Page 9 of Autumn's Coming

The lights were blinding. I blinked, sure that I looked stupid up here.

But there was a scattering of applause.

Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.

A song started—something hard, definitely rock. I didn’t know it, but I could hear the beat.

I glanced to my left. Jessie had her hand on the pole, walking in a slow circle around it.

She was close by. Thank God.

She approached me in her slow circle. “Shake your hips to the beat. Slow.”

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, feeling the beat rattle the stage. I moved my hips—left, right, left, right. Slow, hitting each drum beat.

Somebody cheered.

I let myself smile.

---