Page 33 of The Year I was Almost Prom Queen

Stephanie’s mouth is a tight, thin line. “Silky?” she asks.

I wrap my hair around my finger and try to downplay the situation. “It’s stupid. Ethan told the other guys about my silky, soft skin and then they all wanted to pet me.”

Stephanie snorts. “Theypetyou?”

“Just my arm,” I say, turning away so Steph can’t see my face.

“Have they never heard of personal space?!” Stephanie says. “You should report them for sexual harassment.”

“It’s not that big a deal, Steph. Ethan came to my rescue anyway and made them stop.”

Stephanie bats her eyelashes. “Oh, Ethan was a part of it. Well, that makes it okay then.” She reaches out to touch my arm and I slap her hand down.

“Knock it off,” I say.

Stephanie laughs. “Come on, Silky, let me pet you. All the guys are doing it.”

I turn away. “Let’s just get to class please.”

As we pass another group, several of them look up at me and raise a fist in the air. “Team Ethan,” they chant.

I can’t help but smile. It looks like his plan is working.

Ethan comes walking towards us and his face lights up when he sees me. “Hey, Prom Queen.”

He grabs my elbow and gives it a squeeze. I say one of my favorite lines from the terrible movie we watched and he laughs all the way down the hall. I turn back to Stephanie and she’s staring at me, her eyes bugging out of her head.

“Who are you?”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s like you’re the most popular girl in school all the sudden.”

“Oh, I am not.”

“Seriously, Em, look around. Every person we pass says hi or looks your way. And two different guys have touched you. It was just in passing, but still. A week ago, you would have blushed at the mention of Ethan Hayden. Now you have inside jokes with him?” Stephanie stares at me, shaking her head. “This whole thing is crazy.”

“It is crazy, I completely agree. I don’t know who I am anymore.”

Stephanie turns and puts her hands on my shoulders. “Just be my best friend. Stay Emma. Don’t turn into a pop.”

“I don’t plan to ever be like them,” I say.

“You’re starting to enjoy the attention though, aren’t you?” she asks.

I scrunch my nose. “Maybe just a little bit.”

Stephanie smiles. “Oh great, my bestie is becoming a diva.”

I flip my hair over my shoulder. We both laugh.

“Team Jaron,” someone shouts to me as they stroll past.

The smile falls from my face and my chest tightens when I see who’s walking down the hall. Brody has a bandage around his nose and cotton shoved up his nostrils. His eyes narrow and he speeds up as he gets closer. He points a finger at me.

“I’m suspended from the baseball team,” he says in a low voice.

My neck prickles and I’m finding it hard to breathe. I can’t find words as Brody’s dark eyes stare into my own.

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