The music stopped, and Gary laughed. “So the rumors are true? You sure downgraded, Tori.”
I glared at Gary before walking over to Krista. Her smug expression morphed into something else, maybe fear, as I approached her. But instead of giving her the slap in front of everyone that she deserved, I snatched away the microphone.
“Are you done, Krista? Done being jealous and petty?” I said into the microphone.
The crowd was almost silent, like it was just me and her.
I gently slipped the silver tiara out of my hair and held it in front of me. “Here, you want it so bad. Just take it. I don’t need it. Unlike you, I have plenty of friends who have my back.” I glanced at Ella, Rey, Harper, and Lena. Then Mia, Julie, and the rest of the squad. They stood in awe, and then Lena whooped. Mia clapped, and the rest of the girls did the same.
Several others in the crowd joined them.
I turned back to Krista. “I don’t need to be a horrible person toward everyone else to make myself feel better. I’m sorry you didn’t make the squad back in ninth grade. But with that attitude, it looks like you weren’t cut out to be a Westwood cheerleader anyway.”
I shoved the tiara into her hands, and her mouth fell open.
That really got everyone clapping and cheering.
With the microphone still in hand, I turned back to Gary, strangely calm. I walked slowly toward him. “And just so you know, Noah is ten times the human being you’ll ever be. You always were an arrogant jerk.” I put the microphone in its stand, but a final thought came to mind. “And not a very good boyfriend.”
With that, I walked off the stage and headed straight toward Noah, who was waiting for me near Ella and the others.
His face lit up, and I launched myself into his arms. “You’re here,” I said, mostly to myself.
“That was…hardcore,” he said, looking at me. “And yeah, I’m back. I said I’d take you to prom, didn’t I? I couldn’t go back on my word.”
I was pretty sure everyone’s eyes were on us, but I no longer cared. I was just so happy that he was back.
I took his face in my hands and pressed my mouth against his. He pulled me close, his hands on my hips so nothing stood between us anymore.
When our kiss ended, we came back to earth to the sound of clapping. The music came back on. Another slow song, perfect for this moment.
Noah held out his hand. “May I have this dance?
Twenty-Five
I took Noah’s hand and glanced toward Ella, Rey, and Harper. Jesse stood behind Ella, and they all joined in clapping for us. I searched for Lena, but Harper pointed toward the stage.
Krista was long gone, the forgotten tiara left on the floor of the stage.
Lena took the microphone. “Everyone, give it up for Noah and Tori!”
At first, it was just us with everyone in a circle around us. Then Mia and Luke joined us. Then Jesse led Ella onto the floor, and soon, the room was full of slow-moving couples. The lights dimmed, and I was glad to have some privacy back.
With my arms around Noah, I kept taking in his every feature, afraid he’d disappear again.
His piercing blue eyes. His thick, perfectly arched brows. His straight nose and strong chin.
“I was so worried about you,” I said. “Why didn’t you send me a message or call?”
“I lost my phone the night everything happened. It’s a long story. But I tried emailing you. You never replied. I thought maybe you didn’t care. But then I got word from Ms. Moreau that you had asked about Emma and me.” He gave me a peck on the forehead.
I stared back at him. “Email? Really? After seeing that I had like two thousand unread messages in my inbox? You know I never check my email!”
He chuckled. “Maybe you should.”
I shook my head and rolled my eyes for good measure. “So are you and Emma gonna be okay?”
He glanced down. “I’m not completely sure yet. We’re back with my mom for now, but she’s on probation. If she gets another drug-related offense, we’ll go back to foster care.”
I nodded. “Is there anything I can do? I mean, I read about the horror stories in foster care. Were you guys okay?”
“The family we were with was actually pretty nice. But Emma missed Isabella so much. And I missed you.”
He came in for another kiss, and it felt like I’d never get enough of Noah.
When we pulled away, I put my hand through his hair. “I’m sorry about how everything ended,” I said.
His eyes filled with regret. “No, I’m sorry. I should have told you about the stupid mice idea. I had no idea they’d actually go through with it. It was just a dumb comment. You know that by the time the pep rally happened, I wasn’t even friends with Krista anymore.”
I hugged him tight, glad all of that was over. More than ever, I knew it was okay to let my mask fall away, especially with Noah. And I couldn’t wait to tell Isabella the good news.
“Isabella’s going to be so happy you guys are back. She was also pretty bummed the last couple of weeks. And my mom’s been harder on her than ever.”
“Oh yeah?” Noah asked. “How come?”
“It’s a long story.” I sighed. “I don’t want to talk about it now, but I think it’s about time I had a conversation with my parents about it.”
I squeezed Noah, never wanting to let him go, and reached for his lips. I closed my eyes and let myself sink into him. Then I rested my head on his shoulder, deciding that prom had turned out to be pretty amazing after all.
The next morning, I sat up in bed, wondering if the night before had been a dream. Too good to be true.
I immediately reached for my phone and opened my photos app. I saw all the pictures from last night and screamed.
Photos of Noah and me.
The #BFFs and me.
Pictures of the squad.
