"Welcome to The Prom Wars!" Principal Gibson's voice echoed from speakers.
All of the couples were lined up on a makeshift stage. Principle Gibson stood upfront to address the crowd.
Everyone cheered like they were at a football game. Gia lead the cheer squad to get the crowd even more pumped up for Principal Gibson's announcement.
It was weird seeing people holding up glittery signs that said Jolan. I had a feeling Bee and Gia had something to do with it. They were really on top of the prom campaigning while Nolan and I were going through our issues.
Bee was sitting in the grass in a lawn chair with her mom. Mom and Taylor were supposed to be with them. Her chair was empty, though. Dad was supposed to pick up Taylor last night, but got hung up at work. When he didn't come that morning Mom just sent him a text to let him know she'd be at the school. Maybe he was here and Mom went to meet him.
I hadn't heard anything else about the custody battle. Part of me hoped Dad realized how shitty he was being and dropped it. But he was stubborn and selfish and whatever he wanted he had to have.
As I scanned the crowds to find Mom I found Nolan's dad instead. He was in the bleachers, holding up a sign that only he could've thought of. It had a cut out of a car that looked like my powder blue bug and a motorcycle with a hearts around them.
For the first time that day I had a genuine smile on my face. The thought of a grown man gluing hearts on a poster board brought me so much joy. It was so uncharacteristic of Billy, but I could easily picture Alison doing it. Maybe that's why he did it, because he knew she would've.
I turned to Nolan who was standing next to me, staring at his shoes. "You're dad's here."
His eyes shot up. When he saw his dad the faintest hint of a smile appeared on his lips.
Looking up at Nolan just then unlocked a flood of memories, starting with the day we met in my driveway. Him in greasy coveralls, scowling like he was mad at the world. And he was. Because we lived in a world where cancer wasn't curable and his mother was dying.
It didn't occur to me until that very moment that I wasn't the only one with abandonment issues. He had them as well. That's why he was so determined to leave Bellcreek when we first met. That's why he was such a jerk, keeping everyone at arm's length so they couldn't get in and then leave.
But he let me in. He trusted me just like I trusted him. Of course he wouldn't leave me. He knew how much that would hurt. Why couldn't I have come to that conclusion weeks ago?
When Nolan said he loved me he meant it. When he said he'd never leave he meant it. But I questioned it. All because I let what was happening with my dad to cloud my judgement.
"I'm sorry."
Nolan's gaze shifted to me.
"I screwed up," I continued before he could shut me down like he did earlier. "This stuff with my dad had my head all messed up. And I-"
An air horn blared, interrupting me. Principal Gibson spoke next, "Alright, now that we have the rules out of the way, lets meet our players."
We were introduced one by one. The crowd went wild for each couple as they stepped forward and waved or blew kisses or did a goofy pose.
When Nolan and I were called I saw that Mom was back in her chair minus Taylor. Dad must've came to get her. Mom didn't let that dampen her mood like it usually did. Her, Bee and Rachel each held a sign that together read JADE + NOLAN = QUEEN & KING.
"Let the games begin!" Principal Gibson shouted, setting off another round of cheers.
* * *
We were split into two groups of six for the first round. Who decided on these groups had it out for me because our team mates were none other than Tiffany and Mason. Tiffany didn't even attempt to hide her dislike for me. Our other team mates, Skye and Samuel, seemed oblivious to the awkwardness.
The theme for the round was Love, represented by a hard-boiled egg covered in heart stickers. There were six obstacle that were meant to represent the ups and downs of a relationship.
First was the egg in a spoon walk, followed by the tire walk. Tiffany and Mason were at those stations, respectively. Next was the giant inflatable obstacle course that I wasn't too thrilled about getting in. On the other side Nolan waited for me where he'd take the egg—er, heart—into a ball pit where he had to find a flag. Then Samuel would do the sack race and the round would be finished off with Skye having to get three hoops over a cone.
It was a relay race type of thing. There were three races in total. Whichever team had the most points in the end competed in a final competition for the prize.
Winning didn't matter to me. I just wanted this whole thing to be over with so I could talk to Nolan.
An air horn sounded and the race began. Tiffany made is halfway to Mason before the egg fell off the spoon and she had to go back to the starting line.
"The green team is in the lead!" Principal Gibson announced like he was a living out his dreams of being a sports news anchor.
Rainesha had gotten their egg to Ivan while Tiffany was still making her way across to Mason. Luckily, Ivan kept tripping over the tires and gave us time to catch up.
When Tiffany got the egg to Mason he speed through the tire walk like it was nothing. As soon as the egg was in my hand I dove into the maze of the bounce house. With the other team behind I had at least a few seconds to talk to Nolan.
Trying to climb over the slippery wall off a bounce house made me realize how out of shape I was. I had already worked up a sweat and I wasn't even halfway through. I could hear Principal Gibson excitedly announce that the yellow team was catching up as I crawled through yet another tunnel. Ethan made it out of the bounce house seconds before me.
