She turned back to the buffet and was about to collect one of those starry plastic swizzle sticks Rosie had talked about to keep as a souvenir, when someone tapped her on the shoulder.
“Getting drunk off the fruit punch?”
Marigold almost choked. It was Kenji.
He put on a cautious smile. “Congrats on valedictorian. I heard you got the Regents’ Scholarship, too. That’s a big deal.”
She mirrored his smile halfway. “Congrats on salutatorian. And Stanford.”
“It should’ve been you.”
Marigold thought she’d resent him for getting in, but she didn’t. He deserved his spot. “Nah. Cal’s got a better football team.”
There was a look of relief about him as he laughed.
She expected the conversation to end then and there, but Kenji looked her in the eyes. “How about a dance?”
Marigold appeared so shocked that he laughed. “I promise I don’t have two left feet.”
“I’m the one with the two left feet,” she said, fidgeting with her gloves. “I missed all of social dance in seventh grade.”
Even Kenji had heard the story. “We’re not going to do the tango here.”
“It was the foxtrot.”
He glanced at his watch. “Ninety seconds.”
“Pardon?”
“That’s how long we’ve gone without insulting one another.”
“Must be a record.”
“Calls for celebration.” He extended his hand. “Come on, you can’t leave prom without one dance.”
“All right,” she said before she could stop herself. She didn’t take his hand, though.
They caught the tail end of “Superstition.” Marigold bobbed awkwardly, trying to catch the beat. She’d begun counting in her head, figuring she could politely excuse herself from Kenji’s company once she got to fifty.
“You know, I’m surprised to see you here,” he said. “I didn’t think you were a prom-goer.”
“I’m not. My parents made me come babysit my sister.”
“Rosie?”
“You know her?”
“I’ve seen you eat together on Fridays. I mean, because it’s the only time you’re not in the library tutoring.”
Marigold raised an eyebrow. “Were you spying on me?”
“Spying’s a strong word. Your table was right next to the zoology books. I like reading about turtles.”
“Turtles? What kinds?”
“Hard backs, hidden on the shell-ves.”
Marigold couldn’t catch herself in time and snorted with laughter.
