Page 4 of That Secret Something

A smile pulled at the corner of her mouth. “Sometimes.”

Flustered and overthinking every possible meaning behind that word, I tripped over my heels and fell right into Mr Lawson’s arms.

Shame it’s the wrong Lawson.

He snapped a few more pictures of us, and I tried not to show too much glee when Rebecca put her arm around my shoulders. I definitely wasn’t thinking about what her sometimes being a lady and sometimes not meant. No, I definitely wasn’t thinking about that.

We waved goodbye to Lily’s dad, then followed the banners and colourful balloons guiding us along the squeaky hallway towards the large auditorium.

“Nice,” Rebecca commented. “Our prom didn’t look this good.”

I grinned. She’d no idea how great it felt to have my hard work recognised—and not just by anyone, but by her. It made every late evening spent after school worth it.

Lily echoed her sister’s sentiment. “The place looks great, Jess!”

“Wait, you did this?” Rebecca turned to me, throwing off our walking pace.

“Erm…yeah.” I searched for more words, but I was thrown by the look of admiration in her face. Heat started to creep up my neck. “Well, I was part of the team. I can’t take all the credit.”

Before Rebecca could say anything else, Lily tugged my arm, jolting us away from her sister and towards the auditorium.

I blew out a breath as we stepped inside. The place where we’d had endless boring assemblies and announcements over the years was now trimmed with colour and lights. Music pumped through the speakers, and all around us, people were laughing and dancing, eager to get the good night started.

Some of the crowd drifted to greet others nearby, and then I saw him, wearing a blue blazer a few sizes too small, whispering into Shannon Smitt’s ear. Kieran Hamble wasn’t grounded—he was right there.

My stomach pinched, and a fresh layer of embarrassment washed over me.

Rebecca bumped my shoulder with hers. “You okay, Jess?”

My mouth stuttered over the words, but she followed my line of sight.

“I see. I’ll be right back.” Her hand squeezed mine, and while I registered what had happened, and what Rebecca had said, she was already making her way across the dance floor.

Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god.

Rebecca weaved through the dancers easily, somehow looking cool, even on the way to an angry confrontation.

I froze to the spot, my brain unable to compute any of the night’s events so far.

“Where’s she going?” Lily asked.

My best friend’s voice snapped me out of my stupor, and I looked at her in pure horror. “Kieran’s here.”

“Kieran?” Lily’s eyebrows drew together as she tried to spot him in the crowd. “That little weasel!” She shot off, and I scurried after the second Lawson sister, wondering if something in their genes made them freakishly fast. Rebecca was an athlete, but what was Lily’s excuse?

The smirk slipped from Kieran’s face as he spotted the entourage heading towards him. His dark eyes flicked between the Lawson sisters before landing on me. He could’ve at least had the decency to look sheepish, but his indifference embarrassed me further. He really didn’t care that he’d faked being grounded just so he could take Shannon to the prom? Was I really that repulsive? Did he think I wouldn’t find out?

“What’s going on?” he asked, tightening his grip around Shannon’s waist. “What is this? The lesbo justice league?”

I shrivelled at his comment. Coming out hadn’t been the best experience for me, and I didn’t want those memories rehashing tonight.

Kieran laughed, and with a little jostle, Shannon did too.

“I’m not sure why you’re laughing,” Rebecca said. “My great aunt’s been on the phone to me in tears. How could you give her chlamydia and not tell her?”

“Who?” He scowled.

“It’s fine to have a fetish for older women, but giving her an STD is a step too far. That’s my great aunt Betsy!”

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