I’d introduced Mia, Julie, and Zoey to Ella, Rey, Harper, and Lena, and they had hit it off. And then I’d berated myself for not doing it sooner. Sure, they’d never become the best of friends, since Mia was headed to college and Julie and Zoey were sticking with cheer, but we definitely planned on hanging out this summer and maybe kicking the annoying football players out of our group and merging lunch tables from time to time.
Noah and I had become inseparable the rest of the night, dancing to each and every song until we had no choice but to go home.
I hoped I’d get to see him today, but first, there was something else I had to do.
On my way to Isabella’s room, I noticed how quiet the house was. Maybe my mom was still picking up my dad from the airport. I knocked on Isabella’s door and walked in.
She lay in bed watching videos on her phone, hardly glancing at me.
I hopped onto her bed and snuggled in next to her. It reminded me of when we were little and she’d come to my room in the middle of the night when it was storming. When had she outgrown that? “Hey, sleepyhead. Guess what? I have some good news.”
She finally tossed her phone away and looked at me. “What?”
I couldn’t hold it in any longer. “Emma and Noah are back!”
She jumped up. “Oh my gosh, really? Can we see them today? Can they come over?”
I sat up too. “I’m not sure, but we can definitely find out.”
We made it downstairs just as my parents walked in the front door. We ran over to my dad, who lugged a rolling suitcase behind him.
After we hugged him, all of us went out to breakfast, and I noticed how cold Isabella had become toward my mom. Part of me felt guilty for setting the example in the first place. Things between us hadn’t exactly been patched up since our argument.
While we waited for our food, I wondered how to go about talking to her. I didn’t want us to keep arguing or giving each other the silent treatment any longer. “Mom, we need to talk.”
My mom set her cup of coffee down. Dad looked back and forth between us, and Isabella stopped eating her fruit.
“What’s
this about?” my dad asked.
I took a deep breath. “There’s something I need to tell you guys. Both of you. First of all, I wish you would stop traveling so much.”
He stayed quiet.
I went on. “I only have a year left before I leave for college, and Isabella is starting middle school. We need you.”
Dad looked toward Isabella, whose face shined with hope. All of a sudden, the wrinkles around his eyes seemed more prominent. Running his fingers through the gray hairs at his temple, he nodded. “Okay, honey, I’ll figure it out. I’ll be home more.”
“And mom,” I said. “This—”
“I know,” she said, finally meeting my eyes. “I know. The way I’ve been treating you two. It’s wrong. I know that.”
Now, it was my turn to be speechless.
She went on. “It hit me the other day, during our fight—”
My dad’s eyebrows knit together. “You two had a fight?”
Isabella nodded. “This is why you need to be home more, Daddy.”
Dad took her hand.
“During our fight,” Mom continued, “it hit me that I’ve been wrong. And maybe I’m sick.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I’ve decided to start seeing someone. A therapist to help me with this. I’ve been struggling with disordered eating my whole life and now control issues. I’m ready to let go of both of those things. For you two. It’s not fair. And I just want to say I’m sorry, for any and all damage I’ve caused. I just can’t go on knowing that I’ve disappointed you.” She looked at me. “I’ve hated feeling like I’ve let you down.”
I bit my lip, hardly believing what I was hearing.
“I’m going to do better, Tori,” she said, blinking. “I promise.”
“Okay, Mom,” I said, relief flooding through me at her words.
She took my hand from across the booth, and I squeezed it.
My dad put his arm around my mom. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around, but I promise I’m gonna be here now. Whatever you all need, I want to help.”
I turned to Isabella, and I was sure I looked just as happy as she did.
Epilogue
“Is your mom doing better?” I asked.
Noah nodded. “She really is.”
We watched Emma and Isabella on the swings from a bench in the park. “She’s been going to meetings every day, and she just looks like a different person. I think us ending up foster care—it just really hit her that she could have lost us for good.”
I squeezed his hand. “I’m glad it all worked out.
“Me too,” he whispered. “I just keep thinking what if my mom goes back to using, and Emma ends up with a different foster family…but we’re trying to take things one day at a time. Ms. Moreau says it won’t be an easy road, but she’s going to do as much for us as she can. We’re just trying to keep my mom busy. She’s already looking for a better job. Maybe she’ll go back to school. Community college.”
I smiled at him. “So, there’s a chance you’ll go to college with your mom?”
He laughed. “Yep, she’s already made so many jokes about it. Saying we can take the same classes, and I can help her with homework.”
“I think it’s awesome,” I said.
“Me too,” he said. “I think it’ll be good for Emma to see my mom finally doing something with her life.”
I nodded.
“What about you?” he asked. “Did you decide if you’re going to quit cheerleading? Or quit captain?”
I bit my lip. “I think I’m going to stay…” I said, watching for his reaction. “But I think I’m going to give up captain. Not nearly as much pressure. Besides, I’ve been eyeing Lindsay, and I think she’d be a great captain. I’m pretty sure the new coach thinks so, too, and I think Lindsay just wants it more. It’ll be good for me to take a step back next year. I need to focus on getting into college. Besides, I don’t want to risk falling out of love with cheer. I did for a while, and it was the unhappiest I’d ever been.”
