Page 33 of The Prom King & The Ice Queen

“What. Is. Your. Problem?” His voice is cold and clipped, and his smarmy, charming, irritating smile is nowhere to be seen.

Willow backs up a step, looking between us. “Uh…”

“It’s fine, Willow,” I reassure her, even though I’m looking at Leo. And this is not fine. The way he’s glaring at me, with a challenge in his eyes and anger beneath the surface…

Yeah, this is so not fine.

I feel it again. This tidal wave of emotions I’ve been trying to crush since Friday night. The voice that’s shouting, why are we doing this? What is the point? What am I fighting so hard to keep?

My throne?

It’s a throne on top of a pile of garbage. It’s popularity amongst people I hope to never see again once this school year is over. So what is the point?

What is the point of all this lying and pretending?

At one point I knew. Once upon a time it seemed like the most important thing in the world. What these people thought of me. To prove to them that I’m something I’m not.

I start to walk away because my throat is too tight and I’m a little afraid my emotions will be written all over my face. Which is not good because I can’t even say what they are, but I definitely don’t want to advertise them to the world.

I don’t even know where I’m going. We’ve stored all the supplies for Mrs. Messner to pick up later, and I’m still wearing my stupid gown. I’ve taken the wig off, at least. I hear Leo behind me before he even speaks. “What do you want?”

“I want to know why you’re about to walk three miles in a freakin’ princess costume just to avoid riding in the same car with me?”

I stop short because I’ve never heard him sound so angry. Or so…any emotion, really. I turn to face him and he’s glaring down at me.

Let it go, let it go.Inexplicably, the lyrics are blaring against my skull.

Before I can totally think it through, I shrug. “Yeah, sure. Fine. Where are you parked?”

He rocks back at my sudden capitulation as I turn to keep walking, heading for the back door.

As I walk, I feel it—the dread. The rising anxiety.

This is a bad idea.

This is such a bad idea.

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