After dancing their story of love for me—the heroic football player who was much more than a woman/girly cheerleader—Sean met me out in the hall. “Not cool, man! You could have warned me.”
“Would you have still done the dance?”
“Yes. But I might have choreographed a few additions, so I didn’t look like such a loser.”
I chuckled. “Hence the reason we didn’t warn you. Besides, it wasn’t designed to make you look like a loser. You don’t need any help doing that.” Sean sucker punched me. “Oaf,” I grunted. “The routine was supposed to be ironic and send a subliminal message that it’s cool for boys to be cheerleaders. I’m already recruiting for the second season.”
“You actually think you’ll get more guys to join?”
“I’ve already got one,” I replied confidently.
“Who?” Sean asked. When I grinned at him, he yelled. “Oh, heck no!”
Later that night, the cheer squad’s extensive halftime performance earned more applause than the skit had. I tried to convince Mia it was because we rocked it. But Mia blamed the fact that I stripped down on the sideline. I didn’t have time to change into my cheer uniform, so I whipped off my shoulder pads and cleats in front of the whole world. I put the jersey back on and did the entire dance as a barefoot football player. It made the tumbling more difficult, but the crowd ate it up.
We won the game, and afterward the local newspaper got a nice quote about me from Grandpa. Then I was pulled aside by Roger Klein. He wanted a quick interview for the Sunday sports section. I could tell Cole was super annoyed, but he handled it with dignity. When the reporter asked him how he felt about me filling in, he expressed gratitude for having, and I quote, the best second-string QB in the league. He even complimented my performance—both of them.
Three weeks ago, I thought becoming a cheerleader might turn me into a social outcast. It ended up making me more popular instead. I guess not all high school kids are as shallow as they’re portrayed in movies and books. Who’d have thought swapping a football for pom-poms would earn me so much respect?
Chapter 24
I stood in front of my full-length mirror, twirling to make sure my bra wasn’t hanging out. The more I looked at the peach dress, the more I loved it. My mom splurged on nails and hair this afternoon since tonight was my last Homecoming dance. The stylist had given me an updo and pinned tiny flowers that resembled tiger lilies all around the curls.
Mom knocked on my door before opening it. She took one look at me and got teary-eyed. “Oh, my baby. All grown up. You look beautiful, Mia.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I crossed the room to give her a hug.
“I should have had more kids.” She sniffled, dabbing at the tears. “I can’t believe you’ll be leaving me soon.”
“It won’t be that bad. State College is less than two hours away. You’ll probably be annoyed by how often I come home.” I smiled and patted her arm. I’d applied to Penn State, which was the only college I was interested in attending. But I had awesome grades and no reason to believe I wouldn’t get accepted.
“You can come home whenever you want. In fact, you don’t even have to move out,” she suggested hopefully.
I laughed. “Sorry. This baby bird is definitely leaving the nest.”
She sighed. “Can’t blame me for trying.”
The doorbell rang, and I tensed. “That’s probably Nick. Will you get it? I don’t want to come across as too anxious.”
“You seem to like him a lot more than the last couple of guys you dated.” Mom grinned mischievously. “Does that mean this one will stick around for a while?”
“I sure hope so.” I’d finally found a boy worth holding on to. It only took me most of high school to do it. If Nick and I flopped, I was throwing in the towel until college.
“Me too. There’s something special about this one. I can tell.” She left my room, and I heard her greet Nick. A second later, the doorbell rang again. It was Sean and Stacie this time. We were meeting here for pictures, then heading to a fancy restaurant where we’d hook up with Cass, her date, and a couple of his friends.
I was packing my clutch when I heard Mom cooing over how handsome Nick looked. Crap! I hadn’t filled her in on the secret status of our relationship. She and Dad were in high school together. They didn’t date back then, but the mere fact that they knew each other was enough to make her extra motherly with all my boyfriends. Just in case they were the one.
I bolted down the hall as fast as high heels would carry me, slowing right as I rounded the corner to the foyer. “Hey, guys,” I greeted, attempting to calm my racing heart and keep my mom from inadvertently exposing me.
