“Thanks, you better get some sleep. Yeah, yeah, I’m going.” Except, when I get to my room, I hit video call on Ford’s number.
“Hey, Baby,” he yawns, lying in bed. “Why aren’t you in bed?”
“I waited up for Jack.” I fluff my pillow and lay down. “Now I’m in bed.” We just lay there staring at each other. “Do you want to tell me what happened tonight?”
Ford sighs. “Which time?”
“Let’s start with why you were so late coming out on the field. I got really worried. So did Leah.”
“That was nothing. I warmed up my arm in the gym. The crowds psych Jack out, so we were trying to minimize the time we spent on the field before the game. I promise it wasn’t anything extreme. If it was, I’d have had someone get you.”
“I believe you.”
“I’m sorry about the kiss. Coach Anderson thinks my having a girlfriend is a distraction. Tonight he called me into his office and told me if I crossed the field and kissed you, he’d bench me for the game.”
“What? He’s a jerk,” I mutter.
“He pinned me, and I didn’t dare call his bluff. Not with Sutherland in the stands. I thought about calling or texting or having one of the guys come and talk to you, but he didn’t give me enough time to warn you. I have faith in us, Hanny, and I knew you’d understand when I told you what happened. I never in a million years expected you to run out onto that field. You barely held it together last week on the sidelines with the cheerleaders.”
“I just knew something was wrong. Is it weird? I felt it down in my bones. I wish I could explain it better,” I whisper, remembering the feeling. It’s like I was being pulled to him.
“It’s not weird at all. That makes perfect sense. I wish I was there to hold you tonight.”
“I wish you were here, too.”
“I love you, and I’ll see you tomorrow night. I get to finally cash in on that bet.” Ford laughs.
“I can’t wait. I love you.” I blow him a kiss and then hang up.
Saturday is a flurry of commotion. June and get manicures and pedicures together. “When do you find out what part you got for the musical?” I ask.
“On Wednesday. Mr. Lyall is doing one more round of callbacks on Monday.”
“I’m so excited I can’t wait to find out you got the part of Maria.” I laugh.
“Don’t jinx me.”
“Okay, sorry.”
“And by the way, if I haven’t said in the last twenty-four hours, I told you, you were going to win Homecoming Queen.” June cocks an eyebrow.
“No. How? I’m still scratching my head over it. All the other girls campaigned, you saw. Ella Garcia handed out donuts from that new gourmet shop, and Missy gave out bags of candy. I did nothing.”
June gets a sly smile on her face. “That’s what makes your victory even sweeter.”
“Oh, jeez. I give up. Yes, I won. Hurray for me.”
“You and your sarcasm. Take the win, Hannah, and enjoy it.”
Maybe she’s right. “I am excited to dance with Ford tonight after the presentation. That’s the best victory there is. That’s what I was most worried about. Having to watch him dance with Bree or Ella.”
“He wouldn’t have,” June says.
“He would’ve had to.”
“Nope, Ty said he told Mrs. Bouchard and Mr. Higbee that he wouldn’t dance with any of the other nominees if he won. Mr. Higbee didn’t care, but I guess Mrs. Bouchard did, but Ford got her to compromise that the winners could dance with their dates.”
“Oh, my gosh.” I didn’t know he did that. He is so thoughtful and considerate of my feelings.
