Chapter 2
TWO
S enior Prom Night
“Casey, I’m not sleeping with you in the back of your mom’s station wagon.”
Casey Morgan dropped his head between his knees and slumped on the curb outside the high school gym where their senior prom had ended in total disaster. “It’s because I puked on your dress, right?”
Haley wrinkled her nose, holding the plastic garbage bag containing her ruined prom gown. “With any luck, my mom can get it cleaned.”
“At least you had some gym clothes to change into,” he pointed out, gesturing at her wrinkled T-shirt and old black biker shorts that smelled faintly of sweat and body spray.
Haley held back an eye roll. Sure, she could still be sitting in her vomit-stained dress, so she supposed. Clearly, it could be worse. But spending her senior prom sitting outside on the curb in yesterday’s gym clothes wasn’t exactly what she’d call “lucky.”
“So… it’s a hard no on the sex?” Casey asked, hopeful as a puppy.
Haley pinched the bridge of her nose, trying not to lose her temper. All six and a half feet of Casey seemed to be governed by a brain about the size of a peanut.
“That’s a hell no, Case. Even if I wanted to sleep with you, you smell like puke and booze. It’s not really a turn-on.”
“Yeah,” he mumbled, looking properly chastened. “I figured as much. Do you, uh… just want to go home?”
She laughed, a slightly hysterical sound. “That was your whole plan, huh? Bring me to prom, then try to get me in the back of your mom’s car?”
Casey scratched his head, looking genuinely confused. “I mean… we could do something else. What do you want to do?”
“Anything, Case. Anything besides that. Do you want to see a movie? Maybe go bowling?”
He thought about it, his bleary eyes lighting up. “I heard there’s a new superhero movie at the drive-in. Want to catch the midnight show? I’ll buy the popcorn.”
A smile tugged at Haley’s mouth despite everything. She and Casey had become friends in high school. He was loud, obnoxious, and funny as hell. But most importantly, he didn’t seem to care about her appearance. Despite his recent lapse in judgment, Casey was one of the good guys. When he’d moved to the area sophomore year, he’d quickly become her friend. He even stayed neutral when he realized there was bad blood between her and Ian, his other friend. He liked Haley for who she was, making him one of her favorite people.
“How much did you drink, Case? Maybe I should drive, and we can talk about popcorn once we’re there.”
Casey grinned, his eyes still glassy but soft. “You’re so pretty, Haley.”
She snorted. “I’ll watch a movie with you, but I’m not sleeping with you, Case.”
He sighed, hanging his head. “Yeah, yeah, I know. I had to try, though. Let’s get out of here.”
He handed her his car keys, and Haley tossed the bag with her ruined dress in the back seat, wrinkling her nose at the smell.
“It reeks,” she muttered as she climbed into the driver’s seat. “I’ll swing by my place to drop this off and grab some treats. We could use a few pillows and blankets if we’re settling in to watch a movie.”
Casey brightened, his mood lifting instantly. “Like a sleepover?”
Haley shook her head but couldn’t help smiling. “Yeah, just like a sleepover.”
He’d shocked her when he asked her to prom, though. They’d never dated, but he’d explained that they were both seniors and might as well go as friends. She’d been happy to accept.
Only… tonight, things had taken a strange turn. Casey kept going back to the punch bowl for more drinks, getting friendlier with each one until he finally attempted to kiss her in the middle of the dance floor. But instead of landing a kiss, he’d managed to puke up half a gallon of red punch. Apparently, someone had spiked the bowl, and poor Casey had drunk his fill.
Once Haley had cleaned up and they’d been unceremoniously kicked out of prom, Casey admitted everything. The football players had a bet going: anyone who didn’t “get lucky” tonight would have to wear a cheerleader’s skirt and pom-poms at the next pep rally. She highly doubted any of those guys would fit into those tiny skirts—hell, she couldn’t fit into those skirts. When she pointed that out, Casey had perked up a bit.
“It’s not that I don’t want to sleep with you, Haley,” he mumbled. “You're fucking hot. It’s just that… y’know, fucking friends is kinda weird.”
Haley had blinked, unsure how to respond to that bizarre confession. So she just nodded as if she understood completely.
Once they arrived at the drive-in, things felt more normal. They’d loaded up with pillows, blankets, and snacks from her mom’s pantry and settled into the back of Casey’s mom’s station wagon. They watched the first movie, some action flick where good triumphed over evil, and downed enough popcorn to make them both a hair above food comatose.
