Rumor Has It Box Set: The Complete Series, Books 1-5

by RH Tucker

  “Daddy,” I say through gritted teeth. Matt’s already out the door, so I’m hoping he didn’t hear it, but I hear him chuckle under his breath as I walk through the doorway.

  “So,” Matt starts as he leans against his car door. “As far as meeting parents go, that was the most painless encounter I’ve had yet.”

  “Oh, meet a lot of parents, have you?”

  “A few.” He smirks. “Seriously, though, thanks for inviting me to dinner, even though I know you were just hoping I’d say no.” I let out a guilty smile. “It actually felt like a real family dinner.”

  “Um, that’s because it was a real family dinner.”

  “No, I know.” He laughs. “It’s just that we don’t eat with my dad much. Debbie cooks our dinners for us most of the time and we’ll either eat watching TV or in our rooms.”

  “Oh.”

  “So, yeah. This was nice. And …” He flashes a coy smirk. “I think I transitioned back nicely in there.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, when I first showed up, your dad thought I was a guy to be worried over, then a harmless geek. And now, leaving, he gave you the daddy’s girl warning.”

  “Daddy’s girl warning?”

  “Yeah.” Matt smiles, then deepens his voice. “Don’t stay out too late with that young man, honey. I know boys and what they’re after.”

  I really try not to laugh, but I can’t help it. Matt’s laugh intertwines with mine, and as if it’s the most natural thing in the world, he reaches his hand out, lacing his fingers with mine. And it does feel natural. The tingles spread up my arm, and my fingers feel like they’re made to fit with his.

  “And are you after something?”

  “Yeah. You.”

  “Matt.” I look down but don’t pull my hand away.

  “Iz, you can’t tell me you don’t feel whatever this is.” He raises our hands up together.

  Finally, forcing out whatever bravery I have, I meet his beautiful eyes. “I do feel it, Matt. But—”

  “I know, I know.” Matt leans his head back. “And what about prom? You’re still saying no to that?”

  I nod.

  “And there’s nothing I can do to change your mind?”

  There’s a light breeze, and as I stare up at him, his hair ruffles a little in the air. It makes me think of Spike. As soon as the though occurs, an idea hits me.

  “You know what? I will go to prom with you.”

  “You will?” Matt stands up straighter, at full attention.

  “Yes, on one condition.”

  “Name it. Anything.”

  I smile. “I told you how my prom dress is going to kick ass, but I didn’t tell you why. I’m modifying a cosplay costume I have of Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop, keeping the top similar, but the shorts will be a dress.”

  “Oh, wow.” Matt’s eyes gleam as they shoot up and down my body. “That sounds amazing.”

  “So,” I try to keep smiling, but my nose wrinkles because I know he’s not going to respond to my idea very well. “I’ll go with you to prom, if you dress in that Spike suit I saw in your room.”

  “What?” he deadpans.

  “You’d look awesome.”

  “Izzy—”

  “No, Matt. I just don’t get what you’re so afraid of. You like this stuff. I like that you like it. Who cares what anyone else thinks.”

  I wait as he stares at me, his lips pressed together. It almost seems like he’s pleading with me to say something else. To come up with a different condition. I’m not going to break the silence though. He’s going to accept it or not. It’s his choice. As I watch him, the conflict playing out over his face, I know what his choice is going to be.

  He let’s go of my hand, leaning down to me. As much as his refusal hurts, if he’s going to kiss me, I welcome it. Maybe it’ll be the last time we ever kiss, but at least, it will be some kind of closure.

  Instead of his lips finding mine, he turns slightly and gives me the slightest kiss on the cheek. I close my eyes, unsure whether to be upset or content because I feel both.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he whispers, before getting in his car and driving away.

