Prom Queen of Disaster Read Online Free Page A

the street. My parents’ house had four bedrooms, a garage with two cars and all the bicycles I had growing up, and a few years ago they’d had a pool installed out in the back, they had to pull out a tree and the make-shift swing, but we wanted a pool more.
    “Zo, is that you?” Mom called out.
    “Yeah.” I hung my bag and jacket up on the hook beside the door.
    From the hallway I could smell food, it hit like a heavy truck, welcoming me inside. The hallway led to the open kitchen, it was the center of the house, and with good reason, my mom was always seen there. She stood, stirring a crock pot on the stove.
    “Sweets,” she said. “Aw look at how tanned you are. Preparing from homecoming already?”
    I nodded, taking a seat on a stool. “It is Friday. Still got to find a dress.” I’d learned from Say Yes to The Dress how difficult it was, not only for me but for women all over America to find dresses they loved. “I have choices.”
    “Tell me when you need my bank card, hon.” She pinched at herbs from the rack, adding to the pot.
    I swiveled on the stool. “I’ll show you them later.”
    “I’m sure I will love them.” She placed a lid over the crock pot and dusted her hands on her apron.
    “Well, I have lots to choose from.” I poked my head over the glass lid. It had steamed pretty fast. “What’s that?”
    “Beef. Your dad’s home tonight and I promised him stew.”
    My dad worked as a pilot for a major airline, so he’d be away from home for days at a time, especially when flying internationally, while my mom was an assistant principal of an elementary school, mainly organizing events and fundraisers.
    “Mm!” I said, sitting back. “Can you believe I already have school work to do?”
    “Oh. What work?”
    I hummed. “English lit, read and research. I wanna sketch something too; we’re mainly doing cubes and shapes in class, but need to think about my senior project.”
    “I’m sure whatever you create will be wonderful.” She reached out for my hand. “Will there be a show?”
    A hum broke in my throat. “Not winter semester, but end of year I know there’s an exhibition, I think .” I smiled to myself. “Mrs. Galloway said if I needed, the studio was open to me after hours.”
    “Well. Good luck with that and cheer practice,” she chuckled, rinsing veggies in the sink.
    “ Mom! ”
    “You know my thoughts on those bits of fabric. But, it’s your life, honey,” she said, turning her head to show her smile. “I know you love gymnastics.”
    It wasn’t a secret. If my knees or shoulders were on show, my mom was against it, as for my dad, he was indifferent, but I was his baby girl. They’d never attended any games when we performed, not because they didn’t want to, but because I wouldn’t tell them. Besides, they both worked a lot and had very little time for anything outside of the church.
    My bedroom hadn’t changed a lot since I was little. It was pink, even if the shade was lighter, almost white, and everything matched now.
    Dylan had texted me several times since I walked through the front door. I threw my body on the bed and laid there a moment, looking at my phone. I thumbed in the pin and opened up to video chat.
    “Hey,” he said, moving his phone to catch his face while he ran.
    “What are you doing?” I asked, smiling at his cute face.
    He caught his breath and paused. “Coach wants us to keep fit, so taking a run.”
    “You’ve been in training all day.”
    He shrugged. “I’m the captain; I’ve gotta lead by example,” he said. “Plus, I get a rest day. Sooo—”
    “So you’re coming over tomorrow?” I asked.
    “We missed date night last week. Need to spend time with you before homecoming. We can watch whatever you want.”
    A chuckle came from the back of my throat. I thought it was going to be a cute giggle. In the reflection at the corner, my face blushed. “You’ll regret saying that.”
    “As long as I spend time with you, I