Post by .::Larkehwind::. on Jan 28, 2008 14:43:45 GMT -8
So I'm TRYING to write a novel. This is actually beginning (incomplete) and the end. Secnes are sperated by _____s.
“Alright! You have until there’s two minutes left on the clock!” Mr. ____ called to us.
We set out instruments down on the bleachers. I jumped down. Amy landed softly beside me. We waved to Kaydence, we called her Kay, who was cheerleading. She waved back quickly, and then turned to watch the game.
I smiled at Amy, turning to link arms with her. We headed off to tour the stadium. There were the reserved seats, the student section bleachers, the bleachers, and then the student section over on the giant steps. It was small, but it fit everyone. There was, of course, all the standing room as well and the snack bar.
We passed the snack bar, smelling the popcorn and hot dogs. I pulled her to a stop. “Amy, we need to get Skittles. It’s a tradition.”
Amy nodded, her dark brown curly hair bouncing. “Of course!” she giggled.
After buying the pack of Skittles to share, we continued on our purposeless meandering. Amy, my fair-skinned and blue-eyed companion, not to mention freckled, tugged me behind the snack bar building. I was confused momentarily, until I noticed who it was. Henry passed by without noticing us. We both sighed. Henry was this annoying…I don’t even know what you’d call him in terms of social status, the really, really liked Amy.
We emerged from out hiding place, continuing on.
“Football games can be so boring,” Amy muttered.
I nodded, throwing a smile at a couple junior boys trying to get our attention. “Yeah. At least you have a boy to look for. Even if he is a jock.”
My friends and I were considered the head girls of the popular clique. We tended to attract a lot of attention. Despite this, none of had ever dated, and none of us had been kissed. We were too romantic and too choosey. Also, we didn’t like jocks. That was part of being a popular. Actually, being a popular seemed to mean disliking everyone not in your group. It wasn’t that hard really.
“So what if he’s a jock. I mean, I don’t like jocks. Just…that certain one,” Amy complained, popping a grape Skittle in her mouth.
I teasingly bumped her. “It’s fine by me. You can like who you want and I’ll support you. So long as it isn’t Henry,” I teased, laughing at her disgusted face. “I know you wouldn’t.”
Amy stuck out her tongue at me, and then looked away. We stopped in front of the reserved seating area, watching the game from behind the coaches and players. I gently tugged on the sleeve of Amy’s T-shirt. “There’s number 44,” I muttered. That was David’s number. The boy Amy liked.
Amy slapped me, though I watched her eyes quickly find number 44 and stay there. I shook my head, smiling. “C’mon, let’s go see Kay,” I suggested.
Amy reluctantly nodded her agreement and we headed towards the student risers, where the cheerleaders would be. They pulled to an abrupt stop when they nearly ran into Troy, a football player that had broken his wrist a month ago, and was still unable to play, though it was almost healed and only in a brace. We both glared at him. He’d never been what would be considered nice to us.
“Amy. Ems,” he greeted us, his gaze lingering on me longer than Amy.
I pursed my lips, keeping my voice cool. “Troy. How’s your wrist?”
“Should be able to play in the next home game.”
I noted with mild interest that that game would be Homecoming. “Just in time for Homecoming. How nice,” I said evenly, my voice still cool.
“Yes…it did work conveniently that way,” he replied with a small smile. Why in the world was he smiling?
I glanced around. Amy had disappeared. I groaned. She’d gone back to “watch the game”. This involved watching a certain player only. I glared up at Troy. He was a good three inches taller than me. “What do you want?” I demanded.
“For you to go to the dance with me.”
I stared at him. “No. You are the last person in this school I would go with. You’re so…so…”
“So what?”
“…frustrating! Irritating! Take your pick of an adjective that has the same meaning as those!” I glared at him again. “It’s not like you’ve even once been nice to me, or my friends. Just go away.”
To my utter shock, Troy mock-bowed, saying, “As you wish mademoiselle. But if you’re refusing me because I’m a jock, or just not a popular, maybe you should look at how you really treat people. Some things in this school could use some changing.” He then turned to walk away, not glancing back as he disappeared into the crowd.
Amy skipped up to me, looking confused. “What just happened?”
“Um…he asked me to the dance. But no matter. I’m going with you guys anyway. And Jason.”
“Wow. He asked you to the dance. That’s like, amazing. Just from the stand point of him usually hating us I mean.”
I nodded in agreement, Troy nearly forgotten already. Except his last words still lingered in my mind, as though imprinted there.
Amy and I continued towards the cheerleaders, waving as we saw Kay. There were five minutes left on the clock. Why did third quarter always go by the fastest?
