by Nora Cobb
“Avoiding the hard questions won’t do you any favors,” Beth rubs my shoulder. “You have to think about yourself first. And that’s not selfish. If you’re pregnant, you’ll be the one going through it. Unless …”
I shake my head and clutch my stomach. “No, I want this baby, as hard as it will be. I want this baby.”
“Are you sure?” she speaks softly.
“I love them all,” the first tear falls, “and I’m already in love with my baby.”
“If you’re pregnant,” she adds.
There’s tapping on the door, and then it opens. It’s Lexi. “Time for the group photo,” she says, “Hey, are you okay?”
I nod. “Yes, I’m just a little sad. I wish things could have been like this from the start. Senior year could have been so cool.”
“Oh,” Lexi clasps her hands, “Natalie, you’re so sweet. I’m so sorry I was a bitch, but we’ll have the best prom ever and forget the bad times. Okay?”
I smile stiffly as she leaves.
“Good save,” whispers Beth.
“Thanks. Let’s hope my luck holds out.”
***
The senior prom is being held in the old gymnasium in East Hall. Once upon a time, it was the only building on the Montlake campus, decades ago, when the school was the only high school in the area. But when it became a prep academy and expanded, a newer gym was built in North Hall, closer to the athletic fields.
The country club refused to host the senior prom after the fistfight during homecoming. Deep down, I was relieved as I didn’t want to enter that place again. My pregnancy is stressing me out enough without being reminded of homecoming on top of that.
Cora rents a limo though mostly everyone drives their own cars. Beth rides in the limo with us but leaves her car in the deck as insurance. She likes having her car, so she can decide when she’ll leave a party. Beth is going solo, claiming that I have abused the boy-to-girl ratio, and left her out in the cold. She flashes me a wicked smile to let me know she’s kidding. After being lovesick for Anthony, she wants to go solo and just enjoy the perks of being single and on the loose.
“I plan to get drunk,” she laughs in the limo, “tear up the dance floor, pump my arms in the air, and belch out loud. I can do that now that I’m in the in-crowd.”
Cora looks mortified.
“When do your lessons start with Mrs. Bouchard?” I ask sweetly.
We walk up the front stairs into East Hall, and though I’ve had many run-ins with Cromwell, I don’t feel anxious. His opinion of me never placed a dot on my radar, so East Hall is a stress-free zone. Besides, he won’t be attending after the backlash due to Ms. Petrenko’s firing. Ms. Schneider from the admins’ office will be hosting in his place.
“Arielle isn’t coming,” whispers Lexi, who still texts her. I wonder if it’s social insurance. “Get this. She’s throwing a party.”
“Who’s going to that?” I ask.
“Mainly freshmen,” laughs Lexi, “She’s ruling them now.”
***
The interior of East Hall has been transformed by a professional party planner. The seniors walk through a hallway on a red carpet, and the ceiling above us is covered with white and black balloons. At the end of the hallway is the gym I never knew existed, but it doesn’t look like a gym inside. It’s been transformed into Cora’s vision.
The room is decked out with cascades of white and gold balloons covering the walls and swathes of silk fabric across the ceiling. The walls are barely visible, and the floor, though it’s wood, I doubt is the same floor that the students used to run across in sweaty sneakers.
“They placed a floor down just for dancing,” Cora replies when she sees me tap my toe on the ground. “There’s foam underneath it.”
A small orchestra plays a Bach overture as we walk into the room. The orchestra is on the main stage, and a DJ booth is in the opposite corner. They’ll take turns playing so that the music will go all night.
Around the perimeter of the room are gaming tables for roulette, blackjack, and poker with croupiers in black and white clothing.
“Isn’t this overkill?” I ask.
Lexi scoffs. “Cora is practicing for her wedding again. You may have usurped Arielle, but Cora is the empress of the night when it comes to throwing a proper party.”
I wonder what South Beach would have looked like if she hadn’t asked for my help. It was really for appearances only. Like tonight, the school is hosting the prom, but the Bouchards are bankrolling it. Every senior was allowed to come, but a few were discouraged from attending.
“Is that the drug kid?” asks Lexi, gawking.
Anthony enters the room, looking wealthier than the rich kids. He is dressed in a fitted tux with a pretty brunette on his arm. Beth almost loses her eyesight as her eyes pop in their direction. Anthony and his date make a beeline to a table toward the back of the room and stay there for most of the evening.
“Do you know her?” I ask.
Beth shakes her head. “Should we pass her a note and ask her if she’s been kidnapped?”
I shove her shoulder lightly. “Let’s do the right thing and leave him alone.”
It’s easy to accomplish because Anthony keeps his date as far away from the other kids as possible.
Even though I have four dates, I decided to show up with my girlfriends. Most of the students come with their friends and meet their dates at the prom to encourage a party atmosphere. Cora, of course, ignores the unspoken rule. She disappears when we exit the limo and reappears at the entrance to the prom with Mancuso. We do a double take. None of us have seen Mancuso with short hair before. He looks like a grown man, and not the goofy jock that has to be carried out of parties because he’s too wasted to walk.
