The Prom Queen's Date

Chapter Twenty-Four

It was Valentine's Day; the last day of Cupid's week and the day of prom. All throughout school that day, Anna and I tended to the multiple people who bought tickets last minute.

We practically ran out the door at three pm to avoid the stampede of panicked students who assumed they could purchase tickets at the door right before prom. That wasn't happening. At least we personally weren't dealing with that. Mr. Byers could. We'd dealt with the organization of dance for too long. There was nothing more we could do than blasting it all over the school's social media, and posting the details on every poster, flyer and banner all throughout school.

Everyone had gushed about their dates, they bragged about their plans to get into limousines and carried heart balloons or held stuffed animals under their arm as they read through their Valentine's Day cards.

It was like Cupid himself invisibly flew around the school, shooting people and making the day extra perfect.

Sure, there were rejections, and maybe there were a few embarrassed tears, but friends rallied around those people, and there was no love lost for anyone. The aura of love and hope swindled around and drowned out everything else.

No one looked more perfect for each other than Sabrina and Parker as they got into Sabrina's car with their hands full of Valentine's Day gifts and overly broad stuff bears and heart-shaped candies.

While Dad drove Anna and me home, he didn't hold back on the questions.

"No offence, Anna, but I was expecting another Jenkins' girl with my daughter today of all days and nights of all nights."

"It's a friend's prom," Anna explained.

"That makes sense."

"Sam chickened out of going for the romantic option, sadly."

"I didn't chicken out," I injected and roughly pulled on the seatbelt digging into my hip.

"You totally did," Anna said.

"If I had done something big and magical to ask Sabrina out or anything to do with my feelings, I would've destroyed her chance at being prom queen. Exposed the whole charade! I wasn't a chicken. I was considerate. Plus, in no world would I be the prom queen's date. That position is already filled and what would've been the point in asking Sabrina to be my date only for her remind me of that very fact."

"Sam, what happened to listening to my advice?" Dad turned on the indicators before making a turn. "A simple conversation. Not a big explosion of public proposals."

"You also said Shoot Your Shot. Mixed messages there, Dad."

"Excuses, excuses," Anna said through a fake yawn.

"Legitimate reasons," I countered.

"Oh well, you two will have a good time together." Dad peeked at Anna through the car mirror. "Not feeling sick or anything, right, Anna?"

Anna leaned forward and squeezed his shoulder. "No, sir, and thanks for letting me crash when I was."

He placed his hand on top of hers and patted twice. "No problem, kid."

After arriving home, Dad headed into the house, and Anna leaned against the hood of the car and grabbed my arm as I went to go around her. Even if I had made a dash inside, we were spending the evening together to get ready for prom. There was no escaping her poking and prodding.

"You might be going to the prom with me, but you're leaving with Sabrina, right?"

"Anna . . ."

"You have a plan. Right? Something up your sleeve? I don't like this whole clueless and blank expression you've got going on." She let go of my arm. "She can't wait forever for you, Sam."