by K. R. Grace
I cleared my throat, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. “It’s time to get ready for bed.”
“Just thirty more minutes. Please!” Winter tried this pouty lip on me, but I was in fight or flight and she wasn’t going to make me cave.
“Nope. Your mom said your bedtime is nine on Fridays, and it’s already five after.”
Her little shoulders slumped, and she tucked her chin against her chest. “Okay.”
She slowly made her way up the stairs and to her room.
“Where is Mom and abuela?” Cam asked.
“Grandma Mae is visiting her sister this weekend, and Momma Noel and Mom are having some sort of Mom’s night out painting party. They should be back around ten or so.”
“I probably should’ve known that.” He winced.
Winter came back down the stairs dressed in a pink t-shirt and orange pajama shorts. “All clean!” she announced.
I took in her freshly washed face and nodded. “I can see that.”
“Cam, can you sing me a bedtime story?”
He glanced over at me with another warning to not laugh before grabbing his guitar and standing. “Sure, squirt. Lead the way.”
I’m not ashamed to admit that I waited a few minutes before following them up to her room. I placed my ear to the door to hear him singing the words to The Three Little Pigs. I smacked my hand over my mouth to keep from giggling. He was doing voices and everything.
“Sing the princess song for me,” Winter pleaded.
“Not tonight, sweets. My throat is tired.”
“Okay. I understand.”
“Winter, you know that no matter what happens in life, you’ll always have me. Right?” My chest constricted at his words. It wasn’t like Cam to be so vulnerable with anyone.
“Of course! You’re my big brother! And I’ll always have Macey because she’s my bestest friend!”
“Yeah, you’ll always have Macey, too.”
Feeling like an invader in a private moment, I hurried down the hall and down the steps into the living room.
A little while later, Cam came down and sat on the couch beside me. “The kid has a gift. The second her head hits the pillow, she’s out.”
“Lucky.”
He sat forward with his hands draped between his knees, his eyes trained on the wooden coffee table in front of him.
“About last Friday…” he started the same time I asked, “Why did you do it?”
“Why?” he asked dryly.
“Yeah, why did you have to go on a pity date with me?”
His hands clenched into fists as he dragged in a deep breath. “Have you even stopped to look at the other possibilities of that night?”
“There were no other possibilities. You said you had someone you’d arranged for me to go on a date with, and then when I showed up, no one was there but you.”
“And you think I did it out of pity? You really think someone as smart, confident, and beautiful as you needs a pity date?”
His blue eyes trained on mine as my breathing became restricted. My heart twisted into a painful knot as I struggled with the emotions swirling around inside of me. Feelings of inadequacy, feelings of unwantedness, feelings of disgust.
“Yes,” I whispered.
“Wrong,” he ground out. “You deserve someone who will take you out, make you laugh, and return you home feeling like you’re the most cherished person in the world.”
“Then why did you do it?”
“You know, forget it.”
As he stood to leave, I remembered what Wen said. That Cam was in love with a girl.
“Wait. That’s not what I was asking. If you wanted to take me out on a date, why the parade of girls you made me dump?”
He ran his fingers through his hair and let out a deep breath. “Are you psychoanalyzing me Dr. Greere?”
“No, I just need to know.”
I didn’t think he was going to answer, but then he looked at me and said, “They weren’t you.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but he moved until he was standing in front of me and had his hand on my face. “I went through all those girls trying to drown out the idea that a screw up like me would ever be good enough for you.”
“You’re not a screw up.” I was seriously surprised my vocal chords worked.
“I am, and getting you involved in my crap hole will only bring you down.”
I’d always heard it said that when love happens, you’ll know it. It’s a feeling that starts in your chest, spreads through your veins, courses through your body right down to your toes until your whole body vibrates with it. I had all those feelings and more. For once, I didn’t question my motives, nor did I care about some stupid plan. Looking into Cam’s tortured eyes, I smiled.
“I do believe you owe me a date.”
He blinked several times, probably trying to process the one-eighty I’d just dropped on him. Then a grin spread across his face. “Are you free tomorrow night?”
I hissed. “Sorry. I’m in the slammer until Monday morning.”
“What did they get you for this time?”
I waved him off. “Nothing worth repeating. What are you going to do about me?”
He looked at the TV and then back at me. “Wanna have our Friday night movie?”
I beamed up at him. “I would love that.”
He sat down on the couch and grabbed the remote from the coffee table. I expected him to pick a movie, but instead, he handed me the remote and draped his arm along the couch behind me. Not looking a gift dog in the butt, I scanned the selection before choosing something involving comic book superheroes.
As I sat back to get comfortable, the side of my body touching Cam’s began to zing and tingle until I was a giddy ball of nerves. It felt so right and so new and weird all at the same time. About ten minutes into the movie, Cam moved his arm away, making me feel so cold. That was, until he linked our fingers together, keeping our locked hands on my thigh.
Holy amaze-balls, the energy surges shooting up my arm and into my stomach from the connection were unreal. That was, until my palms started sweating because I was getting nervous about the fact I was holding hands with my best friend because we were on a date.
