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“Mrs. Perrymore,” I greet her. “What made you come out of retirement?”
“Oh, I couldn’t very well leave a bunch of horny kids unsupervised on prom night, now, could I?”
I laugh and drink my punch, the music slows down switching from Calvin Harris and Rihanna’s “This Is What You Came For” to Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself.”
I know Gabriel is standing behind me before I even turn around.
And there he is, holding a hand out to me. “Do you have the energy for another dance?”
Yes. No. A million times yes.
I drop my glass, take his hand, and let him lead me to the dance floor.
The moment I’m in his arms, I realize just how in trouble I am. I feel myself sinking, spiraling down into a memory. The present and the past clash together. I close my eyes and lean my head into his chest.
Gabriel tucks me in and rests his cheek on my head as we sway in time to the slow music. There’s no space left between our beating souls. He cradles me in his arms, one hand on the small of my back, the other holding mine. This is wrong. But it feels so right.
The final stroke is inhaling his familiar smell, of hikes in the woods, of making love in front of the fireplace, of lying in bed cuddling our cat. His warmth seeps into me, his hands move over my body.
I close my eyes and forget everything else.
“Why did you do this?” I ask.
“I wanted you to have this night,” he says. “Even if it is the last thing I can give you.”
I lift my head to look at him. “Are you trying to ruin prom forever for me?”
“Everyone has bittersweet memories about their senior prom.”
I scoff. “I bet all you remember is taking the most beautiful girl in school and being named king.”
“Taking the most beautiful girl to prom? That’ll be a memory for tomorrow.”
I can’t look at him without my heart aching. I press my face into his chest again. “Let’s just dance, Gabriel.”
He pulls me closer to him until we’re sharing every breath; his hand caresses my hair. Then his thumb strokes my cheek, moving lower until it’s brushing my lips. I know if I look up, I’ll kiss him. He always knows even before I do.
He’s so warm, so familiar.
I wish I could wrap him around me and hold on to him forever.
I wish I could forget his betrayal.
I wish I could hate him.
A soft smile tugs at his lips, and he lowers his head to press a kiss to my forehead since I refuse to lift my head.
He pulls back and I can feel his eyes on me, searching my face.
I give up and look up at him, feeling my heart break all over again. “I can’t do this, Gabriel. Not again.”
“Can you really move on? Forget everything that we had?”
“I can try.”
“I’m not letting you go.”
“Don’t you get it, Gabriel? This is just one more game you’re playing with me.”
