I stand. “Could you give me a ride back down that cursed hill? You already owe me a new pair of shoes.”

“Only if you do one thing for me.”

“What’s that?”

“Talk to Clem. It’s got your mom real upset, and when your mother is unhappy—”

“We’re all unhappy.”

Fourteen

Mr. Higgins wrestles with the remote, trying to power down the TV after morning announcements. “Damn thing,” he mutters.

There’s a knock at the door as it opens a crack and Kyle pokes his head inside. “Mr. Higgins, I’m so sorry to interrupt. This will only take a moment.”

“Sure.” Mr. Higgins tosses the remote on his desk. “Did the office need something?”

Kyle nods, and pulls an office memo from his pocket. “I’ve got a message.” He unfolds the paper and begins to read. “Alex Wu, you received a phone call. It was from my heart.” He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a long velvet rectangular box.

Beside me, Alex gasps, and a few rows over, Tucker fidgets in his seat while others chuckle and some let out a choir of awws.

Kyle steps forward and pops the box open. Inside are two matching teal bow ties. “Will you go to prom with me?”

Alex nods furiously and jumps up to hug Kyle, but before their embrace can turn into a kiss, Mr. Higgins says, “All right, all right. Very cute. Everyone, save the promposals for passing periods and after school.”

Kyle backpedals toward the door. “Sorry, sorry!” He waves to Alex and blows him a kiss.

Well, that was sickeningly cute. Despite how annoying I find Kyle, even I have to admit that matching bow ties was a pretty damn precious idea.

At lunch, me, Clem, and Hannah head to Harpy’s and I claim our semicircle booth in the corner. By the time I got home last night, Clem had locked herself in her room and, from what I could tell, was on the phone with Hannah, so we haven’t talked like I told Dad we would. Of course, we’re talking, but we have this ability to table our fights until the right time. Maybe it’s from living in such close quarters our whole lives.

Kyle and Alex walk into Harpy’s, their fingers intertwined, and sit down with us.

“Okay,” says Clem, popping a fry in her mouth. “Give me every adorable detail.”

The two of them lean toward her and begin to paint a scene, shamelessly embellishing.

I turn to Hannah. “So what have you and Bekah cooked up for your projects?”