Mismatched

Chapter Fourteen

Axl opens the back passenger door for me and I mumble my thanks at the courtesy. I get situated inside the car, putting on my safety belt, while Shale does the same for Bryony in the front. Axl climbs into the rear seat next to me, behind Shale.

This doesn't seem awkward at all, right? I mean, I don't think Axl has spoken two words to me for weeks, yet here he is joining us to go to the dance. Is he really okay being here?

We travel to the school, where they had turned our main courtyard into an open-air Homecoming dance venue. A temporary stage had been erected at one end to hold the DeeJay and whatever else they would need a stage for. Around the courtyard, different clubs had set up booths to sell items and where silent auctions were taking place for various items with the proceeds going to Kennedy High School repairs. The art club was selling paintings done by students, the orchestra was auctioning off a two hour performance set by their string quartet (which I knew to be really good). The football team has a booth where they are selling signed footballs from past alumni and school spirit jerseys. Most of the big items were already bid on last night at the football game but they would be announcing the winners tonight.

When I still hadn't spotted Reed I decided to head over to the football booth to see if he was still working. I spotted several varsity players I knew from various classes. Most threw me a nod, some gave an appreciative second glance, but I ignored those. None of these players were Reed. Finally, after another twenty minutes of searching, I flag down one of the nicer players I knew and asked.

"Is Reed McIntyre still working the booth?" I asked. He looked around a bit but then shook his head.

"Naw, I think he had to leave." He tells me. "Something about an emergency?"

"He left?" I ask, slightly dumbfounded. I check my phone to see if he had messaged me and see no missed calls or texts.

"Yeah, not too long ago. Is there something you needed?" He asks and I shake my head. "Sorry." I nod and thank him for telling me and head back to Bryony. She sees the dejected look on my face and her eyebrows draw together.

"What's going on? Is he busy?" She asks and I shake my head.

"He's gone." I tell her and I see the same confusion that probably decorated my identical face not too long ago. "Apparently there was an emergency and he just left."

"What kind of emergency? What did he say?" She asks.

"I don't know. I haven't talked to him. He didn't call or leave me a message. One of the other players told me." I tell her and I can see anger in her usually unruffled face.

"What the hell?" She exclaims. Shale picks this moment to walk up with the water bottle he was apparently fetching for her. His shocked expression at her cursing is quickly smoothed over by concern when he sees his girlfriend's face.

"What happened? Who do I have to murder and does anyone have a shovel?" He asks, breaking some of the tension. Bryony calms instantly with Shale at her side and thanks him for the water with a shy smile. It soon falls again when she tells him of my predicament.

"Reed left without saying a word to Dahlia. She had to find out second-hand from another member of the team." She tells him with a little pout.

"It's fine guys," I tell them waving my hands in an attempt to brush away the concern. "That's why you came with me, right? To keep me company when Reed wasn't around." I try to shrug it off but I still feel embarrassed. I got so excited about Reed asking me to come tonight, spent all that time and money on a dress and primping only for the person who invited me to ditch me before the night even begins. I feel a nudge at my shoulder and turn to see Axl holding out a bottle of water to me.