"Everyone knows what they're supposed to do, right?" Max asked. In less than an hour, if everything went the way they planned, Valenti would be off their case forever.
"I rehearsed in the shower," Maria told him.
"We've been over it a thousand times already, Dad," Isabel answered. "Can we please just go back into the dance? They're about to announce the homecoming queen, and I want to be there to act all surprised and happy."
"We know our stuff," Alex agreed. "Let's go. We wouldn't want Isabel to miss the big moment, right, Michael?"
"Right. That would be horrible," Michael said.
Max caught the scent of jasmine as Liz moved past him. He followed her across the parking lot and into the gym. He tried not to stare at her, but she looked so gorgeous in that dress. All long legs, and smooth shoulders, and shiny dark hair. The green material of the dress was making him crazy. At first glance it looked really sheer, almost see-through. But it wasn't really see-through because there was some kind of lining under it.
Being around Liz was like torture. It was so much worse now that he'd kissed her. It was bad enough when he used to look at her and imagine what it would be like to feel her in his arms. But now that he knew, it was driving him crazy. He wished he knew what she thought about those moments in the parking lot. He felt as if every sensation were tattooed on his brain. But she could have forgotten all about it. Maybe all she remembered was that it had been a good way to get rid of Kyle.
"I have to say, I'm so impressed by the decorations," Alex said. "It was a bold move to use yellow and brown crepe paper and big autumn leaves for the homecoming dance."
Michael snorted.
"Does anyone see Stacey Scheinin?" Isabel asked. She craned her neck, trying to see over the people in front of them.
"She's right over there, crammed between two football players," Maria answered.
Isabel moved next to her. "Oh yeah. Now I see her. Good. I want a view of her face when they make the announcement that I'm this year's homecoming queen."
"Okay, the moment you've all been waiting for," Ms. Shaffer called from the stage at the front of the gym. The microphone whined, and she winced. "This year's homecoming queen and king are… Liz Ortecho and Max Evans."
Isabel stopped in midsqueal. "What?" she cried.
"Go on up there," Maria exclaimed. She gave Max a push.
"Let's go." Liz sounded as surprised as Max felt. She took his hand and led the way up to the stage. Ms. Shaffer was reading the names of their court, but Max couldn't focus. How had this happened? He could understand why Liz won. Liz was the most beautiful girl in school, plus she was totally popular, definitely one of the elite-it only made sense that she got a ton of votes. But who would have voted for him?
He climbed up the steps and headed over to Ms. Shaffer. Everyone in the gym was clapping and whistling. He could hear Michael and Alex hooting louder than anyone. They had to be loving this. Its not like any guy really wanted to be homecoming king.
Ms. Shaffer handed Liz a bouquet of roses and placed a dime-store rhinestone tiara on her head. Max leaned down so she could put the crown on him. Liz kissed his cheek, and he could tell she was trying not to giggle by the way her lips were vibrating.
Some love song started to play, and a spotlight hit Liz and Max, blinding him. "We're supposed to dance," Liz whispered.
Max jumped off the stage and held his hands up to Liz. She let him swing her down to his side. He felt kind of awkward. He would have loved to slow dance with Liz by themselves or even in the middle of a big crowd. But everyone had cleared a circle in the center of the gym floor so they could start off the dance alone.
Liz reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, and her body brushed against his. Max felt as if his blood had turned carbonated, popping and fizzing in his veins. He placed his hands on her waist. He didn't try to pull her closer. We're friends, he told himself.
"I felt sort of frozen up there," he said. He thought it would help him do the friend thing if he talked. "You know, like a polar bear at the zoo. All those people watching me."
Liz chuckled. "Why?"
"Because I've always been the quiet guy," Max answered. "If a total unknown can become homecoming king, it has to be a joke, right?"
"You're not a polar bear." Liz smiled. "You're too good-looking-like you should be on Baywatch or something," she answered.
"Everyone still thinks I'm strange." Max knew it was true, but he didn't really care.
"They think you're quiet." Liz started playing with the hair at the back of his neck.
Wait, Max thought. What was that? Does a girl who wants to be friends play with your hair like that?
"I was thinking that we should kiss. People are going to be expecting it-since we're king and queen and everything," Liz said. She sounded like she was half teasing, but half not.
Max couldn't believe this was happening. Liz Ortecho wanted him to kiss her. "If you really think we should," he said, grateful he could speak at all.
He lowered his head and brushed his mouth against hers. Liz's lips parted, welcoming him, deepening their kiss. Max kept his eyes wide open. If he shut them, it would feel too much like a dream.
"Maybe I need to get contacts," Stacey told Isabel. "Because I didn't see you up there."
"You weren't up there, either." Tish jumped to Isabel's defense.
Isabel felt like she'd slipped into an alternate universe. Her brother had just gotten elected homecoming king, and Isabel was standing on the sidelines. Hello-what was wrong with this picture?
"They're playing our song."
Isabel glanced over her shoulder and saw Alex standing behind her. Uh-uh, she thought. Just go away, little man. I am not in the mood.
"They're playing our song," she repeated, mocking him. "Are you auditioning for a part on the new Love Boat?"
"Ouch," Alex answered. "Don't tell me you don't remember dancing with me right here in this gym to this song."
Why is he asking if I remember something that only happened in his dream? Is he a moron? Or has he been talking to Michael? she thought suddenly.
She noticed Stacey and Tish listening to their conversation without even bothering to pretend they weren't. "Fine. I'll dance with you."
"Your humble love slave thanks you," Alex answered. He pulled her firmly against him.
"You heard that?" Isabel asked. She had thought Alex was out of the gym that time she had made fun of him.
"Yeah, I heard," Alex said. "I also heard how you like to go into people's dreams and play little games with them."
"I'm going to kill Michael."
"Don't you want to know why your plan didn't work first?" Alex asked.
Isabel narrowed her eyes at him. "What plan?"
Alex traced the line of her dress's low back with his finger. She felt a little shiver rush through her, but she refused to be distracted. "What plan?" she repeated.
"Project Homecoming Queen," Alex answered. His fingers moved higher, sliding under her hair and rubbing the back of her neck.
Isabel felt as if she were losing the ability to think. But she forced herself to focus. "You were supposed to vote for me. Every guy in school was supposed to vote for me."
Alex leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I'm sure they would have-if Michael and I hadn't come up with a counterattack. He went back into all the guys' dreams and showed them another side of Isabel Evans."
Isabel pushed back from Alex and glared up at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Let's just say most guys find a homecoming queen picking her nose sort of a turnoff."