“I guess he’s stepping up,” mutters Beth. “We’re going to have to start calling him Nicholas.”
No sooner have Cora and Mancuso stepped through the doorway than the captains appear like magic. They stand in the doorway a moment as every head turns to check them out. The captains have never looked like boys, but in tuxes, they look like real men. Their tuxes fit perfectly, and I sigh as my gaze goes from Lucas to Jacob to Troy. Lucas looks as classy as ever in a traditional black tux. And Jacob’s tux makes him look more sophisticated than his usual uniform of khakis and polos. Troy is dressed in all black, which makes his blond hair and blue eyes pop. Remembering what Mrs. Bouchard said to me, I feel like a bride, and now, I understand why Cora likes to pretend.
The night is a fantasy, and I forget the serious problems I have to deal with in the morning. The prom is chaperoned, but that doesn’t stop the flasks from appearing. I stick to water, which isn’t hard. Troy keeps to his water-only rule, and so do the other boys, which I find curious. Lucas doesn’t question my refusal to drink the sugary punch. Red fluid in a communal bowl wouldn’t be my thing from the start, even if I wasn’t pregnant. It’s obvious by the second hour that it’s been spiked by the strong fumes rising from the bowl.
When I pose for pictures with the captains, it’s clear that they are my dates. The captains are gentlemen, and they dance with the girls that came solo. I take a cute picture of Lucas dancing with Beth. In fact, he dances with several of the girls who came alone. And Lexi poses with Jacob for a picture.
“I’m going to show it to people when you’re famous,” she shouts over the music.
Ms. Schneider stands on the wide stage in front of the band, who have reassembled. She has been the faculty organizer for Montlake’s senior prom since she was hired as an admin.
“Ballots have been cast,” she announces. “And I will announce prom queen and king shortly. If you haven’t placed your ballot,” she waves a piece of paper in the air. “Grab a faculty chaperone and make your choice.”
Ms. Schneider makes some random announcements to stall for time as everyone moves near the stage. Tugging the first envelope open, she frowns at the index card in her hand.
“Well, this is new. We have a three-wa
y tie for prom king.” People look around as if they can guess, but she announces it with a flourish of her hand. “Congratulations to Lucas Bellman, Jacob Fleming, and Troy Saunders.”
The captains climb the stairs to the stage. There’s only one crown, so Jacob wears the crown, Lucas wears the sash, and Troy takes the scepter. He swings it like a baseball bat, to cheers. A smiling Ms. Schneider grabs the end of the scepter and makes him hold it still.
“And now the queen,” she smiles. “I wonder if it will also be a three-way?”
That didn’t sound right, but Ms. Schneider doesn’t notice. She clears her throat and tugs open the second envelope.
Across the room, I smile at Cora, who smiles back at me. It’s obvious that without Arielle here, it could be anyone, but I have a feeling it will be her, and she’s betting it will be me.
Ms. Schneider looks straight at me. “Senior prom queen is Natalie Page.”
Teeth touching, I smile hard to keep from screaming. And though everyone is clapping and cheering, I do notice a few hard looks. No doubt because I swept in and took over the school. I wonder how many girls thought they would take Arielle’s place. But Beth, Cora, and Lexi smile and cheer for me. Beth jumps up and down so much, she almost loses her dress. I do have true friends, and three beautiful men waiting for me to join them on stage.
Jacob places the sash on me, and Troy the crown. Lucas’ fingers touch mine as he hands me the scepter. We stand for a moment, the four of us together, and though there is applause, there are also whispers. Nothing gets past the students of Montlake, and for a moment, my smile falters, but only three people know my secret—Troy, Lucas, and Beth. I shake the paranoia off. I have other secrets, and if anyone is keeping score of who I’m dating, they’re now thoroughly confused. It shouldn’t matter to me but after what happened to Uncle Phil. I want so desperately to keep my private life private.
My gaze finds Anthony. I’m grateful he freed Lucas, but he would never be with me, not now or ever. He smirks as he claps his hands, and then he bends his head down toward his date as she whispers something in his ear. Soon after that, they leave hand in hand.
“Time for the queen and king dance,” announces Ms. Schneider.
Jacob politely allows Lucas to dance with me first. We step on the floor together, and I realize that this is our first dance of the evening. His body is tense as we move across the floor, and he spends most of the dance looking over my head.
“Lucas,” I whisper, “Is anything wrong?”
His smile is tight as he looks down on me. “It’s all good, Natalie.”
My stomach feels sick, and it’s definitely not the baby. I stumble on the hem of my dress, and Lucas grabs for me. His hands clamp down on my wrist, making sure that I don’t fall to the floor. Our gaze meets for a second, and I see the hurt deep in his eyes. Does he know? But Troy told me he wouldn’t tell. We start to dance again, and I glance over at Jacob. He smiles at me, and I feel silly for worrying.