“Ooh, I love the dress,” Stacie squealed.
“Thanks. Yours is lovely, too.”
Nick’s eyes danced while he took me in from head to toe. Then he gave Stacie the once-over to appear impartial. “Stacie, you look way too nice for this big lug.” He thumbed at Sean.
“Please,” Sean scoffed, running his hands down the lapels of his suit jacket. “I happen to think I’m quite dapper this evening. Even I won’t embarrass her.”
“Agreed,” I said, proceeding to hug him and Stacie so I could hug Nick last without looking too obvious.
When I finally wrapped my arms around Nick, he whispered in my ear, “I think peach is my new favorite color. You’re absolutely stunning.” I pulled away. It’d been a week now, and the tingling sensation I always got when he was close hadn’t faded one bit.
“Picture time,” my mom announced, directing us back to the front yard. We had lots of flowers, trees, and bushes that made our property gardenesque. It was a great place for photos.
On the way out, I pulled her aside. “Hey, Stacie and Sean don’t know Nick and I are dating yet. Don’t mention it, okay?”
She gave me a funny look. “Sounds illicit. Should I be worried?”
“No. It isn’t a big deal. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow.”
Mom nodded. “Now I’m intrigued.”
“It’s not that exciting.” I laughed. “But could you tell Dad to keep it on the DL, too?”
Dad walked out behind us, and she grabbed him by the arm. After she whispered in his ear, he quirked an eyebrow at me and looked back at Mom. She shrugged. He kissed her on the cheek and made his way to me. “Hey, pumpkin. You look incredible.”
“Thanks, Dad.” I gave him a hug.
“I expect a good story over breakfast,” he mumbled while I was close. Then he turned to Nick and put a firm hand on his shoulder. “I presume you’ll take good care of my daughter this evening?”
“The best,” Nick replied. “I’ll return her without a scratch by…” He trailed off, waiting for an answer.
“Midnight,” Dad said.
“Eleven fifty-five,” Nick countered.
Dad chuckled. “I think you’ve got a keeper here, Mia.” He said it loud enough for everyone to hear. I glowered at him and he smirked, letting me know he’d done it on purpose to punish me for not giving him the full story now.
“Dad, we’re just friends.” I rolled my eyes for effect.
“Well, then keep him as a friend,” Dad fired back. It should have been a harmless comment, but with Sean around, anything could be twisted.
“Or, at least, a friend with benefits,” Sean said suggestively. I was so embarrassed I could have died. Even Nick’s cheeks turned red.
Mom pursed her lips in objection, but the worst part was my dad’s reaction. “There will be no benefits until she’s eighteen next month. Then I’ll allow hugging, hand-holding, and kissing—without tongue.”
“Oh my gosh. Stop!” I hollered before covering my face with my hands. I was going to kill them both.
“Steven,” my mom chided, clucking her tongue with disapproval.
But it was too late. He’d opened a can of worms. Of course, Stacie had to chime in next. “There’s no kissing or hand holding at all until after football season, right, Mia?”
“Football season?” Dad asked. His forehead wrinkled, and he shoved his hands in his pockets. “What do benefits have to do with football season?” I was mortified. He actually used air quotes when he said the word benefits. Dad would drag this out as long as he could.
“We’re just friends!” I threw my arms in the air and stomped toward the driveway.
“Amelia,” Dad called. “Come back, pumpkin. We’re only messing around. You don’t have to kiss Nick when you turn eighteen. You don’t ever have to kiss him if you don’t want to.”
“Gah!” I screamed. Dad and Sean were about to lose it. Even my mother was hiding a smile, now that she realized all the benefits talk was purely to get me riled up. No doubt she was glad not to be the object of torture for once.
Nick ran to cut me off. He grabbed me by the shoulders, trying his hardest not to laugh. “Ignore them. I don’t expect kissing.” He spun me around and marched me back to the group.
“Though, he won’t object to it, either,” Sean quipped.
