Chapter 40
Chapter Forty
ELIZABETH
Prom
“ F or fuck’s sake!” Hailey yelps.
I think she’s burned her fingers four times already, trying to straighten my hair. I have a lot of it, and she’s been at it for an hour. My butt is numb from sitting still for so long. My squirming has gotten worse over the last twenty minutes, and Hailey is about to smack me with the straightening iron to stop wriggling.
Using a hand mirror, I apply the finishing touches to my makeup, painting my lips a bloodred as she glides the hot iron over the last section of hair. Why do girls do this to themselves? We primp and spray, fit our bodies into skinny jeans, and teeter around on four-inch sticks for shoes that blister our feet. Guys just pick up some pants and a T-shirt off the floor, do a sniff test to make sure the smell isn’t too bad, and they’re done.
“When I get through with you, Jayson won’t know what hit him.” She spritzes more glossing serum on my hair, then sprays it with hairspray and stands back to observe her work. “There. Perfect. What do you think?”
Relief is the first thing I feel because I get to stand up and stretch. When I do look in the full-size bathroom mirror, my mouth drops open. My long hair is naturally wavy, which is why I never take the time to straighten it or do much with it other than a quick dry with the hair dryer. Hailey has turned my wavy hair into a glossy, sleek waterfall of spun gold. I run my hands through the ends, and it feels like I’m touching silk.
“Oh my gosh, it feels so good. It’s gorgeous, Hales.” I swish my hair from side to side and watch as it falls back into place.
“Just one more finishing touch,” she says and goes into her bedroom. When she comes back, she’s holding a square box. “This is from me and Mom. I hope you like it.”
Curious, I remove the lid and pull back pearlescent tissue paper. Sitting on the bottom is a black tiara headband with tiny red flowers. Beside it are five small red flower clips.
“These are beautiful, Hailey.” I hug her tight and kiss her cheek.
“Here, let me.” She takes the items out, one by one. She weaves my hair through the tiara headband to create some volume at the top of my crown, then clips the tiny flowers in various strands throughout. “Now you really do look like a princess. A smoking hot, sexy princess.”
We giggle as we look at my reflection in the mirror.
“Let’s get you in that dress and down to your guy.”
Going shopping for my prom dress was a tad depressing. Maria and I always went clothes shopping together. I miss her. She still won’t talk to me, and to make matters worse, she’s gotten chummy with both Jacinda and Samantha. Instead of being my best friend, she’s become my bully. She has pushed me into lockers, dumped soda on me, and tripped me in the girl’s locker room after PE.
I haven’t told the guys what has been going on at school. If they found out she did that stuff to me, they would lose it. So, I’ve kept quiet. She doesn’t mess with me when the boys are around, and I’ve gotten very good at making sure one of them walks me to each of my classes in order to avoid her.
But I don’t want to think about Maria tonight. Tonight, I want to dance and laugh and have fun.
Hailey helps me put on my red spaghetti strap high-low gown. It has a plunging neckline with flower appliqué beading on the bodice. The high part of the gown is in the front, and I love how it shows a lot of leg. Mom let me borrow her ruby drop earrings and matching bracelet. After slipping on my black satin heels, I turn a pirouette. Hailey wolf whistles and takes some photos of me with her phone.
“This will be you next year, little sis. And then I can be the one to dress you up.”
While Hailey zips up the dress in the back, a bright light appears outside my bedroom window.
“Jayson must have turned on your tree lights. It’s just like that Valentine’s Day.”
My man is so freaking romantic.
Male voices filter in through the window from outside, signaling the guys have arrived.
“It’s showtime!”
I grab my black clutch purse and the small gifts I made from the bed and make my way down the stairs.
I’ve been looking forward to seeing all three of them in their tuxedos, but I never expected to be greeted by a wall of utter male hotness. Holy hell. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a trio of more drop-dead gorgeous men in my life.