“It’s just after two in the morning,” Casey said, rubbing his eyes when the credits rolled. “Do you want to watch the next one? It’s a horror movie.”
“Why not?” Haley’s yawn nearly dislocated her jaw. “Besides, if you stay out all night, the guys on the team can assume we… y’know.”
Casey’s face lit up. “I could just say we slept together. Not, like… slept slept, but actually slept. That counts, right?”
Haley laughed. “It counts. Now hush—it’s starting.”
About twenty minutes into the movie, they both passed out. It wasn’t until dawn when someone banged on the car window that they woke up.
“What the hell?” Casey groaned, clutching his head.
Haley rolled down the window, blinking blearily at the police officer. He did not look amused.
“Sorry, officer,” she rasped, her voice thick with sleep. “We fell asleep during the second show.”
He arched his brow. “It’s obvious what’s going on here. I’m just grateful you have your clothes on. If I see one more half-naked teenager, I swear I’m resigning. Now, get yourselves home. Both of you.”
“Yes, sir,” Haley replied, holding back laughter as she rolled up the window and started the car.
By the time they pulled into her driveway, both of them were laughing their heads off.
“Did you see his face?” Casey said, trying to puff out his chest and deepen his voice in an impression of the officer. “ At least you have your clothes on."
Haley snorted, finishing the line in a dramatic drawl. “If I see another hairy-assed kid…”
A cold, angry voice cut through their laughter. “Where in the hell have you two been?”
The smile slipped off Haley’s face as she looked toward the porch, where Ian Johnson stood. His expression could only be described as thunderous. Since they were neighbors, seeing him wasn’t a total surprise. But it wasn’t like him to be lingering outside, especially the morning after prom. Besides, he hadn’t been over to Haley’s house in years.
“Answer me,” he demanded, storming up to Casey, getting right in his face.
Casey stiffened, confusion written across his features. “What’s your problem, man? You knew I was taking Haley to prom. Hell, you suggested it.”
Haley’s stomach dropped, the air sucked out of her lungs. “You suggested it?”
Ian’s glare never wavered, though Casey shot her a guilty look. “I know I said we were going as friends, Hales, and I wanted to take you. But, yeah... Ian gave me the idea.”
Haley shook her head, feeling her cheeks flush with anger. “Did he tell you to try to fuck me in the back seat, too? Is that where all that nonsense came from?”
Casey’s face went white. “No! No, Haley, that wasn’t… I mean, I did ask, but I wouldn’t have really… I just… Shit, I was drunk…”
He didn’t get to finish his pathetic excuse because Ian’s fist shot out, landing squarely on Casey’s jaw. Casey crumpled to the ground like a sack of potatoes.
Haley gasped, stepping back as Ian turned his gaze on her, fierce and unyielding.
“What the hell is your problem?” she hissed, crossing her arms over her chest to hide the tremor running through her. “Did you think he was just going to… to sleep with me because you suggested it?”
Ian’s eyes narrowed, his voice low and dark. “I didn’t think he'd try anything. Shit, we've been friends since sophomore year. Casey knew better than to make a move on you. I sure as hell didn't think he'd try to... What a fucking mess. He didn't force himself on you, did he?”
Haley sank to her knees beside Casey. “What did you do?”
“He deserves a lot worse,” Ian growled, his hand flexing from the hit.
“No, he doesn’t,” she scoffed, struggling to keep her voice steady. “Of course, Casey didn't force himself on me. He was all riled up about some bet you idiots have going on the football team. If you didn't expect him to at least try to win the bet, why did you tell him to take me? Is this some twisted little test to see if I’d fall for him? Because I'm not good enough for one of your friends, right? Screw you.”
“You think I need to test you? That I would put you, of all people, in that position?” His voice was bitter, his gaze piercing. “I already know exactly what you think of me, Haley. Always have.”
The accusation stung more than she wanted to admit. She was furious, humiliated, and a little confused. But she wasn’t about to let him win this round. “Yeah? Well, I think you should take a good look in the mirror, Ian. Maybe then you’d understand why I can't trust you.”
For a second, she thought he’d snap back. Instead, he shook his head, a faint, humorless smile crossing his lips. “Go inside, Haley. I’ll deal with Casey. Oh... and for the record, it's not about you being good enough for them. Keep this asshat off your porch.”
Haley rose to her feet, turning her back on him. She stalked up the porch stairs and into the house. If Ian Johnson thought he could play puppet master with her life, he was dead wrong. He’d just made an enemy he’d never see coming.