Page 3 of Ugly Duckling
I watched as everyone slapped five dollars in his hands, including all the girls now surrounding us.
My belly was roiling by the time that I ran outside.
“Stay in the gym!” I heard yelled behind me.
I wasn’t sure if they were talking to me or not, but I ran out of the gym anyway.
I went directly to the parking lot and stopped because I realized that I’d been stupid and let Marx pick me up.
He’d been so nice all night.
He’d taken me to dinner at Outback.
He’d gotten me a corsage.
He’d smiled for pictures.
And all of it was a damn lie.
I wasn’t crying, though.
What would be the point?
“Suttie?”
I looked over my shoulder to see Gunner walking out to his Jeep.
He was wearing dirty baseball pants, no shirt, and slides over his dirty-socked feet.
“Hey.” I cleared my throat.
“You look beautiful.” He smiled. “Dance tonight?”
“Yeah, it’s the junior prom.”
He frowned. “Who’d you go with?”
I cleared my throat and said, “Marx. But I just found out the only reason he took me was because of a bet with what feels like the entire junior class.”
There was a long moment of silence before Gunner said, “Want a ride home?”
Did I?
“I think I might walk,” I admitted. “If I get home too early, my mom will wonder why I’m there so early. Then I’ll have to explain that I’m only there because my date is an asshole.”
“Then let me take you to eat,” he offered.
“I’m not all that hungry,” I lied.
I hadn’t been able to eat much when we went out to the restaurant earlier.
Marx had a burger and fries.
I’d snacked on a cheeseburger salad.
He grunted. “I just need to go grab all my stuff. Here’s my keys.”
He tossed me his keys, and I caught them despite the growing darkness.
