How To Train Your Boyfriend

Chapter 28: The Day Before

The Day Before

James didn't stay long enough to tell me anything.

Maybe it was nerves, or maybe he truly did have somewhere to be, but he left shortly after Sean and almost as quickly. In the span on ten minutes I had managed to send both boys running for the hills. Unbelievable.

The next day was a prom-induced nightmare.

No one could focus on anything that wasn't prom, not even the teachers. Girls rambling on about dresses, boys rambling on about girls, and Francie, running around like a headless squirrel, rambling on about anything and everything, desperate to make sure all of the loose ends were tied up. I would have laughed at if she hadn't looked so genuinely stressed.

"You need to calm down," I said, struggling to keep up with her. I was two inches taller than Francie, but her power walk had me jogging at her side.

"I can't calm down." She waved a hand as if the suggestion was an irritable fly buzzing by her ear. "Prom is tomorrow. I have to make sure the music is ready, the caterer is prepared, the decorations are delivered . . ."

You would think there would be some actual adults handling all of these things. Knowing Francie, there probably had been and she had shooed them off, wanting to take total control of the entire operation herself. Don't let the stress fool you; Francie lived for being busy. She thrived when having a full schedule and a list of things to accomplish. "Head of the Prom Committee" would probably be engraved on her headstone.

"Plus," Francie continued, pushing chocolate brown hair away from her eyes. "I still have to decide how I'm going to style my hair, I have to pick up my dress from the tailor, I need to make sure my house is prepared for the after party, and I need to find a date."

The last sentence made my head turn. I reached out one hand and pressed it against her arm, slowing her power walk down to a normal, human pace.

"A date?" I repeated, raising my eyebrows. I had managed to fully stop her in the middle of the hallway. People were bumping into us, closing in on all sides, but I planted my feet firmly. She wasn't going to get out of this one.

"It's not like Adam is going with me," Francie said. She wasn't meeting my eye and her knuckles were white against her clipboard.

Right. I had almost forgotten. Adam and Francie had broken up. They were still broken up. My heart ached for her just then. They had been dating for almost the entirety of high school and, until three days ago, there was no doubt in Francie's mind that they would go to prom together, graduate together, perhaps even continue dating into college.

Now they didn't talk. In fact, I could hardly get more than a grim smile when passing him in the hallway.

"What about Carter?" I suggested.

I should have clarified that I meant as friends. Francie's eyes widened and she shook her head.

"No way," she said, rubbing her lipgloss covered lips together. "I couldn't do that to Adam. Plus, I don't think Carter . . . I don't know if we could ever . . . and even if we could, it is way too soon."

I nodded but, in all honesty, I had no idea what was going on between Carter and Francie. I didn't know what happened after the football party, and I didn't know what happened the night before senior skip day. Possibly, nothing at all. I had a hard time believing that Francie would ever cheat on Adam physically, but emotionally . . . Emotionally, I knew she was tethered to Carter in a way she couldn't explain. It wasn't something Francie could helps There were so many memories invested.