Page 88 of Kiss Collector
Every single girl is busy complimenting another, and it warms my heart to see us building each other up.
Kenzie is the first at a table to spot me and jump to her feet. I meet the girls halfway, and we converge in a group hug, squealing and laughing. Parker, Dean, and Vincent jump up and hug each other, bouncing in a circle with their heads thrown back as they fake yell. It’s pretty funny, especially to see Vincent letting loose, and Parker, who just met these guys tonight. I turn around and Joel and Kwami are nowhere to be seen. I strain my neck to peer around the room. Where did they go?
“Selfie time!” Lin says.
We spend the next ten minutes posing together and with any other friend who comes along. When a dance song we all love comes on, “Girl Anthem,” we scream and run to the dance floor, leaving the dates in the dust. In fact, almost every girl at prom rushes onto the floor with their hands in the air, and we dance like crazy, laughing, beautiful, and free. I feel so lucky, sograteful, in that moment, realizing I almost wasn’t part of this.
No regrets.
Our song is followed by a slow song, so I take my exit as the guys come up to find their dates and hold them in their arms. This was the moment I thought I would hate—the moment Iwanted to avoid—but it turns out I don’t care after all. They look happy. They’re being treated nicely. Come what may in the future, on this night they are smiling, and that’s all I can ask for.
The chair next to me whispers across the carpet as Joel pulls it out and sits in it backward, straddling the seat. He’s sipping from a clear plastic cup as he regards the crowd.
“Why did you decide to come?” I ask.
“Surprised?”
“Kind of.” Totally.
He shrugs. “Something to do. Parties. Prom. All these things are entertaining.”
“So, you just like to people watch.”
“Precisely.”
“You don’t ever join in? You don’t dance?”
“Not usually.” He keeps staring out at the dance floor, and my hope dissipates. He turns to regard me with serious eyes. “Why didyoudecide to come?” It’s really a loaded question, and to answer it would mean I have to reveal all the sadness and insecurity I’m facing. So, instead of responding, I stand and hold out my hand.
“Dance with me?” I ask.
He looks at my hand and hesitates. My heart pounds in preparation for rejection, but after half a beat he stands and puts his warm hand in mine. I let out a breath and lead him to the dance floor, my fingers falling into place between his. I pull him into the crowd of bodies until we’re submersed in the sea, then he lifts my hand to his shoulder and takes my other palm in his own. I feel his free hand circle my waist, warmagainst my lower back as he pulls me until our bodies are flush. He smells like cologne and spun sugar from the vape. The latter I can do without. The former makes my knees weak.
We don’t speak a word. I take nervous glances at his serious blue eyes before deciding to rest my head against his shoulder. He feels... nice. Steady. I let myself relax and the song is over too soon. It’s not until I pull away from him that I realize just how much of us was touching.
Monica catches my eye as Dean leads her off the dance floor, and she’s looking back and forth between me and Joel in question. I can’t exactly respond, so I just give her a smile.
To my surprise, Joel hangs out with me. We go up to the cake table for a slice when it’s cut, and then we both make gross faces when we realize it’s lemon, not vanilla.
“So wrong,” Joel says, and I laugh a little too hard.
Flynn Rogers, the bassist, passes us, holding hands with Emi. I guess they’re together now.
“Hi, Flynn,” I say. “Hi, Emi.”
“Hey!” Flynn smiles, but Emi just stares me up and down as they go by. Ouch.
Joel’s eyes widen, and I can tell he’s trying not to laugh.
“I guess she doesn’t like me,” I mumble under my breath. I don’t recall doing anything to her other than talking to Flynn.
“Girls are harsh like that to each other,” he tells me in all his wisdom. I wish he wasn’t right.
The microphone system screeches, making everyone flinch and some cover their ears.
“May I have your attention,” Mrs. Hartt says. “It’s now time for our junior- and senior-class prom court to come tothe dance floor so that we may announce the prince, princess, king, and queen!”
People lightly cheer, and my stomach flops.
