Page 120 of Lost Boy
She still loves her, and so do I, no matter her shitty behavior. My love will never fade; it just changed.
“Be safe!” Joel shouts.
“Have fun!” Dad adds. We slip out the front door and jog over to the ridiculous stretch limo that Cole booked. We laugh as we pile in, not letting any of that drama pull us down.
It’s fucking prom night.
* * *
Cole sticks his head out of the sunroof, hollering into the air and pumping himself up for the party. He’s already drunk, pre-gaming with flute after flute of champagne. He’s being outrageous and reckless, as usual.
Gracie tugs at the hem of his tuxedo jacket.
“Get him down, Jamison. He’s being drunk and stupid,” Gracie says, calling it how it is. It’s part of why they’re so on again-off again, always bumping heads.
Jamie sighs and leaves his spot cuddled next to my little sister, squeezing Cole hard around the ribs. He falls back into the limo, nearly crying when Jamie doesn’t relent.
“Mercy! Stop!”
“Stay inside the moving vehicle. Say it.”
“I-I will stay inside the m-moving vehicle,” he howls until Jamie stops, then casually sits back in his seat like nothing happened.
“Good. Now drink some water and sober up. We gotta pass the faculty and take photos,again. And you know ours will end up in the yearbook. Youknowit. You can’t look torched, Cole,”
“Okay, Dad! Damn!”
“Don’tDadme, young man,” Jamie retorts.
“Okay! Enough bromancing with my date, Cole. We’re almost there,” Sofie teases.
I made her promise not to drink champagne or drink the punch. Bottled water only tonight. Jamie will watch her like a hawk, so I’m not worried.
We’re going to a fancy hotel downtown. The academy rented out the ballroom, and we all rented rooms in addition to the entire penthouse level.
Well, except for Sofie. She’s too young, and part of the deal Jamie and I made was for him to return her home by midnight like the princess she is.
He agreed, no problem, showing he respects me, my dad, and especially Sofie. I can only hope she decides to keep him around.
When we pull up to the hotel, spotlights highlight the old brick facade, and a red carpet greets us when our limo door is opened. The prom committee decided on an old Hollywood theme, and so far, they’ve nailed it.
We stop for group and individual photos, indulging in every ridiculous prom pose, all for the sake of Sofie’s scrapbooks.
* * *
Okay. Someone definitely spiked the punch. I mean, I’m not exactly surprised. I warned Sofie not to drink it and told Fallon to lay off before he hit the stage.
Afterward, I ladled him a thermos of the stuff. It’s fruity and delicious.
Fallon, Gracie, and Taylor absolutely killed it. Fallon mainly played the guitar with Gracie on the keyboard while both girls sang, but he joined in and harmonized. His raspy voice mingled perfectly with the softer, breathy tones of the girls. The three of them sounded amazing together, as they always do.
Their band, Fallen Grace, it’s going places. Everyone knows it after tonight.
I take another sip of punch, popping a pretzel into my mouth to counteract the sweetness.
We’re lounging at our group’s table, waiting for the prom committee to finish their announcements so we can move on to the after-party.
Alexis clears her throat. “And this year, I’m excited to announce that for the first time ever, we will have runners-up winning Prom Prince and Prom Princess! So, without further ado, let me announce your Acadia Lake Prep Senior Class Homecoming Court!”
