Page 126 of Exposed

“Yeah…I did too. But I was just a bad friend.” I sighed.

“You weren’t a bad friend.”

I shook my head. “I was so concerned with my own problems, I didn’t see it. I mean, I had my suspicions that she had a crush on you. Hell, even Rob told me that she did. But she denied it and I didn’t press it. And I really liked you, Felix.”

“I really liked you too.”

We were both quiet for a moment as we danced.

“It really sucked without you in high school,” he said.

I nodded. Yeah. It sucked not having him in my life too.

“But the way Matt was after your funeral…I knew you’d made the right choice back then. My life kept going. I missed you, and it sucked, but my life didn’t stop. His stopped.”

I looked over at Matt. He took a sip of his drink as he stared at me.

“I’m happy for you,” Felix said. “And I’m happy for him. Somewhere in everything that happened, Matt and I actually became friends. He’s a good guy. And I think the two of you are perfect together.”

He was going to make me cry. “Thank you. And thank you for being there for him when I couldn’t be.”

Felix shrugged. “You know I’d do anything for you, Newb. And I really hope the four of us can hang out like old times. I know Kennedy really wants that too.”

“That sounds perfect.” I stepped closer and hugged him. God, I’d really missed Felix. He’d been one of my closest friends. And it finally felt like that’s all it was. All it was ever meant to be.

Felix walked off to find Kennedy. I turned to go join Matt but Nigel blocked my path.

“If you’ll allow me a dance, mademoiselle.” Nigel put out his hand and bowed.

How was I supposed to say no to that? “Of course, Nigel.”

He pulled me in way too close. And since he was so short, his face was practically pressed between my breasts. The music was loud, but I could have sworn he made a noise with his mouth like a motor starting.

“Nope, no, stop it, Nigel.” Tanner picked him up and put him to the side. “Excuse him. I specifically told him not to motorboat you. And he’s breaking a promise.”

“I never agreed to that,” Nigel said.

“You nodded.”

“No. I did this.” Nigel turned his head in rapid circles. Almost like he was nodding and saying no at the same time.

“Go dance with Cleopatra. She’s scowling next to the third lion cage.”

“She’s always scowling. Brooklyn, your smile is lovely. You’re lovely. But you’ve been dancing for some time now. How about we go down the hall and I draw you a private bath?”

“Oh…um…”

Tanner grabbed my hands and put them on his shoulders. “Ignore him.”

But it was a little hard to ignore Nigel in his dapper little tux.

Tanner turned us so that I couldn’t see Nigel anymore. “How is your big night going?”

“This is all amazing,” I said. “It’s fun getting to catch up with everyone. But it feels like I haven’t danced with Matt in like an hour.”

Tanner laughed. “You’re the belle of the ball. He’ll have to wait his turn. Now tell me, on a scale of one to ten, how would you rate this evening? I think I might throw another of these.”

“Definitely a ten, Tanner. Thank you so much for putting this all together. I always wondered what prom would have been like.”

---