Dad put his finger up. “After her birthday.”
Mom finally jumped to my rescue. Sometimes the propriety came in handy. “That’s enough, everyone. If she’s flustered, it will ruin my pictures. And you all know how mothers feel about pictures.” If they didn’t know, they were about to find out. She spent twenty minutes arranging us in a million different poses before I cut her off.
“Mom, I think you’ve got enough. We have a dinner reservation. Don’t want them to give our table away. I refuse to walk into Taco Bell dressed like this.”
Even the thought made my mom cringe. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Get out of here.” She shooed us away. “I’ll send the best pictures to Mia, and she can text them to all of you.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Ashlock,” Stacie said.
Sean waved at my parents. “It was nice to meet you.”
“You too, Sean. You’re welcome to come back anytime,” Dad replied.
“No, he’s not!” I argued vehemently. That was a situation I clearly could not endorse. “He’s banned from this house.” Sean gave Dad an evil grin and held out his fist. To my surprise, my dad bumped it. “Oh, for the love.” I groaned. “This is not happening. I’m leaving. You guys can come if you want.”
Dad laughed and took my mom by the hand. “Be safe,” he said as they went in.
“We will,” Nick called back.
I was standing at the passenger side of Nick’s car, waiting for him to unlock the door when Stacie asked, “Should we drive together?”
No! I wanted to yell. If I didn’t get a few minutes alone with my boyfriend tonight, I was going to cry. Especially after the scene everyone just made. I looked for a reason to disagree. “What if someone wants to leave early?”
“Nobody’s going to leave early,” Sean argued. “We’re not bringing you home a minute before eleven fifty-five.”
“Come on,” Stacie urged. “It’ll be more fun if we’re together.” She gave me a somber expression. “You aren’t going to leave me alone with this bozo all night, are you?”
“Okay, we can go together,” I conceded.
“I’m driving, then?” Nick asked.
Stacie looked back at her car. It was a total beater. “Um, yeah. If you don’t mind.”
“No problem.” Nick walked around and opened my door for me. When Stacie started to get in the car, Nick cleared his throat loudly.
“Oh. Right.” Sean ran over to her. “Wait, woman. I’m supposed to get that for you.”
“How chivalrous,” Stacie replied dryly.
I got no physical contact with Nick in the car. At the restaurant, he squeezed my knee a couple times, but anything more than that would have been obvious. I nudged Nick with my elbow before I excused myself to the bathroom, hoping he’d go, too, so we could have thirty seconds together. When I stood, all five girls decided we should have a group trip. That was a major backfire. I didn’t even need to pee.
I thought for sure the dance would be better, but it wasn’t. Nick and I were never more than a foot apart, and not once did we get any privacy. Not even a single second of downtime. We stopped at the professional photographer when we entered the building. And then a thousand people just had to say hello. We’d barely gotten to the dance floor when the principal cut the music to announce the Homecoming court.
Both Nick and I had been nominated, which pulled us apart for almost half an hour. Thankfully, neither of us won king or queen. Those unfortunate distinctions went to Cole and Melanie Short, the student body president. After the crowning ceremony was finished, we were whisked away, yet again, for more pictures. At least Nick and I got to stand together.
“Okay, ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for our Homecoming court’s spotlight dance,” the DJ announced. Nick and I had already danced a few fast songs but had yet to catch a slow one. “Will the king and queen please make their way to the floor?”
Cole had come with Sarah Litman, but he and Melanie were friends, so it wasn’t super awkward when the music started and the spotlight singled them out. At least, not for them. Sarah didn’t look too happy. I might have felt a tiny bit vindicated.
After about thirty seconds, the DJ said, “Now can we have the princes and princesses join them, please?”
Nick grabbed me by the hand and led me to the floor. He put his arms around my waist, making sure we weren’t too close. “How are you holding up?” he asked.
“Crappy.”
“Glad to know I’ve made your evening such a dreadful experience,” he joked.
“I’m sorry.” I winced, looking up at him. “I didn’t mean it like that. You’re the best part of my whole night. I’m frustrated that we haven’t really gotten to spend any of it together.”
