Free The Queen B* and the Homecoming King by Crista McHugh

wardrobe, on the other hand…” He wrinkled his nose.
    I looked down at my tee with the image of Darth Vader and Boba Fett posed like the guys from Pulp Fiction . “What?”
    He shook his head. “If I ever see you in a dress, I might keel over from surprise.”
    “Hmm… Maybe I’ve found my reason to go toHomecoming, after all,” I mused. I inwardly recoiled when I realized I’d considered going for a few seconds.
    “Seriously?”
    “Yeah, if only to watch you die from shock.” Sarcasm, a familiar friend and shield, replaced my momentary lapse in judgment. No, I would not go to Homecoming. I couldn’t.
    “You are such a bitch.” He kicked at the loose gravel in the parking lot. “But really, are you going?”

    “Nope.”
    “Oh, come on, Alexis. It’s just a dress.”
    “It’s more than a dress.” I started for my car again, forcing Richard to dash to keep up with me.
    “He didn’t ask you?”
    I quickened my pace. Even though the lot was mostly empty, there were still enough people around who could overhear this conversation. And if by chance anyone did hear it, I wanted to make sure the truth got back to Summer.“No, Brett asked me. Multiple times.”
    “Then what is wrong with you? Do you know how many girls would kill to be his date?”
    Last week, I would’ve said they could have him, but now that Brett was officially my boyfriend, a jealous spark flared to life whenever I tried to picture him taking someone else. “It’s more than just the dress. It’s the whole evening. He doesn’t see that I wouldn’t fitin with his friends, that I loathe them, and I’d end up ruining the dance for him.”
    “Or you could play nice and suck it up for him.”
    “I’d have to tolerate Sanchez’s company, and you know I wouldn’t be able to keep my mouth shut, especially since I heard he’s taking Summer to Homecoming.”
    “ Ew! Talk about icky company. I could see why you’d want to avoid them.” He grinned and added, “You andBrett could always hang out with me and my date.”
    “Time out—you have a date?” I usually knew who Richard was crushing on, and up until now, I could’ve sworn he had the hots for Ajay. “Did I miss something?”
    “Well, nothing official.” Richard avoided my gaze and shifted his weight from foot to foot. “I went online into one of the local gay teen forums last month, and I started chatting with thisguy who goes to the Catholic high school down the street, and well…things kind of took off.”
    “And what about your crush back there?” I asked, pointing in the direction of where Ajay was voting on the debate team roster.
    “Hey, I’m too young and too hot to wait for him to come out and admit his true feelings for me. In the meantime, I have a date with someone on Saturday who’s comfortable withhis sexuality, and if the chemistry’s there, I’ll ask him to the dance.” Richard adjusted his backpack and stood a little taller. “Besides, I need to be the Token Gay Guy at the dance, if only to rub it in Kelsey’s face, right?”
    “I guess so.” I replayed what he’d told me to pull out some details. “So, gay and Catholic?”
    “I know. Talk about some delicious guilt. He was telling me about how hegot to be one of the chambelanes in his friend’s quinceañera , and all of her aunts kept trying to pair them up until she finally dropped the bomb on them. He said he’d never so many cursewords in Spanish all at once.”
    “Sounds like a fun guy.”
    “I’ll find out for sure on Saturday. But in the meantime, I have an overdue appointment with Morgan.” He backed away and waved. “Here’s to hoping shehasn’t hooked up with that douchebag again.”
    My throat choked up at the thought, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Gavin had been as big an asshole to her as he’d been to me. And if he had been, why was she taking his side?
    I turned around and almost ran into Taylor.
    “Can you give me a ride home?” she asked.
    “How long have