Kay came running towards us, her red-brown hair back in a ponytail. Thank goodness we lived in Arizona. It was 65 degrees Fahrenheit tonight, and not likely to get much colder. If we lived in Oregon, say, or Washington, I could imagine being a cheerleader. Especially with all the rain. I very nearly shuddered at this thought. I couldn’t imagine a football game below 55 degrees. It never had been, in all the years it’s taken me and my friends to become juniors.
Kay skidded to a halt, smiling. “Hi!” she said cheerfully. That’s why she was a cheerleader I supposed.
“Hey!” Amy said, hugging Kay while I smiled.
“Done any exciting stunts?” I asked. I didn’t pretend to understand the cheerleading stuff, but I could try. See, that another thing I couldn’t ever do. The thought of people throwing me in the air? No thank you.
________________________________________________________________________
It was strange. I wanted to see someone I’d hated for…well, since I could remember. It went without saying (I’m going to say it anyway) that I didn’t really like it. Troy had somehow switched my emotions completely on me. How? That wasn’t a question I could answer for some reason.
I was standing outside the dance with Edward waiting for my friends. Edward was leaning casually against the large stone wall around the landscaping. He was in his own world, thinking about Jaime.
They’d gotten together and I was glad for them. I really was. But it was strange having my little brother “going steady” before me. Troy wouldn’t even be there. He hadn’t even been at the game, not to mention school. So it was clear to me he wouldn’t be at the dance.
I glanced towards the doors. Jenifer and her boyfriend, Karl, had already gone into the dance. They’d been dating for a year today. That didn’t put me out. She was older than me after all. But Edward?
I started to pace the sidewalk, my black high heels clicking.
“Chill Em,” Edward muttered, leaving his daydreams momentarily. “They’ll be here.”
As if on cue, Jason’s black compact car pulled up five feet from us. I almost sighed with relief. Boredom was my least favorite emotion.
Jason stepped out of the driver’s side while Kay stepped out of the passenger side. Jaime slid out the back seat, Edward instantly by her side. They did look cute together.
I couldn’t help but stare at Jaime. The little, nervous freshman I’d met a couple weeks ago was no longer. No, not only was she looking confident, but she looked gorgeous. Her dress was strapless, blue and sparkling. It fell gently to her knees, and her thick brown hair was done up in an elegant bun, strategically placed strands hanging loose. She didn’t add to her height with silver flats.
That’s not what really got me.
I stared.
Jaime was wearing make-up. Her gray eyes enhanced with sparkling, pale blue eye shadow and eyeliner. Her lips stood out more than usual, pale pink and shimmering. I grinned.
She looked like an angel.
When she reached me, she threw her arms around me in a hug. “Thank you,” she whispered in my ear.
I smiled, looking at Edward. He really did look stunning in his tux. “No, thank you,” I replied softly. We stepped apart. With a last smile, Jaime linked arms with Edward and headed up the stair and through the door.
I turned to look at Kay. She was more radiant than ever. Her green eyes danced with pleasure, Jason reaching to take her hand. Her dress flowed in layers to mid-calf and was pale green. It was made out of a satin-type that shimmered and showed of her curved figure. The top was V-neck with an empire waist that ended in a large bow in the back. Jason was wearing a tux, his hair neatly combed.
“You both look hot,” I teased.
They grinned, glancing at each other.
“Thank you Em,” Jason said quietly to me as Kay greeted Amy and David, who had just pulled up. “I have you to thank for her.”
I hugged Jason briefly then stepped back. “She’s always liked you. She didn’t have the courage to admit it since you were a close friend of mine.”
Jason turned to follow Amy and Kay, who were heading up the steps. David followed them as well. I ran to catch up with my friends.
Amy linked her arm though mine. She was wearing a purple spaghetti-strap dress with black polka dots that decreased in size as they reached her tiny waist. From the waist up, the dress was black and had a purple rim around the edge of the rectangular cut neck. Her dark brown curls bounce with her movements.
“I’m so excited!” she squealed.
“Hey! Wait up!”
I turned, letting my arm slide from Amy’s. The couples disappeared into the building as I waited to Alexis
“Hey Alex!” I called. Guiltily, I was glad she had no date.
We continued up the stairs together, exclaiming over each other’s dresses. Alexis’s was a cream colored, flowing material that fell to knee-length in the front and back, and mid-calf on the sides. The neck was a V-neck style and the flowing material fit all her slender curves. Her shoes were low, white heels and her layered hair was left to cascade just over her shoulders, her bangs clipped back.
“Be my date?” she teased as we paid for our couple ticked.
