Anything Goes on a Friday Night (26 page)

I was a little nervous about tonight. The butterflies in my stomach were making me sick. Not only was it prom, but I was also meeting his mom—officially. I’d never asked Finn what she said after I came over bawling that night. I didn’t want to know. I’m sure she told him to run fast.

My phone dinged.

Finn: What time do you want me to pick you up from your house?

Me: I’m still at the salon getting my hair fixed. I think 5:30 will still be good though.

Finn: I can’t wait to see you.

Me: I can’t wait to see you. :)

I looked in the mirror and smiled at Wendy, my hairdresser.

“I love it!” I squealed and then looked over at Jane who’d just finished as well.

She looked amazing. Her hair was curled and pinned perfectly on top of her head. Purple and silver eyeliner made her green eyes stand out. Tryston was going to love it. My hair was slightly curled and down. Wendy pinned it all on one side, so it swooped over my right shoulder. It was so simple but perfect. I pulled my lip gloss from my purse and looked in the mirror to put it on.

Jane stood beside me and smiled. “We should go get our dresses on. The guys will be at your house in 45 minutes.”

I paid Wendy, and then we left.

I was freaking out.
What if Finn hated the dress I picked out?
Dad was already giving me the death glare for the amount of skin I was showing. Honestly, it wasn’t that bad. It met all of the school’s dress requirements. Jane, on the other hand, wore a dress that was skin-tight and showed an embarrassing amount of cleavage. Her parents were at my house, and like my dad, were about to have a panic attack.

We looked out the window when we heard the roar of the guys’ trucks. My hands were shaking. Finn would meet my dad and Nancy for the first time. I didn’t know how any of them would react, but so far, Nancy was on her best behavior. Dad, on the other hand, was still freaking out that I had boobs and skin.

Jane and I went outside.

“I’m nervous,” I admitted as we sat down on the patio furniture.

“Why? Are you gonna let him go all the way?”

I burst into laughter. “What? No. Maybe. I don’t know.” My cheeks were on fire.

“Tryston and I have already had sex.”

“I didn’t need to know that.”

We both laughed.

Most girls were worried about giving it up tonight. Jane said all of the girls started birth control a month ago just to get ready for tonight. I thought it was crazy. Finn and I never discussed the whole sex thing and how I wanted to wait until marriage, but I didn’t feel like we had to right now. He respected me, and I respected him.

My smile grew ridiculously large when I saw Finn. He came toward me, looking sexy as hell in his all-black suit. His blond hair was combed neatly. He looked perfect.

His jaw dropped when he saw me. All of my nerves left when I saw his approving cocky-grin. Just before I could give him a hug, Dad emerged from the front door and stepped between us. I frowned and rolled my eyes.

“Steven Johnson, Elena’s dad.” Dad held his hand out to Finn.

“Finn Kerr. Is nice to meet you, sir. Elena talks a lot about you.”

I couldn’t see Finn’s face, because Dad was blocking him. I was hoping he’d give Dad a fake smile or something instead of the scowl he wore when I talked about Dad treating me like shit. He promised me he’d put all the bullshit behind him tonight and be respectful of my dad.

Tryston and Jane were already in Tryston’s truck. I was jealous that they’d gotten away from her parents so quickly. I moved around my dad and looped my arm in Finn’s.

“Okay, Dad. It’s been fun, but—”

“Wait, he needs to meet Nancy. She wanted to take pictures too.” Dad turned and waved Nancy over.

Of course she wanted to take pictures. She wanted to act like everything was great, so I could look like a crazy person in front of my dad and Finn. She had to know I’d told Finn everything.

After fake smiles and goodbyes, we left.

I laughed as Finn drove. I was surrounded by tulle. I was trying to push it down, but it kept fluffing itself back up. I looked at him and bit my bottom lip. He cracked up and fished through the layers of tulle until he could find my hand to hold.

“You’re adorable, you know that? You look so amazing, Ellie. I knew you would, but damn.”

I smiled. “Thanks, you do too, Finn. Very sexy.”

WE MADE IT TO
his mom’s, and I felt like I might get sick. I adored her son, and her rejection would kill me. Finn was a momma’s boy, and she meant the world to him. I got out of the truck with Finn’s help, and we made our way up his back porch after he helped me straighten out all of the tulle. We were cracking up about the glitter all over his tux when his mom opened the door. She smiled widely, and tears filled her eyes when she looked at Finn.

“Stop growing up so fast, would ya?” She hugged him then looked at me and held the same huge smile. “Wow, Finn, she’s gorgeous!” She hugged me too, which shocked me.

