Populazzi. Part 39

"Of course."

"So this Ping-Pong paddle," Archer continued, "it was pretty unique. It had a message written on it. It said, 'I hate horror movies.'"

"Curiouser and curiouser."

"Exactly. But the person who gave it to me had asked me to watch a horror movie with her."

"Weird. Was the movie any good?"

"I wouldn't know," Archer said, meeting my eyes for just a moment. "I wasn't really able to concentrate on the movie."

"Archer..."

"I want to talk about it, Cara. What happened?"

Hadn't he been there? Was he really going to make me relive it? I took a deep breath and concentrated on pulling my pretzel into bite-size bits.

"I liked you," I said. "A lot. And I thought maybe you liked me, too ... but then I tried to kiss you and you ran away screaming ... so I knew you actually didn't."

"Oh," Archer said to his fries. "Because I actually did like you ... a lot ... but I don't exactly have a lot of ... experience. I panicked a little and felt like the biggest loser in the universe ... and everything got very horrible very fast."

"You... did like me?"

"I do like you, Cara," he said. "I wanted to tell you, but you said never talk about it again, and I figured you were so completely turned off and disgusted by my freak-out that you weren't interested anymore. I thought that's what you liked about Nate and Eddie. They knew what they were doing."

"No! Archer, Nate and Eddie were ... they were different. I never liked them the way I liked you. I only went out with them because ... It's stupid and ridiculous, but I swear I never would have gone out with either of them if I thought you were even remotely interested in me."

"So ... if things had been different that night..."

"Everything would have changed."

Archer looked up and met my eyes when I said this, and my insides started shaking. I wanted so badly to believe what it seemed like we were both saying. I couldn't take it if I was wrong, but if there was even a chance...

"Did you come here to find me?" I asked.

"I saw your Facebook update. I remembered."

I pulled my chair closer to his. Our knees touched, and we both leaned forward ever so slightly. Only inches separated us.

"Archer ... I want to kiss you now, but I need to know you're not going to run away.

"I promise."

I took a deep breath and saw that he did, too. Then we both leaned forward-and b.u.mped foreheads.

"Ow," he said.

"We are so not good at this," I said. "I hope it's not some kind of a-"

He took my face in his hands and pressed his lips to mine.

I was wrong: we were soooo good at this. Kissing Archer was nothing like kissing Nate or Eddie. Kissing Archer was exactly what I'd always dreamed it would be. It was as if everything inside me had been clenched since that one night, and now I was bursting, so filled with happiness that I couldn't even contain it all. Tears welled in my eyes, and when we eventually pulled away, I let out a sound that could have been a sob or a laugh.

"Let's go to the prom," Archer said.

Now I laughed. "Next year? Sure. It's a date."

"No, tonight. I want you to come to the prom with me. I have tickets. We can leave now and be right on time."

"We're not dressed for the prom."

"I think you look beautiful. Do I look okay?"

I smiled. "You're perfect."

"Great. Let's go."

"Archer ... I don't know if you've noticed, but it's not easy to be around me these days. People don't like me."

"I like you. I don't care about anyone else. Do you?"

That was easy. "No. I don't. Let's do it."

Archer was right-even with a quick stop to drop my car at his house, we got to the prom just in time. Everyone stared when we walked in. In a sea of gowns and tuxes, we were dressed for a day at the park. It only made it more fun. We giggled like little kids as we got our official photos taken, making goofy faces and posing as if we were playing football instead of standing for a formal portrait. When the Cara Leonard Is a Great Big Wh.o.r.e contingent tried to shun us from their tables, we grabbed napkins and made a picnic area on a corner of the floor. We danced all night long, and when Trista and Brett were voted prom queen and king, we jumped up and down, hooting and cheering louder than anyone.

By the time the last song played, Archer and I were both covered in a light sheen of sweat, exhausted and revved up at the same time, and I for one was happy. Truly happy. The only thing that could stop me from grinning like crazy was to leap up on tiptoe and melt into his kiss.

"Cara?"

"Yes?"

"I'm going to slaughter you at Ping-Pong when we get back to my house."

"No way. Kissing does not preclude degradation, my friend. You are going down, and you are going down hard!"

A couple dancing next to us glared, and I realized I'd once again managed to make something innocent sound dirty.

"Just ... stop me from talking, okay?"

"My pleasure," said Archer. He leaned in to kiss me, and as we swayed together to the last notes of the song, I felt myself turn back onto that main drag. It wasn't the same spot where I'd first veered off, but I felt like from here, I'd finally be able to find my way.

Acknowledgments.

First and foremost, the hugest thank-you imaginable goes to Samantha McFerrin, editor extraordinaire. Sam, you are a true genius for looking at what I had when we began this process and seeing what it could one day become. Your wisdom and insight have been invaluable to me, and this book would not be what it is without you.

An equally huge thank-you goes out to Fonda Snyder of Alchemy Ink, without whom this book never would have happened. Fonda, you have always believed so strongly in me and my work, and you've always steered me in the right direction. You are a true friend, mentor, and champion, and I'm so thrilled to be working with you.

Thanks to everyone at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt who helped bring this book to life, including managing editor Amy Carlisle, a.s.sociate art director Carol Chu, publicity manager Jennifer Groves, senior marketing manager Jennifer LaBracio, and legal counsel David Eber.

To Annette Van Duren, my wonderful agent, thank you for always being in my corner. You are the best.

Big thanks to Crystal Patriarche, PR wonder, and to Betsy Cohen, whose Web design and teaching skills are beyond compare.

Thanks to all of my earliest readers, including (but not limited to-I can all but guarantee I'll mess up and forget someone) Jen Klein, Jule Selbo, Myra Zerr, Jennifer Nellis, Elizabeth Towns, and Marisa Cody. Your input and support helped me tremendously.

Thank you, Mom-Mom Eva and Mom-Mom Sylvia, for your unconditional love; and thanks to Pop-Pop Irv and Pop-Pop Nate, who are gone but always remembered.

Thanks to Deborah Kaminsky for keeping me (reasonably) sane, and to Helen Vitaris for loving my daughter almost as much as Randy and I do.

To the past and present members of the Debutante Ball, and the amazing bloggers and writers I've met through the site: I can't thank you enough for your wisdom and support. There were mountains of things that as a first-time novelist I didn't know. Thank you for helping me navigate.

To Randy and Maddie: Maddie, I am blessed to be your mommy. I'm so proud of you, and I love you with all my heart. Randy, I would not be who I am, or do what I do, without you (I mean that as a good thing). You love me through sleeplessness, stressiness, and mind-like-a-sieve-iness. I love you beyond any words ... and you know how much I love words. Love to Riley too. And give that dog a treat-he's starving!

Finally, thank you to everyone reading this book. It's a privilege to share it with you, and I so appreciate your willingness to pick it up and dive in.

end.