The music volume momentarily made us deaf as we entered the actual dance area, cutting off conversation. We met up with Jason, Kay, David, Amy, Jaime and Edward at the edge of the floor.
Our group must have looked stunning.
We were – for the most part – the jocks and populars. We were the kids used to being told we looked good even when he didn’t try. But tonight that wasn’t why. Tonight, we were all stunning on the inside. And it translated to the outside. Well, at least they were. My mind was still on that stupid boy named Troy. Only he wasn’t stupid.
I started talking to Alexis and Troy faded from my mind.
“So how’s pit orchestra going?” she asked, watching Edward lead Jaime out onto the dance floor. Amy and Kay were having a hushed conversation, well, as hushed as they could get with the loud music. David and Jason looked like they were having a debate over something to do with sports.
“It’s really pulled together in these last weeks,” I replied. “But I’m absolutely dying to hear it with you guys. We don’t get to hear the lyrics.”
Alexis laughed, tossing a strand of hair out of her face. Her red lips, dark eyeliner and sparkling eye shadow were outdone by her glittering eyes. “I was about to say the same thing about you guys!” She giggled.
I started laughing. I couldn’t help it. Even after hearing Alexis laugh so many times, it was still contagious. “Did you get that one dance move you were having trouble with?”
She nodded. “You remembered that! I still can’t get over your memory.”
I giggled, ducking my head. “Yeah…well my memory doesn’t work so well when it comes to math!”
Alexis grinned and started talking about how much she hated division. “I can’t do it at all without a calculator!” she complained.
“Yeah, well I hate fractions…they’re so annoying.”
“Same idea as division, which is why I don’t like them either. Though I don’t mine things like one half. Seven is my favorite number, even though I hate dividing by it.”
“Seven’s my favorite too. You know it’s kinda weird. You’d think I’d like 9…the day of my Birthday…”
“Seven is the day of my Birthday…”
We went on. And on. The topics got more and more random, ranging from Zac Efron to Edward Cullen to how cute the little tiny water bottles were. Yeah. We were just that cool. Okay fine. Just that crazy.
In the midst of our highly intellectual conversation (not) I hadn’t noticed David, Amy, Jason and Kay head out to dance. That is until one of the junior football players asked Alexis to dance and I found myself along. Again. Always the odd one out now it seemed. Where were those annoying, yet tolerable, popular boys who usually would have jumped on an opportunity to ask me to dance? I sighed. I didn’t need them anyway.
I grumbled slightly to myself as I sat down in one of the chairs. I wasn’t really all that put out, but I certainly hoped I wouldn’t get bored. I crossed my legs, my foot automatically tapping to the beat. It’s one of those weird musician habits.
“Hey Ems.”
I froze. Only one person called me Ems. Ever. I looked up.
“Troy. I didn’t expect to see you; you weren’t at the game or school.”
“Yeah…well…my grandfather died.”
I sprang to my feet mechanically. “Oh my – I am so sorry! I know what that feels like. Are you okay? You…I’ll shut up.”
Troy was fighting a smile, I could see it. “We knew it was coming. He had cancer and was 80 years old. But thanks. It does still come as a shock, even when you know it’s coming.”
I couldn’t think of anything to say. Mentally I was slapping myself.
Lucky for me, Troy didn’t notice because he was continuing. “But you on the other hand. I’ve never seen you more alive. You really took my challenge. I was wondering if you would.” His rich brown eyes wavered from mine as he looked me up and down. “You look beautiful. And not just on the outside this time.”
So my earlier thoughts had been correct. I stared at him like he was crazy as he held out his hand when an uncharacteristically slow song came on.
“Dance with me?” he asked softly.
I just nodded weakly, putting my hand in his and letting him lead me out onto the dance floor. My legs felt like Jello. I wavered, unsteady on my feet. His hand, which had been holding mine, quickly left and I felt his arm around my waist. “Whoa –” he said, chuckling. When that still didn’t steady me completely, he put his other arm around me up. We were only inches, more like centimeters, apart.
I knew Amy and Kay were looking pleased with themselves. I made a mental note to get mad at them later for not telling me they’d gotten Troy to come. Jaime, I was sure, was looking at me with shock. All she’d ever heard was that I hated the guy. I knew Alexis was grinning. She’d figured it out, just I’d thought. I also knew that my boys, Edward and Jason, were just daring Troy to try anything.
I didn’t care.
All I cared about was that Troy was watching me with those endlessly deep brown eyes, concern and a certain thoughtfulness in them, as we danced.
I stumbled slightly, his strong arms keeping me up.
I blushed.
Could I have helped it? Of course not. I’d slowly been discovering how right I was to hate this guy.
