Page 59

Story: Before & After You

I waited another half-hour in an unlit corner of our decorated multipurpose room, feeling like a full-blown idiot as I watched everyone laughing and dancing with each other, before deciding to storm off and punch Jaymes in the face as soon as I saw him.

His house was fifteen minutes away—walking distance. It was totally doable. Especially since I’d opted for a pair of high-top chucks instead of heels.

I was lost in my one-track mind:Walk, find Jaymes, PUNCH HIM.

I mean, I didn’t evenwantto go to prom in the first place!I knew I should’ve stuck to my damn “no” when he’d asked me to go.

I felt the rumble of Lady’s engine cut into my thoughts as much as I heard it.

“Jess?” Greyson called.

I kept walking.

“Jess!”

Yep, still walking. I was mortified. About all of it. Showing up, putting as much effort into dressing up as I had, Greyson catching me fuming on the side of the road, overJaymes.

“Jess!” he yelled louder.

I stopped and turned towards him, my hands drowning in the lace pockets of my short dress. That’s right, my dress hadpockets. Rad, right?I was going to punch Jaymes in the face so fucking hard.

“What?!” I shouted at Greyson with more force than necessary.

“Why are you walkingawayfrom prom?”

“Because I’m going to find Jaymes and punch him in the face!”

He tried to hide his smile behind his fist, but I could see it anyway.

I started walking again.

“Get in, Jess,” he called out to me. I wanted to be stubborn and refuse to give in, but I was afraid my anger would roll into attempted-murder status by the time I finally got to Jaymes.

So, I got in and slammed Lady’s door shut behind me. I didn’t miss the way Greyson cringed a little at that.

“Sorry,” I muttered. “But can you please shove your fancy shoe into the floor and get us to Jaymes’ stat?”

He laughed quietly. More a smile than a laugh, really. “Sure, Jess. You got it.”

I’d been so lost in wanting punch Jaymes in the face that Greyson in a tux had completely slipped my attention. Until now, of course.

And…Holy shit.

Holy.

Freaking.

Shit.

What in the actual fuck? And I’d thought Greyson in casual clothes left me breathless? I knew nothing about the way my airways could constrict until this moment right here.Nothing.

His long black pants were fitted, hugging his thighs; the sleeves of his white dress shirt kissed the tips of his wrist bones; and his maroon coat, with a sleek, thin black collar, and his slicked back hair…fit in perfectly with Lady’s timeless class.

I wasn’t even going to get started on the black bowtie that hugged his throat…

“You look beautiful,” he stole the words straight from my mouth.

I looked into the sea of his green eyes, and he smiled.