Kyle laughs and leans toward me. “You were really awesome last night. Are you—”

I don’t hear whatever he says next, because right behind him, in the distance, Tucker Watson is storming out of prom, his head bowed down as he shoulders his way through the crowd.

I stand up without even realizing it. “I have to go,” I say.

Behind me, Clementine says something, or maybe it’s Hannah, but I don’t turn around to see. Instead, I push past the mass of people still filtering in through the door, many of them standing and waiting. Waiting for someone to take their ticket. To take their picture. To get to the taco bar. And some of them waiting for nothing at all as they awkwardly mill about, trying to recognize the people they see in class every day who normally wear pajama pants and flip-flops but are tonight dressed in the Clover City mall’s finest offerings.

I try to keep track of Tucker’s head as it bobs through the crowd, but I lose him in the balloon arches. “Tucker!” I call. I can’t imagine getting on that stage without him in the audience. The memory of his smile last night before I performed flashes through my head.

Soon, I’m outside, standing in the valet carport, looking for the back of Tucker’s head. I reach down to take off my heels and search the parking lot barefoot.

“You got your ticket?” a short valet with a buzz cut asks me.

I shake my head and stumble past him.

An engine rumbles to life. Tucker’s truck. I recognize the taillights as it backs out. I remember making out with my back pressed against that tailgate.

“Wait!” I say, even though no one can hear me and it doesn’t matter.

Tucker’s tires squeal as he hooks a turn right past me with Melissa in the front seat.

He’s gone. He left. Without me. But of course he did. He came here with someone else, so of course he left with someone else.

“Waylon!”

I spin around.

Hannah stands with her hands braced on her thighs, panting. “It’s time.”

Thirty-Six

I let myself take one deep inhalation of fresh air. “Let’s do this.”

Inside, Hannah pulls me by the hand through the crowd. Being smaller and shorter, she has an easier time navigating than I do. Not to mention the heels.

At the front of the dance floor is a small stage, where all the other contestants except Melissa are lined up with Mrs. Leonard.

“Have y’all seen Melissa?” Bekah asks when we file in behind her.

“She just left with Tucker,” I say.

Hannah turns to me with wide eyes, and I nod solemnly.

“You said what now?” Mrs. Leonard asks. “Melissa left? Why, she just got here!”

“Are you okay?” Hannah asks quietly.