching the crowd. When she spotted them, she waved excitedly.

“Rose, Noah, over here!” Steph called happily, scooting her legs over to make room.

Part of Rose wanted to shove Steph off the blanket, tell her that it was theirs, hers and Noah’s, and that Steph had no place in their memories.

Instead, she waved back.

Steph Sanchez had been a surprise that summer. They’d met her at a car wash Rose had helped Noah organize for Mrs. Hanley in July, shortly after Steph’s family moved to Stone Lake from Philadelphia. She’d brought her mom’s car to be washed, but when she asked what they were raising money for, she wound up staying to help out. A week later, she and Noah were dating.

Rose still couldn’t believe it had happened that fast. Not when she’d spent months working up the nerve to tell Noah how she felt, only to have the fire ruin all her plans.

What made it worse was that, try as she might, Rose couldn’t bring herself to hate Steph. She even thought they might’ve been friends, if things were different.

Rose tucked her legs underneath her, trying to make herself as small as possible as she perched stiffly at the edge of the blanket. Despite being surrounded by half the school, sitting beside them on their date felt like she was intruding on something private, like she’d stormed into Noah’s bedroom without knocking.

The thought conjured an image of Noah and Steph in bed together, so sudden and vivid that Rose found herself squeezing her eyelids shut to try to block it out, and had to make a conscious effort to drag them back open again.

“—so sorry about that,” Steph was saying. “I definitely want to join you guys next time.”

“Next . . . what?” Rose blinked, realizing she’d zoned out of the conversation.