Rand frowns down at the cookie. “Do you not like it?”
“I didn’t say that.” She dips her finger in the icing and licks it. “Not bad.”
He looks at the smeared question mark and then back up at her, practically shaking with nerves. “What do you think about what it says?”
A smile teases the corners of her mouth. “Yes, I’ll go to homecoming with you. Next time, just ask.”
Rand lights up, a beaming grin taking over his face. “Next time?”
“I mean, sure, I guess.” A blush begins to creep across her cheeks. “If you want to. It’s senior year. Blah blah, something about it being our last chance to do all these school activities and whatever.”
Leaning in close, he whispers something in her ear that I don’t catch, but Mei is visibly flustered after. I take this as a sign to mind my own business and continue my journey to my locker, happy for the budding couple.
For the first time, I notice the posters and decorations announcing homecoming. I’ve never been to a school dance before, too worried it would be viewed by the bastard as an attempt to make friends. School was only allowed as an escape if I kept myself distant and only had the most surface level interactions with everyone around me. It was easier to control the narrative about me if everyone believed I was a cold, antisocial bitch.
But now I’m free. I can go if I want to, and surely at least one of the guys will go with me. A tinge of apprehension sinks into my stomach. A dance is different from a party, right? It’s a school sanctioned function with teachers present and everything. There is no reason to believe my party curse will affect anything. Ignoring the mocking laughter of disaster that echoes through my mind, I try to imagine what the dance will be like—the guys dressed up in suits, me wearing a pretty formal dress. Mei is going, so maybe we can make a day of getting ready. It would be nice to have a professional hairdresser figure out how to turn my unruly waves into a pretty updo. My thoughts run away with plans, and I completely forget I haven’t asked any of them to go with me yet.
When I reach my locker, I’m surprised to find no one is around. It’s become our morning meetup spot, and there’s usually at least a couple of the guys loitering about before I arrive. Thoughts of the dance vanish, and I try not to immediately go to worst-case scenario mode. Instead, I attempt to remember if I saw any of their cars in the senior parking lot. Unfortunately, all I can recall is focusing really hard on nothitting the brand-new truck that was parked on the line as I pulled into my spot.
“Sometimes people are late,” I mutter to myself as I get down on my knees in front of my bottom locker. “And they aren’t really late. They are just later than you’re used to.”
After swinging my backpack off my shoulder and putting it down next to me, I enter the combination for the lock while mentally deciding what books I’ll need to switch out. This morning is AP calculus, and thanks to having to face my nan for the whole thrall thing, Felix did my homework. All I had to do was copy it in my own handwriting, which was enough for me to review and make sure I understood the material. I’m not looking forward to going back to doing it all myself. Mr. Harris always assigns way too many problems.
When I open my locker door, a wave of red rose petals pours out. It’s the sweetest thing that’s ever come out of my locker, and I can’t help feeling touched. It’s a beautiful memory to replace the ugly ones from before. I’ve been able to do a lot more of that lately, painting over the ugly scars of my past with the wonderful, loving memories of the present.
I’m about to grab my phone to thank the guys for my lovely surprise when I hear the distinct sound of a throat clearing behind me. I slowly turn around, my jaw dropping when I find all five of my guys standing behind a long ribbon of poster paper that reads in clear block writing, “Will you go to homecoming with us?”
Standing up, I look at each of them and their range of expressions, from Felix’s bouncing excitement to Donovan’s almost pained cringe. An amused smile plays across my lips. “Are you sure you all want to go?”
Nolan elbows Donovan. “Ignore him. He wants to go, but he is too cool to admit it.”
Donovan counters with a smug smirk. “I’m more of an after-party kind of guy.”
“Oh no, leave me out of any party plans,” I insist, waving my hands like I’m warding off evil. “Parties and I don’t mix.”
That smug smile is joined with a heated stare. “Maybe we should have a private party instead. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.”
“Don’t even think about it.” Kaleb glares at him from the other end of the poster. “This night is for all of us. No stealing Callie for yourself.”
I look up at one of the homecoming announcement posters and notice the date for the dance. “Kaleb, the dance is on your birthday. Are you sure this is how you want to spend it?”
The poster droops on one side when Kaleb lets go of it to stand next to me. There’s a red rose with a note tied to it in his hand. “Seeing you all dressed up and dancing with you all night sounds like the perfect way to celebrate my birthday. What do you say,columba mea? Do you want to go to the dance with us?”
Happy tears build in my eyes, and I smile so big, my face hurts. “Yes, I’ll go to the dance with all of you.”
Felix cheers, throwing a fist up into the air. A wave of joy and love flows through the mate bond as Connor smiles softly. Nolan seems to feel similarly to me, his eyes bright and filled with tender happiness. Donovan just looks like he’s already making plans that are sure to keep the chaperones on their toes.
Kaleb drops a soft kiss on my cheek while handing me the rose with the note. “I love you more than words can express, but I did my best.”
Before I have a chance to read the note, the rest of the guys hold out their own roses with notes attached. As I take them one by one, they each kiss me with gentle, sweet lips. Felix claims my other cheek, Connor kisses the top of my head, and Donovan claims my mouth.
Nolan presses his lips to my forehead and whispers, “So you never forget what you mean to us.”
“Thank you,” I reply, my voice wobbly with emotion, and then I breathe in the scent of the roses. “I… This is a very good memory.”
It’s an awkward thing to say, but fortunately they all understand. After a lifetime of dark and painful memories, this will be one that holds the darkness at bay.
Putting the poster down, they surround me, enveloping me with their love and connection. I’m traded around the circle so that each one can hug me, and I can’t stop the tears that trickle down my cheeks. My heart feels full and overflowing. Each one of the guys is different, and their differences have helped me heal, showing me multiple ways to love myself and others. It’s a wonderfully sweet moment, but sadly, by the time I’m collected enough to try to express how I feel about them, the first morning bell rings.
