The Prom Queen's Date

Chapter Eighteen

After my more than embarrassing breakdown, we got to work on my prom proposal to Anna.

Parker lent us her older brother's go-kart which was probably the hardest part of the plan next to riding it down the hallway of the school the next morning without drawing the attention of the teachers who liked to get their classrooms set up extra early.

What we didn't count on was the weather, so be so crap that we were forced to do the painting inside. But what we could always count on was Mrs. Cunningham, my English lit teacher on being late so she wouldn't be there for at least another two hours or so.

As Sabrina scouted ahead down the hallways and I rode the go-kart after her, Parker was in the English Literature classroom, setting newspaper down all across the floor.

Somehow, in my attempt to spend less time with both Sabrina and Parker together, I'd recruited them into helping me make a grand gesture to my best friend – a grand gesture that needed a lot of prep work and lookouts. Surely, the school wouldn't at the security cameras unless there was a cause to, right?

It was under that assumption that we chose not to buy our own paints in favour of using the paint in the art classroom. Just because this was a heartfelt undertaking didn't mean it had to cost us cash.

"Tell me again why we need to bring the go-kart inside?" Sabrina asked as she walked backwards ahead of me.

"It's raining."

"But you're not going to paint the go-kart itself, are you? I saw your sketches. You're panting cardboard to put on it. You didn't need to insist on bringing the go-kart inside."

"Fair point." I skimmed my hand over the steering wheel. "But where's the fun in that?"

"Not risking my crown by getting caught with this inside."

"I mean . . . Is driving a go-kart down the hallways punishable? I see people ride their skateboards all the time around the school."

"That's different, and you know it."

Sabrina reached the end of one hallway and peeked around the corner, only to whip back around and flatten her back against the lockers. She held her up a hand, signalling for me to pause as she casually walked around the corner like nothing was wrong.

I glanced around, and there was only one door big enough to get the go-cart through quickly, and that was a janitor's closet. It wasn't big enough to store the giant thing. Holding my breath, I waited, and eventually, Sabrina rounded the corner again, walking fast and violently pointing behind me.

"Yes, Mr. Byers, my sister, is, in fact, enjoying the whole prom committee process. She loves your collaboration!" she spoke louder than necessary.

I reversed as fast as I could and rode blindly down another hallway and hoped that no one else was around. It turned out this way was clear, so I made it to Mrs. Cunningham's room without being caught.

"You're out of breath," Parker noted. "Everything go okay?"

"Sabrina's distracting Mr. Byers, here, let's get this thing inside quickly. His classroom's one hall over, and that's too close for comfort."

"Shit. Okay. Why did you bring this inside? Fuck. We need to turn it on its side."

"We should've just bought the paint."

"No shit," she said laughing, tilting the go-kart onto one side. "You grab that end . . . now lift . . . little to the left . . . we've got this bitch."

"Hand cramp."

"No! No one sec, my grip's gone to shit, hold on—"

"—Shit."