A Prom to Remember(14)

“Hey,” Paisley said. “I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight.”

“John needed to switch, and when he told me you were working I jumped at it.”

Paisley grinned. “Well, you’re in luck because it’s been a super quiet afternoon and it’s sure to be a super quiet evening.”

As if on cue, three people got in line for potatoes. It was in fact the rushiest rush that Paisley had ever seen at Hot Potato.

After the girls finished helping the customers, there was a lull.

“That was more people than I’ve ever seen here,” Lizzie said.

“I was thinking the same thing.”

Lizzie was quiet for a beat. “I asked Mystery Boy to the prom.”

Paisley whipped her head around to look at her from her place at the fixin’s bar. “You what?!”

“I asked him to the prom,” Lizzie said, obviously trying to hold back a grin.

“Oh my god, Liz,” Paisley said. “I could tell you really wanted to go.”

Lizzie shrugged. “We’ll see if he says yes. I don’t think he will, and then it’ll be a moot point.”

“But if he says yes, you’ll have to actually go to the prom.”

“I know. It could be fun. Jacinta Ramos kind of talked me into it.”

Paisley shook her head and wiped up around the melted cheese container. At that moment, Amelia Vaughn and her lackeys took a seat in the area with the acoustical flaw.

“Well, well, well,” Paisley said. “Look who’s here.”

Lizzie rolled her eyes. She knew all about Paisley’s personal vendetta against Amelia. “Hopefully she says something truly damning this time and not that she doesn’t like brussels sprouts.”

Paisley narrowed her eyes at Lizzie. “I love brussels sprouts. And that Amelia hates them just goes to show that we are perfect enemies. Now shh, I need to watch my programs.” Paisley pulled the stool up to the counter and chewed her lip. Lizzie stood next to her.

Amelia was saying something about prom, of course.

“Oh man,” Lizzie whispered. “I can’t believe Drew broke up with her.”

“Yeah, they were a match made in high school,” Paisley said with an eye roll.

“If only they could have been together forever,” Lizzie said mockingly.

When talk turned to Amelia asking Henry to the prom, Paisley’s ears perked up. “No,” she hissed. “That’s a terrible idea.”

“Because you want to go to the prom with Henry?” Lizzie asked.

“You know I don’t,” Paisley said. “I just don’t want Henry to get stuck with her. Like she’s just not his kind of … person.”

Lizzie nodded.

Amelia and her friends left soon after that. Paisley debated texting Henry what she had overheard, but knowing Henry it would keep him up all night and it really might be nothing. Best to err on the side of caution for now.

But Paisley would be sure to monitor the situation closely.





Chapter 7

Henry

Henry had been tiptoeing around his house since he got home from baseball practice an hour ago. So far this week, his mom had yet to bring up the topic of prom or Jacinta Ramos.

But as soon as he sat down for dinner Thursday night he knew his mom had an agenda. The whole family, his mom, dad, and younger brother, Deacon, were all present and accounted for.

She smiled over at him, and he knew his luck was up.

“So, Henry, I hear the prom is coming up,” his mom said.

He silently thanked Jacinta for warning him about this moment. Otherwise he wasn’t sure what he would have said in the face of this type of mom-vaguery. At least he knew where she was probably going with this topic.

Deacon made barfing noises.

“Stop that,” their dad said. “No disgusting noises at the dinner table.”

“Are you thinking about going?” his mom asked, undeterred by Deacon’s little outburst.

“I’m not sure,” Henry said, not looking at his mom and stabbing a cherry tomato. He’d show that cherry tomato he was the boss. Even if Henry felt like he wasn’t even really the boss of his own life. He could be the boss of the cherry tomato.

“You should ask Jacinta Ramos.”

And there it was. His mom and Jacinta’s mom were in mom cahoots. The situation was so dire he couldn’t even think of a better word than cahoots. Thank god no one could read his mind at the moment.

He panicked. He wasn’t exactly sure why he panicked. Probably because that was his usual reaction to most suggestions that involved him having to socialize.

He had been pretty cool during the whole conversation with Jacinta the other day, but when he got to homeroom his hands were shaking. Even now, several days and hot showers later, he felt like his mom could smell the flop sweat on him.

“There is no way Jacinta wants to go with me,” Henry snapped.

“No one wants to go anywhere with Henry, Mom,” Deacon added.

Henry shot him a look.

“Oh, come on, it couldn’t hurt to ask. You’re friends. You’ve been friends for a long time.”

“No. You’re friends with her mom,” Henry said, frustration overtaking his worry. “That doesn’t make Jacinta my friend. We get along fine, but I don’t think she’s even a little bit interested in going with me.”