Page 47 of The Way We Are

Hating that I'm taking my anger out on unsuspecting victims, I scan the open parking lot. Noticing my truck is the only one in left, I spin around to face the voice. My interests pique immensely when I spot who is standing under the awning of the gym shed. It's Amelia Roach, crowned the prettiest girl at Ravenshoe High when Savannah left to attend her new school five years ago.

“Hey, Amelia,” I greet her, pretending I just now heard her shouting my name.

Amelia slants her head to the side and arches her brow, wordlessly calling me out as a liar. Her call-it-as-she-see-it approach curves my lips high. I've always been a fan of girls who tell it like it is. That's why Savannah's been on my radar since the day we met.

I freeze, paralyzed with annoyance.Why can’t I just forget her?She made her choice, yet I'm the loser who continually brings her up like she is the innocent party.

I look left and right. Happy to discover there are no vehicles approaching, I push off my feet, meeting Amelia halfway across the dusty parking lot.

“Sorry, I was kind of in my own little world.” Since my apology is honest, it comes out sounding that way.

Amelia smiles. “That’s okay. I’d rather you be distracted than avoiding me.”

She swivels on the spot, her innocent act not matching her sexpot appeal. Amelia has the type of beauty that will grace the pages of fashion magazines for years to come: big brown eyes on a milky white face, a smile that makes your knees weak, and a body a saint would have a hard time ignoring. She rightfully deserves the title of Prettiest Girl at Ravenshoe High, even if she was only crowned after Savannah left.

"Umm...I was wondering if I could ask you something?" Amelia licks her dry lips as her eyes widen with fear. Her nervous response shocks me. She sang the national anthem in front of a thousand students at a pep rally last week, so to discover she's nervous from wanting to ask me something has me intrigued.

"Sure. What do you need?" I'm assuming it's a ride, considering my truck is the only one left in the parking lot. Ravenshoe High turns into a graveyard within minutes of the final bell, but with summer break rapidly approaching, it's even more deserted.

The panic in Amelia’s eyes doubles before she stammers out, “I was wondering if you would be my date to the prom?”

I take a step back, stunned by her question. “You want me to take you to prom?” I question, certain I heard her wrong.

Her big chocolate eyes stare up into mine as she nods her head. “You don’t have to pick me up or anything. We could meet there. I just figured since you were going alone, and I was going alone, we could go together.” Her tiny nose screws up more with every word she speaks.

“What happened to your date?” I ask with shock dangling on my vocal cords.

In the past two weeks alone, I’ve witnessed three men get mortally wounded asking Amelia to be their prom date. It wasn’t that Amelia viciously declined their invitation; it was seeing their confidence stripped when she told them she already had a date.

“Ah...” She coughs to clear her throat. “The guy I was hoping to go with never got around to asking me.” She chews on her bottom lip before quickly adding on, “Younever asked me.”

The color drains from her face when I fail to respond. I want to reply; I just don’t know what to say. Amelia and I have spoken a few times during English and say the occasional hello in the hall our joint lockers are in, but this is the longest conversation we’ve ever had.

“Oh god,” Amelia whispers under her breath. “I thought maybe you were doing the suave bad boydon’t approach me without a warningattitude as a way to get attention. I had no clue you genuinely want to be left alone.” She throws her hands up to cover her flaming face. “I’m so embarrassed. I can’t believe I was so stupid...”

Hearing my deep chuckle ring through her ears, Amelia's hands fall from her face. She glares at me in horror, mortified by my laughter. I shouldn't be laughing—I’m an asshole for laughing—but I’m so shocked at her belief my appalling attitude has been for show, I can’t help but laugh. This proves what I’ve always thought: the good guys always come last.

“I’m sorry,” I apologize through laughter when Amelia blows air out of her nose before pivoting on her heels and stalking away from me. “Amelia, seriously, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to laugh. I’m just—“

"What, Ryan? Shocked, stunned, surprised that anyone not named Savannah is interested in you?" The anger in her voice makes quick work of my laughter. "Or have you finally pulled your head out of your ass to realize there's an entire population of girls who would happily let you defend them from a turtle-squat like Axel?"

“A turtle-squat?”

Amelia's tiny hands ball into fists as she screams her frustration into the street. "All you got fromthat was turtle-squat? My god, Ryan, I knew you were blind, but I had no clue you were stupid."

“Amelia,” I call out when she continues trekking across the parking lot, her steps so long I have to jog to keep up with her. “Come on, stop. I’m sorry. I’ve just never heard anyone use that reference before. I won’t laugh again. I promise.”

When my pledge doesn't slow her strides in the slightest, I shout, "I had my heart broken; doesn't that give me a bit of leeway in the asshole department?"

Thatslows her steps.

"I wasn't laughing at your request for me to take you to the prom. I was amused that you saw my attitude as enticing. I don't get it; seriously, I don't. Why would you want a guy who treats you like shit when you can have one who worships you? That's like ordering pizza and pulling off the cheese. It doesn't make any sense."

“It does if you don’t like cheese,” Amelia whispers, peering at me through lowered lashes.

I return her stare, equally shocked. “You know I don’t like cheese?”

Her long hair hanging in her face can barely hide her smile. “Every senior knows you hate cheese, Ryan. Just like they all warned me that holding out for you to ask me to prom was as stupid as it was pointless.”

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