Not.
Actually, Just the opposite. I’d fallen for him. Big time.
It was strange, though I have to admit I liked it. I’d been in the clique that hated jocks. And now here I was slow dancing with one. I was living proof people could change.
I slowly put my arms around Troy’s neck, letting him hold me up. I still felt like I could collapse any second if he let go. Somehow I was managing to dance though.
“I’m really sorry, about your grandfather I mean,” I said lamely, watching my feet. I was a good dancer, really good in fact, but I wasn’t so sure with my present lack of control. But the real reason for watching my feet was that I couldn’t look Troy in the eye. At least, not without turning as red as a cherry.
“It’s okay Ems. It’s been a week. He’s not in pain anymore, which is a comfort to know actually.”
I dared to meet his eyes. I was, unfortunately, instantly a captive, unable to look away.
“So you missed the game,” stammered idiotically. I was tempted to kick myself…
“You noticed that huh? And that I haven’t been at school or any social events. Are you stalking me?” He pulled back a fraction of an inch. I still felt it, no matter how small the difference was.
I opened my mouth to protest. That is, until I saw he was teasing. I slapped him. I was good at that. “Not funny!” I accused, pouting as best I could.
He laughed at me. “You should have seen your face!” he crowed once he’d stopped laughing. Jerk.
Just kidding.
I scowled at him. I found it hard to keep scowling once I noticed the thoughtful expression enter his eyes again. “What?” I demanded, confused.
Troy leaned towards me as the slow song stopped. And in the middle of all the cheers as the fast songs resumed, he kissed me. I didn’t feel like Jello anymore. No, in fact I felt electrified. On fire. Full of energy. I kissed him back.
My eyes opened, though I hadn’t noticed they’d closed, when he pulled back after what seemed like an eternity. In a good way. Troy silently took my hand and pulled me to the outside area of the dance, where the water was. He led me to a deserted area, turning to face me.
My lips were still tingling where they’d touched his. My heart was still pounding; loud enough I was sure he could hear it.
“Look, I just need to know if what I just did was…okay with you.”
I stared at him, taking his other hand in mine and pulling him towards me. I gently angled his head down so he had to look me in the eye. “Are you crazy? You must be stupider than I thought. I’m more than okay with it.”
He looked relieved. “I wasn’t sure if you feelings had changed or not…I thought they might have. But with you –” I cut him off, putting my lips lightly on his. He smiled slightly, and then kissed me.
When we pulled apart, he mock bowed, grinning. “Will the lady be my dance partner?”
I curtsied, fighting my laughter. “I would be honored kind sir.” I looped my arm through his and we headed back into the building. We joined the rest of my group, dancing, and laughing, the night away.
*******
When we all agreed to say out good-byes, we left the dance for the parking lot, figuring out who was going home with whom.
I waved to David as he pulled out of the parking lot in his car. He waved back, smiling, then pulled out onto the street, heading for his house. I watched Edward kiss Jaime on the cheek before she disappeared into the back seat of Jason’s car.
Troy brushed his lips against mine, whispering a good-bye, then headed off to the other parking lot. I unlocked my car. Amy, Alexis and Kay clambered into the back seat. I put my arm around Edward, feeling his around me, as we headed for the car together.
Edward grinned at me. “Can I just say I told you so? Or really, we told you so?” He flashed another grin at me, and then ran ahead to the car, sliding into the passenger seat. I scowled after him. He’d ruined the happy brother-sister moment.
I sat down in the driver’s seat, slamming the door behind me. I put on my seatbelt, starting the car and backing out of the parking space. As I drove towards my house, I listened idly to the conversation, now and then throwing in a comment.
“He kissed me! Can you believe it???” Amy giggled, smile plastered on her face. “And he was actually a really good dancer!”
Kay made a face at her, her eyes giving away that she wasn’t actually mad. “Jason didn’t kiss me…at least not on the lips. But he was also a very good dancer.”
Alexis rolled her eyes, smiling softly. “The football player that asked me to dance asked me to go to the movies with him on Friday. His name is Noah. He also promised he’d see me at school.”
“What about you Edward? Did you have fun?” Amy asked, leaning forward, eyes sparkling with mischief.
Edward muttered darkly about being dragged into the conversation, but replied, “If what you want to know is if I kiss Jaime on the lips, the answer is no. We’re going to take thing slow.”
I smiled to myself. I thought that was a good idea.
It was Kay’s turn to lean forward. “And of course we know Troy kissed you Em.”
I blushed, smiling again without meaning to. “Yes…three times,” I murmured.
