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“Kennedy! Kennedy! Kennedy!” Voices chant my name as we speed through town, and the frenetic energy reminds me of when the Springer basketball team made the playoffs.

“This is insane!”

We finally reach the Comet, and my heart lodges in my throat as we turn down the long driveway. My insides twist into a pretzel, and I suck in a deep breath.

Horn blaring, Todd pulls alongside the limo and rolls down his window. “This is on Eve’s!” he shouts before cutting in front of us at the ticket booth. He must pay for the entire line, because the ticket lady waves everyone through.

With the most iconic song from the most epic moment in cinema history blasting from the speakers and an army of cars filing in behind us, the limo rolls to a stop directly in front of the screen where Carrie smiles, unaware she’s about to get doused by a bucket of pig’s blood. A combination of irritation and curiosity draws people out of their cars, and they make their way toward the limo.

“Jordan!” I scream into the growing crowd and climb completely through the sunroof to stand on top of the limo.

I catch a glimpse of him stepping out of his black Jeep—jaw slack as he locks his gaze on me.

“Kennedy?”

His voice gets lost between the music and the commotion, but my heart stops as his lips form my name. With long strides, he cuts through the rows of cars until he reaches the limo.

“I didn’t forget the music this time!” I shout down at him from my perch on the roof.

“So I hear.” His lips twitch. “Pretty sure the whole city can hear it.”

A fresh attack of nerves sends a shiver through me.

Jordan crosses his arms as he gazes up at me. “What are you doing here?”

“I changed my mind about the movie.” The music suddenly cuts off, and my voice echoes through the night. “I’d rather watch Carrie with you than dance with anyone else.”

“And the competition?”

“There is no competition.” My voice trembles as I pour out my heart. “There’s only you. It’ll always be you.”

He rests both hands on the side of the limo and beams up at me. “You look like a princess in a tower up there.”

A laugh bubbles up my throat, and I ruffle my puffy tulle skirt.

“Who won?” someone in the crowd gathering around us shouts.

Another voice chimes in. “You’re supposed to pick a winner!”

Who are all these people, and where did they come from?

“Shut up, asshole, or my heel is gonna find its way into your rectum,” Nicole shouts above the melee. Finally, a friendly face in the growing mosh pit.

“Ignore them.” Jordan’s smile lights up the night. “What happened to being a feminist role model?”

“Funny, you should ask . . .” I turn to face the sea of people again and open my mouth to deliver a concession speech.

What am I even doing? I don’t owe them anything!

With a deep cleansing breath and a satisfied smile, I change my mind and promptly flip off the crowd with both hands. “Screw the competition. And screw the scholarship. Being a feminist doesn’t mean sacrificing love! And if you think it does, then you’re the fucking problem!”

From her spot in front of Jeremy and Trey, Nicole gives me two vigorous thumbs-up, throwing her head back to let loose with a roar of laughter. “That’s my girl!”

With a smile a mile wide, Jordan scales the side of the car to capture my face in both hands, and crushes his lips to mine, much to the delight of the crowd.

“I love you, princess.”

“I love you, too.” I comb my fingers through his soft waves. “Guess this means I’ll be living in my car and eating ramen for the next two years.”