“No, thank you.”
I choose to decline after what happened last time.
“Don’t be boring, Erin.” Oliver rolls his eyes. “You heard your mom. This is our last Harvest Ball.”
“She said no, Ol,” Nate says firmly, reaching into the mini fridge that’s built into the lower seats. “OJ?”
I smile gratefully. “Perfect.”
Mia and Oliver drink their first glasses and swiftly move on to another. I don’t understand what she sees in him. He’s astereotypical Stonybridge asshat with more money than sense. She deserves better.
“I haven’t seen you since the concert,” Nate says. “It was… unexpected.”
“That’s one way of putting it,” I agree, my lips twitching at the edges in a half-smile. “Usually, there aren’t rats.”
“I figured.” He grins. “Shame about Mr. Meyer, though.”
“He was a good teacher,” I say. “I’ll miss him.”
He got fired. The academy board claimed it was because his teaching wasn’t up to standard, but everyone knows they wanted to punish him for the concert disaster, even though he was innocent.
Nate raises his glass to toast. “To no rats at the Harvest Ball.”
We all cheer in unison. “No rats!”
Nate’s hand rests on my knee as we settle into a comfortable conversation for the rest of the ride. His warmth radiates through my chiffon skirt. Mia smirks and raises a subtle eyebrow as if to sayGo for it, girl, which I choose to ignore.
“Looks like we’re here,” Nate says as we pull in.
He gets out to open the door for me. Life will never be perfect, but tonight, I can pretend to be a character in a movie. The ordinary girl on a ‘non-date’ with the star player of the football team sounds like a chick flick plot.
The Harvest Ball takes place in the school auditorium, leading out onto the grounds. The auditorium doors are open, leading into a giant white marquee that acts as a seating area. Circular tables are covered in linen cloths, autumnal flowers, and flickering candles. Soft orange lights create a warm glow against the marquee fabric, which will look even better when the sun sets. Smartly dressed servers move through the swathes of students, offering trays of canapes and sparkling drinks, while teachers turn a blind eye to the hip flasks being poured not-so-discreetly from suit jacket pockets. A banquet table provides abountiful feast of fruits, olives, breads, and dips, alongside mini cakes and pastries, all fresh from the local bakery.
Inside the auditorium, a live band plays onstage. The oak walls are draped in golden fabric and hundreds of hanging fairy lights. White blankets cover the ceiling, reminding me of rippling waves. The usually drab wooden floor is replaced with sparkling white tiles, and trees with gold-sprayed leaves give it a Grecian vibe.
“They’ve gone all out this year,” Mia comments in a low whistle as we take in the decor.
“They need to spend our fees on something,” I say.
Our arrival hasn’t gone unnoticed. Lindsay and her friends glare in our direction, seeing my hand interlocked with Nate’s.
“I’ve got to meet Ol and the team,” Nate says apologetically. “It’s a football thing, but we’ll catch up with you both later?” His eyes twinkle. “You owe me another dance.”
“Oh my gosh!” Mia grabs my shoulders as soon as he leaves. “He’s so into you.”
I twirl a strand of hair around my finger coyly. “I don’t know about that…”
“I saw his hand on your knee in the limo,” she says. “Do you think tonight is the big night?” She wiggles her eyebrows. “I know Nate’s a football player, but he’s one of the good guys, plus he has a killer body. Have you seen his abs in the thirst traps he posts? I’ve heard he’s great in bed.”
“It’s not a real date, remember?” I say, despite my mind lingering on the thought a little too long.
“If you say so,” she replies, unconvinced. “Let’s dance.”
The quartet plays modern songs, giving a classical yet contemporary feel to the evening. After dancing and sampling the mini cake selection, I relax. The sun’s going down, and the party has turned up a notch. Students are growing wilder with each drink, and even the chaperones are turning rosy-cheekedand merry. It’s exactly what a school dance should be, made better by the fact Dad isn’t loitering in a corner watching my every move.
Take that, Sunnycrest men.
If they had their way, I’d be cowering in my room like a rabbit in a storm.
