Seven

I feel sick to my stomach. I know I shouldn't care that I'm the only one in our homecoming group without a date. I shouldn't care that Jamie is going with Jacki or that Jacki will be shitting all over the night Jamie and I were supposed to enjoy together. I shouldn't care.

But I do.

I pull up to Gibbs' lake house and try not to let it get to me. After all, this is my last homecoming. I had worked hard to make sure everyone has a great time, including myself. I will not let Jacki ruin that.

I tug down the sun visor and check my makeup. Alyssa helped me, which I was grateful for because I'm not a makeup guru like most of the girls I go to school with. I'm a minimalist whenever it comes to my appearance. After studying my reflection, I take a deep breath and exit the safety of my car.

Everyone is here. Gwen and Darian's vehicles sit next to Gibbs', and then there's Jacki's. I feel my body burn with annoyance.

I walk in and immediately see my friends in the kitchen, including Jacki. My eyes find Jamie's, and I want so badly to be annoyed with her for allowing Jacki to enter the equation, but God she just looks so good.

Those hazel eyes are rimmed with long, mascaraed lashes and just the right amount of smokey eye shadow. Her dark hair falls in perfect loose curls over her slim shoulders. She's chosen to wear a navy suit that hugs every inch of her perfectly. I'm surprised at how well she pulls off the gender-bending look.

"Damn Peyton," Darian sings.

"Yeah, damn Peyt," Gwen agrees.

Darian leans to the side in exaggeration. "You servin' looks, Peyt."

I roll my eyes and blush at the realization that while I was checking out Jamie, everyone else was admiring me. Everything would be perfect if Jacki weren't hanging all over Jamie and looking at me like that. God, why is she here killing my vibe?

"Gibbs, is Courtney coming?" Gwen wonders.

"Nah." He takes a big sip from his whiskey glass. "She thinks going to homecoming together will make too big of a statement."

We all just look at him unsurely.

"Which I agree with, by the way," he finishes.

Everyone just looks around at each other, aware that Courtney and Gibbs have been fooling around for a while now, but adamantly refuse to make it official. Apparently, neither of them wants a relationship.

I feel like they were both full of it.

Gibbs slides me his glass. "You have some catching up to do."

Honestly, I need a drink. I pick up the glass and throw back the rest. It burns the hell out of my throat and makes me cringe, but I hide it well. Even Jacki's unyielding expression shows she's impressed.

"We should go," I advise. "We're already late."

The group looks around at each other, probably noticing the tension from my mood, but follow along anyway. Gwen drives Darian's car since the boys have been drinking, and we make it to the venue in no time. I had worked my ass off this morning getting everything ready, so I pray homecoming turns out great. I need it to.

When we enter, the bass from the music rattles the walls. We're late, which means we've arrived in style now that everyone is here and already on the dance floor. Part of me feels relieved, but there's another part that hangs on to the idea that Jamie and I would've enjoyed this together had Jacki not wedged herself between us.

Then, before I can escape into the crowd, a strong grasp pulls me back. I turn to see Gibbs flashing a leather flask.

"Here," he offers.

I'm intrigued to accept, but shrug it off. "I'm good."

He tilts his head. "Just a little. It'll help."

"Help what?" I ask.

But he doesn't say anything else. I try to read the look on his face in hopes that it'll give away what he's referring to, but nothing. I take a swig and then watch him shove it back into his pocket.

I part from my friends and obsess over the whole Gibbs situation. What had he meant by "it'll help"? Could he know...?

I shake away the nerves and end up socializing with a few of my peers from student council, all while stealing glances over their shoulders to watch Jamie. She seems like she's having an okay time. I wouldn't say a great time, because I believe no one can have a great time with Jacki clinging to their side.

Then I watch Jamie finally wander off and her eyes find me in the crowd. She makes her way over, which causes my heart to somersault.

She makes it to my side. "Hey, can we talk?"

"About?"

She hesitates. I can tell something is on the tip of her tongue, but the pause becomes too long. It's long enough for Gwen to find us and barge in on our short conversation.

"What the hell are you two doing off of the dance floor?" she fumes. "It's senior homecoming!"

Then she proceeds to pull us into the massive crowd of dancing teenagers.

I'm only slightly buzzed from the liquor earlier tonight, but Gwen is right, and her mood grows contagious. I feel my body moving to the music and I catch Jamie watching. The nerves and adrenaline from her attention are enough to encourage me to continue.

Eventually, Darian distracts Gwen and gives me a chance to restart our interrupted conversation.

"What did you wanna say earlier?" I ask Jamie.

Her moves grow nervous, but she tries her best to loosen up.

"I uh, I just wanted to apologize," she admits. "For saying yes to Jacki."

My heart stops. "What..."

"I just know you two don't necessarily like each other, so I shouldn't have said yes and brought her along," she finishes.

I quickly swallow my confusion.

"She just put me on the spot, and I didn't want to say no to her in front of all those people..."

I feel the dullness surrounding my heart warm up at the confession. Jamie had only said yes to Jacki because she didn't want to say no and embarrass her. Now she feels bad because she thinks she has possibly ruined homecoming for me. She cares about how I feel, and apologized, even after I had been a bitch after the back-to-school party.

God, why does she have to be so perfect?

"Jamie, I'm sorry too..."

That's when the song ends, and we're interrupted. Again. The DJ turns up the mic for an announcement, and our attention is pulled to the stage.

"Hope everyone is having a good time, but we all know what time it is," the junior class president says, eliciting cheers from the crowd. "It's time for the homecoming king and queen to finally be crowned!"

Everyone goes nuts, but I personally hate this part. We do anonymous voting, and whoever wins is always a massive surprise. I personally hate surprises. I mean, most people do, right?

"Can I have the following guys join me onstage, please?" he asks. "Darian Martin, Hunter Gibson, and David Lowell."

Two of my friends are welcomed onstage with huge smiles on their faces.

"And the following ladies..." He reads the card. "Courtney Wilcox, Jaqueline Ross, and... Peyton Kelly!"

I'm stunned. It doesn't register that I've been called up. That's until Jamie pushes me to the stage.

"Peyton, that's you!"

I snap out of my dazed state and make it to the stage. My friends cheer loudly as we join the guys. I can't help but think that, out of everyone I could be up against, it has to be Jacki?

Suddenly, I want to beat her.

"For the duke and duchess..." he continues. "David and Courtney!"

The crowd cheers, but I know this is going to be rough. Especially if Jacki loses to me. It's just another thing that she'll hate me for. Plus, I have a feeling she's starting to catch on to how much her relationship with Jamie bothers me.

Everything always feels like a competition with Jacki, but when it comes to Jamie's attention... well, that's a competition I care about winning.

"And now, for our king and queen..."

The crowd goes silent. So silent, I'm afraid they can hear my heartbeat through the microphone. I not sure if I care about being homecoming queen or not, because all I can really focus on is Jamie, who is staring up at me. She gives me a reassuring smile.

"Darian Martin and Peyton Kelly!"

My heart squeezes but I refuse to look at Jacki. I can feel the anger radiating from where she stands. She's fuming, and doesn't even wait for her plastic, and exceptionally smaller, crown before storming off the stage.

Darian and I are congratulated and shuffled offstage and back into the crowd. I search for Jamie, but instead, find her and Jacki talking. I stop and figure it's best not to interrupt.

Then Jacki glares at me, while Jamie remains oblivious to my stare, grabs my friend and pulls her in for a kiss. My stomach churns at the sight, but I know what Jacki's telling me.

I may have won the crown, and class president, and soccer captain... and virtually everything else.

But I didn't have Jamie.