“What are you talking about?” Nick asked. “The only time I haven’t been with you is the ten minutes you ditched me at the restaurant to have a potty party.”
I pouted at him. “Dumb girls, they ruined my plan. You were supposed to follow me so we could sneak into the coat room and make out for a minute.”
Nick chuckled. “Well, if you’d told me beforehand, I could have made it work.”
“I don’t know why girls always feel the need to pee in packs,” I grumbled. “It’s kind of gross, if you think about it.” Nick was laughing now. “It’s not funny,” I whined.
“Sorry.” He pressed his lips together, not sorry in the least.
I looked around at the crowd. There were five couples dancing right now, and all eyes were on us. “For heaven’s sake, this is the first chance we’ve had to slow dance, and everyone’s watching so I can’t even enjoy it.”
Nick smiled sympathetically. “Not to say I told you so, but I’d like to point out that if you weren’t so bent on subterfuge, I could have kissed you like a hundred times already tonight.”
I narrowed my eyes. “And if you hadn’t just worked the word subterfuge into your sentence, I might be mad that you pointed it out.”
He grinned. “You liked that, huh?”
I cracked a smile. “Yeah, it was a good one.”
The song was nearing its end. Nick pulled me a little closer. “Just talk to Stacie,” he whispered into my ear. His warm breath tickled my neck, sending goose bumps down my arms. “I really don’t think it’ll be a big deal.”
I frowned, looking down at my feet. “I don’t want her to be mad or disappointed in me.”
The song stopped. “One last round of applause for this year’s Homecoming court,” the DJ said loudly. The room filled with polite clapping, and another fast song started. We continued to stand there while the dance floor flooded with people.
Nick pinned me under a stare that cut to my core. “If Stacie’s mad that you’re happy, she’s not worth disappointing.” He grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips. They skimmed across my skin, shooting fire through my veins.
Suddenly I didn’t care what Stacie, Cassidy, or the rest of the girls thought. Nick was worth whatever consequences came from breaking t
heir stupid rule. My own happiness was more important than pleasing them. Another power surge coursed through me, much like last week when I’d spoken to Coach Moody. Only this one was ten times stronger.
“You know what? You’re right. Let’s go find Stacie.” I yanked on his arm, dragging him away from the throng of dancers.
“Right now?” He laughed.
“Yes, right now. I’d really like to spend the last hour of my last Homecoming enjoying your company, not hiding from it.” I plowed through the bodies like a girl on a mission.
When we finally broke free, Nick forced me to a stop. “Have I mentioned how sexy confident, determined Mia is?”
His grin was lopsided and charming and mischievous, and I couldn’t help myself. I pushed to my tiptoes and kissed him, right there in front of everyone. It felt really good to do what I wanted without worrying what people would think or say. Nick got this goofy grin and tried to steal another kiss. I put my finger to his lips. “There’ll be more of that in a minute,” I promised. “But first, you have to help me look for Stacie.”
We went back to the table where our group had piled their things. There were phones and purses and coats but no people. Next, we cruised over to the refreshment area but struck out there as well. “Hmm. I thought for sure Sean would be spiking the punch,” Nick jested. “Should we try the bathrooms?”
“Yeah, good idea,” I agreed. We burst through the gym doors into the cool air of the hallway. There were a few groups milling about but no Stacie and Sean. I checked the girls’ room and Nick checked the boys’. “Nada,” I said when I came back out.
“Me either.” Nick shook his head. “Why don’t you just text her?”
“She doesn’t have her phone.” I frowned. “I saw it sitting on the table next to her purse.”
“At least we know they didn’t leave.”
“Where else could they be? The teachers have this place on lockdown. We aren’t allowed anywhere but the gym and this hall. They wouldn’t have gone outside, because if you leave you can’t come back in.”
“I’ll try texting Sean.” Nick pulled his phone out and typed on the screen. A minute passed with no response.
One of the Girls (Friendzone #1) Page 22