Page 61 of The Wrong Prom Date

“You will,” I said, as she hopped out of the car. She closed the door and gave me a small wave before starting toward the house. She got halfway there before she glanced over her shoulder and smiled at me once more. Her smile was everything to me, and I was unable to fight the bright warmth that invaded my chest as I stared after her.

I was officially infatuated with Teagan York, and I wouldn’t do a thing to change it.

21

Teagan

“Why are you practically floating through the corridors this morning?” Evan asked as we walked between classes. “I swear your feet haven’t touched the ground since you entered school today.”

“I’m not floating.” I swatted his arm to shut him up, but I somehow couldn’t keep the giddy smile from my face. Liam and I had kissed for real last night, and I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it since. It was sweet and perfect, completely the opposite from what you’d expect of a playboy movie star.

Evan couldn’t have looked more confused though. “Did something happen after I left rehearsal last night?” He’d gone home quite early, and when he left, there had been no hint that something was brewing between Liam and me. Even I had no idea what was to come once we finished with our costume fittings.

“Liam might have given me a ride home,” I admitted.

Evan gave me a knowing smile. “He did, did he?”

I hadn’t even told him the best part, but I wanted to keep whatever was developing between Liam and I quiet for now. I knew Evan wouldn’t say a word to anyone if I told him about the kiss, but I needed to know that what Liam and I had was real before I told my best friend.

“Look, it’s not a big deal.”

“It is when you’ve got a thing for the guy and I’m fairly certain he’s into you too. I mean, Mr. Randall told him off for watching you in English yesterday, and then he drove you home—that all meanssomething.”

I glanced away, unable to meet Evan’s gaze. I didn’t want to lie to my best friend, and I felt like he’d be able to tell I was holding something back if he looked into my eyes.

“Maybe,” I admitted. I really hated not telling Evan the whole truth.

“Definitely,” he corrected me. “Look, I know you don’t think you’re the kind of girl that can date a guy like Liam, but you need to start believing in yourself. Any guy would be damn lucky to date you. Please don’t forget that.”

I looked up into his eyes again and could see the sincerity in his gentle gaze. I wasn’t sure what I’d done to deserve such a good friend, but I was the one who was lucky. “Thanks, Evan.”

“No thanks are necessary, Teags. I’m just telling you how it is.”

We continued on to English, and my gaze automatically went to the desk Liam usually sat at as soon as I entered the room. I’d been looking forward to seeing him all morning, but his chair was empty, and I felt a small wave of disappointment. I got settled behind my desk and watched the door as I waited for his arrival. Students slowly trickled into the room, but Liam never came.

I snuck my phone out of my pocket and checked it several times during class, hoping to see that he’d contacted me. But, each time I looked at the screen, there were no new messages, and I wasn’t sure what to think. Perhaps, Liam was sick, or maybe, something had come up? I was more worried than I would have expected though and wished I had an answer.

“Where’s your boyfriend today?” Evan asked once class was over and we started drifting out of the room to go to lunch.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” I said. “And I’ve got no idea.”

“I haven’t seen him at school today.”

“Maybe he’s unwell,” I suggested. He had seemed fine last night though.

“Perhaps he has special Hollywood business to attend to,” Evan guessed.

I wanted to believe Liam would have said something to me last night if he’d known he wasn’t going to be in school today, and an uneasy pit settled in the base of my stomach as I wondered where he could be.

“I’m sure he has a good reason.”

Evan and I entered the cafeteria, and I glanced toward Liam’s normal table. Despite him missing English, I still hoped he might be at school today. It seemed that was just wishful thinking though as Liam wasn’t at his table or anywhere in the cafeteria. I didn’t want to make assumptions about why he was absent, but a small part of me was scared that this wasn’t just one day of school he was missing—that perhaps he was gone and never coming back.

I tried to push him from my mind as I joined my friends for lunch. I wasn’t the only one who had noticed his absence though, and everyone was talking about him as I placed my tray on our table.

“I bet he got bored of school and jetted off to the Maldives,” Hayley suggested as I sat down. “Either that or he went out partying last night and is too hungover for school today,”

“I doubt he’s ditched school for the Maldives, and I’m sure it would be all over social media if he’d been partying,” Madi replied. “There’s a bad stomach bug going around, so it’s much more likely he’s come down with that.”

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