“Relax,” he whispered in my ear, causing me to jump.
“Am I that bad?” I asked, dreading the answer. He’d dated so many girls, and I was positive I was the worst date he’d ever been on.
He chuckled, making the whole situation even worse. “It’s just me, Mace. Nothing’s changed.”
I eyed him skeptically out of the corner of my eye.
“His abs have to be photoshopped,” Cam said, his eyes on the TV screen.
And then we really were back to normal. We spent the next two hours making fun of the over-the-top acting and came up with our own superheroes. He was Blasto Man and I was Libre Girl. He could blow up anything with music, and I took down my foes with my superhuman book knowledge.
Momma Noel finally came home at midnight, a little unsteady on her feet. She found us in the middle of a tickling match. Cam had me hostage between his thighs as his hands attacked my sides with a vengeance. I was wiggling and squealing for mercy.
“Well, this is interesting,” she said. We both froze and turned to look at her.
“It’s not what it looks like,” Cam said as he quickly got off me and sat down at the far edge of the couch. I snorted at the thought of him trying to come off as a choir boy.
She waved us off with an unsteady hand. “I’m just glad to see you two made up.”
“Your mom knew we were fighting?” I mouthed to him as I glared at him.
He shrugged before smiling at Momma Noel. “Did you have fun tonight?”
“I painted a blob that was supposed to be an owl sitting in a tree. I’m going to bed. Cam, walk Macey home, please.”
Then she was up the stairs and in her bedroom judging by the sound of a door closing.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked as he rose
to his feet and held a hand out to me.
I nodded and slid my hand into his as I stood as well. The walk across the street was quiet, and at the front door, I had a crazy fear he might try to kiss me. I’d heard the front door bit could be awkward, but I never factored standing at my front door after having a date with my best friend into the equation.
Cam stuffed his hands into the front pocket of his jeans. “So, as for first dates, how was it?”
I pretended to think on it for a few minutes before nodding. “It was nice.”
“Good. I liked it, too.”
There were so many questions pinging around in my brain, but I couldn’t verbalize any of them. Instead, I smiled like an idiot and prayed he’d hold off on the kiss goodnight until I could figure out what was going on.
He stepped forward and warning sirens started blaring…until he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in for a hug. “See you at school on Monday, jailbird.”
I laughed and shoved him away. “Later, princess.”
“That thing doesn’t get posted anywhere.” He pointed in a warning as he backed off the porch.
“I make no promises!” I laughed in triumph before hurrying inside the house.
Twelve
10. Fall in Love With Your Best Friend
The yearbook staff was responsible for putting on the prom. Specifically, the underclassmen staff members, as the seniors were the ones the prom was for. That meant in the weeks leading up to prom, with the yearbook off to the printer, staff meetings were a dull affair.
It was also prom-posal season. While several girls found it adorable to get “Prom?” spelled out on their locker in sticky notes with the guy’s name on each piece of neon paper, I saw it as wasting trees. The guy who prom-posed over the radio during lunch? How unoriginal. And the girl who used the marching band to ask her boyfriend out? Ever heard of carbon dioxide pollution?
The only thing getting me through everything was hanging out with Cam again, and knowing that I’ve been walking around for two weeks with unopened emails from Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Princeton, and Georgetown. Everyone agreed to open their acceptance emails over lunch on Friday.
Well, Friday had come, and everyone sat at the lunch table, impatiently waiting for Cam to join us.
“I’ve texted him three times,” Reese growled.
“Five for me,” Morgan added.
“One for me.” Bruce raised a hand.
“I didn’t text him.” Teagan stared at his blank phone as if it held the answers to life’s biggest questions.
I had my phone out and ready to call when the man of the hour finally walked into the lunchroom and over to our table.
“You’re never going to believe what just happened,” he said, oblivious to the tension around him. “Freesong just got booked to play at prom.”
When no one shouted for joy or even cracked a smile, he turned to me. “Who died?”
I glanced around at everyone before answering through gritted teeth. “Today’s reveal day. We’ve all been waiting on you to open our letters.”
“Oh, right. That’s today. Sorry. Carry on.”
“I’ll go first.” Reese pulled up her email on her phone and closed her eyes as she tapped the screen.
“It works better if your eyes are open,” Morgan aided her.
“I know. It’s from University of Denver. Only the best women’s gymnastics program in the nation. I can’t look. Someone else read it for me.”
Morgan snatched the phone from her before mumbling as her eyes scanned over the contents of the email.
“You got in!” she yelled.
Reese’s eyes flew open and she began hopping in her seat.
“Yay!”
We all clapped.
“There are more, but this is it for me.” She waved us off as her eyes hungrily drank in every word in the email.
“Morgan, your turn,” I said.
Morgan pulled up her emails. “Okay, first one is from Rhode Island School of Design. Top pick.”
Unlike Reese, she faced her fears and read the email.
“I got in!” she squealed and pumped her first in the air.