“Thank you,” I said quietly as she pulled away.

“Pictures! Let me run inside and grab my camera. Oh, and the corsage!”

I looked at Finn and raised a brow.

He laughed. “I had Mom pick it up because I had no idea what I was doing.”

I smiled. “You didn’t even have to get one.”

“Did too.”

She came back out with her camera in one hand and a clear box with a beautiful corsage of white daisies in the other. My favorite flowers. I smiled when Finn put it on. His hands were shaking, and it was so cute that he was nervous. I was glad I wasn’t the only one.

After pictures and a few more hugs from his mom, we headed to the school.

I
COULDN’T FIND FINN ANYWHERE.
He said he was going outside with Tryston and a few of his other friends for a bit, but that had been over an hour ago. Jane and I hung out with a few of our classmates, but I started getting worried.

“I’m going to look for Tryston. He should’ve been back by now.”

“I’ll come with you. I’m sure wherever he is, Finn will be too,” I said, then followed Jane outside.

After walking for fifteen minutes, I had to take off my heels. Blisters had started forming, and by the looks of it, we’d be walking all night to find the guys. After texting Finn for the billionth time with no answer, my phone died.

“I’m gonna kill him,” I said through clenched teeth.

Jane was frustrated beyond belief. She stomped around in her bare feet, and we both finally gave up after we had searched the entire inside and outside of the school. She sat down on a bench outside of the cafeteria where prom was going on and huffed loudly, resting her chin on her hand.

“Should we just find a ride home and leave?” I was on the verge of tears. Why would Finn ditch me like this? I hadn’t seen him for two weeks, and this was our prom night.

“I guess so. I could call my parents. Do you just want to stay the night at my place tonight?” I could tell Jane was on the verge of tears too.

I shrugged. “I guess.” I wiped away a falling tear and looked down at my dead cell phone. “Call your mom, and I’ll meet you back out here in a second. I need to go to the bathroom.”

I went inside and made my way through the crowd. The bathrooms were all the way on the other side of the dance floor. I was almost there when I froze.

God, please no! Please tell me that’s not him. With her! Dancing so close… His hands on her hips… His lips on her neck…

I felt dizzy. I stumbled a little but caught my balance on a nearby chair. Nausea set in, and my heart ached. My breath caught in my throat, and I couldn’t form words. Finn’s glazed-over eyes met mine, and I knew he was drunk. I looked around for Tryston, figuring he’d be close, but he was nowhere to be found. Pure shame washed over Finn’s face the second he figured out what was happening. I had caught him. I wondered just how long this had been going on. I was a stupid girl for believing his lies. He was just like Channing.

I took off toward the exit, forgetting the bathroom. I couldn’t focus on anything because everything was blurred by tears. I found Jane and saw her mom’s car parked in front of the school. I was so thankful they lived close. I needed to get the hell away from here.

I heard Finn calling my name from behind me. Jane got in the front seat, and I got in the back. I slammed the door and looked at him through the window. I could hear him yelling for me to get out, but I asked Jane’s mom to turn up the radio, so I couldn’t hear him. She blared Reba McEntire, and I turned my head to face the front of the car.

Finn Kerr had broken my heart. He had done what he promised he wouldn’t. He was Channing all over again.
Is this why he never tried to have sex or go any further with me? Was he getting it from someone else just like Channing had? Am I not good enough? Am I not worth waiting for?

I was surprised I wasn’t crying harder. Instead, I was numb. Tears fell down my cheeks, but I wasn’t completely losing it like I felt that I should be.
Am I just so used to being hurt?
This was normal for me, I guess. My life had turned into one big let’s-hurt-Ellie fest.

I laughed coldly. Like clockwork, it was a damn Friday night. The one day of the week when everything went to complete and utter shit.

I WOKE UP AND
looked over at Jane sleeping in her bed. I had fallen asleep on the floor. She had insisted that I sleep with her, but she’d also wanted to talk, and I didn’t. I didn’t want to tell her what happened. Not last night. I’d just wanted to sleep and forget about it for as long as I could.

I charged my phone and expected a million texts from Finn, but there wasn’t even one. That shocked me.
But what would I say if he had texted me? Probably nothing.
I would avoid him. He probably figured as much, so that’s probably the reason he hadn’t texted or called.

I went to the bathroom and took a long shower. When I got out, I got dressed in some of Jane’s clothes and looked at myself in the mirror. I couldn’t get all of the eyeliner and mascara off my eyes, but I was in fuck-it mode, so I didn’t care. I felt like a wreck, might as well look like one.