Alexis grinned while Kay giggled. Amy smirked.
“So you two finally got it together, eh?” Amy teased.
I supposed we had.
“Alright! You have until there’s two minutes left on the clock!” Mr. ____ called to us.
We set out instruments down on the bleachers. I jumped down. Amy landed softly beside me. We waved to Kaydence, we called her Kay, who was cheerleading. She waved back quickly, and then turned to watch the game.
I smiled at Amy, turning to link arms with her. We headed off to tour the stadium. There were the reserved seats, the student section bleachers, the bleachers, and then the student section over on the giant steps. It was small, but it fit everyone. There was, of course, all the standing room as well and the snack bar.
We passed the snack bar, smelling the popcorn and hot dogs. I pulled her to a stop. “Amy, we need to get Skittles. It’s a tradition.”
Amy nodded, her dark brown curly hair bouncing. “Of course!” she giggled.
After buying the pack of Skittles to share, we continued on our purposeless meandering. Amy, my fair-skinned and blue-eyed companion, not to mention freckled, tugged me behind the snack bar building. I was confused momentarily, until I noticed who it was. Henry passed by without noticing us. We both sighed. Henry was this annoying…I don’t even know what you’d call him in terms of social status, the really, really liked Amy.
We emerged from out hiding place, continuing on.
“Football games can be so boring,” Amy muttered.
I nodded, throwing a smile at a couple junior boys trying to get our attention. “Yeah. At least you have a boy to look for. Even if he is a jock.”
My friends and I were considered the head girls of the popular clique. We tended to attract a lot of attention. Despite this, none of had ever dated, and none of us had been kissed. We were too romantic and too choosey. Also, we didn’t like jocks. That was part of being a popular. Actually, being a popular seemed to mean disliking everyone not in your group. It wasn’t that hard really.
“So what if he’s a jock. I mean, I don’t like jocks. Just…that certain one,” Amy complained, popping a grape Skittle in her mouth.
I teasingly bumped her. “It’s fine by me. You can like who you want and I’ll support you. So long as it isn’t Henry,” I teased, laughing at her disgusted face. “I know you wouldn’t.”
Amy stuck out her tongue at me, and then looked away. We stopped in front of the reserved seating area, watching the game from behind the coaches and players. I gently tugged on the sleeve of Amy’s T-shirt. “There’s number 44,” I muttered. That was David’s number. The boy Amy liked.
Amy slapped me, though I watched her eyes quickly find number 44 and stay there. I shook my head, smiling. “C’mon, let’s go see Kay,” I suggested.
Amy reluctantly nodded her agreement and we headed towards the student risers, where the cheerleaders would be. They pulled to an abrupt stop when they nearly ran into Troy, a football player that had broken his wrist a month ago, and was still unable to play, though it was almost healed and only in a brace. We both glared at him. He’d never been what would be considered nice to us.
“Amy. Ems,” he greeted us, his gaze lingering on me longer than Amy.
I pursed my lips, keeping my voice cool. “Troy. How’s your wrist?”
“Should be able to play in the next home game.”
I noted with mild interest that that game would be Homecoming. “Just in time for Homecoming. How nice,” I said evenly, my voice still cool.
“Yes…it did work conveniently that way,” he replied with a small smile. Why in the world was he smiling?
I glanced around. Amy had disappeared. I groaned. She’d gone back to “watch the game”. This involved watching a certain player only. I glared up at Troy. He was a good three inches taller than me. “What do you want?” I demanded.
“For you to go to the dance with me.”
I stared at him. “No. You are the last person in this school I would go with. You’re so…so…”
“So what?”
“…frustrating! Irritating! Take your pick of an adjective that has the same meaning as those!” I glared at him again. “It’s not like you’ve even once been nice to me, or my friends. Just go away.”
To my utter shock, Troy mock-bowed, saying, “As you wish mademoiselle. But if you’re refusing me because I’m a jock, or just not a popular, maybe you should look at how you really treat people. Some things in this school could use some changing.” He then turned to walk away, not glancing back as he disappeared into the crowd.
Amy skipped up to me, looking confused. “What just happened?”
“Um…he asked me to the dance. But no matter. I’m going with you guys anyway. And Jason.”
“Wow. He asked you to the dance. That’s like, amazing. Just from the stand point of him usually hating us I mean.”
I nodded in agreement, Troy nearly forgotten already. Except his last words still lingered in my mind, as though imprinted there.
Amy and I continued towards the cheerleaders, waving as we saw Kay. There were five minutes left on the clock. Why did third quarter always go by the fastest?
