Main Bonus #63: Homecoming Aftermath - Part One (Patreon)

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RESOURCES:  Check out this narrative timeline graphic to visually see when this bonus scene takes place.

MUSIC: We listened to "Once Upon a Time" by SHAED while writing this bonus scene.

“IT'S NOT EVEN that late,” Kinney complains by the bleachers. The DJ is packing up his equipment and teachers are trying their best to usher out the lingering students. Many don’t want to leave. Clusters of teenagers snap selfies and pics with their friends, trying to capture the sparkly, magical night of Homecoming.

Audrey, Winona, and Vada are one of those clusters near a mermaid ice sculpture. Their bodyguards hover close since three tuxedo-clad prep school boys try to hold their attention. Vada has her arms crossed, more guarded. Audrey is the chatty one. And Winona seems restless, rocking on her feet.

Kinney would be in their cluster too, if she wasn’t designated as the negotiator for the group. I close my jellyfish umbrella, my arm a little sore from keeping it hoisted most of the night. Not all night. Seeing as how Donnelly did come over and hold it for me.

Hands down, my favorite part of Homecoming was talking to him.

“It’s almost midnight,” I reason with Kinney. “Mom and Dad said you four have a strict curfew, and I’m trying to take my chaperone duties seriously.”

Kinney has her hands perched defiantly on her hips. “The dance is over. You’re relinquished from all chaperone duties. Go and jump into the sea with the rest of the sea creatures.” She waves me off.

I do admire her spunk, so I don’t take the brush off to heart. “I see your points, but I already told Mom and Dad I’d bring you home before midnight.”

“So text them and tell them we’re at Superheroes & Scones. There, I solved your non-problem.” She spreads her arms like she’s commanding this to be true. In her black dress, black boots, and dark makeup, she's looking more like a badass witch from The Craft. I don’t doubt she’d have the mystical powers to bewitch me either.

And I hear what she’s saying, but I also know a simple text won’t assuage their worry. I promised something, and going back on it doesn’t feel great. Especially knowing it wouldn’t be the first time I broke a promise to our parents.

I’m not exactly the golden child.

I bite the edge of my lip and mentally weigh pros and cons.

“I have a bodyguard,” Kinney reminds me like it’s the ace card in her deck.

I’m about to reply when we both notice our brother approaching. Yep, Xander is still at the dance. I would’ve thought he’d bail after an hour, but with Easton here, time must’ve flown for him.

It also means his two bodyguards for the night are still present. My heart flip-flops and pancakes seeing Donnelly across the gym. Our gazes briefly latch, and with Gabe beside him, his attention veers to the sudden wave of students rushing to the double doors.

“Hey, Kin,” Xander nods our little sister, and I sidestep so he can enter our sibling huddle. A red tie matches his blood-red suit, and it’s already loosened around his neck, hot and sweaty from the pit of dancing students. Plus, I think he’s done with the formality of the night. “You heading home?” he asks her.

“If I have my wish, no.” She shoots me a classic Kinney glare.

I’m too used to them to feel the burn. “I’m not the Big Bad Wolf. I’m a Jellyfish-erone.” I am starting to feel like the super uncool older sibling. Would Moffy let Kinney stay out? Maybe…I don’t really know. He’d definitely let me spend a few extra hours past curfew, but I’m older. It’s different. I think.

Kinney threads her arms. “Of course you’re not a wolf. You’re not that scary.”

I smile a little bit. “Thank you.”

“It’s not a compliment.”

“I feel like it’s one,” I say into a shrug. I don’t want to be so scary and threatening. But I guess in Kinney’s eyes that’s a weakness.

Xander pushes his damp hair back, then nods to Kinney. “You want to grab a bite at Lucky’s Diner before heading home?”

Whuh? Xander is staying out even later? Are the stars shifting? Brightening?

I have trouble hiding a smile. Seeing his newfound confidence in action is like witnessing a comet striking the night sky. I hope it becomes more than just a rare occurrence.

Kinney isn’t as shocked as I am.

Or maybe she’s totally acting blasé to cover her surprise. Hard to tell. She checks over her shoulder at her best friends. “Only if Audrey, Nona, and Vada can come.”

