Free Making Out by Megan Stine Page B

were empty, so no one noticed.
    â€œEverything here is delicious,” Marianna said, and meant it in more ways than one.
    By the time the band started playing, it was ten o’clock. Marianna had promised herself that she wouldn’t get nervous and start acting like she was going to turn into a pumpkin, but she couldn’t help it. Even though she was theoretically having dinner with her friends at the mall, she knew her dad would grill her when she got home. How come you’re so late? Doesn’t the mall close at nine? Why didn’t you eat earlier?
    He’d want to make sure that they hadn’t run into any opportunities to rub up against boys.
    Just to spite him, she scooted closer to Luke. She turned her face up toward his. He bent his head and kissed her softly.
    Mmm. His kisses were wonderful.
    When she opened her eyes, he was looking at her questioningly. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
    â€œNothing.” It was a lie.
    â€œYou’re worried about your dad?”
    How did he know? He was amazing. He could even read her mind.
    â€œSort of.”
    â€œLet’s go, then,” Luke said.
    He took her hand, and they walked to his car without saying anything. The spring night air felt soft on her face. She looked up through the trees on Connecticut Avenue and tried to find some stars, but there weren’t any.
    â€œI’ll show you a good place to see stars,” Luke said, pulling her closer to him while they walked to the car.
    He turned on an oldies station in the car, and they drove for a while in silence. Even this part was nice, just riding in Luke’s car, letting him decide where to go. He crossed the bridge over the Potomac and parked facing the river, just a few miles from her house.
    â€œCome here,” he said, pulling her toward him.
    Making out with Luke in his car, with the cool night air blowing in the windows and the lights from the Jefferson Memorial sparkling across the way . . . Who needed to see stars, anyway?
    Luke kissed her on the mouth, then the neck. Marianna thought she might melt.
    He stopped before she was ready to. “I’ve got to get you home,” he said.
    Marianna fought the urge to say, “No, you don’t.”
    When they reached her street, he stopped the car again, a few houses away, so her dad wouldn’t see who was bringing her home.
    â€œListen,” he said. “I’ve got to say this. I want to take you to the prom.”
    Wow. She’d been hoping he’d ask, even though she couldn’t possibly say yes.
    â€œI’d love to,” she said, apologizing with her eyes, “but my dad will never let me go with a date. I had to beg for two weeks—and Lisa Marie’s parents had to call him three times!—before he’d even let me go to the prom with girlfriends.”
    â€œI figured,” Luke said. “But I want to be there with you. Who cares if I don’t pick you up? You can meet me there, and it’ll still be a date.”
    â€œYeah?” Marianna said, glowing.
    â€œI’ll even bring you a corsage,” Luke promised, pulling her close for one last kiss.
    Marianna floated from the car to her front door. She couldn’t believe it! She had a date for the prom with the sweetest guy on earth.

Chapter 11
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    â€œWe’ve got to hook her up,” Marianna told Lisa Marie at lunch on Monday, while Heather was at the salad bar getting blue cheese dressing to put on the salad she’d brought from home.
    â€œI know. I don’t want to dump her the minute we get there, but . . .”
    â€œTotally,” Marianna agreed. “She needs someone to hang with. What about Derrick?”
    â€œOh, please. She can’t stand him.”
    â€œHow about Ahmad?”
    â€œHe’s too short for her.”
    â€œMichael Frenkel?”
    â€œCan’t dance.”
    â€œWell, think! Who else is there? Although I admit