The Weight of Blood (59)

He smiled. “Wait, you cook?”

“Yes,” she said sheepishly.

“Really? What’s your favorite thing to make?”

And so, as they walked back to the car, Maddy told him about all the dishes she loved to cook. He listened, enraptured by the sound of her voice, his hand gently guiding her elbow as their conversation slipped through the space between his ribs, filling him.

Wendy stood on a ladder near the Barn’s front entrance, putting finishing touches on the printed backdrop. She jumped down and tested the lighting, pleased with the final results.

When the prom guests arrived, they’d walk down a red carpet under a ceiling of twinkling white lights to a photo booth, then take an official picture before entering the banquet hall, where they’d be offered sparkling cider and pick up their table number. She wanted people to feel like movie stars when they first arrived.

It was what she would want.

“Perfect,” she muttered as she walked into the hall, clipboard in hand. So far, she had everything checked off on the master to-do, just waiting for a few more orders to arrive. The Barn’s audience chairs, which usually faced the stage, were stacked in the corner, leaving room for dozens of tables surrounding a white marble dance floor ordered from a local wedding company.

The same one Wendy wanted to use for her own wedding. Someday.

Volunteers worked to hang the various decorations designed by the art club and set up centerpieces. Across the room, Kayleigh painted letters over the DJ booth, and Charlotte wrapped navy-and-silver tulle bows around the back of faux bamboo chairs.

“Thanks again for helping with the decorations,” Wendy said, for maybe the tenth time.

Charlotte rolled her eyes. “I promised I would, so here I am!”

The lights dimmed and the walls glowed blue, a scattering of lights twinkling on the dance floor. They’d been working on creating the perfect ambiance that would accentuate the prom’s dynamic theme, voted on by both prom committees.

“I think it’s going to look beautiful.” Wendy sighed.

Charlotte paused to watch her friend standing in awe.

“This is probably the best it’s ever looked,” Wendy said, straightening a place setting. “You know, since more people bought tickets and we had a bigger budget. The Black prom never even had a dance floor before. Can you believe that?”

“What would they do without you?” Charlotte quipped. “And to show you my full support, Chris and I will be attending this prom . . . first.”

Wendy beamed, throwing her arms around her. “Really? Oh, Char, that’s so great! You can keep an eye on things since I can’t be here. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Charlotte muttered, shrugging her off.

Wendy gave her a knowing smile before her mind drifted. “Have you talked to Jules lately?”

Charlotte hesitated, pretending to be focused on her task. “Uh, yeah. Yeah, I have.”

“How is she?” she asked, trying not to sound too eager for any intel on her former best friend. Especially since Jules had blocked her on all her social media accounts.

Charlotte didn’t meet her gaze across the table. “She’s Jules, you know. But . . . she’s really excited about prom.”

“Do you . . . think it’s going to be weird . . . with all of us at the after-prom together?”

Charlotte barked a laugh. “Of course it’s going to be weird! For a whole slew of reasons. You picked a hell of a time to get all noble on us.”

Wendy closed the gap between them. “You think I shouldn’t go, don’t you?”

She sighed. “Wendy . . . let’s just see how the night plays out. Besides, Jules may be so drunk she’ll forget about everything.”

“Hey, Wendy,” Kayleigh called from across the room, holding a large silver box. “Where do you want the ballot box?”

“Just put it over by the refreshment table!”

Kayleigh nodded. Even though she wasn’t attending the All-Together prom, as Jason had made it clear that wasn’t an option, Kayleigh had still offered to help set up. It amazed Wendy how sweet and thoughtful her friends were being.

See, we’re not monsters, she thought, and took a picture for Instagram, so that everyone could witness their kind efforts.

“Oh, shoot. Almost forgot,” Charlotte said, dropping the tulle. She dug into her tote bag and waved the stack of light blue papers, cut into quarters. “King and queen ballots and tiny pencils, as promised.”

“Oooo . . . let me see,” Wendy chirped, and grabbed the stack.

Vote for Your Prom King & Queen

Regina Ray and Vernon Spencer Jr.

Rose Harris and Tom Taylor

Madison Washington and Kendrick Scott

Emily Grey and Pete Smith

Jada Lewis and Will Alexander

Wendy had almost skipped over the name, so used to calling him Kenny that “Kendrick” didn’t immediately ring any bells. But when it did, the chimes were deafening.

“Um . . . Maddy’s on here,” she said, as if there had been some error.

Charlotte frowned. “Well, yeah. Because of Kenny.”

Wendy blinked, utterly confounded. She gripped the stack tighter, the names loud and hot against her fingertips.

Kenny + Maddy.