  Chapter 22

  Matt

  The rest of the week Izzy and I mostly keep to ourselves. I don’t give her anymore classroom whispers. I still want to go to prom with her, which I told her again the next day. But she still held her ground. Even if we didn’t speak much, whenever I see her smile, it makes me remember what it was like when we kissed. I’ve kissed a few girls, but there’s something about her. Us. I want to explore what that is. Not just kissing her, which I want to do too, but we connect. She knows who I really am and likes it. I also told her that I didn’t apply to college, another secret I’ve been keeping from everyone, but it didn’t seem to bother her. I’m still surprised my father hasn’t nagged me about college applications, but then again, he doesn’t really pay attention to the stuff going on around me.

  But Izzy does. Even when we don’t say anything, our eyes meet as we’re coming or going from class. A silent conversation. I know what I’m saying, but I’m not quite sure what she is.

  It’s funny because all the costumes I’ve designed have a mask so that I won’t be recognized. The Spike costume was easy enough to make, and I didn’t mind that it was just a suit, because I never wore it to a comic convention. I actually used it last year for Halloween, when I took Isaac out trick-or-treating.

  Isaac dressed up as Ed, even though in the show Ed is a girl and I told him that. “I don’t care,” he said. “She’s cool. And she has those goggles. And she’s into all that computer stuff, like me.”

  It’s a tradition I started with him three years ago when our parents split up. We both dressed up and I took us out to different neighborhoods that have a reputation for giving out loads of good candy.

  But wearing it to prom is a totally different story than wearing it for Halloween. If I don’t feel comfortable enough even telling my best friend I’m into all things nerd, and that I designed and made my own cosplay costumes, how in the hell can I dress up in front of the entire school for prom? Worst of all, I hate that that is my only hindrance in going to prom with Izzy and I can’t get over it.

  One thing that doesn’t go by unnoticed, by either myself or Izzy, is how the rest of the school has seemed to form a Team Izzy group. Her friends have taken it upon themselves to put up posters with different superhero logos or quotes, that all urge people to vote for Izzy on prom court.

  Today’s the last day to get in votes before the court is revealed at the pep rally. By the looks of it, Yvette and Sarah’s attempt to make Izzy the joke vote is going to backfire in their face.

  We get out of sociology and both head for the quad for lunch.

  “Looks like Team Izzy is making a run for the money.”

  “Yeah, Cindy and V got a little carried away.”

  “I think it’s cool.”

  “Thanks.” She grins.

  “You know you’re gonna be on the court, right?” I mean it in a real way, that people are actually voting for her. But she laughs it off.

  “Yeah, I’m the joke vote, remember?”

  “Hey.” I pull her to the side. “Iz, you’re not the joke vote to me.”

  Her eyes meet mine, and she gives me a warm smile. “I know.”

  “And you’re not the joke vote to a lot of people. People like that you’re you. Like you said, you’re definitely owning it.”

  “You know.” She takes a step closer, enough that I can smell her and relish in it. “People would like that you’re you too.”

  “Are we really gonna go over that again?” My chagrin makes her roll her eyes, but she keeps her smile in place.

  “Fine.”

  “Look, if you don’t want to go to prom with me—”

  “I said I would. You just have to accept my condition.”

  I let out an incredulous laugh. “You know, you really drive me crazy,
in more ways than one.”

  We stay silent for a minute longer, her amber eyes staring at mine. God, I really want to kiss her. My tongue rolls across my bottom lip and I catch her staring at it, which makes me grin.

  I clear my throat. “Anyways, after counting the votes, we set everyone up for the prom court couples when they’re announced. I know Yvette is going to want me to couple with her for the prom week events if I’m on court.”

  “Well, there you go,” she sarcastically replies. “The President and VP. One happy couple.”

  “I want to couple with you.”

  “Matt, I don’t think …”

  She trails off, looking down at the ground. I bring my hand under her chin. I don’t know what she feels when I’m around, but if it’s anything like the electricity that shoots through me from my fingers just brushing her skin, she doesn’t let on.

  As I catch my breath, she looks up at me. “Please?”

  She bites her lip again, holding back a smile. “You can’t do that to me.”

  “What?”

  “Get all doe-eyed on me.” She laughs, then raises a hand to my cheek. “And you got this sexy scruff going on.”

