Prom Queen, The (Life at Kingston High Book #3) (19 page)

“Anyway, there’s a rumor going around . . .”

She made a forced laugh. “You mean that I’m taking a girl to prom?” She rolled her eyes. “It’s just a rumor.”

“No, I mean that you don’t have a date.”

“Oh . . . that rumor.” She pressed her lips together, wondering what he was getting at—after all, hadn’t she heard he was taking Clarisa?

“So it’s true?”

“Uh-huh.” She tried to look nonchalant. She was not going to get her hopes up.

“Well, I got to thinking . . . Maybe I reacted a little strongly when you quit the musical. To be honest, it had been kind of a bad day. And rehearsal hadn’t been too great. I think I was in a bad mood.”

“You seemed pretty mad that day.”

He nodded. “I was. But not completely at you.”

“Oh.” Was she imagining this? Or was he asking her to prom again?

“Anyway, if you don’t have a date and you’d like to give me another shot . . .” He made a nervous smile.

“Are you asking me to prom, Jack?”

His brown eyes got bigger. “Yeah. You want to go with me?”

“I’d be honored to go with you.”

“You forgive me for being such a jerk then?” He still looked a little worried.

“Of course.”

He nodded. “And I forgive you.”

She threw her arms around him. “It’s a date.”

After the hug ended, he gave her a sheepish smile. “Uh . . . we’ll still have to use your car, okay?”

She explained about the limo and how she was fixing dinner at her house. He brightened. “Cool. I was getting a little worried about how expensive this was going to be.”

“Don’t worry, I’m a cheap date.” She laughed.

B
y the end of the week, Megan was actually looking forward to prom, although she was probably most looking forward to having it all behind her by the weekend. Not that she wasn’t glad to be going with Jack. Or relieved that her dress alterations had been successful. It was just so stressful knowing that she still had to stand up in front of everyone, smiling congenially as Amanda was crowned prom queen. Her one last form of public humiliation. Still, she was determined to hold her head high and then to have fun for the remainder of the evening.

It wasn’t that she thought Amanda didn’t deserve the crown. In fact, she planned to secretly vote for her, simply to help ensure that Hallie had less of a chance to win. Not that she thought Hallie had much of a chance anyway. But when Hallie showed up with a “salsa party” during the lunch hour—complete with Mexican music and virgin margaritas
and some very enthusiastic fans, Megan wasn’t so sure. She had to admit it was clever.

“Don’t worry.” Chelsea nodded to where the party seemed to be growing by the minute. “They’re just there for the food.”

Megan chuckled. “Can’t blame them for that. Those mini tacos and chimichangas look pretty tempting.”

“Speaking of food, what’s on the menu tonight?” Lishia asked.

“Italian,” Megan told them.

“Yum!” Janelle smacked her lips.

“My mom made her famous lasagna, and I’m making manicotti.” Megan grinned. “The rest is a surprise, but trust me, I think it’ll be good.” The truth was, Megan had probably put as much thought and energy into tonight’s dinner menu and preparations as she put into the prom. She didn’t even care that dinner was taking so much of her time. If her friends enjoyed themselves at her house, she felt that the evening would be off to a decent start.

“You sure you don’t need help with any of it?” Chelsea asked again.

“No.” Megan firmly shook her head. “I want you guys to just come and have fun. Everything’s under control.”

Even so, she drove directly home from school that afternoon and went straight to work. Mom was letting her use the good china and crystal and silver. “Why not?” Mom had said. “We hardly ever use it anyway. What’s it for if not to use?”

Still, Megan was careful as she set the table in the dining room. She’d put in the leaf to make it comfortable for eight. She’d also gotten fresh flowers and had candles ready to light,
as well as a good selection of songs already on the MP3 player. She was just finishing up the green salad when Arianna and Olivia came home from their soccer game.

“Sorry we’re late,” Arianna told her.

“It’s okay.” Megan pointed to Olivia. “Did you remember to bring your server clothes?”

“Black pants and white shirt.” Olivia said.

“And there are some tea towels to use as your aprons.” Megan demonstrated how they could be lapped over a ribbon and tied to make them look like waiters in a fancy restaurant.

“This is fun,” Olivia said with enthusiasm.

“And we still get paid, right?” Arianna said to Megan.

“Not just in pizza either,” Megan assured them. “Although you’re welcome to leftovers. There should be plenty.” She glanced at the clock. “Mom should be home in a few minutes and—”

“You should go get ready.” Arianna gently pushed her.

“Yeah,” Olivia urged. “Don’t you have to do your hair and stuff?”

Megan shrugged. “I’m not putting my hair up.”

“You
have
to put it up,” Arianna insisted. “It will look so elegant.”

“I’m terrible at putting it up,” Megan confessed. “I’ll just wear it down.”

