She's So Dead to Us

“Are you serious?” she asked.

“Ally, come on. It’s not like we could go to the prom together,” I said.

“Right, because it’s okay for you to slum it with us Norms out here, but God forbid a Crestie take a Norm to the prom. The whole world might collapse in on itself,” she said sarcastically.

“You know that’s not what I meant,” I said.

She shook her head, staring past me. “I just can’t believe you’re going with someone else.”

“What’d you want me to do, stay home?” I asked, my face screwing up in disbelief.

“That’s what I’m doing,” she shot back.

Oh. Shit. “Well, I can’t. Everyone’s going. And if I don’t go, it’s going to look—”

“Who cares how it looks?” she demanded. Then she stared at her feet again. “Do you, like, like this girl?”

“No. I don’t even know her,” I replied quickly. This had to get me some points. “I only asked her because the Idiot Twins wanted me to.”

“So, you’re taking some sophomore you don’t even know to the prom,” she said flatly.

God. I couldn’t get anything right in this conversation.

“Why? Would it be better if I asked someone I already hooked up with?” I blurted.

Ally’s jaw dropped. Yeah. That may have been the wrong thing to say.

“I have to go,” she said, storming past me.

Her pissed-off exit caught the attention of the guys, and some of them shot me looks. Great. Just great. Now they were going to kick my ass.

Ally grabbed her duffel bag from the bottom bleacher and speed walked toward the parking lot. Marshall took off at a jog after her, and I was left there facing Chad and the rest of the guys, who were all standing by the bleachers with their chins out like they were ready to rumble.

“Chicks,” I said dismissively

They didn’t laugh. It was time for me to go. Over in the parking lot, Ally got on her bike and took off. Then Marshall got on his and took off after her. What the hell was going on with those two?

“Thanks for the game,” I said. “I’ll see you around.”

Then I walked toward them, forcing a couple of them to move sideways so I could get through, just so they’d know I wasn’t intimidated. But the whole way to the car I kept waiting for one of them to jump me from behind or something. I didn’t breathe until I was safely inside my Jeep.

“Dammit,” I said under my breath as I started the engine. I slammed the heel of my hand into the steering wheel and sat back, unable to get the picture of Ally’s hurt face out of my mind. I knew it was a bad idea, coming here. It had just turned out to be a bad idea for reasons I hadn’t even considered.

ally

Now that spring had officially sprung, I was on my bike every day after di

I popped the curb at the center of town and rode into Veterans’ Park by one of the side paths. Technically bikes and skateboards and scooters were not allowed in the park, but the rule was never really enforced unless there was a pack of kids ignoring it and making a lot of noise in the process. I rode over to the nearest bench and leaned my bike against the end. As I sat down to take a breather, the old-school gaslights that lined the path automatically flickered to life.

What was I going to do about the prom?

All I had to do was stop moving and the topic I’d been diligently avoiding popped into my head. I hadn’t talked to Jake since he’d told me—well, Marshall had told me—about Carrie A

I was going to that damn prom. And I was going to look hotter than Carrie A

All I needed was a date.

I leaned back against the bench and shoved my sweaty hair behind my ears, my heart rate returning to normal. I was just about to get up and pedal home when Marshall rode his bike into the park from the far corner. I lifted a hand in a wave and sat back to wait. We’d bumped into each other a couple of times on our rides—usually he was on his way back from Chad’s or riding around with one of his friends—but this time he was alone and he didn’t look to be in a rush.

“Hey, Ally. Thought you might be here,” he said, his bike chain clicking as he stopped in front of me. He was wearing a gray hoodie and blue basketball shorts, sweat beaded his hairline, and his cheeks were ruddy from exertion. “What’re you up to?”

I narrowed my eyes as I looked up at him. The sky was turning pink overhead, and a few birds chirped in the flowering trees. The idea hit me in a rush. Marshall was cute. And nice. And definitely tall enough to not be dwarfed by me in the pictures.

“Are you going to the prom?” I asked.

He removed his hands from his handlebars and tucked then under his arms. “Um, yeah, I guess.”

“Got a date?” I asked.

“Nope.”

“Anyone you’re dying to go with?” I asked.

His brow knitted and he laughed. “Um, nope.”

“Then, do you want to go together?” I asked. “As friends?”

He looked down at me for a moment, considering. Not that I thought he would jump at the chance to squire me around in a tux or anything, but was it really that difficult a question?

“You know what? Forget it,” I said, embarrassed. I got up and grabbed my bike. “It was a stupid idea.”

His hand closed around my wrist. “No, wait. Sorry. I was just processing.” He released me and tucked his hands away again. “Sure. That sounds cool. Let’s . . . go to the prom.”

“Yeah?” I said happily.

“Yeah.”

We gri

Huh. That had been a lot easier than I’d thought. Just like that, I had a date. Not the one I wanted or the one I’d been daydreaming about. Not a romantic date, but a date. And it was going to be fun. Really. Lots and lots of fun.

may

Did you hear? Ally Ryan’s going to the prom with Marshall Moss.

See, now, those two make sense. He’s cute, they’re

both juniors and basketball gods. Sense.

Please tell me you’re not still upset that Jake Graydon

asked that sophomore.

But she’s a total braindead! And she’s not even pretty.

But she is known for her . . . talents.

Come on. That ca