“That depends on three things,” he said. “Exactly how many cups of punch have you had? Are you actually broken up with Cupcake? And are you still in love with Felix?”
Kennedy gasped. “Well, I do not know how many cups I’ve had. Less than tweleven. But I know for a fact that I will never, ever let Cupcake near me again. Nunca,” she said and poked Rob in the middle of the chest. “That means never, in case you don’t know. It’s me and Brooklyn’s favorite word.”
“Nunca. Got it.” Rob smiled. “And what about the third thing?”
“I don’t remember you mentioning a third thing.”
“Are you still in love with Felix?” Rob asked.
“I do not know what you’re referring to regarding Mr. Green.”
He laughed. “I’m referring to the fact that you look at him with stars in your eyes. And that I’m pretty sure you should be asking him to go to Mr. Hill’s classroom instead of me.”
“Nunca.”
“Is that all you can say?” he said with a laugh.
“Nunca.” Kennedy started laughing too.
“I should probably steal her back,” I said.
Rob whispered something in her ear before I stole her from his embrace. Just because I’d done a lot of crazy stuff tonight didn’t mean Kennedy had to too.
“If you two need a ride home, let me know,” Rob said. “You can take my limo.”
“That’s okay. We have a ride.” I just needed to find Miller so we could get the hell out of here.
“Later Kennedy,” he said and disappeared into the crowd.
Kennedy was smiling so hard. “Brooklyn!” She turned to me. “He whispered in my ear.” She pointed to the ear that Rob had whispered in. “He said he didn’t believe the rumors. He said I looked beautiful in my dress. And that he owes me a kiss whenever I’m in a state to remember it. Whatever that means. Isn’t he the best?”
“He really is.” I ducked my arm under hers to walk her toward the bar for some water.
“What do you think he means by me not being in a state to remember a kiss?”
“That might have to do with how much you’ve had to drink.”
“Oh, he means that I’m drunk!” She giggled. “I might be drunk. But I have the best idea!” She started twirling in a circle, dragging me with her. “Let’s dance off the booze!”
Tonight, couldn’t be saved. Even by sweating out whatever her punch had been spiked with. “After some water,” I said and grabbed her hand.
“Water!” she yelled and threw her hands up in the air, almost knocking me over.
“Yup. Water.” I pulled her off the dance floor. Oh, no. Matt was still standing at the bar. Staring at me. Although he didn’t look as mad anymore. He just looked…intense. My feet froze as he lifted his finger and ran it across the tip of his nose. His lips even turned up in a smile.
Why was he smiling at me and giving me our signal? Hadn’t he seen all the terrible things I’d just done? I knew I’d promised him a dance. But not right this second. I needed a moment to just breathe.
I turned us in a circle and Kennedy yelled.
“Yay, we’re dancing!”
I spotted Miller standing along the wall. His arms were folded across his chest. And he was also staring right at me. Matt no longer looked that pissed, but Miller sure did. Despite that, it still seemed easier to walk toward Miller. I pulled Kennedy with me.
Miller raised his eyebrow at us as we stopped in front of him.
“So I’m guessing you saw that?” I asked.
His arms remained folded across his chest. “Which thing?”
That was a fair blow. “I’m really sorry…”
“You said you were only going to dance with Kennedy. Yet…Kennedy’s been hanging out at the punch bowl all night. Which now that I’m paying attention to her instead of staring at you dancing with literally every guy in the place…I realize that the punch bowl is spiked. Fuck.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You’ve already said that.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I need to go tell them to dump the punch before anyone else drinks it.”
“Miller.” I reached out and grabbed his arm. “Please, can you just take us home?”
“There aren’t any other guys you want to make out with first?”
I winced. I deserved that. “Miller…”
“I think I need a minute, Brooklyn.” He walked past me. But instead of going over to the bar to warn the bartender of the spiked punch, he pushed out the doors of the ballroom.
Shit.
Kennedy pulled on my arm. “Come on. This is supposed to be the best night ever. I don’t want to go home yet. Dance with me.”
“Kennedy, I messed everything up.” I felt like curling up in a ball and crying. This wasn’t the best night ever. It was the worst.
“What happens at homecoming stays at homecoming!”
“I don’t think that’s a thing.”
“Sure it is. Please.” She stuck out her bottom lip. “Dance with me?”
I’d already let her down tonight. And Miller said he needed a minute to cool off. It wouldn’t kill me to dance while I waited for him to come back. “Okay.”
Kennedy dragged me onto the dance floor. But I kept my eyes on the ballroom doors. Song after song passed, but Miller didn’t come back.
I started to look around for Rob. He’d said we could borrow his limo. Or maybe Felix could get us home. He was still here somewhere. Right?
The later it got, the more my stomach twisted into knots. I had that same feeling in my gut that I did the day my mom had passed away. The same feeling I did when the ambulance had come to Empire High. It was like a ticking time bomb. I needed to get us out of here.
The music died away and Mr. Hill tapped on the microphone. “Let’s give a hand to our homecoming king and queen, James Hunter and Isabella Pruitt.” He clapped his hands together as Isabella and James walked up to the stage where the band was set up. “It’s tradition for the king and queen to have a dance,” Mr. Hill said and stepped to the side of the stage as Isabella and James walked on.
Isabella grabbed the mic from him. “And it’s tradition for the queen to make a speech,” she said into the microphone.
“No, that’s not…” started Mr. Hill.
Isabella directed one of those glares I thought was reserved for me right at Mr. Hill. He shut his mouth.
Isabella cleared her throat. “Who’s having a fun night?!”