Page 69 of Mom Com

“Go for it,” I say, even though I was hoping I’d be on my way to my car by now.

A smile appears on his face. “Will you go to prom with me?”

I stand there for a good three seconds at a total loss. “Wait, what?”

“I’d really like it if you did.”

“Jake, I—” I start, but he cuts me off.

“So what if you’re pregnant? You don’t need to drink. I won’t drink with you. It might be fun.”

I open my mouth and close it again, completely thrown. An awkward laugh escapes my lips. “I think you and I have very different definitions of fun.”

“Cheesy prom clothes, bad food, and even worse music that we can dance stupidly to?”

I give him the side-eye. Why is this not sounding totally insane right now?

“Look, I know prom is lame, but maybe it’s fun lame? And if you turn me down, that’s cool. But I just want to make sure you’re not turning me down because of these idiots.” He sweeps his hand at the lawn full of people. “Who can all stop staring by the way,” he says, raising his voice. “Yup, you and you.” He points around the green. “Can all definitely mind your own business.”

And for a split second, a sliver of weight lifts off my shoulders and I feel like I can breathe.

Jake’s gaze returns to me. “So, what do you say, Maddi, wanna go to prom with me?”

Which is the exact moment Wilder appears by my side.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Wilder says.

Jake takes a breath. “Actually no. I’m not kidding. And truthfully, dude, this is between me and Maddi.”

Wilder’s expression goes stone-cold. “Not sure where to start on that one, Jake. Except to say that there is noyou and Maddibecause you’ve been completely absent these past five months.”

My face burns. There is something shocking about hearing Wilder’s anger even though I said some version of the same thing.

“You really want Maddi to stay home on prom night while everyone else is out partying?”

I’m about to jump in and tell Jake to piss off, that Wilder has been the one and only person to stand by me through all of this, but Wilder hesitates and so do I.

“Oh wait,” Jake says. “You didn’t tell her, did you?” He laughs but it’s for emphasis rather than humor. “You’re seriously standing here lecturing me about being shitty while you keep your prom date a secret from your supposed best friend?”

My eyes flit from Wilder to Jake and back. “Wilder?”

Wilder shakes his head and gives Jake a look like he’s going to murder him. Then he turns to me, but before he says a word, I know the answer.

“At least have the balls to tell her you made plans without her,” Jake continues, and I can feel myself shrinking. “What did you say to Matt in the locker room today? That there was no way you could squeeze in his cousin ’cause your limo is at capacity?”

My chest constricts. Jake’s words grate on my biggest insecurity, a palpable fear that everyone has abandoned me and that Wilder secretly wants to do the same. That he’s being nice, but that it’s nothing more than good-mannered pity. And what’s worse is that he let me be humiliated by it, allowing me to think that the solidarity Jake referenced earlier was something Wilder and I branded. I suddenly feel small and unwanted, like I was living in one deluded reality while Wilder was solidly in another.

“Maddi,” Wilder starts, a conflicted look replacing his usual calm.

My temper flares. “Don’t,” I say forcefully, clutching onto my anger for fear that I’m going to crumble in front of all these people. Instead, I turn to Jake. “I’ll go to prom with you.”

They both open their mouths to respond, but I stop them with my hand.

“Now, I’m leaving. And if either one of you says one more thing about my personal life in front of this school, I’ll never talk to you again.” And with that, I storm off toward my Prius, hoping I get there before I start crying.

CHAPTER22

Dark Chocolate Crow Pie—