A Prom to Remember(69)

“This is going to be fun. I promise,” Paisley said, patting him on the back while also dragging him in the direction of the Ramoses’ backyard. She had super strength when she needed it. It came in handy when she had to force Henry to do things he didn’t want to do.

The yard was already pretty crowded. At least half their class was there. Paisley was impressed.

“Cam’s here,” he said, surprised.

“You should talk to him.”

“Maybe.”

“Well, talk to someone,” Paisley said. “Besides me. That’s your assignment for the evening.”

“Okay. I will talk to Cam. And I will talk to…” He paused, looking around the yard. “Jacinta, obviously. And then I’m allowed to leave.”

“That’s entirely fair.” Paisley extended her hand to shake on it, and Henry took it, giving one firm pump.

And with that, she left him to fend for himself. Though she did check on him a few times. He seemed to actually be having a good time.

Paisley talked to everyone at the party, one by one. People that she hadn’t talked to in years. People she hadn’t even wanted to talk to in years. She got an unexpected number of compliments on her It’s not you, it’s prom shirt.

High school was ending, and she might never see them again. She was okay with that, but she liked the idea of closure. One last conversation, one last laugh, and one last night together before the end of the year.

And eventually, she decided, she might even miss these people.

Eventually.





Chapter 33

Cameron

Lizzie and Cameron were quiet on the way to Jacinta’s house, and quiet when they got there, quiet as they helped her mom set up a table for snacks and drinks, and then they were quiet while waiting for everyone else to arrive.

And then they separated for a while so Lizzie could change out of her dress. When they found each other a little later on, it was like seeing each other again for the first time. At least, that’s how it felt to Cameron.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey,” she said.

They stood there mostly looking at the ground, but sometimes sneaking glances at each other.

“I liked your dress,” Cameron finally said. “I’m sorry it got soaked.” Lizzie had a bag in Luke’s car, prepared for the hotel room slumber party, so at least she had clothes to change into after her dress got soaked. Cameron had changed back into the jeans and T-shirt he’d had on for work earlier.

“Thanks,” Lizzie said.

“I’m sorry I didn’t show up,” Cameron said. “I know I said it earlier, but I really just want to say it again, slower this time. I don’t even really have a great excuse, but I was working, and it got later and later. I should have tried harder to get a message to you or something. I shouldn’t have stood you up. That was very not cool of me.”

“I mean, you did get a message to me, through Jacinta.”

“Right, yeah.”

“Did you know who I was?”

He looked at her, finally meeting her eye. “Definitely not. Jacinta didn’t even tell me who you were. She made me wait in the parking lot while you found us.”

Cameron looked around and realized that the backyard had been slowly filling up around them. The news of the after-prom party had spread with the demise of the prom. He tried to find Jacinta, to catch her eye, to smile, to thank her for putting this together.

“I was worried when you didn’t show up it was because you knew who I was.”

He shook his head. “I really did try. We just couldn’t get in after eight. I couldn’t leave the pizza place without getting fired, and time just got away from me.”

Lizzie nodded. “I get it.”

“God, I’m so freaking nervous,” Cameron said, wiping his forehead.

This time Lizzie laughed. “Why?”

“I just want to make a good impression. And I already messed up so bad by not showing up to the prom. I figure I’m working from like down here,” he said, then he gestured with his hand, down at floor level. “And I want you to, like, not hate me.”

“I don’t hate you.”

“I’m so sorry I didn’t show up. I know I could apologize like a million times.”

She put her hand on his arm. “It’s okay. I’m really not mad.”

“How?” he asked.

“I wanted you to be there, of course. I was disappointed and pretty bummed out. But, like, you didn’t do anything that bad. Hearing you explain yourself, it’s not like you purposefully skipped out. You worked late, you got held up.”

He blinked hard a couple of times and shook his head.

“Next time you’ll have my number, and you can let me know if you have to work late,” she said.

He broke into a huge grin. “You’ll give me another chance?”

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I? God, you made this whole year bearable, you realize that, right? Like I’m not just going on what I know about you from tonight. You were like my saving grace half the time. Coming in at the end of long days at school to make me laugh last period.”

“Oh, last period,” he said. “I had English first period.”

“I’m really surprised it’s you,” Lizzie said. They had finally moved out of the center of the patio and found a pair of seats in the corner, away from the action where they could talk.