Prom Date (15 page)

B
y Friday, Cassidy had a group of eight girls interested in going to prom together. Everyone would buy their own tickets, and since Kelsey Chase wanted to arrive in style, they'd all agreed to split the limo rental between them. There'd been a little bickering over dresses—Miranda Sanders wanted all the girls to wear cocktail-length dresses while some of the girls had their hearts set on long gowns—but for the most part the girls seemed happy about going “stag” to prom.

“You're welcome to join us,” Cassidy told Bryn as they exited their English class together. “If you did, I'd nominate you as fashion consultant.” She laughed as she explained about the dress-length controversy. “I keep telling them that it doesn't matter and that everyone should just wear what they want. But Miranda already has a short dress and she's afraid she'll be the only one.”

Bryn's brow was creased and Cassidy didn't think it was
over the dress-length question. “Who are the girls going to dance with at prom?” Bryn asked in a flat tone.

“They don't have to dance with anyone,” Cassidy pointed out. “I mean, unless it's a slow dance, who really pays attention to that anyway?”

“Yeah . . . I guess that's true.”

“So anyway, you should consider joining us, Bryn. I think it's going to be fun.”

Bryn stopped walking at the edge of the courtyard and turned to peer intently at Cassidy. “So you've totally given up on going with a guy to prom?”

Cassidy shrugged. “I guess so.”

“I thought you wanted to go with Lane.”

She shrugged again. “I'd considered doing a promposal myself, but then I got to thinking that if Lane wanted to go to prom—I mean,
with me
—he probably would've asked me by now.”

Bryn's brows arched. “So you think Lane
doesn't
want to go with you?”

“That seems like the obvious conclusion.”

“So . . . what if
someone else
asked Lane to prom? Would you be jealous?”

Cassidy frowned. Okay, the truth was she'd probably be a little bit jealous, but she wasn't prepared to admit it. “Why are you asking me that?” She peered curiously at Bryn, but before Bryn said a word, Cassidy knew the answer. “You're going to ask Lane to prom?” Cassidy demanded. “
Seriously?
”

“Well, if you're not . . . why can't I?” Bryn made an apologetic smile.

“What about the DG rules?” Cassidy asked. “Remember the one about no boyfriend stealing?”

“Are you saying that Lane's your boyfriend?”

Cassidy pursed her lips then slowly shook her head.

“So is he fair game then?” Bryn asked.

Suddenly Cassidy wondered if she should throw together some kind of a last-minute promposal for Lane. Sure, it wouldn't be good enough to win her that bike, but if it secured Lane as her date for prom, maybe it would be okay. And it would keep Bryn from going with Lane. Because, honestly, Cassidy knew that the girls' group date wouldn't be nearly as much fun if she had to watch Bryn and Lane together. “I—uh—I don't know,” Cassidy told Bryn.

“Because I don't want to step on your toes,” Bryn said with a sincere expression. “Really, Cass, if you think you're going to ask Lane to prom, just tell me and I'll back off.”

Before Cassidy could respond, the sound of a loud trumpet blast made them both jump.

“Look at that!” Bryn cried as she pointed to the other end of the courtyard. Cassidy turned in time to see George Henley dressed like a knight and riding a stick horse. Lifting his knees high, he pretended that the galloping horse was hard to control. And, of course, he was being followed by a camera-wielding friend.

“Looking for Lady Madeline!” George yelled out. “Anyone seen Lady Madeline?”

“She's right here,” a girl's voice answered. She was tugging a slightly embarrassed Madeline out into the center of the courtyard.

George galloped up to Madeline and, dismounting his horse, made a deep bow. “Lady Madeline, I am your servant.”

Madeline giggled nervously.

George stood up and produced a long, pointed strip of
green paper. “I have slain the dragon for you, my lady.” He handed her the strip. “Here is his tail.”

Madeline took the paper dragon tail and appeared to be reading something written on it. She looked up and grinned at George. “Yes!” she told him.

“
Hurrah!
” George gave a fist pump to the cameraman. “Lady Madeline has graciously agreed to attend prom with me!” And now he made a deep bow for the camera, and everyone watching in the courtyard clapped and cheered.

But the warning bell rang and it was time to hurry to class. As Cassidy took her seat, she wondered about her conversation with Bryn. They'd never really wrapped it up. And for all Cassidy knew, Bryn could be planning her promposal right now. Cassidy knew Bryn well enough to know that when that girl set her mind to something, it was hard to stop her. How would Cassidy feel if Bryn succeeded at getting Lane to take her to prom? Oh, she'd try to act like it didn't matter—and Bryn was right, Lane was not Cassidy's boyfriend—but even so it seemed wrong-wrong-wrong for Bryn to go after him.

And if that was how Bryn planned to play this thing, maybe it was time for Cassidy to step in first. Instead of doing her math, Cassidy decided to make a short list of easy ideas for a promposal. She knew that Lane loved peanut M&Ms—what if she got several packages from the vending machine then wrote out the word
PROM
with them on a paper plate? But how would she present it to him? And what if the colorful round balls slid out of place and she ended up looking totally ridiculous? And, really, why was she wasting time on this when she should be doing her math?

By lunchtime, Cassidy had gone back and forth like a Ping-Pong ball—yes, she was definitely going to ask Lane to prom
and then no, she was absolutely not going to ask him. Talk about indecisive. Why couldn't she make up her mind?

Her only consolation, as she joined her friends at their usual lunch table, was that it didn't appear that Bryn had invited Lane to prom . . . yet. At least she wasn't talking about it. And Cassidy knew that Bryn would not be able to keep the news to herself if she and Lane were actually going to prom together. Even so, Cassidy still didn't know if she could bring herself to ask Lane, although she'd figured out a way to adhere the M&Ms. She could get a peanut butter and crackers packet from the vending machine and use the peanut butter to glue the M&Ms in place. And maybe she would . . . as soon as she finished lunch.

