Chapter 24 – Loophole #2
“It is bad. I’m going to die alone.”
Sophie laughed. “You’re not. Your kiss thief is in love with you. He just...” She didn’t even know how to finish her sentence.
“He’s just a hideous drifter scaredy pants.”
Sophie pulled my into a hug. “I don’t think hideous drifter scaredy pants fits the bill. He’s bold stealing all your firsts the way he did. It doesn’t add up.”
“Then why isn’t he here?”
“I don’t know.” She ran her hand up and down my back. “Maybe something’s keeping him away.” She pulled back. “He probably thinks you’re still in love with Axel. And Jacob. Because you are.”
I didn’t even know what to say to that.
“Come on. I’ll be your date.”
“What about Eli?”
“I’ll send him home.”
I laughed. “Don’t do that. It’s fine. Really.
I’m fine.” No, I didn’t feel fine right now.
But I would be. It wasn’t like this was the first time I was dateless at the Sadie Hawkins dance.
It was four times in a row now. Homecoming was the first and only dance I’d had a date to. And it hadn’t even been real.
Sophie gave me a sympathetic smile. “Well, you can stand next to me for pictures still.”
“Thanks, Soph.” It would certainly be more bearable that way.
I let her pull me out into the living room. All the parents were trying to get their kids to line up.
Sophie pulled me right into the middle of the group and I laughed.
“Grandkids!” Mr. Nigel yelled. “Grandkids, get into the picture.”
Parker grabbed RJ’s hand and pulled him off the couch.
Axel tucked his hands into his leather jacket and walked over and stood right next to me.
“Why does Mr. Nigel call you his grandson now?” I asked.
Axel shrugged. “Because I said he could.”
“But...why?”
He laughed. “Because he wanted grandkids. So...why not?”
“But he has two daughters. He’ll probably have some grandkids eventually.”
“Why wait when you can have what you want right now?” He looked down at me in that way that confused me. One of the looks that I’d read too much into it.
I cleared my throat. “Well, that’s nice of you, I guess. Still confusing though.”
“Speaking of confusing... Anyone care to tell me why Parker is going to this dance with RJ?”
“Because she asked,” RJ said, deadpan. “And she’s a manipulative little...”
Parker kicked him.
Axel laughed.
I was glad he was laughing and not beating up RJ.
Jacob walked over with Olivia. They stood on the other side of Axel. It was strange. For someone to feel like your whole world and then suddenly they barely even spoke to you.
“These outfits aren’t authentic,” Mr. Nigel said. “You should have seen me in the 50s.”
“You weren’t alive in the 50s,” my dad said.
“That’s what you think,” Uncle Rob said with a laugh.
My dad looked very confused. And I agreed. What were Uncle Rob and Mr. Nigel talking about?
“He means his 50s costume,” Mr. Tanner said. “And no one wants to see that, Nigel.”
Mr. Nigel shrugged. “One of my best eras.”
“I think everyone looks perfect.” Aunt Brooklyn lifted her phone for a picture. “You know, I dressed like Sandy for Halloween one year, Sophie.”
Uncle Matt put his arm around Aunt Brooklyn’s shoulders. They smiled at each other.
I remembered thinking that Jacob and I were that happy. I was so na?ve.
“Are you okay?” Axel whispered.
I nodded. But I was so tired of telling everyone I was fine. “I asked someone to the dance. And he didn’t show.”
Axel didn’t respond.
I turned toward him even though our parents were still taking pictures. And it was the first time I realized that his date wasn’t here either. “Wait. Did no one ask you?”
“A few girls did, actually.”
“Oh. So... Did the one you said yes to not show either?”
“No, she did.”
I laughed and looked around. “So where is she? Oh, is she in the bathroom? We should tell them to hold off on the pictures. Please tell me it’s not Gigi, though.”
Axel slowly shook his head. “No. My date is right in front of me.” He stared down at me.
I wanted to cry all over again. “You said no to the other girls who asked you to the dance so that we could go as friends? You didn’t have to do that Axel.”
“I didn’t.”
“Oh, my dad made you, right?” I sighed. “You didn’t need to listen to him, Axel.”
“No. Fuck your dad. I’m done listening to him.”
“What?”
“You asked me to the dance. You asked me and your dad was behind you and he shook his head ‘no’ at me. And screw that. Screw him and his stupid rules that have made me miserable since sixth grade. I’ve been waiting for you to make the first move my whole life.
You finally did. And I’m not waiting another second. This was supposed to be my loophole.”
Loophole? What is happening?
“You asked me to the dance and I didn’t say yes even though I wanted to. But then I asked you and you said yes.”
I shook my head. “You never...”
“Yes I did. I texted you.”
“I think I’d remember you texting me that.”
“I didn’t text you as me, baby.”
Baby. I opened my mouth and closed it again. There was only one person that called me that.
“I never meant to make you feel like I didn’t love you out loud. But you hadn’t made the first move yet. And I just couldn’t bear the thought of you giving all your firsts to someone else when they belonged to me.”
All my firsts? “You’re...you...” Was he saying that he was my kiss thief? I’d wanted to give Axel all my firsts. But I never thought he’d wanted them. “I told you I saved my first kiss for you. You didn’t want it.”
“It’s all I wanted. So I took it the only way I could.”
“You’re my kiss thief?” I whispered.
He slowly nodded. “And you haven’t been stood up. I’m your date to the Sadie Hawkins dance. And every dance for the rest of our lives. Unless your dad makes good on his promise and actually kills me.”
What?
“But it’s a risk I’m willing to take because I’ve been slowly dying waiting anyway.” Axel pulled a small velvet box out of his leather jacket as he dropped to one knee.
My heart started pounding and I heard Aunt Hailey gasp.
Axel popped open the top to reveal a glistening diamond ring. “Scarlett, will you marry me?”