A Prom to Remember(62)

Cameron looked over at her. “Seriously? Why are you being so nice?”

“’Cause I know how excited…” Jacinta had to stop herself before saying Lizzie’s name. “You-know-who was to meet you, and I want to make something good happen on prom night.”

“That’s awesome,” Cameron said. “Thanks, Jacinta.”

Jacinta checked her phone again.

“Anything?” he asked.

“Nothing yet, but have faith,” Jacinta said, cursing herself internally for not having the number of any of Lizzie’s friends. She had texted Kelsey to see if she could help find Lizzie, but hadn’t heard anything back. But Jacinta didn’t have time now to worry about Kelsey being mad at her for ditching the prom.

She had other things to focus on. She would make this meet up happen for Cameron and Lizzie. No matter what.

Henry

Henry had the worst best luck of anyone on earth. If there was something other people wanted, but he didn’t want, it seemed likely that he would get it. Just take for example, becoming starting pitcher of the baseball team, Amelia asking him to the prom, and winning prom king. And these examples had all occurred over the course of the past few months.

Someday he was going to win the lottery and get a Nobel Prize when he least wanted it.

When he got up to the front of the room, he looked at Amelia and she smiled at him.

When Ms. Huang handed him his crown, she said, “Nice of you to join us, Henry.” But he could tell she was teasing him. Maybe she thought he had explosive diarrhea; somehow that would be less embarrassing than anyone finding out that he was really just panicking in the men’s room.

The room burst into applause as he was crowned. It’s a phrase you hear all the time, but that was the only description for the moment, Henry thought.

The DJ queued up the official prom song, and the first few chords of “Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles filled the ballroom. Henry took Amelia’s hand and led her to the middle of the floor.

“Sorry I kind of ran off,” Henry said, not looking at her. “I’m not really great with attention.”

“Paisley explained that to me,” Amelia said.

“What? When?”

“I may have cornered her in the bathroom. She never told you?”

“Definitely not,” Henry said. He was going to give her a talking-to later.

“Don’t be mad at Paisley. I pretty much threatened her not to talk to you about it. But I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry this whole thing isn’t fun for you. I should have noticed sooner that you weren’t into it.”

“Thanks,” Henry said, even though it felt like a weird response to Amelia’s sentiment.

“I can tell this is super uncomfortable for you.”

She wasn’t wrong. Henry felt like his entire body was vibrating with pins and needles.

Amelia rubbed at his arms. “It’ll be over in no time.”

Henry and Amelia made small talk for a full minute, giving Henry a spurt of confidence. He surprised Amelia with Paisley’s twirl move, but her arm went in an awkward direction and the spaghetti strap of her dress popped.

“Oh man,” Henry said. “Oh no. I am so sorry!”

She held it together with her fingers and ran from the dance floor with Henry close behind her.

“Come on,” Henry said, grabbing her hand. “Ms. Huang has a sewing kit.”

“How do you know that Ms. Huang has a sewing kit?” she asked.

“Because I got a big rip in my gym shorts and Coach Stevens sent me to Ms. Huang for help. And she fixed those shorts in no time.”

“You had a gym shorts emergency?”

“Well, yeah, I didn’t want to miss out on badminton day in gym class.”

“Boys are so weird.”

Amelia and Henry walked down a short hallway. “I know I saw her come this way,” Henry said. “She went in this direction after announcing the winners.”

They took a left, and there was Ms. Huang, totally making out with the algebra teacher, Ms. Bishop.

“Holy crap!” Amelia said, slapping her hand over her mouth.

“Oh,” Ms. Huang said.

“Hey there,” Ms. Bishop said.

Henry and Amelia could barely keep it together. Laughter was starting to bubble up in their throats.

“Um,” Henry said.

“Um, yes, um,” Amelia said.

“Do you need help with something?”

“Oh, we, um, I mean, Amelia, um.” Henry snorted. He couldn’t keep it in a second longer. “You’re like the worst chaperones,” he said before doubling over at the waist and bursting into a fit of giggles.

“We really are,” agreed Ms. Huang. “Now what can we help you with?”

Amelia showed Ms. Huang her dress strap, and it was fixed in no time thanks to the sewing kit she had in her purse.

“Good as new,” Ms. Huang said. She and Ms. Bishop turned around and scurried away from them, probably in search of a new make-out spot.

Amelia turned away and Henry grabbed her hand.

“I have to say.” He paused, clearing his throat. “I want to tell you, that I’m sorry about what happened with the prom.”

“I get it. You don’t have to feel bad.”