Page 64 of We Thought We Were Invincible
“Can you deal without us tonight?”
“What's up?” she asked.
“I need to go to the dance.”
A smile spread across her face. “I'm so glad you're going. Of course, I'll be fine. You guys weren't even supposed to be on the schedule. Noah can help until he has to go chaperone the dance.” She winked at him.
“I'm not going to the dance.” Colby put his hands up.
“Brother,” I looked him in the eye. “Please. I need you to go with me.”
He sighed. Last year we wouldn't have been caught dead going together. Things had changed. “Fine.”
I grabbed his hand, pulling him out of the diner and into his car.
When we got home, I realized I had absolutely nothing to wear to a dance so I turned to Kat's closet instead. Her dresses would be tighter and shorter than I'd like, but desperate times…
When all was said and done, I stood in the living room wearing an icy blue dress that stopped mid-thigh. It was a winter dance, but winters in Florida were quite different.
My hair hung in waves over one shoulder. All in all, I thought I looked pretty good. By the time Colby and I walked out the door, the dance had already begun and I started to forget why I was going in the first place. What did I even say? I creeped on your paper and think you're in love with me?
“Tell me something.” Colby turned off the car as soon as we parked. “Are we here so you can find Jamie?”
“No?”
“I'm not an idiot, Cal. Give me some credit.”
“Ok.” I sighed. “But I don't want you to hate him.”
“Sis, Jamie's my best friend. I'm not going to hate him. I can't say that I like it. I still think it'll end badly, but I won't stop you. Plus, Jamie hasn't been with anyone besides I'm assuming you since Amelia. That's a big deal for him.”
“Didn't he cheat on her?”
“Jamie doesn't cheat. Ever. He may not be the most reliable guy, but he'd never do that. If he wants to be with someone else, he dumps whoever he's with.”
“I just have this really bad feeling,” I admitted. “I don't know if it has to do with him. Maybe coming here was a bad idea.”
“Too late. Let's go.”
He got out, and I had no choice but to follow. We passed Matthew sitting in his car nearby. Guess he changed his mind, like us. His presence didn't register as odd so we kept going, the awful feeling I'd had only growing stronger. The school loomed in front of us, a brick shadow in the darkness.
In contrast, the inside of the school was roaring with life. Music blared from the gym as students hung out, danced, and laughed like tonight was special and they didn't have a care in the world. On this night, we were just teenagers having a good time before the real world crept in.
We paid for our entry and signed in before moving into the gym.
I scanned the room seeing groups of kids sitting with their own, not interacting with those they didn't know. Morgan stood off to the side, arguing with her younger brother Troy. Troy caught my eye and waved. Morgan slapped his hand down. And then there was another brother and sister, standing in the doorway, both feeling on the outside.
Looking toward Colby, he nodded at someone on the other side of the room. “I'm going to find some of the guys.”
I turned toward where he'd been looking to find Jamie's eyes scanning me from head to toe from where he stood by the opposite door. A small, unsure smile appeared on his face. It didn't belong there in place of his usual confidence.
I ran my hands down my stomach nervously, straightening the fabric that now felt too tight. Jamie's words entered my mind.He suddenly realized he'd do anything she asked.
My feet carried me in his direction, stopping a few feet away.
“I want you to kiss me,” I blurted before I could stop myself.
His smiled dropped. “Demanding, aren't we?”
