Cindy and the Prom King by Carol Culver Page B

patch of grass behind the Greek classic-style hall. There in the dark they cracked open the six-pack and pounded it, as if in training for future pledging of frats at college.
    “Lemme go check out the scene,” Jared said after chugging two cans in a row. “See who’s there before we waste any money buying tickets. Check out the hotties, you know what I mean? If there aren’t any, this could be an event we want to miss. Especially if the general has ordered a dress code. That could be a disaster.”
    He and Richard stumbled off around the building toward the gym. Toby stifled the urge to tell them to watch out for the headmaster and his goons who might be at the door. They ought to know that. If they got caught, they’d all have to split.
    After drinking his second Miller Lite in two loud, gigantic swallows, Steve tossed his empty can and he and Toby walked slowly toward the gym where they bumped into Jared.
    “We’re screwed,” he said. “They’ve got a Breathalyzer and they’re checking everyone at the door. Anyone got any ideas?”
    “Who’s doing the checking?” Steve asked.
    “The new headmaster, what’s his name, General Kavanaugh. And a tall redheaded girl who’s at the door too. Cindy something.”
    Toby stumbled on the damp grass. “Not Cindy something,” he mumbled. “Cindy Ellis.” He should have known. She was everywhere he went. First she was assigned to be his partner. Then she decided what their paper was going to be on. After that she made him go see his grandfather who hardly knew who he was. Now she’d joined the administration and had some role in deciding who could get in and who couldn’t? He couldn’t believe it. What next? Where did it end? If he had any sense he’d go home now. “I’m outta here,” he said.
    “You can’t go now,” Steve said. “Not if you’ve got a connection with this Cindy.”
    “No, he can’t,” Jared said. “Not until he gets us in the gym.
    “I can’t get us in. I don’t even want to get in,” Toby protested. “I’m sick. I’m going home.”
    “Tell your girlfriend to let us in first, then go home,” Jared said.
    “I don’t have a girlfriend, and if I did, it wouldn’t be her,” Toby said, popping a breath mint in his mouth.
    “Okay, she’s not your girlfriend, but you know her. She’s in your history class, isn’t she?” Jared said. He shoved his face into Toby’s and exhaled so much alcoholic breath that Toby felt his blood-alcohol level jump. “All you have to do is distract her while we get by the Breathalyzer.”
    “And how am I supposed to do that?”
“Ask her something. Ask her to the homecoming dance.” “Are you out of your freaking mind?” Toby demanded. “Okay, ask her something else, like what’s your history homework. It doesn’t matter. Then introduce me. I want to meet her,” Jared insisted.
    “Let me get this straight,” Toby said, dumbfounded. He must be losing his hearing from keeping his iPod turned up so loud. “You want to meet Cindy Ellis. You’re interested in her, the tall, red-haired geeky girl? Why?”
    “Because of her sisters. The Vanderhoffer twins.”
    “The blond cheerleaders?” Toby blinked. “Those are Cindy Ellis’s sisters?”
    “Stepsisters. How come you don’t know that? I thought we could double date.”
    “Oh, right, brilliant idea, Jared. You and I and those twins. First, they’re seniors. Second, they’re sluts. But they’re choosy sluts. They only do athletes like Steve here.”
    “Leave me outta this,” Steve said. “I’m saving myself for a virgin.”
    “Not you and me and the twins, dude,” Jared said, ignoring Steve’s obvious joke. He slapped Toby on the arm. “You go out with Cindy and I take one of the twins. Either one. Rich here can have the other. I hear they do this thing with their knees…”
    Rich muttered something unintelligible and Toby laughed so hard at the preposterous mental image of himself with Cindy and Jared and Rich each with