“So hey,” he started, “How come you weren’t at the dance?”
I could have given him the whole rundown of my fight with Lisa, but then I’d have to tell him the reason behind it. Instead of getting into all that, I just said, “I wasn’t really into it. Why? Did I miss anything?”
“I’ll say.”
Oooh. Gossip.
“Why? What happened? Trip, spill it!”
He laughed at my inability to control myself and then said, “Well, you weren’t there to accept your crown, for one.”
“My crown?” I asked, incredulously. I mean, there was no way he was saying what I thought he was saying. But then... rationality returned. “You are so full of shit.”
He laughed his ass off at that and said, “Yeah, you’re right. I am. But I am also your homecoming king, so you’d better show a little more respect to me from now on.”
That, at least, was a tad more believable. “You got king? Really?”
He was still grinning as he said, “Nah. Not really. Jesus, Layla, you’re oh-for-two tonight. But hey-on a totally different subject-did you know that the word ‘gullible’ isn’t in the dictionary?”
“Ha. Ha. Ha.”
I was so relieved when it turned out that he was only joking about my winning homecoming. I would have died if it were true. It’s not like I would have been there in person to endure the indignity, but even still, that’s the kind of title that sticks with a person for their whole life, and it just wasn’t really my thing. I’ll never forget how my dad once came home from the office one day, laughing about some poor idiot who’d filled out an application to work there, actually listing “Homecoming Queen” on her resume. God. Can you imagine? Homecoming Queen. It’s just so... perky!
I had a vision of head cheerleader Carolee Simcox, standing up on the stage crying, wearing her sparkly, plastic crown and princess-waving to the audience. “Hey, who really won?” I asked Trip.
“Lisa and Pickford.”
“Wow! No way.”
“Yeah, well, you and I came in a close second. I swear to God about that. I’m not bullshitting you this time.”
“What? Really? That’s weird.” It was kind of mind-boggling to find out that people had lumped Trip and me together on some ballot sheet. It’s not like we were some official couple or anything, despite my wishes to the contrary. I mean, Trip was born to be Prom King, but I couldn’t see how anyone would actually think to write down my name when it came time to submit their vote.
He asked, “What’s so weird about it?” but before I could explain, he got a wicked gleam in his eye and added, “Oh, hey. Lisa gave a speech.”
“Trip, shut up, she did not!”
He must have been putting me on. No one actually speaks after being crowned, for godsakes! Lisa herself had made fun of many a cheesy high school movie for just that very thing. What the hell was she thinking? “Oh, God. I’m so embarrassed for her!”
He laughed. “No, it wasn’t that bad. Just a quick thank you, not much else. It was fine.”
I started to feel kind of sad that I wasn’t there to share in my friend’s big night. “Well, I’m glad she won. I’m sure it means a lot to her. She’s got to be pretty happy right about now.”
Trip stuck his hands in his pockets and tapped his toe at one of the shrubs. “But you wouldn’t have been?”
“What? Happy to win Homecoming Queen?” I laughed. “You’re joking, right? I mean, I’m happy for Lisa and all, but I can’t imagine getting thrilled about something so... superficial.”
That made him stop fidgeting with the landscaping and stand stock still, looking up at me with an expression I can only describe as... amused shock.
He floored me by responding, “You know that’s my favorite thing about you, right?”
I couldn’t breathe. Trip had a favorite thing about me?
Somehow, I managed to squeak out, “What’s that?”
He grinned sheepishly and looked away for a second before raising his head and conceding, “Layla, you are completely different from any other person I’ve ever met in my entire life.”
I’d have been less blown away if a bomb had been detonated right there on my front yard.
I couldn’t speak. I was rendered defenseless, watching him standing there under my window, looking up at me with those beautiful, blue eyes filled with awe and hope as he added softly, “I missed you tonight. The dance wasn’t as much fun without you there. I don’t know. I thought, I mean, maybe I should’ve-”
“Trip?” I didn’t mean to cut him off mid-sentence, but I’d finally found my voice. There was no way I was going to let him say such amazing things to me without us being together in the same room. I took a deep breath and asked, “Do you want to come in?”
It was more of an invitation than a question, and my heart just about slammed into my stomach at having asked it aloud.