“Let me call my mom,” Olivia suddenly pulled out her phone. “She does hair. She used to be a hairdresser before I was born.”

“That’s right!” Arianna said eagerly. “She’s great with hair.”

Megan just held up her hands. “Whatever.”

“Go get ready,” Arianna said again. “You’re burning daylight. And Mom won’t want you around while she’s playing head chef anyway.”

“Okay.” Megan took one last glance around the kitchen. Everything really did seem to be in good shape.

“Hurry!” Arianna urged her. “And don’t forget to take a shower.”

Megan chuckled as she went upstairs. Did Arianna honestly think she’d forget to take a shower? However, the truth was, she was not looking forward to getting dressed for the “big night.” It was probably partially due to all the criticism she’d gotten from Belinda and partly because she still felt like such a fraud. But, she reminded herself, she had to do her best for her friends. They expected her to at least act like a candidate. She owed them that much.

After a quick shower, Megan slipped on the dress. Despite being taken in and fitting her figure much better, it was still comfortable. The zipper went up fairly easily. Plus the satiny fabric had just a little bit of give in it, so it was still comfortable to sit in. Not that she planned to sit all night, but it was nice knowing she wouldn’t bust a seam if she bent over. She was just putting on her shoes—rather Belinda’s shoes—when Olivia’s mother knocked on her partially open door.

“Megan?” she called. “It’s Ruth.”

“Come in.” Megan opened the door fully. She’d only met Olivia’s mom a couple of times. “Sorry that Olivia dragged you into this.”

“Nonsense. I think it’ll be fun.” Ruth set a small case on the
dresser and pointed to the mirror. “Stand right here and I’ll get straight to work. The girls said we don’t have much time.”

Megan glanced at the clock by her bed. “Yeah. My friends should be here in about fifteen minutes, and I still have—”

“Hold still.” Ruth was vigorously brushing Megan’s hair now. “How about a loose updo,” she suggested. “With some up and some down?”

“Whatever you think is best.”

Ruth looked surprised. “You seem awfully laid-back for a girl who’s running for prom queen.”

Megan laughed. “Well, I don’t expect to win.”

“That might be so, but how about I put in a few extra hairpins just in case someone sticks a crown up here, okay?”

“Whatever.”

“Do you plan to wear a bit of makeup?” Ruth asked as she used a curling iron on some tendrils of hair.

“I put on lip gloss.”

“Mind if I do a little touch-up?” Ruth smiled. “I learned makeup at cosmetology school too.”

Megan frowned. “I just want to look natural—you know, like myself.”

“I can respect that. I promise to keep it light. You’ll look like yourself, only better. Okay?”

Megan wasn’t so sure. But as she looked more closely at her hair, which actually looked great, her confidence grew. “Okay. If you think so.”

Ruth turned Megan away from the mirror now. “Just relax, honey.”

Megan took in a deep breath, and as Ruth quietly worked, she prayed that she wouldn’t come out looking like a drag queen.

“Oh, Megan,” Mom gushed as she came into the room. “You look gorgeous!”

“Really?” Megan blinked.

“Careful of the mascara,” Ruth warned.

“Really beautiful.” Mom nodded eagerly, keeping her hands behind her back.

“How’s dinner?” Megan asked nervously. “Did you put the bread in to warm and—”

“Everything’s under control. Remember our agreement. You do the first part and let me do the rest. Right?”

Megan nodded. “Right.”

Mom pulled out her jewelry box and opened it. “I just wanted to see if there’s something in here you’d like to wear tonight, sweetie.”

“Really?” Megan stared down into the box. Mom actually had some pretty nice pieces of jewelry. Dad had been generous when they’d been together.

“Why not?” Mom pulled out a pendant and held it up. “The big stone is just a garnet, but the small stones are diamonds.”

“That’s nice with the dress,” Ruth observed.

“Or the pearls.” Mom held up a strand. “Or are they too matronly?”

“They’re all pretty,” Megan declared. “How can I decide?”

They watched as she tried on various pieces and combinations and finally settled on the garnet pendant, diamond stud earrings, and a garnet cocktail ring.

“How’s that?” Mom asked as Megan took one last look at her reflection.

“I feel like a princess,” Megan admitted.

“Well, here’s to you being crowned queen,” Ruth said as she closed her case.

Megan was just thanking both of them when the doorbell rang.

“That’s probably your guests,” Mom said. “I told the girls to serve appetizers and champagne in the living room.”

“Champagne?” Ruth looked alarmed.

“Sparkling cider,” Mom explained.

Megan thanked them both again, then hurried down to greet her friends. Of course, they all looked gorgeous—even the guys. “You look fantastic,” Jack told her as he helped her with a wrist corsage. It was tiny dark pink roses tied with a silver ribbon.

