“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?!”
Tons of students cheered.
James stood there with his hands shoved in his pockets. He must have tossed his torn tux jacket. There was what looked like a footprint on his white dress shirt. And he was sporting a black eye. He looked like he’d rather be anywhere in the world than on that stage with Isabella. And I didn’t blame him.
“James, come here,” Isabella said. “You lost your crown earlier in that silly bit of argy-bargy.”
James didn’t move. So Isabella walked over to him and put his crown back on.
“Perfect,” she said as she placed her hand on the side of his face.
He grimaced.
“Speaking of perfection,” Isabella said into the mic. “I recently discovered that I have a baby sister. It was the most unexpected but brilliant news. I’ve always wanted a sibling. Sissy! Sissy, where are you? I want to officially introduce you to everyone.”
My traitorous fellow classmates parted like the red sea.
Kennedy and I were just standing there with everyone staring at us. The ticking in my head stopped. This was the explosion I was expecting. God, what was she going to do?