𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐦 | 𝐜.𝐝 𝐟𝐟

𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙨𝙩.

Gym class was bad. I rushed to cha ge before Mike could catch me and ran for the doors. I almost had a stroke when I rounded the corner and saw a tall, dark figure leaning against the side of my Audi. Then I realized it was just Eric. I started walking again. It's nice to have some company while I waited for my friends.

"Hey, Eric," I called.

"Hi, Zayra."

"What's up?" I said as I was unlocking the door. I was aware of the uncomfortable edge in his voice, so his next words took me by surprise.

"Uh, I was just wondering... if you would go to the spring dance with me? " His voice broke on the last word.

"It's girls' choice," I stated.

"Well, yeah," he admitted, shamefaced.

I recovered my composure and tried to make my smile warm. "Thank you for asking me, but I'm going to be in Seattle that day."

"Oh," he said. "Well, maybe next time."

"Sure," I agreed, and then bit my lip. I wouldn't want him to take that too literally. I didn't mean it. 

He slouched off, back toward the school. I heard a low chuckle.

Cedric was walking past the front of my truck, looking straight forward, his lips pressed together. I bet he did that just to spite me. I yanked the door open and jumped inside, slamming it loudly behind me. I revved the engine deafeningly so that my friends could hurry up. Cedric was in his car already, two spaces down, sliding out smoothly in front of me, cutting me off.

Asshole. He stopped there — to wait for his family; I could see the four of them walking this way, but still by the cafeteria. I considered taking out the rear of his shiny Volvo, but there were too many witnesses. I looked in my rear view mirror. A line was beginning to form. Directly behind me, Tyler Crowley was in his recently acquired used Sentra, waving. I dropped my head and hit the horn switch. The loud honk was not enough to lift my head. But the knock on my passenger side window was.

I looked over; it was Tyler. I glanced back in my rearview mirror, confused. His car was still running, the door left open. I pressed the button to roll the window down.

"I'm sorry, Tyler, I'm stuck behind Cullen." I spat his name with enough venom.

"Oh, I know — I just wanted to ask you something while we're trapped here."

He grinned. Oh no. This could not be happening.

"Will you ask me to the spring dance?" he continued.

"No." My voice sounded a little sharp. I had to remember it wasn't his fault that Mike and Eric had already used up my quota of patience for the day. "I'm not free Saturday."

"Yeah, Mike said that," he admitted.

"Then why —"

He shrugged. "I was hoping you were just letting him down easy."

Okay, it was completely his fault. Was I that predictable?

"Sorry, Tyler," I said, not hiding my irritation. "I really am going out of town."

"That's cool. We still have prom."

Before I could respond, Nott pushed Tyler out of the way and slid into the passenger seat. In came in the rest of my friends. Just on time. In front of me, I could see Cullen grinning. His family already comfortably in his car. 

"I'm going to ram him." I declared. I hit the gas pedal but I was too late, he was already driving off. Zabini smirked. 

"Cullen or Crowley?" Malfoy teased. I glared at him through the rearview mirror.