I did a visual sweep of the room, watching as the others danced with their dates. Rachel was standing beside David, who I hadn’t seen at all when we first came in, and then turned my attention back to Micah. I had never slow-danced before.
“This would be even better if they were playing good music,” remarked Micah, glancing at the DJ’s booth.
“Define ‘good music’.” I lifted my hand to his shoulder.
“I was thinking Richard Marx or Journey, or something better than this garbage.”
I listened carefully, trying to figure out who the singer was, while we began to sway side to side. “Not a Taylor Swift fan?” I asked with a soft smile.
“No way.” Micah made a disgusted face.
My hands were starting to sweat. I let out a shaky laugh.
“You look like you’re about to be sick,” Micah laughed. “Are you all right?”
“Yes!”
“It’s my dancing. I know it’s horrible.”
“Actually, I’m surprised by how good you are.”
“You’re a terrible liar, Charlie.” He eased closer, filling in some of the distance between us. I felt sort of stupid for being so nervous. There really wasn’t anything complicated in moving back and forth in one spot. And Micah’s hands on my waist were comforting.
Every girl, at some point in their life, dreams of sharing a dance with her crush at Prom, Homecoming, or a party. We see these fantastical moments in our favorite films, and it becomes an unspoken expectation. As I danced with Micah, all of the fantasies I had painted fell away. Everything I had envisioned as perfect was gone, and replaced by here, now. I could only hear the sound of those actualized dreams—like shooting stars, in my ears as Micah grinned at me.
The Taylor Swift song came to an end, and Micah slowly released me from his grasp. He held my gaze as I steadily took a step back.
Suddenly, Jennifer screeched my name from across the room, jerking my attention away from Micah. Before I knew it, she smacked into me with a hug.
“Time is Running Out”
Muse
“OH! YOU CAME!” JENNIFER CRIED. “WITH MICAH! OH MY GOD!”
I tried to grab ahold of her to calm her down. She was embarrassing herself.
“What is she on?” I heard Micah mutter under his breath. I bit back my laugh and tugged Jennifer away from the dance floor.
“I didn’t know you were coming,” I said to her.
“Of course! Rachel invited me,” Jennifer explained. “I came with Daan and our friends!” She pointed to our small group from the lunch table. I wasn’t surprised to see Samantha standing there with Daan, Jake and his friends.
“And look at you! You came with Micah!” Jennifer continued. “I had no idea you were coming at all.”
Ever since Rachel invited me to the dance, I had avoided the topic completely. It really wasn’t anyone’s business whether I was going or not, and who with. I knew if I brought up going with Micah, I would only get slammed with a slew of questions about it. It was better to let Jennifer think what she wanted about seeing the two of us together. I wouldn’t bother to mention the bonfire afterwards.
“I’m going to head back,” I gestured to Micah, who was standing in the distance. “I’ll see you later, okay?”
“Sure thing, Charlie. I understand.” She winked at me. I wanted to groan. I turned on my heel and walked back to Micah. He stood against the wall, phone in one hand, the other shoved into his pocket.
“I’m back.”
He lifted his head. “In one piece, I see.” He slipped his phone back into his pocket. “Marshall said he’s going to start the logs around eight-thirty or so. We could head over now if you wanted. Or we could dance one more time?” Micah suggested. I found myself focused on the dark warmth of his eyes and the heavy scent of his cologne.
“W-we could dance again.”
Micah poked my shoulder. “I’m just questioning your stability. You keep looking like you’re about to faint. I mean, I’m used to having that effect on the ladies, but not with you.” Other ladies. Ladies who weren’t me. A surge of jealously spread throughout my body and twisted in my chest. I lifted my chin, trying to hide the fact that his comment had bothered me.
“Don’t flatter yourself. It’s hot in here.” I stood up straighter. He grinned, as if he knew exactly what he had done, and held out a hand.
I took it. Micah slid into the rhythm of the upbeat song playing, while I sort of did my own awkward thing. I completely ignored the stupid smirk on his face, silently teasing me for my horrible moves. A few times, he had tried to grab me and guide my hips the way he had before, but I darted out of his reach. The less physical contact between us, the more clearly I could think. After two more dances, Micah tugged us breathlessly from the dance floor and glanced at his phone.
“Wanna head over to the bonfire now?”
For some strange reason, I was suddenly tempted to tell Micah I had changed my mind. I tried to tell myself it was only Josh and my dad’s unfounded warnings that were throwing me off, but I had a bad feeling in my gut about the whole thing.
And yet, if I didn’t go, I knew I would regret it. I didn’t want to be that girl—the Debbie Downer.
“Sure,” I said. The fire hall had warmed up from all the body heat since we’d arrived, and it was only getting more crowded. I was glad to know Rachel’s dance had done so well. I could only imagine how much money had been collected from the event. Rachel was in the corner still talking to David as we left. They seemed at ease with each other. There was a sparkle in his eye, and a soft blush on her cheeks. He was smiling brightly.