Kay came running towards us, her red-brown hair back in a ponytail. Thank goodness we lived in Arizona. It was 65 degrees Fahrenheit tonight, and not likely to get much colder. If we lived in Oregon, say, or Washington, I could imagine being a cheerleader. Especially with all the rain. I very nearly shuddered at this thought. I couldn’t imagine a football game below 55 degrees. It never had been, in all the years it’s taken me and my friends to become juniors.
Kay skidded to a halt, smiling. “Hi!” she said cheerfully. That’s why she was a cheerleader I supposed.
“Hey!” Amy said, hugging Kay while I smiled.
“Done any exciting stunts?” I asked. I didn’t pretend to understand the cheerleading stuff, but I could try. See, that another thing I couldn’t ever do. The thought of people throwing me in the air? No thank you.
________________________________________________________________________
It was strange. I wanted to see someone I’d hated for…well, since I could remember. It went without saying (I’m going to say it anyway) that I didn’t really like it. Troy had somehow switched my emotions completely on me. How? That wasn’t a question I could answer for some reason.
I was standing outside the dance with Edward waiting for my friends. Edward was leaning casually against the large stone wall around the landscaping. He was in his own world, thinking about Jaime.
They’d gotten together and I was glad for them. I really was. But it was strange having my little brother “going steady” before me. Troy wouldn’t even be there. He hadn’t even been at the game, not to mention school. So it was clear to me he wouldn’t be at the dance.
I glanced towards the doors. Jenifer and her boyfriend, Karl, had already gone into the dance. They’d been dating for a year today. That didn’t put me out. She was older than me after all. But Edward?
I started to pace the sidewalk, my black high heels clicking.
“Chill Em,” Edward muttered, leaving his daydreams momentarily. “They’ll be here.”
As if on cue, Jason’s black compact car pulled up five feet from us. I almost sighed with relief. Boredom was my least favorite emotion.
Jason stepped out of the driver’s side while Kay stepped out of the passenger side. Jaime slid out the back seat, Edward instantly by her side. They did look cute together.
I couldn’t help but stare at Jaime. The little, nervous freshman I’d met a couple weeks ago was no longer. No, not only was she looking confident, but she looked gorgeous. Her dress was strapless, blue and sparkling. It fell gently to her knees, and her thick brown hair was done up in an elegant bun, strategically placed strands hanging loose. She didn’t add to her height with silver flats.
That’s not what really got me.
I stared.
Jaime was wearing make-up. Her gray eyes enhanced with sparkling, pale blue eye shadow and eyeliner. Her lips stood out more than usual, pale pink and shimmering. I grinned.
She looked like an angel.
When she reached me, she threw her arms around me in a hug. “Thank you,” she whispered in my ear.
I smiled, looking at Edward. He really did look stunning in his tux. “No, thank you,” I replied softly. We stepped apart. With a last smile, Jaime linked arms with Edward and headed up the stair and through the door.
I turned to look at Kay. She was more radiant than ever. Her green eyes danced with pleasure, Jason reaching to take her hand. Her dress flowed in layers to mid-calf and was pale green. It was made out of a satin-type that shimmered and showed of her curved figure. The top was V-neck with an empire waist that ended in a large bow in the back. Jason was wearing a tux, his hair neatly combed.
“You both look hot,” I teased.
They grinned, glancing at each other.
“Thank you Em,” Jason said quietly to me as Kay greeted Amy and David, who had just pulled up. “I have you to thank for her.”
I hugged Jason briefly then stepped back. “She’s always liked you. She didn’t have the courage to admit it since you were a close friend of mine.”
Jason turned to follow Amy and Kay, who were heading up the steps. David followed them as well. I ran to catch up with my friends.
Amy linked her arm though mine. She was wearing a purple spaghetti-strap dress with black polka dots that decreased in size as they reached her tiny waist. From the waist up, the dress was black and had a purple rim around the edge of the rectangular cut neck. Her dark brown curls bounce with her movements.
“I’m so excited!” she squealed.
“Hey! Wait up!”
I turned, letting my arm slide from Amy’s. The couples disappeared into the building as I waited to Alexis
“Hey Alex!” I called. Guiltily, I was glad she had no date.
We continued up the stairs together, exclaiming over each other’s dresses. Alexis’s was a cream colored, flowing material that fell to knee-length in the front and back, and mid-calf on the sides. The neck was a V-neck style and the flowing material fit all her slender curves. Her shoes were low, white heels and her layered hair was left to cascade just over her shoulders, her bangs clipped back.
“Be my date?” she teased as we paid for our couple ticked.
The music volume momentarily made us deaf as we entered the actual dance area, cutting off conversation. We met up with Jason, Kay, David, Amy, Jaime and Edward at the edge of the floor.
