Beautifully Broken

“Time for what?” Rex asks sneaking up behind me.

I jump, my heart racing a mile a minute. “For me to get ready. Bane was supposed to remind me hours ago. I guess he just remembered.”

It’s a lie, but I can’t leave. Not now, besides I’m supposed to have the weekend. I won’t let Bane take what time I have left. And Jenny is right, prom is important to Rex. He deserves this night and frankly, I want it. I want one high school memory that’s actually worth remembering. Tomorrow I’ll think about Gerald. Tomorrow I’ll run. But tonight’s about us and I’m not gonna let anything ruin it.

I’m pretty sure most schools decorate their gymnasiums for dances. I mean, why not. They have the empty space, and it’s a good way to save money. Not to mention nearly every movie and TV show I can think of (which at the moment is only Glee and The Vampire Diaries) use their school for dances. But no, not us. St. A’s prom committee rented out the ballroom and terrace at the Horizon Hotel because they have the money and were dying to spend it.

The limo stops under the lobby overhang. A valet holds the door open for us to climb out. Jenny goes first, then me, followed by Cooper and Rex. The lobby is buzzing with life. We follow a few of our classmates down a hallway to a large, lighted archway.

As soon as we step inside, our picture is taken. I rub my eyes, clearing the spots from the flash, then look around. The room is beautiful, unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Sheer fabric and strings of clear lights splay out from the center of the ceiling to the walls. Two dozen or so round tables, covered with white tablecloths with lighted lantern centerpieces, are spread throughout. A DJ plays music from a table in the corner and a few people are already up

dancing.

Rex takes my hand and leads us deeper into the room. He claims a mostly empty table near the terrace and drapes his blazer over the back of the chair. Cooper does the same while Jenny pulls two small coin purses from the inside pocket of Rex’s jacket and sets them in front of where we will sit.

“Where did the jackets come from?” I yell. The music’s too loud for conversation. Then again, by looking around, people are either dancing or kissing, so not too much talking going on in here.

Rex leans into my hair. “Carried them from the limo.”

Right. That makes sense. Actually, it confuses me more. Limos don’t come with tailored jackets in them. Maybe he put them in there while I was in the kitchen talking to Logan. Poor Logan, Danika would have loved tonight. I reach for my phone to text him and see how he’s doing but remember it’s in Rex’s pocket and change my mind.

Rex’s hand finds my lower back as he leans into my ear, “I’m gonna check in and bring our bags up to our rooms.” I nod. He kisses my cheek then heads back towards the lobby.

“I’m hungry,” Jenny yells. “Want to go out on the terrace?”

I shake my head. I am a little hungry, but I’ll wait. It’s quieter outside and these two haven’t had any time alone together yet. Cooper deserves a chance to be happy, and Jenny might be that chance. “I’m good. I’ll just wait for Rex.”

The chair beside me moves. I shift to look, fully expecting to see Rex, but am met with golden locks, blue eyes, and a smile laced with arsenic. Tad. He grabs my wrist and sets it on the table. From a distance, we look like a cute couple having an intimate conversation. We are anything but. Tad leans closer. I tug my arm to pull away but he holds it firm against the tablecloth. “I’m sorry.”

What? I stare at him dumbfounded. Does he really think saying sorry weeks later for practically dragging me into the bathroom makes everything alright? It’s a start but I’m not about to validate his actions by saying thank you. “Okay.”

“They were there.” He yells, his eyes skirting across the room for a minute before finding my face again. “I didn’t have a choice.”

“Who was there?” And where? Inside the actual bathrooms? Tad must have been tripping hard if he was hallucinating people that day. Tad’s chair slides back, dragging me out of the seat. He let’s go of my wrist, but not before I hit the ground. I brush myself off in time to see Rex towering over Tad. I grab Rex’s arm. He turns to me, fire in his eyes. Tad looks like he’s about to shit himself and rightfully so. I cup Rex’s cheeks and pull him so he can hear me. “I’m fine. He was saying sorry.”

Rex looks at Tad again. “Go.”

Tad scampers out of the chair faster than he moved all football season. Rex throws his arm around me. “You sure you’re alright?”

I nod and pull him to the dance floor. I may have the moves of a drunken toddler, but we need a distraction. Tonight’s supposed to be fun. Drama free. Luckily for me, the DJ chooses this moment to play a slow song. I lean into Rex and let him sway us to a song I recognize but don’t actually know. I close my eyes, imagining what it would be like if I didn’t have to say goodbye. In a perfect world, we’d get married, have two beautiful kids together. He’d go pro, traveling the country playing hockey and I’d…I don’t know what I’d do. I open my eyes and stare at the buttons on his shirt. What I’d do in that fantasy life doesn’t matter because the reality is, it all ends tonight.

The rest of the night is a blur of dancing, snacking, and drinking punch which must have been spiked because I’m feeling good. My head’s spinning. Actually my whole body is. I laugh as Rex pulls me into his chest again. What little coordination I had is gone. I trip over my own feet and fall into his arms. Tender lips find my forehead. I hug him tight, smiling into his shirt. His heart is racing, “Want to head up to the room?”

I look around, instantly aware that most of the couples have disappeared. We are two of the maybe twenty people left, everyone else having taken off for the night. “What about Cooper and Jenny?”

Rex spins me again. I laugh as he pulls me back into his arms, dipping me backwards as the song comes to an end. “They snuck out a while ago.”

“Oh, okay.”

Rex takes my hand and leads me to the elevator. My heart pounds against my chest. I’m surprised he can’t hear it. Although, my ears are ringing now that the music’s gone; maybe his are too. The elevator dings, the door sliding open. I step in and lean against the rail.

The moment we’re alone Rex is on me. I don’t have time to think about what’s coming next, his tongue dancing with mine erases all thoughts. All I can focus on are his lips. By the time the doors open on our floor we’re a mess. My dress is wrinkled. Rex’s shirt is untucked, hair disheveled, tie undone. I run my hands down my sides smoothing my gown the best I can and step into the hallway.

Rex pulls the keycard from his wallet and slips it into the reader. He opens the door, allowing me to enter the room first then closes it behind us. Our room is nothing fancy. I assume the queen-sized bed and TV are standard in all hotels, but I’ve never been in one before. I take in each feature, not wanting to miss a thing when I remember this night. Instances like these are the only time I’m grateful for my photographic memory.

Warm lips press against my neck. I tilt my head, a sigh of pleasure escaping me. Rex pushes my hair to one side and sinks his teeth into my shoulder. I moan again, knees buckling from the sensation. Rex spins me in his arms and pulls me at the waist. I arch, melting into his mouth when his hands find my cheeks, my waist, my ass. He lifts me, one hand sliding under the slit of my dress. We disconnect, smiling at each other as our bodies bounce against the mattress. When our mouths connect again our tongues twist together in a tango they were born to dance. Each move seemingly rehearsed to perfection. We kiss and we kiss until my lips go numb.

Rex slides down my belly and pulls my dress open from the slit. His calloused hand runs against my inner thigh. “You’re burning up.”