Georgia wouldn’t expose him to his parents. Afterall, she hadn’t seen the drugs in person. But she also would not go out of her way to help him anymore. And she definitely didn’t expect to see him at their weekly planning meeting for the Winter Formal.
So, when Lake walked through the doors of Good Start on Sunday afternoon just after the shop had closed and before the others arrived, Georgia nearly toppled over the chair she’d been straightening.
Lake pushed a stray chair in at one of the tables. “Hey, Peaches.”
“What are you doing here?” She tried not to acknowledge the dip in her chest at his proximity. She had successfully avoided him for an entire week, hurt and embarrassed after their last conversation and what had led to it.
“I’m on the Winter Formal committee, remember? Fundraising. Sponsors. Dancing. Little Orphan Annie… I’m here for it.”
Georgia rolled her eyes and shoved another chair too hard, pushing the adjacent table up against Lake’s legs. He growled and rubbed his injured leg.
“Oops.” She shrugged and walked to a different table. “I think we have enough volunteers. Thanks anyway. You can go back to doing whatever it is that you like to do…”
Instead, she heard a chair slide out across the floor and whipped her head around to see Lakeland making himself at home. “Nope, I think I’ll just stay here, thanks.” He crossed his arms solemnly across his chest and sat like a kid in timeout, waiting for his sentencing to finish.
Before she could fight him on it, the others came in. Blaire and Ryan rushed through the door bundled in heavy coats, as a cold front had finally arrived, their hands filled with decorations. They were closely followed by Judy Greer who could barely be seen over the pile of fabrics and tulle she carried in a large filing box. Much to Georgia’s dismay, Lake jumped from his seat to her aid.
“Here, let me help you with that.” He seemed totally oblivious to the flush of Judy’s cheeks and the doe-eyes she fluttered at him.
“Thanks, so much, Lakeland. It was really heavy. You must work out, like, all the time.” Judy looped her arm through Lake’s and guided him to a table.
Georgia made a gagging sound and then promptly patted herself on the chest when everyone looked her way. “Sorry. Something made me feel sick all of a sudden…”
Ryan looked between her and Blaire, confused. “Uh-huh. And are ya good now? Everything okay?”
Georgia snickered and whipped her eyes at Lake. “Oh, I’m justPeachy.” She scattered the supplies across the floor and main table.“Let’s get started. We have a lot to do.”
They spent the evening wrapping tulle, slate and silver shimmering fabrics, and ribbons into bows and banners that would hang from the rafters of their high school gym. The girls made centerpieces of evergreen boughs and fake magnolias encircling bowls filled with pine cones and blue and silver decorative ornaments, all labeled with a different child’s first name. The name of a child who would directly benefit from the formal.
Georgia tried to focus on those names and the mission at hand when she felt her eyes drift to where Ryan and Lake worked tirelessly on what would become a balloon arch. She tried not to notice the way Lake seemed flustered and out of character. The pinch in his brow and the way he held his shoulders tight and tense when Ryan asked him a question. She evaded him completely and dared not look at him when she could feel his heavy, piercing stare on her.
When they finished somewhere close to eleven, Judy promptly cornered Lake into a private conversation. Georgia selfishly hoped it was uncomfortable for him, but then her own friends cornered her.
“What is going on with you?” Blaire pulled Georgia into a semicircle with Ryan.
“What do you mean?” She was the picture of utter bewilderment. “I’m fine! Perfectly normal here.”
“Knock it off, Meryl. Cut the act.” Blaire rolled her eyes. “You are being so weird.”
Georgia scoffed and put her hand on her hip.
“And…” Ryan added, “you’re kind of moody. Which… OW!” Ryan squirmed when Blaire pinched him hard and pulled his arm away in defense. “WHICH… I know I swore to never say or acknowledge, but I think we can all agree here, Georgia decidedly is.”
Blaire pulled Ryan back into the semicircle and leaned closer to Georgia. “Did something happen… with Lake?”
“What? No! Why would you even think that?! I barely even talk to Lake,” Georgia said but thought to herself,the lady doth protest too much. She reeled herself in when her friends looked at each other rather than her. “I think I’m just a little stressed. That’s all. I want the formal to be perfect, ya know?! It's a big deal. It could help a lot of people.”
Blaire conceded, “Okay. But you know you can talk to us about anything, right?”
“I know.”
“Even if…” Ryan nudged her shoulder, “you are uncharacteristically… crabby. We love you.”
“I love you, guys. I can’t thank you enough for all of this. The event is going to be great.”
She hugged them and heard the door chime as Judy left without saying goodbye.
“You guys better get going too,” Georgia said. “It's really late.”