  My breath hitches again, and this time I know she catches my reaction, pulling her hand away.

  “Sexy, huh?”

  “Watch it.” She points at me. “I can still say no to the prom week coupling.”

  “You can try,” I smile, running my hand down her arm. I finally get the reaction I want, the same one she’s been giving me, and it brings a huge grin to my lips. “But we both know you won’t.”

  She pulls her arm away just before I can hold her hand and gives me a coy smile. “I should go.”

  “Okay.” I take a deep breath. “I have to go too. The rest of the day we’re going to be counting up the ballots.”

  “That reminds me, you’ll probably like my little show tomorrow?”

  I raise an eyebrow. “Show? At the pep rally?”

  “Yep. You’ll see.” She smiles and then turns to leave.

  I pick up a soda and pizza on my way to the student council room. We all received clearance from our teachers for the last two periods to tally the prom court votes, and we’re trying to get the counts done before the end of last period, so we don’t have to stay after school.

  “Damn, we got a lot of votes this year,” Greg says, tallying up some votes for the guys’ side.

  Our senior class is a class size of just over four hundred and it seems like almost every one of them voted this year. Some years the vote count was low, which made it easier for the ASB officials to count, but it looks like everyone wanted to nominate someone this year.

  “Ho. Ly. Shit,” Yvette spits out.

  She and Oscar decided to work on the girl votes, while Greg and I counted up the guys.

  “What’s up?” I ask and catch Oscar holding back a laugh.

  “There’s no way this is right,” she says, still staring at her paper on her desk.

  I get up and walk over to her. Her eyes shoot up at me, annoyed, while her fingers grip the paper. I tug at it, but she doesn’t let go. I walk behind her, rather than try to argue with her. When my eyes see the vote count, they widen. I can’t help the proud smile that creeps across my face.

  “No way.” I chuckle. “She got second place.”

  “Looks like Nerd Girl ain’t such a joke.” Oscar laughs, making Yvette snap her head to him, her eyes burning with rage.

  “This has to be a mistake.”

  “I don’t know.” Greg looks over at us. “Did you see those posters her friends made for her? This past week she kind of got a following going.”

  “Sarah’s gonna flip,” I let out, trying to stifle my laughter.

  “This isn’t funny, Matt.” Yvette gets up from her desk, turning to me.

  “Calm down.” I put up my hands. “She was going to be on the court anyways, remember? This way we don’t have to rig the votes.”

  “Stupid.” She folds her arms, looking back at the paper. “Fine, whatever. Greg, you guys finish the tallies?”

  “Yeah, for the most part.” He stands up. “I mean, there’s still maybe a dozen or so, but it doesn’t look like that’ll be enough to cast out anyone.”

  “Did I make it?” Oscar eagerly leans over his desk.

  He could’ve kept track of the counts the entire time, but he said he wanted to be surprised.

  “You made it,” Greg says.

  “Who else for the guys?” Yvette orders, still burning from the fact that Izzy came in second place.

  I walk over to check out the list as Greg starts reading. “So, like I said, we got Oscar. Matt’s on the court.” I roll my eyes. “We also have Franco Avila. Our starting QB this year, Bret Thompson.”

  I nod. “Bret’s a cool dude.”

  “And, of course, Sam Patterson,” Greg finishes.

  “At least one of the joke votes knows their place.” Yvette curls a lip.

  “Okay.” I ignore her. “Who’s on the girl’s court?”

  “So,” Oscar starts, taking the paper from Yvette’s desk. “Yvette and Sarah, obviously. Then Isabel.” He snickers making Yvette let out a loud, annoyed groan. “Jen Harris and Natalie Frazier.”

  “We already know the themes for next week, so now we need to make the couples,” Yvette says, looking at me.

  “Yeah, I had an idea about that.” I take a seat on top of a desk. “Like you guys, I saw all the posters for Izzy.”

  “Those were so lame,” Yvette groans.

  “I kind of liked them,” Greg counters.

  “Whatevs.”

