A Prom to Remember(48)

Lizzie looked at Luke. “This is terrible!” she exclaimed. “Of course he feels guilty.” She rubbed Luke’s arm while he sat on the bench staring sadly at the ground.

“I don’t even want to go to the prom without him,” Luke said in a quiet voice.

“That’s okay,” Lizzie said. “I don’t think anyone would be shocked if you didn’t go. But you know, Madison and I will still be there. And a bunch of people from the GSA. We can still have a lot of fun together. Otis is important, obviously, but he’s not the only friend you have.”

“I just, I had this whole thing planned,” Luke said, his shoulders deflating even farther. “I got us a hotel room for afterward.”

Lizzie smacked his arm. “What? You never told me that!”

“I know, I didn’t want to jinx it or act like I was bragging about getting a room with my boyfriend. But Otis never even seemed all that interested in it.”

“I’m so sorry, Luke,” Lizzie said. She wasn’t sure how many other ways she could say it. She was biting her tongue to keep from dragging Otis through the mud, even if he deserved it. But he and Luke were actually still dating, even if this news made it feel like a breakup.

“But I think you should go to the prom,” Lizzie said. “And I think you should use the room. Madison, you, and I can have an awesome hotel sleepover party.”

“Seriously?”

“Sure! Does it have a pool?”

“Yeah,” Luke said.

“Come on. That would be totally fun. We’ll even split the room with you,” Lizzie said, calculating how much money that would cost. She didn’t want to dip into her savings, but at this point she would do anything to cheer Luke up.

“You’d really do that for me?” Luke asked.

“Of course.”

“You’re the best Lizzie to ever Lizzie,” he said.

“You’re the best Luke to ever Luke,” she said.

“God, we’re adorable.”

He gave her a quick hug, and they headed back out to his car, both of them chattering away about the epic hotel slumber party they would have on prom night.

Cora

Cora was filled with regret.

An hour ago, Teagan and Josie had texted her to see if she wanted to go to the movies with them. She had said no. Of course now as the movie was starting, nothing sounded better than sitting in a dark, cool room and getting lost in someone else’s world.

Cora was antsy and anxious and not having the best long weekend. She wished that she could go back to school. And even though she’d regret having those thoughts in the morning, right now she had too much energy and nowhere to put it.

Her parents were at a barbecue at one of her dad’s coworkers’ houses. Cora had begged off, but now even that sounded better than being home.

She could call Jamie, and he would find something fun for them to do. But it would also likely involve his family, seeing as how it was a holiday. And Cora wanted to become less entwined with Jamie’s family. Calling him and going over to his house wasn’t the best way to do that.

After pacing her room for another ten minutes, she decided to lace up her sneakers and go for a run.

Cora wasn’t exactly what you’d call a runner.

She liked the idea in theory so much more than in practice, but even if she jogged for a minute or two here and there, and walked the rest of it, she’d at least feel more productive than she did at home.

On her way down the street, she spotted someone walking a dog and almost diverted to the other side, since the dog seemed to be a little out of control.

Cora wasn’t afraid of dogs, but that didn’t mean she wanted it to jump on her, and she definitely didn’t want to get muddy dog prints on her brand-new running sneakers that she’d just pulled out of the box.

As she was jogging across the street, she realized the person walking the dog was actually Jacinta Ramos. She stopped and waved.

Jacinta waved back and was promptly tugged off balance by the dog as he lunged in the direction of a squirrel, and landed in a heap on the nearest lawn.

Cora went off course again, in the middle of the street, and ran over to Jacinta.

“Are you okay?” she asked, putting her hand out to help Jacinta up.

“I’m fine,” Jacinta said, dusting off her butt. “This dog, though, is not going to be fine.”

Cora was pleased to note that it didn’t jump up on her; seeming content with causing Jacinta to have fallen down, the dog was now sitting on the sidewalk panting.

“Do you need me to get anyone or call for help?” Cora asked.

“Really, I’m fine. I’ll have a bruise on my ass, but whatever. I don’t know how I get talked into these things. I’m dog sitting for a neighbor, and taking Rocky here for a walk seemed like a good idea.”

Rocky panted and smiled his doggy smile.

“What’s up with you?” Jacinta asked.

Cora shrugged. “Want me to walk with you? In case he decides to declare mutiny again?”

“That’d be awesome, but I don’t want to interrupt your run.”

Cora scoffed. “It was a fake run. I don’t really run. I’d rather walk with you any day.”

Jacinta grinned and they set off in the opposite direction.