"Where's the egg?" Jeremy demanded.
Ethan's victory dance was cut short. "Shit!" He exclaimed before going back into the bounce house.
"The yellow team lost their heart," Principal Gibson said. "Once he finds it he will have to start from the beginning." A burst of cheers encouraging Ethan came from the crowd.
Nolan tried to grab the egg from my hand, but I wouldn't let go.
"I shouldn't have projected the stuff with my dad on to you. But you—"
"Jade," he glanced at our spectators and Samuel yelling at us to keep going, "we can't do this right now."
Principal Gibson chuckled into his mic. "Looks like the red team doesn't fully understand the point of the race," he said. "You're not supposed to wait for the other team to catch up."
I ignored the crowd, focusing only on Nolan. "I would've admitted that earlier, but you treated me like you hated me. And now you're hooking up with other girls?"
"Are you being serious?" His brow knitted together. "You broke up with me and now you're mad at me for trying to move on?"
When he put it like that it sounded ridiculous.
"Ethan has the egg—heart—and is now heading back to the starting line," Principal Gibson narrated. "And the red team seems to still be using this time to have a chat. A little cocky if you ask me."
Nolan tugged at the egg, trying to get back to the race.
My grip tightened. "Well, now I'm telling you that I want you back."
"The red team better get a move on it because the yellow team is gaining on them," Principal Gibson not so subtly hinted for us to keep going.
"You're not going to say anything?" I ask Nolan. He'd been quietly staring down at the egg grasped between both our fingers.
"After the race."
I didn't want to wait for an answer, but I let him go because Ethan was close to finishing the obstacle course again. Nolan ran to the ball pit, Jeremy close behind. They dove into their separate pits searching for the flag.
Jeremy found his flag first. Nolan got his a moment later. Even from where I stood I could see the stink eye Samuel gave Nolan right before snatching the egg from him.
Ana got a head start in the sack race. Samuel must've been a pro at it because he ended up in the lead in just two hops.
When Skye effortlessly got all three of the hoops over the cone, the crowd erupted into cheers. Principal Gibson announced our team as the winners of round one. While the couples on our team were hugging, high-fiving, and kissing, Nolan kept his distance.
We got to take a break while they set up for the next round. When I turned to find Nolan he was heading towards his dad. I decided to find my mom and was surprised to see Taylor with her again.
"I thought Dad took her," I said as I sat in the grass next to them. Taylor reached out for me and I took her in my arms. Then I realized she was just trying to escape and run off. She was mad when I wouldn't let her go.
"He brought her back," she told me. "Apparently, he got called into work. Again."
Of course. That was always his excuse for me whenever he suggested we get together after he first left.
"Is he planning to take Taylor in his business trips if he gets full custody?"
She let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know. Hopefully he realizes how ridiculous he's being and drops the whole thing."
Taylor wiggled her way out of my arms and ran off before I could grab her back. Thankfully someone else stopped her before she got too far.
Nolan blocked her path. She looked up at him shrieking with laughter as she tried to get around him. She tried to crawl between his legs, but I picked her up.
"Do you want to talk now?" I asked. He ran a hand through his hair and nodded.
After I gave Taylor back to Mom, Nolan and I headed to a more secluded area. Since everyone was hanging out on the field the campus was empty. Nolan and I found a nook between classrooms where a small stone bench was and sat there.
"The kiss didn't mean anything. I just..." he paused, looking at me. "You said we were over. If I know one thing about you it's that when you say you're done you mean it. You meant it with your dad and Deshaun. I didn't think there was a chance. I needed the distraction."
"You're nothing like them," I said, turning my body to face him. "I let myself forget that. But I promise I'll never forget again. I miss—"
His lips crashed into mine before I could finish getting the words out. And just like that everything felt...right. Everything was in alignment.
He pulled away, forehead resting against mine. "I missed you, too."
"I should've just talked to you instead of running off like that," I told him, stilling feeling guilty about it. "I'm s—"
"You're not the one who should be apologizing," he cut in. "I should've called or something."
"We both made some questionable choices," I admitted.
"Clean slate?"
I nodded. "Clean slate."
My cheeks hurt from how wide my smile was. I kissed him again. I never wanted to stop. He pulled me into his lap and we made up for lost time.
I'd completely forgotten where we were until someone cleared their throat. I quickly removed myself from Nolan's lap.
It was Skye Khan and Samuel Larson. Skye's hands were planted on her hips and, despite the bright orange tracksuit and the pigtails, she looked like she could kill us with her bare hands.
"If you two are done dry-humping, we have a competition to finish." Samuel turned on his heels, both of them walking away.
Nolan and I shared a look before laughing. He stood, holding his hand out to me. "You ready to go kick the orange team's ass?"
I took his hand, letting him help me up. "They're on our team."
"Yeah, but they're really annoying."
I smiled up at him, giving him another quick kiss. It was nice seeing him annoyed with someone that wasn't me. "Let's go before they come back."