“Did you guys see George's promposal this morning?” Bryn asked the girls. She pointed at Devon with a sly expression. “I think that boy might've just beat you out of a pretty red bicycle.” She described the promposal, making it sound even grander than it had actually been.

Devon frowned. “That totally stinks. I noticed Mrs. Dorman uploaded our promposals onto the website yesterday. I'll bet George got the idea for the costume when he saw mine.”

“Well, I think yours was better,” Cassidy assured her. “I'd vote for Juliet over the dragon slayer in a heartbeat.”

“Thank you.” Devon smirked at Bryn.

Cassidy was just opening her lunch bag when she heard the sound of a guitar playing behind her—and not coming through the cafeteria's speakers either. This music was live.

“Hey!” Emma pointed over Cassidy's shoulder. “Check it out.”

Both Cassidy and Bryn turned around to see Lane just a
few feet behind them, quietly strumming a guitar. Cassidy knew that Lane had been taking guitar lessons this year, but she'd never actually heard him play. He kept his head down, focusing on his fingers and the strings and not even sounding too bad. But Cassidy could tell by his slightly rosy cheeks, this boy was totally out of his comfort zone. And judging by Isaac, who was recording the impromptu performance on his phone, Lane was up to something.

“What's he doing?” Abby whispered.

“Is this a promposal?” Felicia asked quietly.

“Sure looks like it.” Bryn giggled in a way that seemed to suggest she thought Lane was here for her. And maybe he was. Knowing Bryn, it was entirely possible that she'd asked someone to put Lane up to this. If Lane had thought he had a chance to take someone as pretty as Bryn to prom, he might be willing to humiliate himself a little.

Cassidy took her eyes off Lane to study Bryn. She was clearly amused and enjoying this. Did she think that Lane was playing for her? Was he? Cassidy turned back to Lane now. If he was about to sing to Bryn, she needed to brace herself. She needed to act like this was perfectly fine. After all, she had the girls' group—that would be fun. Why should she care if Bryn and Lane wanted to go to prom together?

Lane looked up from the guitar, and to Cassidy's surprise, he seemed to be staring directly at her as he came closer to their table. By now a small crowd of onlookers had gathered, but Lane just kept on playing, almost like he didn't care. Then he smiled at Cassidy and started to sing a funny little song.

Oh Cassidy, oh Cassidy,

You're my friend, can't you see?

I might be slow but hope you know

Just how much you mean to me.

Oh Cassidy, oh Cassidy,

You really are the girl for me.

I need to know, please don't say no,

Tell me you will go with me.

Then Lane flipped his guitar over to show that he'd taped the word
PROM
? on the back of his guitar. He looked hopefully at her and she leaped to her feet and hugged him. “Yes!” she declared. “I'd be glad to.”

Everyone clapped and cheered. Lane grinned happily and, thanks to popular demand, he played her song again. After he was finished with his promposal, Cassidy walked with him to the music department, to return the guitar he'd borrowed for her song.

“So I heard that you thought I was never going to ask you,” Lane said as he put the guitar back into the case.

“Where'd you hear that?”

“Bryn told me.” He snapped it closed, then slid it onto a shelf.

“She did?” Cassidy was confused. Here she'd been imagining Bryn was out to steal Lane away from her—and now this? “What did Bryn say to you?”

“Just that you were planning to go to prom with a bunch of goofy girls and if I wanted to take you, I'd better step up.” He gave her a sheepish smile. “I'd been working on that song and wanted to get it down better before I actually sang it.”

“I thought you sang it brilliantly,” she told him.

“Thanks. I've been working on it for the past week, but
I didn't really think I could pull it off.” He laughed. “But I am glad it's over with.”

So Bryn had been the boot on his behind, getting him to perform his promposal even though he hadn't felt ready. Who knew?

Cassidy happily told her parents about Lane's promposal that night. She even showed them the video that Isaac had sent to her after school. As a result, Mom was over the moon to do some prom gown shopping. And even though Cassidy wasn't much of a shopper, she agreed.

On Saturday morning, Cassidy explained about Abby's Prom Budget Challenge, and Dad was so impressed with the idea that he increased Cassidy's prom budget.

“So if you shop frugally, like you planned, you should be left with a tidy little sum to contribute to the little Ruez girl,” Dad said as he doled out some more cash. “I really like the way you and your friends are handling your prom. Very generous . . . and mature.”

On the way to town, Cassidy was wishing that they could wrap up the gown shopping as quickly as possible. “I'm fine with renting a gown again,” she told her mom. “The one I had for the Christmas ball was pretty cool. And I can use those same shoes too.”

“Are you saying you want to go straight to Formal Rental Wear?” Mom's voice sounded disappointed.

“Well, not exactly.” Cassidy looked down at the list she'd gotten from Abby's website. “There's Angelica's Closet—they sell both new and used gowns.”

“I heard that Macy's is having a one-day sale,” Mom said. “Plus I have a coupon for an additional 20 percent off.”

“But Macy's? Wouldn't that still be a lot more expensive?” Cassidy replied.

“Oh, I don't know.” Mom chuckled. “Besides, what if I chipped in a little extra money?”

Cassidy wasn't sure about this. She had actually liked the idea of being frugally dressed.

“And there's always Dress 4 Less,” Mom reminded her. “I noticed they had a pretty big formal wear rack in the back. Want to start there?”

Cassidy could tell that Mom wanted to make this a big shopping day. And as much as Cassidy wanted to go straight for the rental place, she agreed to start at Dress 4 Less. But it didn't take long before they realized the gowns there were pretty picked over and there wasn't much to choose from in Cassidy's size.