  “Anyways.” I give Yvette a look to calm down. “No one knew how well she’d do, but, Yvette, I don’t think we should pair Sam and her up?”

  “What?” Yvette scoffs. “Of course, we should. That’s the whole point, Matt.”

  “I know it has been, in the past. But she came in second. Do you know why?” Yvette shakes her head, and I look over at Oscar, who shrugs. “It’s because she owned this joke vote. She didn’t let us make fun of her. And people got behind that. If you pair her up with Sam, how much more do you think she’ll get people voting for her during court week.”

  “Matt.” Yvette lets out a long breath, scowling. “You don’t actually think she’s going to be able to get the votes for prom queen, do you?”

  “I don’t know.” I feign ignorance. I actually think she will, but this is all part of my plan. “But, I know you want that crown. Do you really want to chance putting her with Sam, and adding even more fuel to the fire?”

  Greg nods. “He kind of has a point.”

  “So, what’s your suggestion then?” Yvette folds her arms.

  “We mix it up. Let’s put Sam with someone else.”

  “I’m not doing that.” She looks disgusted.

  “Whoa, I didn’t say you. Let’s go with, I don’t know, Natalie? And I’ll couple with Isabel.”

  “You?” Oscar shoots me an unbelieving look.

  “What?” Yvette stares at me like I just grew a second head.

  “Hear me out.” I put up a finger.

  This part of the plan I’d thought up this week, and it works even better now, knowing how many votes Izzy got. It’s going to make me sound like a douche, but if it works Yvette will believe me, and I’ll be paired up with Izzy.

  “Izzy’s a nerd, right?” Yvette nods. “And I’m class president. Now that I’m on the court, I could also be this year’s prom king.”

  “No way, dude.” Oscar shoots me a jealous glare. “I’m taking prom king.”

  “Okay, but I was homecoming king. So, you put me with the nerd girl, and it might not make her seem so, gung-ho, you know? It could make her blend in like she’s just another person on prom court. Meanwhile, you’ll be out there campaigning for your crown, just like we all know you’ll get.”

  I stay on top of the desk, trying to give Yvette the most confident smile I can muster. Her eyes stay on me as she thinks about it.r />
  “But if you couple with her, then who will I get?” She sticks out her bottom lip as if she’s hurt we aren’t coupling together.

  I look over at Oscar. “How about Oscar?”

  She looks over at him, eyeing him up and down as if trying to register if he was good enough for her. Oscar doesn’t seem to mind. “I’m down.”

  “Mm, okay.” She looks back at me, pointing. “I’m still campaigning for you though, Matt. We will be king and queen.”

  “Hey, what about me?” Oscar looks insulted. “I’m your court couple now.”

  Yvette gives him a fake smile with an apologetic shrug.

  “Okay, then,” Greg speaks up. “So that’s three of the couples. What about that last two?”

  I stare at the two lists. “If no one has any objections, I say Jen and Franco.” Jen’s going to flip when she finds out. She’s still hoping Franco will ask her to prom and them being together during the week should make it easy enough.

  “Sounds good,” Oscar agrees. “So that leaves Sarah and Bret. Nice pairing actually, starting quarterback and cheerleading captain.” He chuckles.

  “Okay.” I look around. “Seems like we got it.”

  As if waiting just for us, the bell rings, and we grab our bags to head out. As I approach the door, Yvette catches up with me.

  “So, who’s your date gonna be?” She leans in closer, giving my arm a squeeze before letting go.

  “I don’t know. We still got all the planning and everything to do. I might just go stag.” Though, inside I’m praying Izzy will have a change of heart about the costume ultimatum.

  “You can’t go stag to our senior prom, Matt. You just can’t.” She states it as if it would be a catastrophe. As if me showing up at prom with no date, other than herself I’m guessing, would keep the world from spinning.

  “People go with friends all the time, Yvette.”

  “Yes, those people do.” She waves her hand as if shooing away gnats. “We aren’t those people, Matt.” Pulling at my arm, she stops and stares at me. “I will deny I said this if you tell anyone.” She looks around nervously. “But we should go together.”