A tear forms in one of her eyes and is wiped away so quickly I almost think I’ve imagined it. “Hashtag onlychildproblems. And hey,” she says, tossing the wig back, “I’m not lonely this summer, right?”
I smile. “Sure as hell not.”
“So, are you doing it?” She nods toward the hair. “It looked damn good.”
Jasmine thinking it looks damn good shouldn’t have any effect on me, but the heat crawling up my skin would suggest it does. Still, I force myself to shake it and think about whatIwant.
And I thought it looked pretty damn good too.
I never do this. I’m the opposite of lonely; pretty much every decision in my life involves a consultation with my mom, or Shannon, or both. This would be me, and only me, making a choice, alongside someone who isn’t gonna be there on the first day of school when people see it for the first time.
Me.
“Yeah,” I say, getting to my feet and holding out a hand to Jasmine. “I’m doing it.”
She takes my hand and grins as I pull her up. “Good. Because I already made the appointment, and it’s in fifteen minutes.”
“Jasmine!”
“It takes time to get an opening there!” she says,holding up her hands in the universal gesture of innocence. “I wasn’t gonna make you go if you didn’t want to.”
“Hmph.” I turn back to the mirror and put the wig on one last time, just to make sure.
I look really freaking good.
“Fine,” I say, taking it off and putting it back on the mannequin while Jasmine puts back the wigs she’d been sporting. “Let’s go change my life or whatever.”
Chapter Fourteen
NOW
It takes forever to get through the swarm of congratulatory partiers once we arrive at Ferris’s. Everyone wants a piece of Chase—a picture, an autograph, a hug, a kiss on the cheek.… I can’t imagine what else they’d be looking for if he were single, but he made very clear at the game that he isn’t, and I walk through the crowd feeling like I’m wearing a full-body halo.
“Sorry it’s such a circus,” he murmurs to me when yet another guy comes over and claps a meaty hand on his shoulder. It seems like every athlete at Stratford has come out for this, whether they’re into football or not. News travels fast. I had to set my phone to Do Not Disturb because it was lighting up with notifications from every single social media app. People aren’t just cheering on the team’s win or Chase’s record; they’re sharing videos of him asking me to the dance, of me responding,of their heart-eye emojis and dreams of finding a guy like that.
It’s not like I’m unused to getting some attention, but this is seriously next-level. Even Shannon’s completely out-of-control sweet sixteen didn’t storm social media like this, and she had performers from Cirque du Soleil.
I can’t see Shannon, but I can hear her across the room, laughing and flirting and, from the sound of it, getting deep into Ferris’s extensive liquor stash. I wonder if she’s with Gia and Tommy, or with Lucas, or with someone else entirely. I’m just glad she’shere. It means she’s not sulking over not being the star of the night, like she did last year when Tommy’s promposal to Gia way overshadowed hers, or when dating-my-lab-partner-Jamie Taylor dyed their hair to match the nonbinary flag the same day Shannon got her first lowlights.
“Well, if it isn’t the king and queen of the evening!” Linus Doyle swoops forward with an exaggerated bow, Hunter Ferris himself at his heels.
“We have reservedeth a room for the royal couple,” Ferris says in a regal voice, “but do not breaketh any shit, for it is my parents’ room. Eth.”
“Dude, why would you let us use your parents’ room?” Chase asks, and I like him even more for it.
Ferris shrugs. “They’re out of town for the week, and the maid’s coming tomorrow anyway,” he answers in his regular voice. “Just don’t be gross and don’t try on any of my dad’s cravats.”
“Why would—”
“I know, you wouldn’t think people would have to betold that,” Ferris says, cutting me off and glaring at Linus, “and yet.”
Chase twines his fingers in mine and gives my hand a little tug. “You wanna?”
I think back to watching him dominate the field, to the smiles and winks he threw my way, the proud thanks at the end. I think of all the times I’ve admired his body in uniform or at pool parties or just walking down the hall wearing jeans way too well. I think of how the last time I took off my clothes with someone, it was my last night in the Outer Banks, a single night that felt much too honest at the time yet has been anything but since the first day of school.
And I say, “Yeah, I wanna.”
Ferris wasn’t kidding when he said they saved us a room; there’s a sign with a crown bearing a number 14 on the door and a little bowl next to the bed with more condoms than anyone could possibly use over the length of a party. My stomach flips at the sight. I’ve done my share of fooling around, but none of it has actually necessitated one of those colorful little packets.