Jayson’s tux is black, and underneath he’s wearing a dark charcoal dress shirt, a black bowtie, and a deep red cummerbund to match my dress. Ryder is wearing all black—of course. He’s in a classic satin peak lapel tux. Julien has on a light silver-gray tux that matches his eyes and a dark gray bow tie and red cummerbund. He has spiked the front of his hair into a short faux hawk.
Several gasps interrupt my lingering perusal. I hadn’t noticed our entryway was filled with our parents, cameras at the ready. Heat climbs up my neck when three sets of male eyes land on me in various stages of admiration, appreciation, and dirty eye-fucking. My belly flips violently, and my breath hitches. I may end up in a puddle of goo before I make it to the bottom of the stairs.
Jayson reaches out to take my hand.
He whispers in my ear, “You are a goddamn goddess.”
I suck in a sharp inhale when his teeth nip my earlobe.
“Liz, you look phenomenal,” Julien declares and kisses my cheek.
My eyes find Ryder’s.
“There are no words,” he tells me, a half-tip smile curving his mouth.
I understand what he means, because right now, I’m having trouble finding the right words to say.
“You guys look so handsome. You all make me breathless.”
Seven different cameras have been snapping pictures the entire time, the flashes bouncing off the walls like heat lightning during a summer thunderstorm. Jayson’s dad hands him a small box. He opens it and takes out a delicate wrist corsage made of red and black satin ribbon and red flowers. Holding my hand in his, he slides it onto my wrist, then raises my hand and kisses it.
“Love you, baby.”
I sniff the corsage.
Ryder’s mom gives me three matching boutonnieres.
I approach Julien first to pin his and surreptitiously lean in close, so that no one can hear me.
“I’m so sorry that Elijah isn’t the one doing this for you. But he did give me these to give to you. Put them on after we get into the limo.”
I discreetly place the silver cufflinks into Julien’s hands. Elijah had them specially made with Julien’s initials inlaid in black onyx. He curls his fingers around them.
Next, I step up to Jayson with his boutonniere. I look into his mesmerizing metallic eyes and say, “ You aren’t just a star to me, you are my whole damn sky .”
He breathes deeply at my words before taking my lips in a deep, soul-shattering kiss, not caring one bit that we have an audience of parents. I send up a silent thank you to whoever invented smudge-proof lipstick.
After pinning his flower with shaky hands, because, Jesus , he just blew my mind with that kiss, I hand him a paper origami star like the ones he often gives me. Inside I have written him a love poem. Hailey helped me with it.
Last, I come to Ryder. “Hey you.”
“You look beautiful, Elizabeth.”
I pin his flower to his jacket and smooth the lapels down. He gives me a hug, and when we part, I hand him a roll of paper tied with ribbon.
“This is for you. It’s not much.”
I wrote him a song. I’ve been working on it and perfecting it for over a month. Even Dad hasn’t heard it because I wanted the song to be Ryder’s, and no one else’s.
Freda sniffles. “My boys are all grown up.”
Julien and Jayson groan. “Mom, cut it out,” they say at the same time.
Dad guts me when I see tears in his eyes.
“Come here, puddin’.”
He takes me in his arms, and I am engulfed with his scent. My dad smells like clean linen and mint.
“I love you, sweetheart. Have fun tonight.”
I nod, emotion clogging my throat. “I will.”
“You boys take care of my little girl.”
“We will, sir,” Ryder replies.
The families walk us out to the awaiting party bus they rented for tonight. We loiter for more hugs and pictures until we’re finally able to leave.
“Fuck yeah!” Jayson whoops when he climbs into the limo bus.
Seriously? There’s a stripper pole inside the party bus?
“Not in this lifetime, and most certainly not in this dress,” I warn him.
“I bet I can persuade you.”
He takes my hips and pulls me down into his lap.
The bus is equipped with long curved leather bench seats that stretch from the front to the back on one side. The other side has a minibar and controls for the overhead video screen and stereo. Bright colorful neon lights glow throughout. It’s tacky as hell, but that makes it so much fun.
“Let’s get this party started.”
Julien turns on the stereo and cranks up the music.
Prom, here we come.