Page 110 of Don't Let Go
Chloe linked her arm with mine, towing me toward the cafeteria. “Yes. It is. Just dress your best and I’ll text you the info on where it will be. Don’t worry about Rory. I’ll take care of her and make sure she attends.” She winked before running off toward her other friends.
James came up behind me as I entered the cafeteria. “Hey, man,” he said. We bumped fists.
I got into the food line, and James was right behind me. “What’s up? Are you going to prom?”
He wrinkled his nose. “Nah. We don’t need that crap. Besides, this year’s theme is the Renaissance. That’s lame.”
I kicked the tile, and my sneaker made a high-pitched squeaky sound. “Are you going to this anti-prom thing?”
“Hell yeah!” He hit my shoulder. “I didn’t know you knew about it. We were going to tell you about it in a few.”
With a tray in hand, I went down the line, snagging one of the last burgers and a cup of fries that was nearly full. “Just heard about it. My other school never did anything anti-prom. At least not that I knew of.”
James grabbed two slices of cheese pizza and tossed them on his tray. “We’re more badass than Scottsdale. I thought you were getting that through your thick skull.”
I grabbed a can of soda and a chocolate chip cookie wrapped in plastic before picking up my tray and walking over to the back table reserved for the basketball team. James snagged a carton of chocolate milk and followed close behind.
“I’m starting to see that now,” I admitted. After all I’ve seen since living in South Phoenix, this place was way more intense than Scottsdale could ever be.
James and I sat at the table; we were the last to join.
“Anti-prom is going to be in the desert this time around,” Christian said.
Bryce rubbed his hands together as a sinister smile cracked his face. “I love me a good bonfire in the middle of nowhere.”
James raised his chocolate milk. “It will be epic.” He elbowed me in the side. “You’ll see how crazy our partying can be.”
I raised my soda before taking a sip. “I’m looking forward to it.”
A bonfire in the middle of the desert did sound fun, but I hoped to get closer to Rory. Maybe break that shell she built around herself and get that wild girl again who kissed me and drove all the nerves in my body haywire. I wanted to taste her and feel her skin against mine again. I think we both needed a spark to feel alive again.
We drove two cars into the desert. The bonfire was already ablaze, standing over ten feet tall as the flames licked up toward the darkening sky. Christian killed the engine and leaned over the center console to grab the six-pack of beer hiding under my seat. “You ready to party? This is always better than prom.”
I had to agree. “It does beat cheap decorations hanging around a gym.”
Christian hit my arm before getting out of the car. “That’s an insult. We’re not that poor. Prom is alright, but it’s for those who show off. The ones who think they’re better than us, hence why there’s a king and queen crowned. Here we are all the same. This is like Burning Man. We are kind to each other and have fun. We also clean up, so there’s no evidence.”
“Sorry, man,” I said, swinging my feet out of the car. The dirt danced in the breeze, already coating my shoes with dust. “Doesn’t all this dust bother you?”
James and Bryce came around the car. James kicked a rock, making a mini dust storm. “Nah, you get used to it.”
It was like none of these people heard of Valley Fever.
Bryce put an arm around my neck, leading me closer to the fire. “What you need is a few drinks in you, and then you won’t give a shit.”
Christian lifted the case of beer as a gesture. “Just like at the rave in that hotel. You got over the asbestos pretty quick after you tossed back a few.”
The heat of the flames whipped my face within yards of being near it. People stood around in circles laughing and drinking. Couples made out on long logs as shadows danced across their faces. Music blasted from someone’s wireless speakers playing some pop song I didn’t know.
“I’m going to put these in the ice bucket,” Christian said, moving toward the area where all the drinks were.
“I gotta go get my girl,” Bryce said as a cute brunette waved at us before shaking her hair from a ponytail.
James hit Bryce’s back as he jogged away. “Have fun, man!”
Bryce turned around to give a thumbs-up. When he caught up to the brunette, they kissed and danced to the beat.
I looked around the faces having fun but didn’t see who I wanted.
