Page 84 of Rival Summer

"Are you people sure you want my help?" he asked, eyeing the float skeptically. "I failed art. Always more of a sports guy."

"Failed art? How is that even possible?" I asked, incredulous. My hands paused on the zipper of my bag.

"Told you, I’m a sports guy," he reiterated with a nonchalant shrug. "Skipped it to have two P.E’s instead."

I shook my head. "You're ridiculous, Parker."

He grinned, flashing his set of pearly whites at me. "Hey, if it's any consolation, I'll be your muscle for the heavy lifting tonight."

"Hey, crank up that volume!" someone called out from across the auditorium. The speakers buzzed to life, and soon the room was pulsating with music. Everyone seemed to move with a new energy, their hands reaching for streamers, glue guns, and glitter.

"Pass me those ribbons, will ya?" Willow asked, juggling a stack of construction paper under one arm. I tossed a spool of shiny blue ribbon in her direction.

Reese strolled in, then. His casual demeanor stood out, surrounded by the frenzy of activity around him. Caroline, ever the taskmaster, didn't miss a beat. She thrust a pair of scissors and a stack of cardstock into his hands. "Glad you could join us, Reese."

He smiled and got to work. As time slipped away, our collective efforts began to resemble something parade-worthy. The float was taking shape. Then, without warning, darkness swallowed the room.

"Nobody panic," Caroline yelled. "This happens sometimes when we use the speakers. Let's find the breaker box. Also, pizza is on its way, so it's a good time for a break."

"Thank you, pizza gods," Bailey yelled, somewhere near the back.

"Alright, let's split up. We'll find that box quicker. I’m going to call maintenance while we’re looking," Caroline directed before she quickly dialed a phone number and left the room.

Everyone quickly scattered in different directions, while Caroline’s friend Sam rushed to hand out flashlights from a box she’d grabbed from the auditorium closet.

"Willow, you're with me," Parker declared in amusement. "Because you're scared of the dark."

“I am not. Watch, I’ll even lead the way,” Willow teased, her tone light.

"Of course you will," Parker admitted. "Because you're my sunshine."

"Ugh, puke," I interjected, unable to resist the jab at their cheesy exchange.

But they were already moving off together, their laughter fading into the shadows. That's when I realized there was only one person left behind me. I turned to Reese.

"Looks like you're stuck with me again," he said with a grin. "Want to take the other hallway?" he nodded toward the left.

"Sure," I replied, rolling my eyes.

"Here, take this," Reese said, handing me a flashlight. I nodded, gripping it tightly and pointing it toward the shadows ahead.

"So, what's been going on with you, Hartford?" Reese asked.

I flashed him a smirk, my flashlight casting shadows on the walls as I moved it from side to side. "Oh, you know, never a dull moment. Just the way the universe thinks I like it."

He flashed one of those dimples of his, barely visible in the dark. "I know a thing or two about that," he said smoothly. There was always an ease about him—a dangerous charm that always somehow drew you into him.

We continued down the narrow, dark hallway, the silence punctuated by the sound of our footsteps. Reese's flashlight beam danced across the walls. As we rounded a corner, the circle of light landed on a colorful poster plastered on the wall.

"Looks like we're at a dead end," I slumped my shoulders.

"Seems that way," Reese responded, but he didn't move the flashlight away from the poster. It was decorated for the Bayside Ball, with swirling fonts and bright pastels.

"It’s tomorrow. You excited?" he asked.

I shrugged, feeling the furthest from excited. "Nah, I don’t think I’m going."

His steps faltered, and he reached out, his fingers gently tipping my chin upward to meet his gaze. "Why not?"

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