We all clapped again before directing our attention to Wen Li. She blinked several times before pulling out her iPad and retrieving her emails.
“I got in to William and Mary,” she whispered and smiled satisfactorily. “And MIT.”
“Wow, congrats!” I exclaimed.
Then Teagan went. He didn’t get into Wake Forest, but he was accepted into the University of Tennessee, Tennessee Tech, and the University of North Carolina. Bruce was accepted into Wisconsin University and Florida State. Then it was Cam’s turn.
“I didn’t apply to college,” he admitted after several seconds of us staring at him.
“That’s a lie. I know you applied,” I volleyed back. It was time to face the music, and I needed to know where we were going to be for the next four years. I already knew about one school, but were there others?
He glared at me even as he pulled up his phone. “Fine. I got in to the University of Tennessee and Belmont.”
Both local schools and nowhere near where I applied. Well, I did put in an application to Vanderbilt, which was in Nashville near Belmont, but that wasn’t my top school.
My hand shook as I retrieved the emails from my top picks and closed my eyes as I started with Georgetown.
“In at Georgetown.” I paused to retrieve the next email. “In at Princeton.” Another pause. “In at Yale.” Another pause. “In at Stanford and Vanderbilt.” Saving the scariest for last, I sent up a prayer as I opened the letter from Harvard. And my heart sank. “Waitlisted at Harvard.”
“Hey, you got accepted into the top schools in the nation. The admissions department at Harvard must be operated by a bunch of stoners.” Reese reached over and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.
I nodded even though a rock was lodging itself down my throat as tears burned my eyes.
“Yeah, and besides, it’s so cliché. This gives you the chance to be innovative.” Morgan made her best attempt at a smile.
Cam wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me close to him. Not needing further invitation, I buried my face in his chest and cried out my disappointment. Deep down, I knew I was fortunate to have been accepted into so many great schools, but none of them were Harvard. Having to accept a deferred dream sucked on ice.
“Distraction. How’s the list going?” Morgan asked, which only caused the tears to fall harder and sobs to be added into the mix.
“She decided to let it go,” Cam answered for me.
“But that means she’ll have to go to prom with you.” I heard the panic in Reese’s voice. She was terrified on my behalf, and I loved her for it.
“It’s okay, guys. It’s not like I can get a boyfriend in two weeks anyway,” I sniffed as I straightened up.
A guy in the middle of the cafeteria began humming, drawing my attention to him. Then another joined. And another. And another until there were about fifty guys and girls singing acapella. They sang, “For the Longest Time” to be exact. That’s when I spotted him walking toward me with a single long stem rose in his hand. Evan.
He sang until he stood in front of me and got down on one knee. “Would you go to prom with me, Macey Greere?”
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing or hearing. “Are you shitting me?” I sputtered.
His cheeks reddened as he glanced around at everyone in the cafeteria staring at him.
He cleared his throat. “I would be honored if you would be my date.”
“Not after the way you and Lydia treated me at the zoo. Go bother someone else.”
Avoiding everyone’s gaze, he rose and scampered away. It took a while for his musical entourage to catch on that he was gone, but finally the singing stopped and everyone resumed eating their lunches.
When I opened my locker after third period, it was to a waterfall of origami swans. I glanced around to see if anyone
noticed, and of course everyone was standing and staring at me. With a sense of dread I knelt down and retrieved one of the swans and unfolded it.
Would you please gracefully accept my invitation to the prom? ~ Benton
“Was he trying to be funny?” Cam asked as he read the note over my shoulder. I shrugged him off before kneeling down to scoop up the remaining evidence of the second most humiliating incident of the day.
“Two prom-posals in one day. You’re on fire.”
“Cam!” I barked as a warning before stuffing the pretty swans into the nearest trash can and storming down the hall to the last class of the day.
It couldn’t get any worse. That had to be it.
But, oh, it wasn’t.
Ten minutes into class, indistinguishable music and then the familiar voice of Jaxon Hill came over the intercom. “Good afternoon, my people. This message is brought to you by Jaxon Hill. Jaxon is asking for everyone’s help in asking Macey Greere to the prom. Let’s give her a slow clap until she’s finally ready to say yes.”
He started clapping, and of course everyone in the classroom was giving me goofy grins as they joined in. I slunk down in my seat and prayed for the insanity to stop. When I never smiled or acted happy about the situation, Ms. Ryan put an end to the clapping and resumed her lesson.
Finally, the last bell rang, and I hurried to gather my things and get the heck out of there. I’d almost made it when Benton reached out and tapped me on the shoulder.
“Yes?” I asked brightly. Please don’t bring up the invitation. Please. Please. Please. Please!
“I know I’m probably not your first choice for prom, but after you rejected Jaxon, I thought maybe we really did make a connection that night at your house. So, what do you say? Did the swans works? Prom? With me?” He pushed up his glasses and looked at me expectantly.
Gah, what had I done? How did I go from all those failed attempts to multiple prom invitations in one day? Benton was so sweet and kind. I didn’t want to break his heart, but I knew I couldn’t give him the answer he wanted.