Our group must have looked stunning.
We were – for the most part – the jocks and populars. We were the kids used to being told we looked good even when he didn’t try. But tonight that wasn’t why. Tonight, we were all stunning on the inside. And it translated to the outside. Well, at least they were. My mind was still on that stupid boy named Troy. Only he wasn’t stupid.
I started talking to Alexis and Troy faded from my mind.
“So how’s pit orchestra going?” she asked, watching Edward lead Jaime out onto the dance floor. Amy and Kay were having a hushed conversation, well, as hushed as they could get with the loud music. David and Jason looked like they were having a debate over something to do with sports.
“It’s really pulled together in these last weeks,” I replied. “But I’m absolutely dying to hear it with you guys. We don’t get to hear the lyrics.”
Alexis laughed, tossing a strand of hair out of her face. Her red lips, dark eyeliner and sparkling eye shadow were outdone by her glittering eyes. “I was about to say the same thing about you guys!” She giggled.
I started laughing. I couldn’t help it. Even after hearing Alexis laugh so many times, it was still contagious. “Did you get that one dance move you were having trouble with?”
She nodded. “You remembered that! I still can’t get over your memory.”
I giggled, ducking my head. “Yeah…well my memory doesn’t work so well when it comes to math!”
Alexis grinned and started talking about how much she hated division. “I can’t do it at all without a calculator!” she complained.
“Yeah, well I hate fractions…they’re so annoying.”
“Same idea as division, which is why I don’t like them either. Though I don’t mine things like one half. Seven is my favorite number, even though I hate dividing by it.”
“Seven’s my favorite too. You know it’s kinda weird. You’d think I’d like 9…the day of my Birthday…”
“Seven is the day of my Birthday…”
We went on. And on. The topics got more and more random, ranging from Zac Efron to Edward Cullen to how cute the little tiny water bottles were. Yeah. We were just that cool. Okay fine. Just that crazy.
In the midst of our highly intellectual conversation (not) I hadn’t noticed David, Amy, Jason and Kay head out to dance. That is until one of the junior football players asked Alexis to dance and I found myself along. Again. Always the odd one out now it seemed. Where were those annoying, yet tolerable, popular boys who usually would have jumped on an opportunity to ask me to dance? I sighed. I didn’t need them anyway.
I grumbled slightly to myself as I sat down in one of the chairs. I wasn’t really all that put out, but I certainly hoped I wouldn’t get bored. I crossed my legs, my foot automatically tapping to the beat. It’s one of those weird musician habits.
“Hey Ems.”
I froze. Only one person called me Ems. Ever. I looked up.
“Troy. I didn’t expect to see you; you weren’t at the game or school.”
“Yeah…well…my grandfather died.”
I sprang to my feet mechanically. “Oh my – I am so sorry! I know what that feels like. Are you okay? You…I’ll shut up.”
Troy was fighting a smile, I could see it. “We knew it was coming. He had cancer and was 80 years old. But thanks. It does still come as a shock, even when you know it’s coming.”
I couldn’t think of anything to say. Mentally I was slapping myself.
Lucky for me, Troy didn’t notice because he was continuing. “But you on the other hand. I’ve never seen you more alive. You really took my challenge. I was wondering if you would.” His rich brown eyes wavered from mine as he looked me up and down. “You look beautiful. And not just on the outside this time.”
So my earlier thoughts had been correct. I stared at him like he was crazy as he held out his hand when an uncharacteristically slow song came on.
“Dance with me?” he asked softly.
I just nodded weakly, putting my hand in his and letting him lead me out onto the dance floor. My legs felt like Jello. I wavered, unsteady on my feet. His hand, which had been holding mine, quickly left and I felt his arm around my waist. “Whoa –” he said, chuckling. When that still didn’t steady me completely, he put his other arm around me up. We were only inches, more like centimeters, apart.
I knew Amy and Kay were looking pleased with themselves. I made a mental note to get mad at them later for not telling me they’d gotten Troy to come. Jaime, I was sure, was looking at me with shock. All she’d ever heard was that I hated the guy. I knew Alexis was grinning. She’d figured it out, just I’d thought. I also knew that my boys, Edward and Jason, were just daring Troy to try anything.
I didn’t care.
All I cared about was that Troy was watching me with those endlessly deep brown eyes, concern and a certain thoughtfulness in them, as we danced.
I stumbled slightly, his strong arms keeping me up.
I blushed.
Could I have helped it? Of course not. I’d slowly been discovering how right I was to hate this guy.
Not.
Actually, Just the opposite. I’d fallen for him. Big time.
