A Prom to Remember(31)

“Fine. Let’s go.”

They settled back into the booth, and Brian and Mike both smiled at them.

Kelsey started a quiet conversation with Mike, and Jacinta took her moment.

“So what are your postgraduation plans?” Jacinta asked.

“Um, you know,” Brian said, nodding.

“No,” she said with what she hoped was a carefree laugh. “I don’t actually know. That’s kind of why I asked.”

“Oh right,” he said, and laughed at himself. She liked his laugh at least. “I’m going to Rutgers.”

“Cool, cool.”

“What about you?”

“I’m going to Penn State actually.”

“Nice. They’re rivals.”

This was the worst conversation known to man, and Jacinta had no idea how to keep up her end of the bargain when this kid couldn’t offer anything interesting. She decided to try something random.

“What was your favorite TV show when you were a kid?”

Brian smiled and seemed to think long and hard about this question. Jacinta really appreciated the time he put into it. A solid minute passed before he answered.

“Is it weak if I said SpongeBob?”

Jacinta laughed with surprise. “Why would that be considered weak? Doesn’t everyone love SpongeBob?”

“It’s kind of obvious, you know? Like of course everyone loves SpongeBob. I feel like I should have a more highbrow answer.” His cheeks reddened when Jacinta giggled.

“I don’t think there are a lot of highbrow shows for little kids. And really it’s a better answer than, say … Caillou.”

“Oh hell, yeah. If I said Caillou, then you could be sure I was a psychopath.”

The conversation only got better from there, and when the check came they all walked out of the restaurant together.

Brian grabbed Jacinta’s hand to stop her in the middle of the parking lot. Kelsey and Mike walked ahead of them.

“Thanks for, you know, going out with me,” he said.

He was maybe kind of adorable. “You’re welcome. Thanks for paying. You really didn’t have to do that.”

“That’s what the guy is supposed to do, right?”

“Sure, if you want to be old-fashioned about it.” Jacinta smiled to show him she was teasing.

“So, Kelsey mentioned that you needed a date to the prom.”

“She did, huh?”

“Yeah, I’d be happy to go with you.”

“I’d be pretty happy to go with you, too,” Jacinta said. And she meant it.

“As long as it’s not June first.”

Jacinta’s jaw dropped. “It’s totally June first.”

“Oh, that’s the night of my graduation. It’s private school. We finish earlier than public. I didn’t even think of it.”

Jacinta patted Brian’s arm, comforting him, even though now she was down another possible date for the prom. “It’s okay. I really did have fun tonight. Maybe we could see each other again sometime.”

“Totally,” Brian said with a grin. They exchanged numbers, and Jacinta tried not to feel like the whole night was for nothing.

She slid into the back seat, and Kelsey turned around expectantly. “So?”

“He can’t go to the prom. It’s the same night as his graduation.”

“Oh,” Mike said.

“Oops?” Kelsey said.





Chapter 15

Otis

When Madison texted to see if Otis wanted to go to a late movie Saturday night, he knew he should have said no. His curfew was eleven; he definitely wasn’t going to be allowed to see a movie at ten.

But it was getting late in his senior year, and it was a movie he really wanted to see that probably wouldn’t be in the theater much longer, so he said yes.

And the little voice inside his head cheered, because just maybe he’d get in trouble and maybe then he wouldn’t even get to go to the prom or deal with any of this hotel room stuff. Considering how strict his parents were, it didn’t seem all that far-fetched.

For example, one time his older sister told them she was going to a daylong volleyball camp and went to the beach instead. She was grounded for the rest of the summer. Like seriously grounded. On-lockdown grounded for over a month. She practically wept with joy and kissed the floor on the first day of school.

Otis had never really gotten into big trouble with them, so maybe it was time to see exactly how strict they were.

He slipped past his mom in the living room just after nine and said he’d be right back, making sure to close the door quick before she could ask any questions. His dad was out of town on business, and his mom always went to bed early. She’d never even notice what time he got back as long as he didn’t wake her up.

Madison and Otis bought their tickets and went into the theater. Otis put his cell phone on silent as soon as he got into Madison’s car and decided not to look at it out of fear his mom might be asking too many questions.

The movie took his mind off the situation completely and eased his worry, especially when he saw that he didn’t have any texts from his mom after the movie was over. There was no way she’d still be awake when he got home.

When Madison invited him back to her house after the movie, he didn’t even think twice about saying yes. Madison’s mom was loose about Madison’s curfew and she wasn’t even home when they got there. In fact, what eventually woke Otis up after he and Madison fell asleep watching Netflix was Madison’s mom setting off the burglar alarm coming into the house.