Chapter 36

On Friday, the day of the homecoming game and dance, Coach gave his game-night pep talk.

“Now, men, let’s go out there and give them our best. Win or lose, we give it our all. Is everyone committed to doing that?” After hearing a resounding yes, Coach’s eyes swept over the team, his eyes lingering on Nick the longest. Or so it seemed to him. Maybe it was just Nick’s imagination. Maybe Coach had looked at each team member the same way?

“Let’s go, team!”

Bryan bumped him. “Don’t forget, I’m on your team,” he taunted with a grin. “Rev.”

“Shut up!” Nick said.

He willed Jean Claude to stay away and not mess with his head in this game. No Nazis tonight. Even with that proclamation, a feeling of dread went through him. The feeling intensified as the game started. Nick was all thumbs, acting as if he had never held or even caught a football. He couldn’t keep from fumbling.

“Time-out!” Coach yelled.

Nick huddled with the rest.

“Nick, sit this one out. Let Bryan go in for you. You may still have some residual effects from the concussion you suffered.”

“But…Coach…” Nick couldn’t think of one reason why he shouldn’t sit out. The sound of roaring wind-lashed waves filled his ears, pushing away everything but the mind-splitting sound.

“Yeah, why don’t you let me?” Bryan said, giving Nick the biggest shit-eating smirk possible.

Nick gave Bryan the finger.

Bryan filled in for him while Nick paced on the side. Bryan’s assistance didn’t help their cause. At halftime they were down 14 to 3. Nick followed his teammates toward the locker room, his mind lost in a quagmire of thoughts—like why was this happening to him? A shadow caught his eye. Cat. She was leaning against the wall, her dark clothing blending with the deepening evening gloom. As he walked by, she moved her hand, motioning him to her.

He jogged over, taking off his helmet. “I didn’t know you were interested in football.”

“I came for halftime,” she said, giving him a playful shove.

Nick laughed. “It’s got to be better than the actual game.”

“I like watching you,” she said, giving him a sly smile.

Nick ducked his head, moving the dirt with the toe of his cleats.

“Nick? You’re wanted on the field, man,” his teammate said. “You didn’t hear the announcement to line up?”

“The field?” He blinked into the lights glaring over the grass making it look yellow and not green.

“Yes, they’re naming the candidates. Everyone’s waiting.” Pause. “For you.”

Cat gave him a hug and whispered “good luck” in his ear.

Emily would be waiting. Could she see him and Cat from where she was standing? He had a straight line of vision to where Em stood. She’d be mad he was talking to Cat.

“Thanks.” Nick, red face and all, turned and loped toward the field. He was greeted with a smattering of polite applause.

He took his place by Emily. She looked beautiful in a pink dress that made her cheeks rosy, but her eyes were wide and watery.

The class floats circled the field.

“What’s the matter?” he whispered.

“What were you doing with her?”

The band began playing.

“Talking. She wished us luck.”

“Ha!” Emily said. “It looked like you were doing more than talking.” She motioned toward the entrance to the locker room. “I bet she wishes we would break up.”

“She didn’t say that.”

“She wouldn’t. Do you?” Emily asked. “Do you want to go out with her?” Emily repeated in a low, furious whisper.

Momentarily they were silenced by the roar of the crowd. The senior class won the float contest. A given.

“Em!” He tilted back his head in frustration. “No.”

“I don’t understand why you’re always talking to her. And why was she hugging you?”

“We’re not always talking.” Why was Em being so unreasonable? “She was trying to be friendly.”

“I bet!”

“You look nice tonight.” Way to change the subject.

Emily held out the material and let it drop in place. “My blue dress was better, and that bitch ruined it.” Way to stay on topic!

He rolled his eyes. “Em…Can’t we enjoy tonight?”

The way she wrinkled her nose meant she wasn’t done with the discussions about Cat or the ruined homecoming dress.

“I told you, you look beautiful.” Nick clenched his jaw.

“She better not talk to you at the dance,” Emily whispered. “Or I’m going to say something!”

The freshman prince and princess were announced, then the sophomores. Nick caught Gary’s eye over the heads of the girls and grimaced, and Gary made his eyes cross. Neither of them cared about being junior prince, but the girls obviously did. Emily bounced a little on her feet in anticipation and shrieked when their names were called.

“It’s us!” She turned to Nick excitedly. “We won!”

The glittering crown was placed on Emily’s carefully arranged hair and another on Nick’s head. She was handed a bouquet of roses. She gave a tentative wave toward the spectators.

“May I present the junior princess and prince, Emily Hendrick and Nick Dupont.”

He bent to hug Emily, but she stood woodenly in place. He hugged her, the barb of a rose piercing his uniform. He stepped away and rubbed at his stomach from the sting of the rose.

The senior king and queen were announced last.

