I’m also fairly drunk. All the shots I’ve taken in anticipation of this moment have kicked in. I get up onto the stage, give a brief nod to Mrs. Jayson, and turn to face the room, staring out into the crowd, unseeing. The other guys are called up, and I pay them no mind. There’s some good-natured ribbing between them, but I play no part in it, standing stock-still. Not even a jab to my ribs from Beau’s elbow makes me move. I cross my arms over my chest and wait.
“This year’s homecoming king is … Micah Robertson!”
My peers out on the dance floor go crazy. I simply cock an eyebrow at Alora. This was totally rigged. It probably should have been Xander or Beau, not that either of them gives a shit about this stuff either. The other guys clap me on the back, then leave the stage while Mrs. Jayson puts the crown on my head. I finally get tired of the whole scene and quietly ask if I’m allowed to leave the stage.
“Oh, no, honey. You get to stay up here while we crown your queen.” She sounds so excited about it, I don’t argue. One by one, the female nominees are called up to the stage.
Scarlett glances at me when she takes her place. Her brows furrow the longer she looks me over. I wonder if it’s obvious that I’m hammered.
My eyes wander out into the crowd, finding their way immediately to Daphne. She’s no longer with Griffin, but with Max. And she totally looks like she’s about to throw up. She’s pale, her face drawn, and I wish I could leave the stage, scoop her into my arms, and walk away from this dumpster fire of an evening.
As I watch, she wipes her hands on her skirt. Max puts an arm around her.
Mrs. Jayson clears her throat and frowns before she leans over to one of the other chaperones and whispers frantically. “I don’t have another name on my list, but I know there were eight.”
Alora looks at me and shrugs, trying to hide her smile. Conniving bitch.
“Mrs. Jayson?” Scarlett steps forward. “Daphne Davis was also nominated.”
Someone from the crowd shouts, “But she doesn’t need to be up there because she’s a lame dick tease!”
I suck in a breath, close my eyes. Fucking Shayne.
My eyes dart to Alora’s smirking face, then out to the crowd. Daphne has turned in Max’s arms, burying her face against his jacket.
Mrs. Jayson’s eyes widen. She speaks carefully into the microphone. “Mr. Crawford, that’s unacceptable, both the language and the suggestion itself. You need to leave. And please see Headmaster Gilmore Monday morning.” She waves her hand and the crowd hushes as two male chaperones escort Shayne from the room.
Fucker. This only serves as a reminder that he still deserves my fist in his face for what he did to Daphne in the locker room.
One look back at Daphne, and my heart clenches over everything that’s happened to her tonight. I warily eye Scarlett, who has hustled down into the mass of students and is bringing Daphne with her back to the stage.
The whole crowd looks both mystified and disgruntled. Lots of loud whispering ensues, both onstage and off.
As Scarlett and Daphne take their rightful places, Alora crosses her arms over her chest and juts one hip out to the side as if she’s put out by all of this. She’s biding her time, waiting for that pretty crown to be put on her head.
Daphne and Alora are like polar opposites. Daph doesn’t care about any of this fanfare and certainly doesn’t want to be part of it. I hate that she’s being forced to stand up here.
I can’t even call Alora out for rigging the nomination. We all know she did it, though. And she knew forcing Daphne up onstage would make her uncomfortable—especially since she was purposefully left off Mrs. Jayson’s list and probably feels like crap now. This kind of assholery is expected from Alora and her friends.
Mrs. Jayson clears her throat again and looks down at the information she was given, a frown falling over her face. Rather unenthusiastically, she murmurs into the microphone, “This year’s homecoming queen is Alora Berridge.”
Straightening my spine, I wait while Alora preens, accepting a sash and her crown. The flashes of a few cameras go off in our faces as she steps next to me. My gaze follows Daphne and Scarlett as they leave the stage. Max is waiting off to the side at the bottom of the steps for them. I really hope he takes Daphne out of here. Because I know what’s coming.
Alora’s fingernails dig into my bicep. “Would you at least look into the cameras and smile?” she hisses. I tuck my tongue into my cheek and give the crowd my best fuck-off grin. The music starts up again, and Mrs. Jayson ushers us offstage for the traditional first dance for the king and queen.
Reluctantly, I put my hands on Alora’s waist as she winds her hands at the back of my neck and presses her body against mine. We sway to the music for a few moments but she’s restless because I’m not putting on a better act for her. She tugs my face down to hers and whispers, “You’d better make this look good. That was the deal.” She closes her eyes, waiting for my kiss.
“Fuck,” I mutter, my jaw clenched. Glancing around, I see all eyes on us. My gaze catches Daphne’s and, hating myself even as I go through with it, I lower my mouth to Alora’s, brushing her lips with mine. All I can think about as I shut my eyes is the anguish on Daphne’s face. The dejection.
Give Alora an inch, and she will take a mile—and she does. In fact, she takes what she wants with no remorse. She grasps my neck firmly, prolonging the mouth-on-mouth contact. Her tongue licks along my lower lip right before she bites down, hard. I give a surprised gasp, and she shoves her tongue right into my mouth like it belongs there. Like she owns me.
And maybe she does. I’m her motherfucking puppet, and she can make me do whatever the fuck she wants.
She continues to stroke her tongue against mine, putting on quite the show for the whole school.
I’ve kissed Alora plenty of times before. Hell, my dick is well-acquainted with her pussy. But in this moment, I feel absolutely nothing.
When the song is over, I reach up, pulling her hands from around my neck. I lean in close like I’m whispering something sweet to her. “I have to piss. I’ll be back.”