He smiled. “Well, I’m happy for you either way.”
I wrapped my arm around him. “Thanks. And who knows? Maybe I’ll try something new next year.”
“Maybe become a computer geek like me?” he tried.
I scoffed. “Sorry, Ella’s got that covered already. I have no idea, but I do know that I’ll be surrounded by people who have my back. And I’ll have yours. Whatever you and Emma need.”
“Well, there is one thing,” Noah said.
“What is it?” I asked, trying to guess.
“My mom wants to meet you.”
I sat back, eyes wide.
He took my hand. “Don’t worry. She already loves you.”
“Hey, it can’t be harder than nationals,” I replied. Then I kissed him. “Or being away from you.”
This time, Noah’s mouth pressed against mine, and I knew that whatever came next year, we’d be okay. Life wasn’t perfect—it never would be—but, for now, it was good.
What happens when the bad boy skates into the good girl’s heart?
Read Harper’s story, #GoodGirlBadBoy, now: https://books2read.com/goodgirlbadboy
A Sneak Peek of the Next Book!
Here’s a sample chapter of #GoodGirlBadBoy, book 2 of the #BestFriendsForever series.
Chapter One
Nothing was better than the official start of summer. Unless you were destined to spend it without your friends.
Tori pulled into the drugstore on the way to my house. “This one, right?”
I nodded and leaned forward. “Yep, this is it. I love coming here. They have the best deals.”
It had been just my mom and me for most of my life, so we’d learned to make money stretch. I couldn’t exactly afford to walk into Sephora and buy the latest and greatest makeup, but I was pretty good at finding the best bargains at drugstores.
My friends and I got out of the car, the bright, hot sun beating down on us.
The school year had officially ended less than thirty minutes ago, and we were celebrating with makeovers and a sleepover at my house. But first: picking out makeup.
Across the parking lot, a lone guy skateboarded this way and that, performing all kinds of tricks in the shade of a few poplar trees. I recognized him, in his familiar black t-shirt and blue jeans. His name was Emerson, and he shared my lunch period. Or used to.
Emerson jumped like he was diving into a pool for a swim, and I gasped. Then he landed on his skateboard upside down…and rode it like that, on his hands instead of his feet. He definitely seemed to be the most talented of the group.
“Wow,” I said without thinking.
Everyone stopped, and Lena came up beside me. “What?” She turned her gaze toward the trees. “Isn’t that Emerson Lopez?”
Tori shielded the sun with her hand over her eyes. “It’s not a back handspring, but still…impressive. Didn’t he get kicked out of school just last week?”
Ella shook her head. “Suspended.”
Lena gawked. “Again? I’m surprised he hasn’t been expelled yet.”
Ella pursed her lips. “Just a matter of time.”
Rey turned to me. “That boy has always been trouble. Ever since we were in elementary school.”
My eyes widened in surprise. It was hard to imagine a second-grader getting into trouble.
Or how much abdominal strength Emerson had to have now to dive again, grab his skateboard from the ground, and do a backflip. Somehow, I found myself trying to picture how many rows of abs he might have.
Making sure I didn’t have drool on the side of my mouth, I finally turned with the others to go into the store, but a middle-aged man with a round belly came out, almost running us over. We scurried out of his way.
He shook his fist in the air, taking several steps toward Emerson and his pals. “Didn’t I tell you kids not to skate around here? There’s a sign, for the hundredth time!”
It was true. He pointed to it, but Emerson and his two friends hardly glanced up at the guy.
>
The manager wasn’t giving up, though. “If you don’t leave, I’m calling the police. Don’t think I don’t know about the car you hit with your board the other day!”
Now Emerson stifled a grin, which only made the manager lose his cool completely.
“That’s it!” the manager screamed, turning around and going back inside. The automatic doors hardly opened in time for him, and he almost fell.
I jumped forward to help, but he was gone.
Lena met my eyes. “Whoa,” she said.
Ella blinked. “You talking about Emerson or the manager?”
Tori raised a brow. “Both. But that guy almost blew my eardrum out.”
We turned back to Emerson, who made his way down the street on his skateboard, but he didn’t settle for just cruising down the sidewalk.
Instead, he skated up to a small table outside a fast food place, rolled over the table on his back, board still in hand, and landed back on it. All in one swift move.
I had been sure he would crash and split his head open, but he was like some sort of Jackie Chan, using his environment to beat up his enemies, except Emerson was riding a skateboard.
His back was to me, so I didn’t expect him to turn around and find me ogling him.
But he did.
Our eyes met for a split second, and I knew he knew I’d been staring. But he didn’t laugh or smile. Instead, his gaze was intense like a hawk. His mouth serious.
My faced burned red hot, and it wasn’t because I’d been standing outside for way too long. Nope, that was the sheen and sweat and color of pure humiliation.
Then he turned away, and someone else came up beside me.
Lena’s loud voice rang in my ear. “OH MY GOSH, DID EMERSON LOPEZ SMOLDER AT YOU?”
I dragged Lena away from the scene of the crime and into the store.
#HateThatBoy Page 17
