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Chapter 32
Matt
Awkward. That’s the vibe after school on Friday as everyone in ASB works on setting things up for prom at the hotel in Newport Beach. Yvette got Sarah and some cheerleaders to help out, and we have a list of volunteers from different school committees to help set up banners, balloons, and drink and snack areas. The bigger stuff like tables, chairs or the DJ area is set up by the party companies. Oscar and I have kept our distance after our altercation in the morning.
Even after I talked with Izzy, I still feel like I screwed everything up. And her words from yesterday keep ringing in my head. How Oscar is at least real. The guy is as big of a tool as Jeremy, and he doesn’t hide it. It just is who he is. Why do I feel the need to hide who I am? And ever since telling Carter and Lucas about my nerdom, I’m beginning to care less and less. Either people won’t care, and I’m worrying over nothing, or people will care, and if so, so what?
I think of Sam from the past week, just going along with all the prom court functions. He never blinked an eye when someone snickered behind his back. Sure, he looked a little nervous when we announced him on the court, but ever since then, he embraced it. And his friends embraced him. Great, I’m comparing myself to Sam and Oscar. Two opposite ends of the spectrum, but both have more of a backbone than I do.
“Hurry up, Matt,” Yvette says, grabbing a roll of tape. “I have a nail appointment I need to make after this.”
“Yeah.” I nod, climbing up a ladder to hang the banner.
She climbs up one right in front of me, stretching out the tape. “This is so exciting! Our senior prom. After this all we have is graduation, and then it’s so long high school.” Her smile fades a bit.
“I can’t wait,” I mutter.
“You’re not going to miss it?”
“High school? Nope. There were some fun times, but no.”
“I am.”
For everything I don’t like about her and the stupid games she plays, this is a rare moment for her. She actually seems sentimental. Like this has been the best time of her life, and she isn’t sure what the world is going to be like next. And in reality, I have no idea either. It never bothered me before, but after arguing with my dad, now I really feel like I don’t have a clue what I’m doing. Carter’s been accepted to UC Irvine, and Emma is going to art school in Laguna. I know Lucas got acceptance letters from Fullerton, Irvine, and Riverside. And here I am, still drifting about, no clue what to do. Even Izzy has a plan, going to the local community college so she can take some classes and still focus on her channel.
I frown, thinking about going to the same college and seeing her there. I really screwed everything up and have no idea how to fix it. Can I even fix it? Would she want me to? How can I be with her and not be who I really am? A new wave of frustration rolls over me.
“Matt, are you listening?”
“Huh?”
“I said is your date going to get mad when we’re whisked away to our dance tomorrow night?”
My eyes squint, stepping off the ladder. “What dance? And what date?”
“Our dance.” Her eyes sparkle, but not with love. It’s more like mischief. “The prom king and queen dance. We’re totally winning.”
“Oh, right.”
“Matt.” She swats my arm playfully. “We are. I campaigned like a bitch to make sure people voted for us. There’s no way that nerd is winning my crown.”
I wrinkle my nose at the derogatory tone she uses. “She did come in second on the court.”
“Yeah, but that’s because I didn’t take her seriously. I still don’t, mind you. Just make sure your date is fine with you leaving her because we are so dancing together.” She wraps her hands around my arm.
“Well, no issues there.” I wiggle my arm free, reaching for the ladder to fold it up. “I’m not going with anyone.”
“What?” The look of pure horror on her face would have you believe I just said I like to punch puppies. “Matt, you can’t be serious.”
“I am.” I grab the ladder and start walking away, hearing her footsteps follow.
“Matt, you’re our president. You cannot attend our senior prom without a date. It’s … classless.”
“Wow, thanks.”
“How can you not have a date? It’s unthinkable.”
“I didn’t want one. Look at all this stuff we’ve had to do.”
