Page 2 of The Wrong Prom Date

Mr. Randall nodded, and I didn’t hesitate as I swiftly turned to leave the room. I couldn’t get out of there quick enough.

“What’s with the sour face?” Evan asked as I whipped past him. He was standing by the doorway, but I was in such a bad mood that I’d completely forgotten he was waiting for me.

I quickly schooled my features, shoving down the irritation that was prickling against my skin. “Mr. Randall wanted to talk about the assignment. It’s no big deal.”

Evan’s brow creased as he looked at me. “No big deal? You sure about that?”

I hated lying to my best friend, but I’d learned pretty early in life that no one everreallywanted to hear about your problems, and a listening ear never seemed to solve them either. If anything, it only offloaded your worries onto someone else’s shoulders. My shoulders were strong enough to carry all my problems on my own and I’d never want to burden my friends with them.

I gave him a sweet smile. “Of course, I’m sure. I probably just looked a bit sour because I can’t stop thinking about the cast list.”

Evan laughed. “You don’t need to worry. Everyone knows you’re going to get the part of Belle.”

Our play this year was a reimagining ofBeauty and the Beastin a modern-day setting. I’d practically devoured the script before my audition and was surprised by how dark and gritty it was. I was actually looking forward to this play and was desperate to get the lead. I’d been cast as the main part in some of our school plays in the past, but that wasn’t a guarantee I would get the role I wanted now.

This year, the stakes seemed so much higher too. Miss Appleby had worked as a talent scout before she became a teacher. She’d hinted that she might be able to get one of her old colleagues who still worked in the industry to come watch the production. I wanted to be an actress more than anything, so it was vital I got the part.

“Well, I’m sure you’re going to be Beast,” I said. Evan’s audition had been great. He wasn’t nearly as obsessed with acting as I was, but he had a flair for being dramatic and naturally shone whenever he was on stage.

“I think Miss Appleby might worry I’m too beautiful for the part,” he said, making me laugh. “What? That woman is in love with me, I swear.”

I shook my head, refusing to encourage him. The boy was far too charming for his own good and already had half the staff in school eating out of the palm of his hand.

“It’s your own fault,” I said. “You’re always complimenting her and flashing her that smile of yours.”

“What smile?” he said, giving me an example of the exact smile I was talking about. He totally knew it too. He’d refined the look when we were still in kindergarten and had been getting his way with it ever since.

“Don’t you use that thing on me,” I said.

He slung an arm around my shoulder and drew me close. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Teags. I already know you’re immune to my charms.”

I laughed and shoved his arm off me. “You know that’s not true.” I was probably the biggest sucker in school for Evan’s smile.

“Yes, it really is your greatest weakness,” he agreed.

We walked into the cafeteria and grabbed trays of food before heading to our table. Since we were late to lunch, our friends were already halfway through eating their meals. I wasn’t all that hungry though. Mr. Randall’s lecture had been brutal enough to put me off my food and I was growing more nervous about the cast list as the day wore on.

I took the free seat next to Madi, while Evan sat across the table at Hayley’s side. I was surprised to find Madi’s boyfriend was sitting with us today. The two of them had been pretty inseparable since they’d started dating, but Cole usually ate lunch with the other football players. They’d gotten together because of aBachelor-style contest our school had hosted calledTrue Love. It had been almost a month since the contest ended, but it felt like they’d been together forever.

“What’s up, Cadi?” Evan asked as he lowered himself into his seat.

Cole grinned widely at Evan’s use of their couple name while Madi blanched. “Please stop calling us that,” she said.

Evan chuckled. “But it’s so adorable.”

“No, it’s not.” She scrunched up her nose, but Cole wrapped one of his huge arms around her and started to nuzzle her ear. “It’s not so bad, Mads,” he said.

Hayley started to gag. “Dude, no PDA at lunch. I’m trying to eat here.”

Cole laughed and eased back in his seat. He was one of those people who never seemed to have a care in the world, and it wasn’t hard to see why he was one of the most popular kids in school. It was also pretty clear why Madi insisted he sit with his own friends. He couldn’t seem to keep his hands off her.

“And that is why it’s time for you to go back to your own table,” Madi told him.

“But it’s all the way over there,” Cole complained as he nodded toward a table in the distance. Like always, it was the loudest table in the room, crowded with football players and cheerleaders. “And I’ll miss you.”

He gave her big puppy dog eyes, but Madi wasn’t swayed. “Up!” she said. “Or everyone at the table will mutiny, and you’ll be forced to leave.”

Cole gave us all a cautious look, like he seriously thought we might consider an attempt at physically removing him. The guy was huge though, and while Evan might have been tall and reasonably built, he was definitely no match for Cole.

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