Part 24 (1/2)

But, table thirty-three was more than empty. It was missing.

Maybe it had gone so badly that they took down anything no one bid on.

OMG. I was a bigger failure than... well, a failure. I was like the uber-failure.

”Stop. If you hyperventilate and throw up on my shoes or something, nothing is saving this friends.h.i.+p.” Justin glanced down the hall and jerked his head toward a really efficient looking girl with a clipboard racing toward us. Her ponytail swung behind her like a schoolyard swing.

”Excuse me?” I wasn't sure she'd see me, but she ground to a halt, clipboard braced in front of her as if it held the answer to life. I guess, for me, it might have. ”What happened to item thirty-three?”

I thought she'd have to reference her notes, but instead she flashed me a huge smile-the kind where you see her upper and lower teeth. ”Oh! Thirty-three was picked up early. Someone wanted to get that one home right away.”

”Wow,” I glanced at Justin, a little disappointed when all he did was shrug. ”So, who bought it?”

Her smile faded a bit so that I could only see her upper teeth. ”Well, he asked that we not release his name.”

Her fingers curled around the loose corner of her list. She either really didn't want us to push or she was dying to be forced into telling. Before I could decide, Princ.i.p.al Edwards shouted at her and she scurried off. No smile.

”Sooo...” I let my voice trail off hoping Justin would fill in the blanks exactly like I wanted him to.

”I have no idea. He could have. But, honestly, I'm not sure how he'd keep a big painting a secret at the house.”

I thought of trying to sneak anything into that cozy farmhouse between Mrs. Parker and the twins and Thomas. And there died that dream.

Music poured out of the gym, some bad, cleaned-up version of gansta rap leaving me wondering where exactly my peers thought we were growing up. Crepe paper streamers curtained the entrance creating a hazy view of the gym's transformation before we entered. Little dis...o...b..a.l.l.s lit up the corners in flashes of blue and red and green.

”Do you want a drink?” Justin leaned down so I could hear him, but his gaze was focused on the far side of the room by the darkened bleachers.

I s.h.i.+fted just in time to see Luke pivot back toward the group he was with.

”Does he really think we're here together?” I couldn't help asking. Justin knew the plan so there was nothing to hide. He knew begging might be involved.

Justin's arm slid around my shoulder and he broke out that deadly Parker grin. ”He might. I may or may not have hinted that you were coming here as my date.”

I started to pull away, but his hand tightened.

”Let him wonder, Amy.”

I was pretty sure there was no wondering going on. There wasn't even any covert glancing going on. There was only basking in the attention of every girl in school who wanted a piece of the new guy. The hot new guy.

Man, I wish he was kind of ugly.

It is a sad revelation to realize you're on a fake date and it's the best one you've ever had. Justin made sure I had something to drink. He introduced me to his friends. We danced to the songs I liked, sat out the ones I didn't.

What a shame I'd fallen for a different Parker boy.

I was laughing up at that crooked grin when the DJ stepped aside to let Princ.i.p.al Edwards take the mic shadowed by the efficient-looking, clipboard-carrying, won't-tell-me-who-bought-my-painting girl.

Justin's arm settled across my shoulder again as I waited to see if I'd get to offer myself up for public humiliation or not.

So, what would it be? Would I get tossed into the spotlight and claim the boy of my dreams? Or would I win and make my way through the throngs, the heat of the spotlight following me, only to hold my hand out and hear him say, ”Tough luck. You had your chance.”

Or I could just lose.

Yeah. Losing looked pretty good just then.

Rachel and Jared appeared, pus.h.i.+ng their way through the semi-circle to join us. She really rocked as a best friend. Her hand found mine and wrapped it snugly in her own.

”You know,” she started. ”As grand gestures go, this one is pretty quiet. No one is really going to know it's a big time thing for you except a handful. To most people, you just did a fundraiser and now you're going to have a nice dance. It's all good.”

I sucked in a breath. Right. All good.

Across the gym, the soccer team hung out in a tight cl.u.s.ter. Some with girlfriends. Some with girl shadows. I scanned their crowd catching both Chris and Luke smiling down at girls who were not me.

Time to rethink. Plan B.

”Justin, say I win-”

”You win.”

I stared at him, wondering where the bad second grade joke came from at a moment like this.

”Sorry. Go ahead.”

”Wouldn't it be fun if, say, I picked you to be my king? Just on the off chance I win and all.”

Justin took me by the shoulders and forced me to face him. ”Amy, this is your chance. You're going to win-I know it. And for tonight you'll be the RV It-girl. This is one of those unique lifetime opportunities. Do you really want to waste it with me?”

I glanced around at the ma.s.ses knowing I'd never flit through them comfortably let alone count myself as one of them. ”You are kinda hot, you know.”

”Yeah. I know. Not the point.”

I swatted his shoulder. He had too much of his brother in him anyway.

”Seriously. If you panic, I'll be standing right here.” He looked over my shoulder toward the soccer team. ”But don't panic. Okay?”

Princ.i.p.al Edwards hefted the mic off its stand. A resounding thud-thud-thud echoed as he tapped it to check if it had magically turned itself off since the DJ had introduced him.

”Happy Homecoming Weekend!” The man could get excited about anything, but even he was juicing it up a little much. ”We had an amazing turnout for our auction and raised enough money for the fall teams' new uniforms. And now, for the moment you've been waiting for...” He raised an envelope in his hand and the DJ kicked on a synthesized drum roll.

Justin squeezed my shoulder again and whispered, ”Don't panic.”

”It was a very close race,” Mr. Edwards continued. ”At the last minute, we had a bid for the winner that pushed the crown her way.”

Beside me, Rachel bounced on her toes whispering, ”It's you! It's you!”

I shook my head, not sure how I wanted the contest to go. ”It could still be someone else.”

”But,” Mr. Edward continued. ”Before I make the announcement, I want to tell you all how very proud I am to serve at a school where the desire to help others overtook the need to run a popularity contest.”

Rachel snorted. ”Yeah, because keeping the popularity vote that is Prom Court cuts all that right out.”