“I’m still full from dinner, so who wants to jump right in?” I asked, glancing between my three guys. With a round of nods, the four of us headed to the dancing crowd.
After almost an hour of twisting, turning, and just outright going to town with the music, my throat was dry and I was starting to get hungry again. Tapping the guys on the shoulder, I let them know I was headed to the refreshment table.
“Hey, Emma,” Ashley greeted when I was filling my paper cup with the pink liquid. “You having fun?” Ever since the party from hell and the trial against Jesse, my rocky relationship with Ashley and the twins, Ivy and Iris, had smoothed out, almost as if a tender truce had been called. Nodding, I looked over at the three of them, all wearing various shades of rich jewel tones, and I had to admit, they looked really pretty in their dresses.
“Yeah, I am. Though dancing that much really works up my appetite,” I joked, laughing as I filled a small plate with the snacks laid out for the event. “How about you guys?”
“Definitely a nice break from the homework and stress of finals,” Right Twin explained.
One of these days, I will make sure to commit their names to memory, but today is not that day.
“Ugh and waiting to find out if you get accepted into college,” Left Twin tacked on, taking a bite of her cookie.
“But at least ACTs and that crap is done,” I offered, knowing exactly how they felt.
“Facts,” they said together.
“So yes, to answer your question, we are. Though we should probably get back to our dates,” Ashley murmured. “Kind of left them a bit ago to come stuff our faces.”
“Oh, who’re your dates?” I asked, genuinely enjoying our conversation and the ease at which we were chatting.
“They go to Millmer East and Millmer North, and we’ve known them since we were kids—oh, there they are! We’ll see you later, Emma. Have fun!” Ashley called out, starting toward three guys who just appeared at the edge of the room. Waving, I finished my drink and brownie.
“Perfect timing, Babydoll,” Kingston told me when I walked up to the guys, all three of them seated at a nearby table. “Would you dance with me?” he asked sweetly, giving me a warm smile.
“I’d love to.”
Taking his hand, Kingston and I headed back out to the dance floor. A fun pop song was playing, Kingston taking my hand and spinning me in a very Reid-like manner to the beat. As we swayed and moved together, the rest of the room faded away. It was just Kingston and me.
“You look beautiful tonight.” He tugged me in at the end of the song and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. A contented sigh left me, the worries that had been plaguing me melting at the gentle touch. “I love you.”
“I love you too, King.”
“You two are just so adorable!” Zo exclaimed in a sing-song, her and her date moving past us to the edge of the dance floor. The interruption made both of us laugh, Kingston’s chest shaking with each chuckle. He gave me one more kiss before stepping back. At first, I was confused, but in his place came Reid.
“May I have this dance, Cali girl?” He offered his hand, giving me an almost cordial bow.
“You may,” I murmured, the butterflies roaring to life as he started to shift us to the slower beat.
Unlike Kingston's dancing, there was an underlying seductiveness to Reid’s. It set my blood on fire, and my stomach flip-flopped with excited nerves at feeling such things in the middle of a crowded room. Before I knew it, the song was over, but Reid wasn’t done yet. Just like the last time we danced, he curled me in and dipped me low, his scruff brushing against my collar bone and chest.
“Wow,” I whispered.
“Perfect, that was the exact reaction I was hoping for,” he said with a smirk before pulling me upright. “Want to take a seat for a bit? I know I get pretty tired after a while.”
“Yes, please,” I agreed, taking his elbow when he offered it, but by the time we reached the table, I really needed to go to the bathroom, so I excused myself. Stepping out of the ballroom into the side hall that led to the restroom, I found myself swaying to the music as it filtered out into the hall despite being tired and sore.
“Oh, excuse me,” I exclaimed, having almost collided with a girl exiting the bathroom. When I got a better look at who it was, I felt my brow knit together. She looked familiar.
“Emma, right?” she asked, and as soon as she spoke I realized who it was.
Veronica.
Reid’s ex-girlfriend.
“Yes, and you’re Veronica. I hope anyway,” I tacked on, realizing I may have misremembered.
“That’s me,” she confirmed. “You here with Reid?”
“Yup, and the others. You here for Arbor Ridge’s prom, or are you attending one of the others in the other ballrooms?” I asked her, wondering why I was having this conversation instead of just going to the bathroom.
Who really wants to waste time at their senior prom talking to their boyfriend’s ex?
Oh right, me apparently.
“Both, technically, my boyfriend’s a junior at Arbor Ridge.” Thankfully, she didn’t seem irritated, awkward, or mean, which was a plus.
“Fun, well I’ll let you go enjoy yourself,” I said awkwardly, trying my best to give her a friendly smile to make it seem like I wasn’t feeling out of place.
“You too. Oh, and Emma?” she called out as I walked farther into the tiled hall leading to the bathroom. Turning back, I looked at her, praying she wasn’t about to make a mean girl comment, remembering how the bowling alley had gone. “I’m really sorry about when we first met. I was jealous then, but I’m happy Reid has someone.”
Well, hot dang, that is definitely not what I expected her to say.
“Don’t worry about it,” I reassured, giving her a genuine smile this time. “We can pretend it didn’t happen and our first actual conversation was blocking the entrance to a girls’ bathroom.” My terrible joke made both of us laugh, the last of the awkwardness dissipating.
“Sounds good to me. See you around.” With that, she turned and started back down the hall and into the ballroom.
Never would have guessed that would have gone down tonight, I noted pleasantly, going to the bathroom and washing my hands quickly before heading back into the hall. Instead of finding it empty, I saw Jesse leaning against the wall across from the bathrooms.
“Hey, Love,” he said softly as I approached. “It had been a bit, and I know sometimes you have a bit of trouble with being in bathrooms, wanted to come check on you.”
“I’m good, Jess,” I reassured, warmth blooming in my chest as he wrapped me in his arms. “Was talking for a bit which is why it took me a while.”
“Fun, who were you chatting with?”
“Veronica.” It was almost comical seeing the transformation of Jesse’s expression as he registered my statement. Shock and confusion, worry, and then finally anger before I explained what had happened.
“So… it wasn’t like the bowling alley?” Jesse questioned, trying to understand.
“Nope, we’re good. She has a new boyfriend.”
“Good, I don’t want anyone to ruin your night.” Kissing me, Jesse tightened his arms around me in a hug. “Want to go dance some more? The dance itself is almost over then onto post-prom.”