Page 27 of The Prom King & The Ice Queen

I hold my hands out in surrender. “Look, why waste his time and put someone out when I have a perfectly good car and am offering you a ride home?”

They all stare at me in surprise. Even Mrs. Messner. She turns to Savannah with an understanding smile that kills me. I feel like I’m some outsider in the world of Savannah and everyone knows it.

But I’m the guy she eats lunch with every single day. This girl and I have been hanging in the same group of friends since middle school.

So why here and now do I feel like her co-workers and Mrs. Messner are trying to protect her…from me?

The guy who saved her ass?

Am I a little hung up on that? Yes. Yes, I am. Because while I ought to be home relaxing after yesterday’s practice, I am here. Dressed as a prince and about to play games with a bunch of toddlers.

“He has a point,” Mrs. Messner says quietly. “If I can get away early, I will, okay?”

Savannah bites her lip and then agrees with a sigh. As they’re grabbing their coats, I overhear Savannah reassuring Callie quietly. “It’s okay, really. I’ll find some other way home that’s not Leo. Don’t bother Maverick.”

So yeah. Apparently I am that repulsive to Savannah.

Awesome.

I shake my head and turn away. Why do I even bother trying to be nice to her?

Also, for the record, any other girl in our class would be happy to get a ride with me. Not to brag or anything but…I’m kind of a big deal.

Though, if you were watching all three girls start to cram into the already full van to head to this party, you might think otherwise.

I let out an exasperated huff as I watch Callie scrunch up her gown so she can squeeze in beside all the boxes in back.

“You know I’m driving too, right?” I say. “Someone could ride with me.”

I’m staring at Savannah, who of course ignores this. But Callie flashes me a cute little smile. “Thanks, I’d love a ride.”

Which is how I find myself with Callie in my passenger seat.

I’ve known Callie forever, though I wouldn’t say we’re friends. We’ve always run in different crowds…until she started dating my friend. But even now, it seems Maverick would rather spend time alone with Callie, or with their little troupe, than to join me and my friends.

Still, she’s a nice girl, and easy to get along with. She chats pretty much nonstop on the way to the party, telling me what to expect and cracking me up with some funny disaster stories of parties past.

“Hey, can I ask you something?” I say as we follow the van onto the McCarthy’s street.

“Shoot.”

I glance over at her. “Why did Savannah freak out about me giving her a ride?”

“Oh, um…” She turns crimson and bites her lip so hard I’m afraid she’s going to bleed. “I don’t know?”

It’s a question.

I start to laugh. “You know you’re a really bad liar, right?”

She giggles. “Yeah. Maverick tells me that too.”

“Okay, so, can you answer me this? Why didn’t Savannah want to be Cinderella to my Prince Charming?”

“Oh that.” Callie falls forward with a laugh at that. “That was pretty hilarious.”

I arch a brow. “How so?”

“Everyone knows that Mrs. Messner has this whole routine that she scripted for Cinderella and the prince.”

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