“I figured you’d invite them anyway.” He scrutinizes their interaction with the tuxedo boys for another beat, hesitation crossing his face. “They won’t bring those guys, right?”

“Who are they?” I wonder. “Jocks?”

“No, they don’t play sports,” Xander explains. “But they’re in literally every fucking club known to man. Debate, Mathletes, Science Olympiad. Easton is in Chess with all three.” He tips his head towards them. “They’re the ones who asked out the girls to Homecoming.”

The girls. Our cousins: Audrey, Vada, and Winona.

“They’re not invited to our after-party,” Kinney decrees.

“After-party?” I say, brows jumping.

“After-bite-to-eat,” Kinney amends. “Is that better for you?”

“Uh-huh, thank you.” I give her a big nod. “And it’ll be better for Mom and Dad when I tell them what’s going on.”

“Or you could just not say anything,” Kinney says.

I waver. “That doesn’t fall in my jellyfish duties. Didn’t we just go over how you have to be home by midnight?”

Xander frowns at me. “Why are you chaperoning so hard?”

“Yeah, why?” Kinney asks with raised brows.

Oookay…I don’t love being on the other side of my younger siblings. Where’s Moffy when you need him?!

My cheeks heat. “We can go to Lucky’s Diner, but I don’t wanna be sneaky about it.”

Kinney gapes. “You sneak around all the time.” Not the point. “But you can’t sneak around with us?”

I want to, but I also don’t want to be the reason something bad happens to my siblings. I’m not usually a magnet for happy times and good things.

“We can be semi-sneaky?” I offer.

Xander is the one who says, “I’d rather Mom and Dad know anyway. If something goes wrong with paparazzi and shit, they’ll be able to help us.”

Kinney seems to put down the swords, agreeing with our brother, then she zeroes in on me. “Are you joining us as our big sister or as our chaperone?”

“Both.” Can’t I be both?

“We don’t want a chaperone there,” Kinney declares.

I didn’t think I was such a chaperone buzzkill tonight, but maybe Kinney just wants 100% of a sister and 0% of a babysitter.

What if I just avoid her statement? Would that work? I turn to Xander. “Is Easton going too?”

“That’s the plan.” He watches the tuxedo boys with Audrey, Vada, and Winona. “He’s in the bathroom right now. God, those guys are so obnoxious—they act like they walk on water.”

Kinney glances back at them. “They’re some of the few people who aren’t that quick to pretend to be your best friend and suck up to you.”

“Because they hate me,” Xander tells her.

“No they don’t. If they hated you, none of us would give them the time of the day.”

“Whatever,” Xander mutters, dropping the subject. Maybe he knows more than Kinney, and she drills an intense look into him but lets it go.

Instead, she swings back to me. “So are you joining us as our sister or not coming at all?”

Jeez.

I look to Xander for assistance. If he personally invites me like he did Kinney, maybe she won’t see me as the opposition. Though, after how weird he was about the possibility I was “close” to Donnelly tonight, I’m not so sure he even wants me around.

He takes a step to Kinney like he quite literally is choosing a side. “I’m with, Kin. No chaperone.”

I’ve been bested.

By my own siblings.

After a really good night, I really don’t want to end it like this, and I’ll just feel worse letting them go off to Lucky’s Diner without me. So I say, “Okay. I’m retiring as a Jellyfish-erone. I’m purely Jelly now. So can we go?”

Kinney hides a smile. “Yeah, okay. It’ll be fun.”

I risk a peek at Donnelly, and my heart races in a fluttery pattern. Maybe it will be. And maybe I shouldn’t be thinking about him in these after-plans at all.

Yet, he’s there. I know wherever my brother goes, Donnelly will follow.

Thank you so much for reading this month's main bonus scene! It's part one of two this month, so expect more from the homecoming aftermath very soon. The two bonus scenes this month are short but sweet (only a tad shorter than usual!) because we're busy finalizing Unlucky Like Us and didn't want to take away writing long bonuses from finishing the book. We hope you all understand! We will be back in action with our normal length bonuses next month!

And there's podcasts coming this week too! So keep on the lookout!!

xoxo Krista & Becca

"Homecoming Aftermath - Part One," Copyright © 2023 by K.B. Ritchie