A Prom to Remember(53)

“You’ve made it this long,” Josie added.

By the time their dates arrived for pictures, Cora felt a little less resolute about breaking up with Jamie. She’d never done anything so dramatic before. And there was a pressure building up behind her eyes, like this was the moment to do it, no matter how ill timed it was. She couldn’t get the thought out of her head.

The boys waited downstairs for their dates: Jamie; Tag, who was going with Josie; and Dave, Teagan’s date.

Jamie smiled at her so wide as he slid her corsage on her wrist. Cora felt like her smile was a lie, like he’d be able to tell she wasn’t happy. But he didn’t say a word while Cora’s parents lined them up to take pictures next to the fireplace, and then instructed the group to go out on the lawn for a few outdoor shots.

While they were outside, Cora’s heel got stuck in the grass. Not only did Jamie make sure she didn’t fall, he even leaned down to pull her heel out and still maintained his grip around her waist. He was damn near Superman, and Cora had to make it through the night, no matter how painful it sounded.

“No worries, babe,” he said after she thanked him.

Jamie made everything harder by being a good person. He was cheerful, he was kind, and he was helpful. The very least she could do for him was at least not ruin his night. But she was really sick and tired of being called babe.

I will not break up with him tonight, I will not break up with him tonight, Cora thought as they finished pictures.

She glanced at the other two couples as the pictures were taken, observing their body language. Dave and Teagan had been involved in an on-again, off-again thing for the past two years, and they seemed pretty on tonight. As for Tag and Josie, he was the kind of guy that could make anyone laugh, and Josie was laughing a lot.

Cora looked up into Jamie’s face. He grinned his megawatt grin.

Before she got in the limo, Cora’s dad proudly showed her one of the pictures he’d taken with his new camera. “Not just a cell phone picture for my little girl,” he said.

Again, Cora was struck by the body language of the three couples. Josie and Tag were laughing uproariously. Dave and Teagan were leaning into each other like they were the only two people there.

Jamie, for his part, looked casual and calm, while Cora looked uncomfortable in his arms. Why couldn’t she have realized all of this sooner? Why did it have to happen now?

I will not break up with him tonight, I will not break up with him tonight. She continued rolling the phrase around in her head as they got into the limo and drove away.

I will not break up with him tonight.

Maybe if she thought it hard enough, she’d start to believe it.





Chapter 25

Lizzie

The day had finally arrived after what seemed like months and years of waiting.

The last week leading up to the prom had totally flown by, and Lizzie was more than ready to get this night started.

Her nerves were so on edge she was having trouble putting on her mascara. She had to keep stopping to take deep cleansing breaths and remind herself that tonight was going to be fun and only full of good things.

Like Mystery Boy.

She grinned so big at the thought of meeting him that she had to pause again in her makeup application.

When she finally finished with her makeup, she put her finishing touch on, the lime-green necklace. Then she stood back in front of her full-length mirror and looked herself up and down. She was really happy with what she saw. Everything from her hair that she’d worked really hard to curl, to the earrings she borrowed from her mom, to the dress she’d gotten on mega sale, and the black-heeled sandals she’d bought at a thrift store that she’d never gotten to wear before, all made her feel completely prepared for the night.

Lizzie’s phone vibrated in the little clutch bag that her mom was letting her borrow.




Lizzie tried not to wonder too much about what the quick stop was. If Luke made them run late and risk the possibility of not being allowed in, she would literally hitchhike to the prom if she had to. She was not going to miss her moment with Mystery Boy for whatever detour Luke wanted to take. Lizzie decided to see if Madison had any insight.




Lizzie slid her phone back in the clutch and walked out into the living room, feeling a little silly in her heels, especially when one got caught on a loose carpet thread.

Both of her parents were in the living room, grinning. Her mom was holding the old camera, like, a real camera that required film and everything.

They took her picture standing next to the front door and each gave her a hug.

“Have fun tonight!” her dad said. “And be careful.”

It all felt like something out of someone else’s life. She couldn’t believe this was really happening to her.

When she slid into Luke’s car, Madison was in the front seat, putting the finishing touches on her makeup. “He picked me up so damn early I didn’t have time to finish my lips,” she complained.

“Yeah, why are we leaving so early?” Lizzie asked.

“I just. I need to see Otis. I yelled at him this morning, and we haven’t talked since. I tried to call him but he didn’t answer. And no matter how mad I am about what he did, I don’t want him to think I hate him.”

He drove to Otis’s house and parked out front. Luke picked up a few small stones from the road and pelted one of the upstairs windows. A minute later, Otis opened it and leaned out.