The Unconditional Pledge

27 Nick

Last year, after the senior class had filled the school's swimming pool with beer and inflatable pool toys, I remember watching them jump in one by one the rest of the school. Preston Mathers, who had spearheaded the prank, jumped in first, landing on an inflatable swan.

"Impressive," Jay had mused to me. "But we'll do better."

Girls behind us were giggling, watching each senior boy take off their tuxes and leap into the bubbly brown liquid. "Yes we will," I had answered.

One year later, our promise has come true. I've never seen the entire student population of Fieldbrook Heights so ecstatic. Thirty minutes after the strippers left the field, my ears are still ringing from the applause, and people are still coming up to me with praise. It's almost enough to push the Pledge out of my mind.

"I nearly broke my ankle," Juliby says. "Whoever wrote my pledge needs to fess up, now."

"Nuh-uh," Jay says. "We don't reveal the details until Sunday, Jules, you know that."

"Please," Courtney says, rolling her eyes. "I already know who wrote mine. So whoever it is," she says, glaring at Jay, "Made sure two other people in the room would write the same one."

Jay lets out a laugh. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Court."

Courtney laughs, too, and I'm surprised to see that whatever animosity had lingered between them since junior year has finally dissipated. Courtney looks happier than she's ever been, with Ashton's arm still around her shoulders.

"We've really set the bar high, haven't we?" Chase crows, slapping my back. "'Course, Nick came up with the football uniform idea. That really was the cherry on top."

Everyone in the circle cheers for me and I wave my hand, smiling. "Nah, the real mastermind was Jay. He was the one who proposed the male strippers."

"Of course he was," Nicole says exasperatedly. "He wanted the show more than any of us."

Jay grins, waving off everyone's teasing, and meets my eyes. I smile back to let him know that I'm not upset anymore. Whatever anger that had taken ahold of me on that street in front of my car has disappeared. Coincidentally, I think it had been right after I kissed Hannah.

"Alright, afterparty at Kyle's," Josh yells, and everyone cheers again. Mr. Stevenson and the rest of the chaperones stand by the entrance to the locker rooms, watching us tiredly. I'm not sure what year it had been when the Heights' faculty started giving up punishing the seniors for the pranks, but it's never happened in my four years here — it's become a tradition, and all they can do is try to minimize the amount of scandal as much as they can. Jay's brother, Jesse, once told us that as long as there's no full-frontal nudity, drugs, or illegal activities, they'll most likely let it slide. The slight smile on the principal's face tells me that even he is grudgingly admiring our handiwork.

As the seniors start down the field, I stay behind. Hannah had vanished during the applause, and I need to find her.

"Nick," Jay says behind me. "Hey, man, I need to tell you something."

"You're not going to the afterparty?" I ask, gesturing down the field. "You'll be late."

Jay shrugs. Now that we're alone, I see that he looks distracted. "Listen, you were right about Hannah."

My stomach flips. "What do you mean?"

Jay looks uncomfortable. "I mean, she was wasted, but I think she did... think there might've been something going on between us. More than the pledge, I mean." I notice that he leaves out any indication of his own feelings. "She seemed upset, and I don't think she wants to talk to me about it."