Page 73 of Survival

By the time we reached the Boardwalk Cafe, a classier but still comfortable restaurant along the beachfront, the vibe was back to normal. Nic and Emma chatted off and on, sometimes joining my conversation with Jet, but my boyfriend was having more fun flirting and teasing me, making me blush, and I played back, his attention making it easy to get over the fact that we were sharing this special dinner with his cousin.

None of us even tried to talk to Izzy and Tucker at first. They were too wrapped up in each other to be remotely capable of focusing on an outside conversation, not joining in with us until the food arrived. I was relieved to see them so happy, and I prayed they stayed that way the rest of the night.

When Emma pointed out the time, the guys paid the bill, and the six of us headed off to the dance, heading straight to the flowered arch for pictures and making fun of the balloon and crepe-paper decorations as we waited for our turns.

Nic stood off to the side with Emma, waiting dutifully with his date until Mateo arrived, and when her real date finally came up, we waited a few minutes while they had their own pictures done.

“My dadcannotsee those.” She shook her head as they walked back over to us.

“I know, baby. I put my name down for them. Don’t worry.”

“Hey, man.”

“Hey.”

The guys exchanged fist bumps, and Jet slid his arm around my back. “Y’all ready to go dance?”

“Yes!” Izzy was already dragging Tucker out onto the floor while Mateo quickly twirled Emma out into the crowd.

I raised my eyebrow in a look. “I’m not going to be out there the whole night,” I warned, and Jet just grinned, pulling me into his embrace.

“I’ll take what I can get.”

We joined our friends on the floor, leaving Nic to his own, but before we were even through the second dance, I was tapping Jet’s shoulder to watch as Nic intercepted Emma. Mateo glared, but Nic jerked his head in warning before guiding Emma seamlessly into the next dance. Emma frowned up at him until he twirled her to the back of the room, and Jet and I exchanged looks and hurried to follow, catching Izzy and Tucker’s attention along the way.

“He’s what?” Emma’s expression creased as we approached.

“What’s going on?” Mateo barged up, furious and barely holding back.

Nic leveled him with a look. “You need to go stand somewhere else. Emma, your dad’s here. I saw him come in. He has a chaperone’s badge.”

Mateo cursed but refused to leave, and without missing a beat, Emma pulled her phone from her clutch and took a few steps away, pacing the edge of the room as she made a call. Tears were leaking down her cheeks when she came back, all of us watching her in concern.

Nic passed her his handkerchief from his jacket pocket, and she dabbed at her tears, giving him a watery smile. “Thanks. I, uh, called my mom. She just found out that my dad decided to chaperone when she got home after our pictures. He signed up after that night he caught us kissing in the gym. He doesn’t trust me.” She looked up at Mateo, her expression filled with hurt and apologies, but when a look of unsurpassed pain crossed over his features, she looked back down.

“So, there’s nothing we can do, huh?” Jet asked, eyeing Mateo.

“Doesn’t sound like it.” I scowled, hating this for my friends. They deserved tonight. They deserved a chance to feel like a normal couple for a change. There was nothing wrong with them wanting to be together, and her dad was a completeassholefor making them feel like there was.

“Mateo? Are you okay?” Izzy asked.

His expression hardened, his breaths harsh with his rising and falling chest. He glared, but I knew it wasn’t really directed our way. “How can I be when my girlfriend’s dad is a racist asshole?” he spat before storming off.

I looked around at the guys. “Y’all aren’t going to check on him?”

Tucker rolled his eyes. “Doyouwant to go check on him? Guys aren’t like girls, Annie.”

I rolled my eyes back. “No need for sarcasm, Tucker. I was just asking.” I’d have followed any of my girlfriends in a heartbeat if they’d taken off like that.

“I vote we drop it, okay?” Emma cut in, her voice strained. “We all know what my dad’s like. I should have expected it.”

“Expected that he’s so obsessed with who you date that he’d personally come spy on you at yourprom?” I replied.

Emma shrugged. “Unfortunately. Look at everything else he’s done.”

“Do you want to text Megan?” Izzy asked, and Emma’s brow furrowed, fresh pain passing over her features.

“No, we’re in a fight. My dad.”

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