Page 69 of Old Acquaintances

I nodded.

Tucker wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a gentle kiss. He said into my mouth, “God, Ella. I did not think tonight would turn out likethis.”

Inside, we found our friends and Tucker shook off his jacket at the table. I went to go talk to my friends from dance, he went to his baseball buddies. He stared at me from across the dance floor. I tried to explain to Macy what was happening.

“I thought you were coming with Kyle Huberman?”

I saw Kyle sitting alone at a table, looking at Tucker and looking at me. I didn’t know who he came with, and I didn’t care.

“I’m with Tucker,” I told Macy. Saying it that way -I’m with Tucker -made me wonder if Iwaswith him. What did tomorrow look like? Next week? This summer? I felt tingly at the thought of him as my boyfriend for real, knowing that we had committed to colleges hours from each other.

He walked over, taking my hand. “Dance with me?” he asked.

“You know how to dance?”

He pulled me into the crowd of kids. “Well, there’s stuff you taught me…” He smirked. “But yeah, a little bit. Gavin’s been making us take dance lessons for his wedding.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck as he settled his on my hips. I dropped my jaw. “Who are you practicing dancing with?”

“My mom.” He rolled his eyes.

Thinking of our dynamic, I wondered why she hadn’t asked me to take lessons with him. Jake and Steven had long-term girlfriends. Tucker had only dated Angel for two months, Lori wouldn’t want her around for wedding preparations.

He said, “But she said I should ask you.”

“Why didn’t you?”

His hands moved along my rib cage, his fingers sliding against the bared flesh, and my breath stopped. He swallowed, his mouth against my cheek. “Because I’d want to dothis.”

I forced myself to remember we were in a room without our entire senior class and then some, people who already thought of us as a couple, but some who did not. I saw my Aunt Zoey, who transferred to the high school a year earlier, pouring soda. She thought we were dating, and she’s witnessed us in my home, on our birthday, on holidays.

Tucker’s hands ripped from my body.

Johnny pulled on my hand. “I’m gonna jump in,” he said, not a question.

Tucker stepped back and clenched his jaw. We stared at each other, not sure what to do. I relaxed, putting my hands on Johnny’s shoulders, and Tucker drilled a hole into the back of his head. I motioned with my eyes and Tucker reluctantly backed away, but he never stopped watching us.

Johnny demanded, “Why are you here with him?”

“Because Kyle ditched me.”

He shook his head. “He’s making moves on you, isn’t he? Ella, tell him tostop.”

“What?” I gasped. “Why do you care what he does?”

“He’s a player. He’s got a new girl every week.”

“He wouldn’t do that with me, though.”

“Oh, so somethingisgoing on between you two?” He waited for a response that never came. Johnny grabbed my arm and tugged me off to the corner of the room. “Ella, I called him last night and asked if he had anyone that could take you to prom.”

“And?”

“He said he was going with Angel. So where is she?”

I paused. “He said she broke up with him.”

Johnny eyed me with pity. “I guarantee youhebroke up withher. Because he was tired of her. And then he needed someone to take to prom and you were available.”

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