My Almost Best Friend

Chapter 33

Chapter 33:

"Are we going in a group to the dance?"

I read the text from Amarys and am surprised she's actually going to the dance tonight. She's missed school all week but apparently is feeling better.

I text her back, "Yeah, me, you, and Claire can meet up with our dates. Claire's date, Max, is driving."

Amarys is still going to the dance with Mike, even though I know it's going to piss off Claire to no end.

It's Claire's fault too, because Mike and Amarys really should have broken up by now.

Instead, he continues to cheat on Amarys.

And I continue to be awkwardly self conflicted.

I finish pinning up half my hair carefully so that it won't get it in my way tonight.

I slip on my mint colored dress, the same one I wore for the banquet.

The only one of us who got a new dress for tonight is Claire, and that's because her dress got a little damaged at the banquet.

The obnoxious horn honking outside lets me know that Max and Claire have pulled up.

Just looking at Max I can tell I won't like him.

The slicked, greasy platinum blonde hair that looks like it's been pulled against his head, his ghostly pale skin, and the screamo music he's currently "jamming" out to all make me wonder what the heck Claire was thinking.

Apparently she notices my disapproving look, because she leans over to me and says, "You should see his wallet."

Ah, the classic gold digger situation. Makes sense.

"You can climb in the back where Trevor is," Claire says, pointing my focus to him.

I climb the row and sit in the other window seat.

"Don't have too much fun back there!" She calls back over her shoulder.

I shake my head, annoyed at her, but seeing Trevor's smile makes me happy.

"How've you been?" he asks as if it's been ages since we've talked, even though he just saw me this morning at school.

It's so hard to hear each other though, over the raging guitarists that are so enjoyful for Max.

It's a relief when we pull up to Mike's house, and Claire turns it down as both Mike, and Amarys get in the car.

"I thought we were going to have to go to your house to pick you up," Claire asks/tells Amarys in her fake sweet voice.

"No," she tells Claire. "Mike invited me over to dinner with his family. You should meet his parents! They're so sweet!"

Claire acts uninterested as she fidgets with her acrylic nails, but I can tell she's fuming on the inside.

It's mostly quiet until we pull into the student parking lot.

"Listen up girls," Claire says, taking charge, as usual, "We need to be up on the stage with Francesca in one hour for the crowning! Now that Summer's out of the competition, it's bound to be one of us." She winks at Amarys.

"Uh, boys?" Claire raises her eyebrows at them. "Could you give us a minute?"

They start walking to the gymnasium, or as the planning committee likes to call it tonight, The Mystical Garden.

"Listen," Claire hisses so nobody can overhear. "I was talking to Hilary, who's in charge of the ballot box, and he said almost every vote is for you, Amarys. I just wanted to let you know so that I could be sure you didn't leave early since you haven't been feeling good this week."