Take Me Tomorrow

Chapter 11: It's Too Late

"Have fun," Lyn shouted out her car's window as she pulled away from the drop-off lane. The black Jeep quickly disappeared into the city's traffic. I shivered in my dress for the umpteenth time. My eyes weren't used to the nighttime scene, though the light from the city's clock tower helped. It loomed above me. The arrows pointed to the sky. I could've stared at the glistening gold forever, but the dance took place inside the government building, a building I'd spent time in before. It was where nearly every government event was held, though this was the first time students were allowed to use it. Lily was good at getting what she wanted, after all. With perfected ease, she had rented the banquet hall beneath the tower for the dance, and intimidation crawled all over me. Muffled music pounded behind the golden door, matching my heartbeat, and cool air drifted by from the nearby river. It chilled my neck. I continued to freeze.

Kids walked past me, curls bouncing, heels clicking, boys laughing, and I fell into step among a crowd of peers. Broden's warning ricocheted inside of me, but the night felt strangely normal—a bunch of students bouncing about in their angst, and I was one of them.

The arched doorway shut and opened repeatedly as an older teenager directed guests inside. His piercing blue eyes caught me first, but his jagged jaw caught me off guard. He looked young and old at the same time—definitely memorable—but I didn't recognize him as one of our students. "Hello, Ms. Gray." He checked my name off before I gave it to him.

I squinted at him as decorative flares flew across his face. His stunning eyes reflected the light. Cat-eyes. Before I could say anything, the door opened, and a white-headed girl with a bright yellow gown yanked me into the banquet hall. "About time."

"Lily," I breathed as she swung her arms around me, golden bracelets clinging together like wind chimes.

"Isn't it great?" she exclaimed, waving toward the party.

Students danced under an array of neon lights. The large crowd was laughing, relaxing, and twirling to the music so beautifully that the school dance looked choreographed. Everything about it was mesmerizing, but I dwelled on the doorman. His reflective eyes—the ones I had seen too many times. He had taken tomo.

Lily laughed as if I were in awe at her dance instead of worried about drugs. I managed to congratulate her success. "I know, right?" She beamed, wiggling. "Miles is here somewhere." She arched her neck to look around, leaning down to whisper the last part. "Broden, too."

I gulped. "Broden's here?"

"Yeah. Wait—come to think of it"—her brow scrunched—"he isn't allowed to be here, so that must have been someone else."

I wanted to tell her that she wasn't wrong. That Broden wasn't supposed to be, but he was, and he was here for a reason.

"Lily," I attempted to confront her about the circumstances, but she frowned at my worried expression.

"What now?" she whined. She wanted this to be a perfect night, including my attitude.

I sighed. "The doorman—"

"He's cute, isn't he?" Lily blushed. "His name is Pierson. He's one of Miles' friends."

I winced at the information. "That's probably not a good thing—"

She rolled her eyes. "Come on," she said, ignoring me as she weaved us through a group of people. "Anthony is this way." Before I could object, we approached a wall full of relaxing students, and Lily whispered, "You're going to die when you see him. He's gorgeous."

Die—as if that description was going to settle my nerves.

"Sophia," Lily shouted into my ear, the music disappearing for a moment. "This is Anthony."