Hunter turns to look now, but Valerie is already lost in the throng of people.
“Buckets. They had buckets. Oh, my God, she really was going to Carrie me,” I say, horrified, but also somehow amused. “She’s not even creative enough to come up with her own awful pranks. Why am I surprised?”
Hunter scowls. “What are you talking about?”
“Valerie. She just ran across the dance floor and chased someone through the crowd. She was going to Carrie me during the royalty dance, but then you cut in. She didn’t want to do it to you, so she called it off. I knew I wasn’t crazy. I knew she was planning something.”
“She was going to Carrie you?”
“Bathe me in pig’s blood. I mean, I don’t know if she was really going to use pig’s blood, but there must have been something to throw on me in those big white buckets.”
He drops his hands and looks toward the crowd. “Where’d she go?”
I point.
Hunter shakes his head. “All right, I’ve gotta go handle something.” He points at me. “You dump the goddamn purse-holder—for real this time.”
“Hunter,” I call after him as he storms off the dance floor and heads after Valerie.
He doesn’t turn back around, he leaves me there with the song still playing. I look over at Anderson, similarly abandoned by Valerie.
Anderson looks at me, but doesn’t move toward me like he wants to resume our dance.
I stand there and look back at him, not knowing what to say.
Realizing everyone is watching and finishing the dance with him would be too awkward, I turn around and flee the dance floor.
Chapter Thirty Four
Riley
After Hunter has been gone for a few minutes, Valerie reappears in the gymnasium.
She looks a little flushed, maybe even embarrassed, but I don’t know if she’s flustered because her prank went off course or because of whatever transpired between her and Hunter when he caught up to her.
Assuming he did catch up to her.
I’m pretty much done with the dance, but I can’t leave until Hunter comes back. I know I could text my mom and ask her to come get me, or hell, I could even walk home (though that wouldn’t be very fun in these heeled sandals) but I’m starting to get a little worried that Hunter’s not back.
He’s been gone for a long time. Why isn’t he back?
Anderson wanders over to the table I’ve camped out at. His hands are in his pockets, his head bowed. Looking up at him, I feel a tad guilty for ruining his night, even if I didn’t initiate any of the bullshit myself.
“Hey,” he says, voice low.
I absently trace the outline of the tiara I took off and put on the table. “Hey.”
“So… are we staying? Am I still taking you home?”
“I don’t know, Anderson,” I say tiredly.
“Do you have to check with your boss?” he asks, his tone faintly sharp.
I look up at him, dead-eyed. I’m just about to respond when Sherlock bumps into him.
“Oh, shit, sorry, Milner.” He smirks, shaking his flask and offering it to Anderson. “I think I’m pre-gaming a little too hard. Want some?”
Anderson shakes his head. “I’m all right.”
Sherlock points at me. “Congrats on your crown, Bishop.”
“Thanks,” I say, frowning. Ryden Sherlock has never spoken to me.
“You kids have fun,” he says before wandering away.
“Fun,” Anderson remarks. “Is that what we’re having?”
I shake my head, looking at the crown again as I play with it. “I think we should break up.”
“Yeah.” He looks down at the gymnasium floor. “I kinda figured.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, looking up at him. My hand stills on the crown and flattens against the table. “It wasn’t my intention to jerk you around. I really did think getting back together that day was the right choice. I had all these stupid thoughts you probably don’t want to hear about at this point.”
Anderson pulls out the chair across from me and sits down. “Nah, might as well.”
I smile faintly, looking at the table. “Hunter and I have this thing, I guess you could call it an inside joke, but… have you ever read The Hunger Games?”
Anderson shakes his head. “I saw the movies.”
I nod. “Well, in middle school I made him read the books. And I had these very enthusiastic opinions about the love triangle that runs throughout the series. See, in the beginning it’s just Gale and Katniss, and they share this bond, they understand each other, they’re completely attuned to one another, they work together to survive and look out for one another. They were a team, and I just loved them. But then Peeta comes into the picture, and he’s not like Gale at all. Gale is… more…” I stop, trying to think how to word it. “Maybe dominant is the word I’m looking for? More brutal? More aggressive and take-charge? He challenges Katniss more. They’re comfortable and familiar with each other, but in a sense, Gale’s the less comfortable choice.”