Page 14 of The Prom King & The Ice Queen

Savannah

Why?

No, seriously…why?

Why did he do that?

I’m bent at the waist on the Barons’ back porch, my hands on my hips as I try to drag in some fresh air. My lungs still feel too constricted. I’d blame this stupid, knockoff Elsa gown, but I can’t lie to myself. Especially because I wore this same gown two nights ago for the McClellans’ office party.

It’s not the gown, it’s me. I’m losing it.

Is this a panic attack? I have no idea. I purse my lips and do the sort of breathing that one typically only sees on TV when a woman goes into labor.

I look ridiculous, but luckily it’s too cold for any guests to be out here. And there’s no way I can be inside right now.

My head is spinning as all the realizations hit me for a second time, and all at once just like they had in the seconds after Mrs. Barons had loudly announced that her ring was missing.

Herring. Even now I can feel the weight of it in the pocket of this crappy, polyester gown. It’s heavy. Those gems are real. And storing it in the pockets of this gown is like sticking a Fabergé egg in a flimsy, brown paper lunch bag.

But I can’t bring myself to pull it out and look at it. No amount of looking will change the fact that it’s hers. I know it. I can feel it.

And I cannot believe I let April play me like that.

Honestly, I can’t believe she had the guts to try.

“Are you gonna puke?” Leo’s voice from the doorway to my left makes me freeze. My muscles tense and my stomach heaves.

Am I gonna puke?

Possibly.

Sure enough, bile rises up in my throat because…he saw.

I squeeze my eyes shut. Oh God, Leo saw me take it.

“If you are, you might want to lose the wig,” he says as he saunters over to me.

I might throw up. I just might. Or…I would if he wasn’t watching me right now. Instead, I swallow hard and straighten as he stops beside me.

Despite his smirk and his swagger, his gaze is all wary concern.

Oh God.

It hits me all over again. He saw me take it. I know he did. He was standing there right after I took it, believing it was April’s.

And that would have been bad enough. But…

“Why?” I turn to face him head on as I say it.

He arches a brow, cocky as ever with that dang smirk of his.

I swear, that smirk just begs to be slapped.

But first, I need to know why he did it. Surely it wasn’t out of the goodness of his heart. And it definitely wasn’t to save his newfound uncle who he clearly detests.

He could have ratted me out. He could have laughed it up with April and the others.

“Why did you do it?” I say again, annoyed now because he’s not answering. He’s just staring.

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