“I’m sorry I was talking to her,” Nick whispered, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Emily turned away from him and began walking off the field. Nick’s parents and grandma blocked their way. “Congratulations, you two! Emily, you look beautiful!”

“Thank you, Grace,” Emily said. Emily gave Grandma’s hand a squeeze. “So glad you were able to come.”

“Me too!” Grandma said. “That’s a beautiful dress.”

Emily’s face changed. “I had to borrow this. Someone ruined my original dress.”

“Oh dear,” Nick’s mother said. “Who would do such a thing?”

Nick jumped into the conversation. “Not sure.”

“It was Nick’s work partner,” Emily said.

“Cat?” Nick’s father asked.

“Do you know her?” Emily asked.

“Why yes, she came to dinner,” his father said.

Emily glared at Nick. “Right!”

They stood looking at each other, neither saying a word until Tiffany called for Emily.

“Nice to see you all, but I’ve got to go. Gotta check on the dance preparations.” Emily turned away from Nick, saying, “We’ll talk later.”

Not a good omen, “we’ll talk later.”

“I better get to the locker room,” Nick mumbled his excuse to leave.

When Nick entered the locker room, Bryan batted the crown from his head—a playful gesture, but his eyes were hard and cold as sapphires. The crown rolled around the floor before resting on its side.

“Prince Nick,” Bryan said with a short laugh.

“Glad it was you and not me,” Gary said, giving a low whistle.

****

After the game and their loss, Nick showered and changed and headed to the gymnasium for the dance. The closer he got, the louder the music sounded. Em and her committee had done a nice job with the balloons, the DJ, and streamers.

“Hey! Congrats!” Several people shook his hand and gave him high fives.

“Thanks. Seen Emily?”

Nick found Emily by the punch bowl with several of her friends. She still wore the tiara whereas Nick had left his crown in his locker.

As he approached, Emily didn’t look particularly pleased to see him and folded her arms. “Em,” he said.

“Don’t Em, me!”

Another discussion about Cat.

“Come on, Em, you’re my girlfriend. She’s new.” He moved his shoulders as if trying to get comfortable and then tugged at his collar. “Just being nice.”

“Can’t someone else befriend her?”

Now she was being unreasonable and childish.

“Will you dance with me?” He grabbed Emily’s hand and led her out to the floor.

They danced to a slow song, and Nick held Emily close, smelling her flower-scented hair. They didn’t talk, just swayed together until the song finished, and the DJ announced the Homecoming King and Queen.

Nick and Emily clapped with the others. Nick felt the walls beginning to close in. “I need some air.”

They left the stifling, noisy cocoon of the dance.

“I’m going to…” Emily stopped abruptly at seeing Cat enter the school. “What’s she doing here?” She whispered loud enough for Cat to hear.

Nick thought it best not to answer and shrugged.

“Congratulations!” Cat yelled. “Nice dress!”

Nick smiled, and Emily’s eyes narrowed.

“No thanks to you!” Emily said tersely.

“What does that mean?” Cat asked, wandering toward them.

“My. Dress.” Emily emphasized each word.

“I didn’t touch your dress,” Cat said, her voice low and even.

“Ha! Just leave us alone!” Emily took a step toward Cat and stopped.

“Can I at least talk to my work partner?” Cat asked playfully, emphasizing “work partner.”

Emily whirled away, her hands making tiny fists as she stalked off to the bathroom.

“She doesn’t like me, does she?” Cat asked, with a chuckle.

That was stating the obvious!

“Em’s mad about her dress,” Nick said, moving over to the wall and leaning against it.

Cat followed him. “How can I convince her I didn’t ruin her dress?”

“I don’t think she’ll listen.”

Cat looked surprised. “Why do you defend her?”

He gave her the “come on,” incredulous look. “She’s my girlfriend.”

“She’s not right for you,” Cat said as she leaned against the wall, one leg crossed over the other.

“How can you say that?” His family loved Emily. Then an image of another girl, not Chaton, flashed through his mind. A girl on a bicycle pedaling through a picturesque European town, giving Jean Claude a wave. Nick shook his head, and the image rolled away to the recesses of his head.

“Just the way it is,” she said.

“So if that’s true, what does it mean?” Nick pushed away from the wall as Emily stood in the doorway and appeared to be searching for him.

“We need to be together,” Cat said. “Or we’ll continue to chase each other around from one life to the next.”

“So we need to be together in order for Jean Claude to go away?”

“Not exactly…”

Emily headed in their direction, her eyes narrow and her nose flared as if she was breathing deeply.

“Should I leave?” Cat asked, taking a step toward the door.

“Probably be for the best.”

Cat slipped out.

“Did she leave?” Emily demanded.

“Yes,” Nick said.

“Good! I’m so mad at you, Nick Dupont!”

He sighed. He had more immediate worries than Emily being mad at him.