Before the song ends, Lucas dances me over to Troy, and he takes his turn, holding me in his arms. He doesn’t look away. In fact, he’s puffed up with pride and joy. He seems a little too happy, and the paranoia starts up again. Troy could never keep a secret, and he always competes with Lucas and Jacob. I can’t shake this bad feeling that something is wrong.
“Natalie,” Troy’s gaze is pensive. “Why aren’t you smiling? You won.”
“Yes, I did,” I reply. And in a way, Troy has too. I’m carrying his baby, and there’s no bigger claim than that. I look up, but he’s not looking at me. He has that smirk on his face as he looks over at a sullen Lucas and stone-faced Jacob. I want to ask him what he has done, but he dances me toward Jacob, and it’s his turn.
As we move across the dance floor, I hug Jacob tightly as the other couples join us. Jacob takes off his jacket and leaves it on the back of a chair. I can hear his heart beating as I lean my head against his chest. Jacob is my rock, strong and steady. I know that Troy is the father, but Jacob is the perfect man to help me raise my baby. I think about the loving relationship he has with Hannah. I want that for my child. When I look up into his eyes, Jacob is smiling at me. His soft brown eyes are full of love, and I think about the first time I made love. It was with Jacob.
The song ends, but Jacob holds my hand. I look up at him, captured in the warmth of his loving expression. He takes a step back and goes down on one knee in front of me. My eyes widen as Jacob takes a diamond ring out of his pocket. The noise in the room is reduced to murmurs, and gradually, silence. Even the band stops playing.
Jacob’s voice is loud and clear. “Natalie, will you marry me?”
I have to pull my hands away from my mouth to answer him. “Yes,” I shout and jump for joy. And maybe, relief. “I’ll marry you.”
The room starts twirling as Jacob grabs me by the waist, lifts me up, and swings me around. I hold onto him, laughing, as the band plays the wedding waltz.
As soon as Jacob puts me down, Cora runs over with Beth and Lexi to look at my beautiful ring.
Jacob pulls me into his arms again, and we kiss as people take photos. We pull away, and I spin around with glee. But I stop suddenly. My gaze catches on Lucas and Troy, and neither one looks happy.
CHAPTER 10
NATALIE
It’s the early hours of dawn, but the partying continues into the wee hours. Senior prom ended hours ago, but several groups splinter off and head to private after-parties. Beth and Jacob vote for Tabby’s house, since her parents aren’t home. I walk toward Jacob’s Hummer, looking around for Troy and Lucas. They disappeared for most of the night, and I’d have to be thick not to know why. I see them on the deck and wave, but they only look in my direction. They don’t approach me. Jacob leans against his Hummer and watches as I go to them.
“Hey, are you coming?” I ask.
Troy shakes his head. “I’m heading home.”
“And you?”
“The same,” replies Lucas.
Side by side, they walk away toward Lucas’ Camaro in silence. The body language announces that they are past ready to leave. Clutching the hem of my dress, I hurry after them and touch Lucas’ shoulder. He spins around to face me, and I stiffen at his poisonous look, catching my breath. His eyes flash angrily. Lucas has never looked at me with that much hatred before, not even when I was being bullied. He used me then ignored me, but Lucas never bullied me. I have never seen such hatred on a person’s face. I really fucked him up badly by accepting Jacob’s proposal.
“I want to talk about what happened.” My voice exposes my feebleness.
Lucas stares at Troy as if he should decide my fate, but Troy turns away and continues walking to the Camaro.
Lucas tilts his chin up and looks down on me. “What do you want to say about it?”
He can’t even say my name. “Maybe we shouldn’t talk here.”
Few people are around, a few laughing stragglers staggering to their cars and heading to parties. The designated drivers are following up the rear.
“Here is fine.” His voice chills me.
“I know you’re upset.” I place my hand on his shoulder, and he shrugs it off.
“I’m past upset. But you’ve made your decision.” He glances over at Jacob, who is standing at a distance with his arms folded, watching us.
“Natalie?” It’s not a question. Jacob will give us some privacy, but his patience will soon end. He’ll come to claim me because I gave him that right.
Lucas glares at Jacob for a second, and then that harsh look lands on me. “I thought this would be something we would talk about together,” he continues. “That we would decide our futures together. I didn’t want to push you, and I just got out of a clusterfuck of a marriage. I worked and waited to get out of that marriage, so I could be with you. And you pick him?”
My voice shook as I answer him. “I want to be with all of you, but I—”
He cuts me off with a narrowed gaze. “Not to mention that it’s Troy’s b
aby.”
My mouth drops open as my shocked gaze goes to Troy, accusing him of telling our secret. My feet move without my mind sending the signal. I march over to Troy, who stands there, glaring at me the way he used to when he really hated me.
“You told him?” I demand. My voice has returned.
He scoffs and cast a gaze over to Jacob. “We told him, Natalie.”
I look over at Jacob, who is fast approaching. His steps are hard and heavy on the concrete, as if he could climb Mount Everest in a single stride.
“I was going to tell him,” I wail, clenching my fists. At that moment, I don’t care if anyone is left to watch. Only Beth remains, and she knows my dirt better than her own.