A Prom to Remember(20)

To Paisley’s well-trained ear, she could tell that Henry was doing his robot voice to keep himself calm.

“Well, as it turns out, he can’t make it. Something about having to stay on campus for some fraternity thing. I would totally go to that with him, because he totally asked me, but I don’t really want to miss my prom for a frat party. I already have a dress and everything.”

Henry nodded.

“Shouldn’t his semester be over by then?” Paisley asked. Amelia gave her a dirty look.

“Of course, but they still have parties during the summer and they’re important.” Amelia turned her attention back to Henry.

“I heard that you’re nominated for prom king, and I’m nominated for prom queen, and I think it would be a really good idea and like totally fun for us to go together. And campaign together.”

Henry stared at Amelia slack jawed.

She smiled. “Right?”

For some reason that word snapped him out of whatever happy place he’d been in.

“Huh?” he said.

“So you will, right?”

“Um, yes?”

“I knew I could count on you,” she said, squeezing his shoulder and walking out of the room, since she wasn’t actually a member of their homeroom to begin with.

Paisley stared at him.

“Um, I’m sorry,” Paisley said. “What did I just witness?”

“Amelia talking to me?” he said, trying and failing to sound casual.

“No, Henry. Not just talking to you. Amelia asking you to the prom and you saying yes.” Paisley’s eyes went wide. “Were you not there? Were you astral projecting? You can tell me the truth.”

“Amelia asked me to the prom?”

“She did and you said yes.”

“I did?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes. I saw it with my own two eyes. I witnessed it. You looked like you were in some kind of waking coma.”

“She’s just really intimidating, and her lips are all shimmery, and I couldn’t concentrate on what she was saying.”

“Boys are gross,” Paisley said. “I’m putting that down in the record. But I guess at least you weren’t staring at her boobs. You’re at least a little more respectful than that.”

Henry blinked, obviously still stunned.

“So what are you going to do?” Paisley asked.

“I guess I’m going to the prom with Amelia?” he said as their homeroom teacher strolled in and started taking attendance.

“You really want to do that? I thought you didn’t want to go to the prom.”

“I don’t, but how am I supposed to get out of this? What would I even say? ‘Gee, Amelia, I’m sorry I was hypnotized by your lips and didn’t realize you were asking me to the prom,’” he said in a goofy voice.

“Yeah, that’s not great. She would probably have you killed.”

“Her dad’s not in the mob or anything, right?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know much about the mob. I think they prefer it that way.”

“I really don’t know what to do.”

“Well, buckle up, big boy, because you’re going to the prom with Amelia Vaughn.”

“Don’t call me big boy,” he said. “Also Vaughn doesn’t even sound Italian, so there’s probably no mafia relations.”

“Well, buckle up, buckaroo, because you’re going to the prom with Amelia!” This time she slapped his shoulder for emphasis. “And it probably got bastardized at Ellis Island and her full last name is Vontiglio or something.”

“We need to figure out how to get me out of this,” he said as he slumped lower in his chair.

“Nope, nope, nope. This is definitely your shit show. It’s not my fault that you went into a fugue state because a girl talked to you.”

“Come on, Paisley. I need help.”

“And I need to not die at the hands of the Northern New Jersey mafia.”

“She’s not in the mob.”

“Of course she isn’t, but I’m still not sure that her dad isn’t.”

“This is the opposite of what I wanted to happen,” he muttered, his face in his hands.

“I know,” Paisley said.

Henry frowned and looked so upset that Paisley had to say something to comfort him.

“Fine, I do blame myself at least a little.”

“What? Why?” he asked.

“Well, I mean, I did accidentally nominate you for king, and I might have heard her talking about asking you to the prom the other night at the mall.” Paisley cringed away from Henry, as if he was going to hit her, even though Henry would never actually use physical violence on anyone.

“Are you kidding me?” he asked.

Paisley shook her head.

“You could have at least warned me!” Henry said loudly, drawing the attention of everyone in their homeroom. His cheeks reddened.

“I know, I’m sorry,” Paisley whispered as the morning announcements started.

“We’re going to figure this out,” Henry said, his voice tight.

“Yes, we will. I’m sorry I said it was your shit show when I am so obviously implicit in the shit myself.”