A Prom to Remember(37)

“Interesting. Like some kind of reverse medieval dowry.”

“I mean, not really. I don’t think Emma is getting anything out of this…” Jacinta trailed off, trying to make sense of her life at the moment. “Are you going to the prom?”

“Oh, um, it’s weird and sort of complicated,” he said.

That sentence seemed familiar to Jacinta, but before she could figure it out, a car pulled into the driveway.

Cameron’s mom and Landon got out. Jacinta wouldn’t have recognized this woman as Cameron’s mom out on the street, but in this context she was immediately recognizable.

“Oh, hello,” she said.

Landon waved but his face held a question.

“Hi, I had a question for Landon,” Jacinta said. It felt like the trees, the lamppost, and the porch overhang were all dripping with awkward.

“Cameron, help me with the groceries and leave Landon to speak with … Jacinta, right?”

Jacinta smiled. “Yup, that’s me!”

Cameron and his mom went inside.

“So, what’s up, Jacinta?” Landon asked.

“Well, I was sort of wondering if you wanted to go to the prom. With me?”

“I’d have to check with Emma…,” Landon said, with a tone that made it pretty obvious that he wasn’t interested in going with Jacinta.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I actually already messaged her. I kind of wanted to get her okay before I even talked to you about it.”

“Oh, that was cool of you,” he said, his body language changing in an instant when he realized that Jacinta might not be an evil boyfriend stealer.

“Yeah, so, I was hoping that maybe we could go together, with Kelsey and Mike, of course, as friends. It might be fun, and I already found a dress.”

“That does sound fun. Thanks.” Landon smiled. He seemed actually pretty surprised and happy about Jacinta asking him. “I’ll see about getting a ticket tomorrow. I wasn’t sure I really wanted to go alone.”

“I understand.”

“Well, I have to study,” Landon said.

“Sure, I should get going. I haven’t even been home yet after school, but once I got this idea in my head I wanted to see what you thought first, you know?”

“Totally.”

There was a weird moment between them when Jacinta felt like maybe they were supposed to hug, but that seemed wrong.

“Well, thanks,” she said.

“Bye,” he said.

As Jacinta drove home she couldn’t stop thinking about the weird encounter she’d just experienced, with Landon’s stepbrother definitely being the weirdest of them all. She’d have to figure out what his deal was, because he was definitely a character.

But at least she had a date to prom. Even if the whole situation was a pale comparison to what she had wanted prom to be like.

She sighed at her own patheticness. Would it never end?

Henry

Henry was exhausted.

Baseball was exhausting.

Being gossiped about was exhausting.

Amelia was so exhausting.

She wasn’t even his girlfriend and her mere existence in his life was taking its toll.

But the worst part, the most terrifying part, was the gnawing guilt in his stomach every time he thought about telling her he didn’t want to go to the prom with her. That’s what was really keeping him up at night.

He knew he should be happy she wanted to go with him. That he should be grateful even. Wasn’t it every guy’s fantasy to go to the prom with the most popular girl in school?

But that didn’t stop him from not wanting to go with her.

He honestly still wasn’t sure if he wanted to go at all. He didn’t have much time to decide, though, and he’d already bought a ticket. But he could just stay home at the last minute.

On top of everything else, being the hot topic of gossip was new for Henry. He didn’t like it. He preferred living his life under the radar. That was way more his speed.

It was way more Paisley’s speed, too. He knew he was starting to get on Paisley’s nerves, which was why he made plans with her for Thursday night. Not to mention the whole issue with the baseball team. She was totally not thrilled about that. He would need to make it up to her someday.

Paisley’s mom had her book club that night, so they could spend the evening on Paisley’s couch eating whatever they wanted without parental supervision. Or parental eavesdropping, which is what would have happened at Henry’s house.

When they sat down with a meat supreme pizza and a large bottle of generic birch beer to split between them, Henry jumped into complaining again.

“I’m pretty sure I’m giving myself an ulcer,” he said.

“I’m pretty sure you’re giving me an ulcer,” Paisley said as she handed him a slice of pizza with so much meat on it you could barely see the cheese. “I also think you really, really need to let Amelia off the hook while she still has time to find another date. What you’re doing isn’t fair to either of you.”

“But I don’t want to hurt her feelings.”

“Maybe you should have thought of that before you said yes.”

“I didn’t even know I said yes! Remember? I was in a fugue state brought on by her lips and her natural scent. She was intoxicating.”