“Thank you.” She held up her wrist. “This is beautiful.”

“Not as beautiful as you,” he said quietly.

She beamed at him. This was so much more than she’d expected. “Thanks. You look great too.”

“Everyone looks so glamorous,” she told the others as she led them to the living room. “Very Hollywood.”

“All ready for the red carpet,” Lishia said happily.

“Look at this.” Chelsea picked up one of the carefully made appetizers, holding it up for the others to see. “Very uptown, Megan.” She winked. “By the way, you look gorgeous too.”

Everyone seemed to relax as they munched on the appetizers, and by the time dinner was ready, the eight of them were having so much fun that one of the guys suggested they just skip the prom altogether.

“We can’t do that,” Chelsea said as they headed into the dining room. “We have to see Megan get crowned tonight.”

Megan laughed. “Don’t hold your breath on that.”

“You have a chance,” Lishia insisted as they sat down.

“Let’s not be delusional.” Megan shook her head as she unfolded her cloth napkin. “But at least I finished the race.”

“Here’s to finishing,” Jack held up his sparkling cider in a toast.

The rest of them followed his lead. After that toast ended, Megan decided to make another. “Here’s to my good friends,” she said happily. “The one thing I learned through my silly pursuit of the crown is that nothing matters more than my friends. I would rather have you guys than a crown of real gold and diamonds—and that’s the truth.”

“Well, just in case,” Janelle warned, “I hope you have an acceptance speech planned.”

Megan rolled her eyes. “Yeah, sure, Janelle.”

Arianna and Olivia began to serve dinner, and thankfully, the conversation switched over to food and other things. Megan really just wanted to forget that before the evening was over, she would have to stand on the stage and watch Amanda be crowned. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to watch Amanda being crowned. It was simply that she wished, truly wished, she could be watching it from the dance floor with her friends. But at least it would be over tonight.

She looked around the table at her friends and smiled. She remembered how Belinda had said that prom night was her happiest high school memory. At the time, Megan had assumed it was because of winning the crown, and perhaps it was like that for Belinda. But Megan thought this moment—sharing a meal with her friends, laughing and enjoying each other—might end up being one of her happiest moments.

Finally the meal came to an end and Chelsea insisted that it was time to get to the actual prom. “We can’t have our prom queen candidate showing up late,” she said as she helped herd everyone toward the door.

Megan simply had to bite her tongue. She had no illusions about how this was going to go down. But she would play along and let her friends enjoy this. The ride in the limo was fun, rocking out to an old Beatles CD that the driver cranked up for them. But before they got there, Nicholas got very quiet and serious as he read a message on his iPhone. “Oh no,” he said. “This is bad.”

“What is it?” Chelsea asked him.

“Well, I hate to be a downer tonight . . .”

“Tell us,” Chelsea demanded.

“Yes,” Megan urged. “Please do.”

“I don’t want to spoil your big night, Megan.”

She firmly shook her head. “It is not
my
big night. It’s
everyone’s
big night. Now, please, tell us what’s wrong.”

“The text is from Pastor Raymond, and it’s about Bethany Bridgewater.”

“What happened?” Janelle asked.

“She’s been having some tests at the hospital. They thought she had a bone infection, but turns out it’s some kind of cancer,” Nicholas said solemnly.

“Oh, poor Bethany,” Lishia said.

“Oh no.” Megan felt a rush of sadness.

“Will she still be at prom?” Janelle asked. “I know she and Michael were planning on going.”

“The text says she’s still coming,” Nicholas told them. “In a wheelchair. She’s not supposed to put any weight on the leg.”

“Let’s pray for her,” Megan said suddenly. “Let’s ask God to give her a special night despite everything. And let’s ask him to heal her too.”

So right there in the limo, all eight of them bowed their heads and prayed for Bethany Bridgewater. And then they were at the prom.

“I have a good feeling about Bethany,” Lishia said as they started getting out of the limo. “Like she’s going to beat this.”

“Me too,” Megan told her. “But we’ll have to keep praying for her.” Suddenly she felt nervous as she remembered what this night was all about. Yet at the same time, she felt foolish for ever having been so obsessed with something so superficial. Especially in light of what Bethany was experiencing.

“Just relax,” Jack whispered in her ear as he helped her out of the limo.

“Is it that obvious?” she asked.

He made a concerned smile. “You seem like you’re tensing up.”

“I just want to get the whole crowning biz over with,” she said quietly. “I know Amanda’s going to win. I just want to get beyond it and spend time with you and my friends.”

“What if you
do
win?” He linked arms with her.

She made a tolerant smile. “That’s pretty much impossible now.”

“Everyone in the musical sounded like they were voting for you,” he told her as they went inside.

She blinked in surprise. “Seriously?”

He nodded. “You’re like the drama representative.”