Page 101 of It's in the Contract
Cassidy takes the mic. “Despite Suzy not being on the ballot, the votes don’t lie. Enough people wrote in Suzy Jeong’s name that she is the winner. Come on up, Suzy.”
Brielle turns to us, mouth open, glaring. I can’t deny that it’s a tiny bit satisfying.
Suzy makes her way to the stage. Cassidy places the silver crown on Suzy’s head, and she looks back at the crowd, absolutely radiant. I clap and cheer along with everyone else.
I search within me for jealousy or fear or worry about what people will think . . . and it’s not there. Instead, pure joy washes over me in a wave.
Tasha hands another slip of paper to Cassidy, who hands it to Brian. “Our Homecoming King is . . . Noah Rossi!”
Noah ascends the stage to receive his matching crown, smiling and waving that perfect charming smile of his. I spot Brielle in the crowd, her arms crossed over her chest, her lower lip out in a pout. People clap, but the cheers are not nearly as deafening as they were for Suzy.
“Now our King and Queen will share their traditional dance!” Brian cries.
Suzy and Noah make their way down the stage to the center of the dance floor. She meets my eyes, looking concerned. I give her a huge smile, and relief comes over her expression. A slow Ed Sheeran song comes on over the speakers, and they begin to sway. Suzy barely touches Noah, and her face is disgusted.
I smile. Just a few weeks ago, the sight of my best friend dancing with my ex would’ve sent me into deep depression and anxiety. Now, all I feel is peace. And a tiny amount of joy at theexpression on Brielle’s face as she watches her boyfriend dance with the Homecoming Queen.
Couples sway to the music around me.
I turn around in a circle, my heart beating hard, and I’m wondering if I’ve ruined things forever. Will Zeke show up? Or will I be left alone on the dance floor?
There he is.
The crowd parts, and there’s Zeke in his blue tux, glancing up at me through dark lashes. There’s a spotlight above his head, and the crowd has left us a tiny circle of space.
“Callie, I—” Zeke clears his throat. “Will you dance with me?” He holds out a hand to me, and I take it.
Zeke pulls me to him, and my heart soars. I lay my head on his shoulder, and we sway.
I found a love, for me . . .
Zeke’s hand holds mine, and my head fits perfectly in the space between his shoulder and head, and I’m pressed against his body. My heart flutters, and I can’t keep the smile from my face. Zeke’s other hand wraps around my back and holds me close. We dance into the next song, and the next, even as the beat speeds up and the people around us jump up and down, belting out the lyrics.
It feels like we’re alone. Alone, pressed against each other, our heartbeats in sync.
Forty
Zeke and I dance the night away. People give us strange looks, and others turn angry frowns on me. Nick Faust sneers and says, “Innocent Callie Carter, not so innocent after all.” He snaps a pic. My first reaction is to stiffen within Zeke’s arms, but I allow myself to relax. It doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t.
A few more people approach me after Nick, scowling and angry about being lied to, but I’m shocked at how many more actually congratulate me for what I said.
Brielle storms up to us, anger on her face, dragging Noah behind her. “You ruined everything!”
I just smile. “I don’t care anymore, Brielle. I don’t care about the crown, the popularity, or the likes.” I turn my smile toward my ex-boyfriend, the crown shining on his maroon hair. “Or even you, Noah.” Noah opens his mouth, but I turn back to Brielle. “He’s all yours.”
She throws up her hands with a cry of frustration and walks away. Noah pauses and turns to me with that half smile that used to make my heart flutter. “What you did was . . .” He clears his throat. “That was really cool, Callie.”
“NOAH!” Brielle shrieks. He turns and hurries after her.
Suzy and Dave join us, and so do Dana and Troy. We form a circle and take turns dancing in the middle to a song with a wild beat, and when it’s my turn I dance like no one’s watching. The fact that Mom is somewhere on the sidelines, that surely an enormous lecture and her devastating disappointment are waiting for me, crosses my mind.
But I focus on the here and now, on Zeke’s hand in mine, and the fact that maybe I didn’t ruin things between us forever. Maybe he can be mine.
Forty-One
“Are you hungry?” Zeke asks.
“Starving.” I wave to Suzy before she follows Dave into the car with Troy and Dana. Mateo is texting on his phone and doesn’t even look up when Suzy pulls him into the car. I would feel guilty about ditching him except he doesn’t even seem to notice that I’m not there.
