They watched as Brent and Jennifer began their dance and she mentally counted down.Five, four, three, two...
“And cue the screams.” Mel laughed into Tate’s neck as the water began to spray. She gave a little shout of her own and Tate jumped for good measure as the others began to race away fromthe dance floor. They were almost to the doors when the second set went off, and she felt Tate laughing against her back as more screams sounded from the girls there.
“Everyone, please exit the ballroom,” Ms. Simmons stated as the management came in hearing the screams.
“Nothing like getting caught in the rain,” she teased Tate and he ducked his head to kiss her cheek.
“Come on, let’s get out of these wet things,” he said pulling her through the crowd and back towards the elevator.
Twenty minutes later, they were still laughing as they watched the movie Prom Night, the remake of it, on the TV.
“Now aren’t they glad that the only thing that happened was the sprinklers going off?” Mel stated as the killer sliced another person’s throat near the end of the movie.
“Definitely, I wouldn’t want to worry that someone out there’s trying to kill you.”
“And you’re so much better than the boyfriend, I mean you’d never fall asleep and let some psycho attack me.”
“Never,” he agreed holding her close as the credit rolled. “School should be interesting on Monday.”
“Let’s just hope they think it was a senior prank and not a junior or two’s,” she said as they began another movie featuring prom.
They fell asleep still wrapped in the hotel robes and midway through the night Tate slipped the comforter down to cover her.
“Night Mel,” he whispered against her hair as he pulled her against him. He hoped whatever was going on between her and Jordan didn’t affect her place with him. He didn’t want to lose his best friend. Not to another man or to the foster system if something came out about her situation.
Chapter 5
“Ican’t believe they thought it was a short in the sprinkler system,” Mel whispered as they walked through the hallways. Their relationship status now seemed to be at dating if the looks the others were shooting them were anything to go by, which was hilarious to her.
“At least they’re not looking into it; do you know what would happen if they figured out that we caused that much damage? They have to replace the carpet in the ballroom and that alone is going to cost a couple grand.”
“Relax Tate, we’re in the clear. Nothing we did at the prom is going to give us any problems. I’ve got to get to work, and you need to go to class. Learn something,” she called out to him as she crossed the quad to her car.
“Be brilliant Mel.”
“Always,” she grinned heading into the city. Jordan wasn’t there that day, the next, or the three following them and she wondered what was going on because he usually was there at least once or twice during the week. When he finally showed his face on Saturday, her smile dimmed and she prayed that the company wasn’t the reason behind his look.
“Mel, can I talk to you for a minute?” he said nodding towards his office.
“Sure,” she stated following him as her stomach churned.
“How was the wedding?”
“Great, better than I expected,” she answered smiling at him.
“Really? That’s strange because I swore, I saw you and Tate coming out of the ballroom at the Royale that said the junior and senior prom.”
“Oh, we took a wrong turn,” she tried.
“Stop lying Mel, the game’s over. Do you really think I’m that stupid?” he demanded angrily and she knew by the look in his eyes that he knew the truth—or at least how old she really was, or perhaps wasn’t, was the better way to put it.
“Jordan, look I can explain.”
“I sure hope so, starting with what the hell is going on and ending with what the hell were you thinking!”
“How much do you know?” she asked turning to glance out the window to stop the tears.
“That you’re really ajuniorin high school! That both youandTate are. That you’re really onlyseventeen! So why thehellare you passing yourself off as a twenty-one-year-old?”