It was strange, though I have to admit I liked it. I’d been in the clique that hated jocks. And now here I was slow dancing with one. I was living proof people could change.
I slowly put my arms around Troy’s neck, letting him hold me up. I still felt like I could collapse any second if he let go. Somehow I was managing to dance though.
“I’m really sorry, about your grandfather I mean,” I said lamely, watching my feet. I was a good dancer, really good in fact, but I wasn’t so sure with my present lack of control. But the real reason for watching my feet was that I couldn’t look Troy in the eye. At least, not without turning as red as a cherry.
“It’s okay Ems. It’s been a week. He’s not in pain anymore, which is a comfort to know actually.”
I dared to meet his eyes. I was, unfortunately, instantly a captive, unable to look away.
“So you missed the game,” stammered idiotically. I was tempted to kick myself…
“You noticed that huh? And that I haven’t been at school or any social events. Are you stalking me?” He pulled back a fraction of an inch. I still felt it, no matter how small the difference was.
I opened my mouth to protest. That is, until I saw he was teasing. I slapped him. I was good at that. “Not funny!” I accused, pouting as best I could.
He laughed at me. “You should have seen your face!” he crowed once he’d stopped laughing. Jerk.
Just kidding.
I scowled at him. I found it hard to keep scowling once I noticed the thoughtful expression enter his eyes again. “What?” I demanded, confused.
Troy leaned towards me as the slow song stopped. And in the middle of all the cheers as the fast songs resumed, he kissed me. I didn’t feel like Jello anymore. No, in fact I felt electrified. On fire. Full of energy. I kissed him back.
My eyes opened, though I hadn’t noticed they’d closed, when he pulled back after what seemed like an eternity. In a good way. Troy silently took my hand and pulled me to the outside area of the dance, where the water was. He led me to a deserted area, turning to face me.
My lips were still tingling where they’d touched his. My heart was still pounding; loud enough I was sure he could hear it.
“Look, I just need to know if what I just did was…okay with you.”
I stared at him, taking his other hand in mine and pulling him towards me. I gently angled his head down so he had to look me in the eye. “Are you crazy? You must be stupider than I thought. I’m more than okay with it.”
He looked relieved. “I wasn’t sure if you feelings had changed or not…I thought they might have. But with you –” I cut him off, putting my lips lightly on his. He smiled slightly, and then kissed me.
When we pulled apart, he mock bowed, grinning. “Will the lady be my dance partner?”
I curtsied, fighting my laughter. “I would be honored kind sir.” I looped my arm through his and we headed back into the building. We joined the rest of my group, dancing, and laughing, the night away.
*******
When we all agreed to say out good-byes, we left the dance for the parking lot, figuring out who was going home with whom.
I waved to David as he pulled out of the parking lot in his car. He waved back, smiling, then pulled out onto the street, heading for his house. I watched Edward kiss Jaime on the cheek before she disappeared into the back seat of Jason’s car.
Troy brushed his lips against mine, whispering a good-bye, then headed off to the other parking lot. I unlocked my car. Amy, Alexis and Kay clambered into the back seat. I put my arm around Edward, feeling his around me, as we headed for the car together.
Edward grinned at me. “Can I just say I told you so? Or really, we told you so?” He flashed another grin at me, and then ran ahead to the car, sliding into the passenger seat. I scowled after him. He’d ruined the happy brother-sister moment.
I sat down in the driver’s seat, slamming the door behind me. I put on my seatbelt, starting the car and backing out of the parking space. As I drove towards my house, I listened idly to the conversation, now and then throwing in a comment.
“He kissed me! Can you believe it???” Amy giggled, smile plastered on her face. “And he was actually a really good dancer!”
Kay made a face at her, her eyes giving away that she wasn’t actually mad. “Jason didn’t kiss me…at least not on the lips. But he was also a very good dancer.”
Alexis rolled her eyes, smiling softly. “The football player that asked me to dance asked me to go to the movies with him on Friday. His name is Noah. He also promised he’d see me at school.”
“What about you Edward? Did you have fun?” Amy asked, leaning forward, eyes sparkling with mischief.
Edward muttered darkly about being dragged into the conversation, but replied, “If what you want to know is if I kiss Jaime on the lips, the answer is no. We’re going to take thing slow.”
I smiled to myself. I thought that was a good idea.
It was Kay’s turn to lean forward. “And of course we know Troy kissed you Em.”
I blushed, smiling again without meaning to. “Yes…three times,” I murmured.
Alexis grinned while Kay giggled. Amy smirked.
“So you two finally got it together, eh?” Amy teased.
I supposed we had.