“Hey, you coming?” Micah called from ahead. (I’d have to remind myself to text Rachel later.) I hurried up toward him. He stood holding the door, allowing a gust of the cool night breeze to enter the room. The colder air skimmed over my sweaty skin, causing a shiver to run down my spine as I stepped outside. Micah walked with me to the car. As we clamored in, I wondered what he was thinking.
“That was fun,” he admitted. I smiled. He started to fumble with his stereo until the melody of “Pillowtalk” from Zayn trickled out from the speakers. There was silence between us as we drove out into the countryside. My mind began to wander as the music filled the car; my eyes scanned the dark forest as we drove by. What had just happened at the dance hall? There was an unmeasured amount of chemistry between us. What would it be like to hold his hand here, in the privacy of his car? What if he leaned over and kissed me? What if I kissed him back? Would I just be another girl under his belt? What if he was just being nice this whole time…and my feelings weren’t reciprocated?
“You’re quiet over there,” Micah said gently.
“Just thinking,” I said with a lazy shrug.
“What about?” He pressed, raising a curious brow. His fingers tapped against the steering wheel as he briefly darted his dark eyes in my direction. I hesitated.
“Do… Do you ever worry what people are saying about you?” I asked.
“Do I look like the type that worries about that?”
“I’ve come to know you can’t judge an album by its cover.”
Micah glanced at me for half a second before turning his attention back to driving. No matter how he wanted to appear, I knew there was more to him underneath his tough exterior.
We didn’t say anything more until we reached Marshall’s house. He lived on the west side of Grand Lakes, out in the middle of nowhere. I could only imagine what it was like to drive out that way in winter. As I climbed out of the car, I could hear a selection of hard rock blasting from the back yard. Smashing Pumpkins or something.
“Sounds like the party’s already started,” Micah remarked, following the music. I trailed silently behind, wondering if this might be a poor decision on my part. I could, however, always call my dad if I needed to. At least, that’s what I
kept telling myself. Micah rounded the corner of the house, and lifted a hand to greet his friends.
“The party can now officially begin!”
He and Marshall did one those stupid boy handshakes—the kind where they look like they’re about to do the whole Kit-Kat hand slap. (I mean, really…what is that?) He led Micah toward the fire as he shouted to a group of other people. Micah turned to make sure I was following, but only once. I was completely out of my element.
“This is Charlie,” Micah announced to the group, when I caught up. A few nods and grunts greeted me. Not the liveliest bunch. There were a few guys in the back, smoking what looked to be pot. Great. I noticed a few cases of beer behind their lawn chairs, and Marshall picked one up and held it out to Micah. I watched him, wondering what he’d do.
A few days before, I told Micah about my dad’s rule, to which he had agreed. But as I saw him take the beer can, I figured he must have forgotten his promise. Marshall started to hand me one, but Micah intercepted before I could say no.
“Just get her a soda,” Micah said. “No beer for her.” I wanted so badly to take his beer can and dump it out. He had no business speaking on my behalf; he should have been more concerned about his own choices.
Marshall grabbed a cold soda from the cooler and held it out for me. I was really starting to regret coming. I knew I didn’t belong here. There were two girls sitting on tree stumps, wearing holey T-shirts. I couldn’t help but notice all the black eyeliner they wore around their eyes. They reminded me of raccoons. One of the girls had hot pink highlights in her hair, while the other had a head full of purple. Next to them, two guys were smoking cigarettes and already had an assortment of empty beer bottles around them. I was pretty sure I saw some tattoos, too. Closer to the fire, a couple was heavily making out. The guy was either trying to kiss the girl or eat her face. I couldn’t decide which. But his roaming hands made his intentions quite clear. A shudder ran down my spine and I quickly looked away from them.
“Where is Paul?” I mumbled to Marshall and Micah. Marshall shrugged as he took a sip of beer.
“He doesn’t come to these. He’s usually too busy helping his family run the shop.” Responsible. That was a good thing. At least not all of Micah’s friends were lame.
“Take a seat,” one of the girls said to me, patting a tree stump beside her. I glanced at it, fighting the urge to go home. The guys smoking pot behind them were whistling to us—them. The girls giggled and glanced over their shoulders, biting their bottom lips in a tempting way. The purple-haired girl eyed me as I eased down onto the stump. I couldn’t stop looking between her hair and the large Avocado Addict words on her shirt.
“Don’t mind them, they don’t bite. At least not in a way you wouldn’t like.” She winked with a leer.
“Someone needs to change the radio up!” The girl with pink highlights shouted over the noise. I agreed wholeheartedly, but I also wasn’t a fan of screaming hard rock bands.
“Micah’s the music freak,” Marshall replied to her. “Tell him to pick out a good song for you guys.” I found Micah standing beside the raging bonfire, the flames high and a little out of control. I guessed that meant no marshmallows, though Micah’s friends didn’t look the type to enjoy a good s’more. As I watched Micah, I realized he was only drinking a soda as he lifted the can to his mouth. What had happened to the beer?
“Not a freak,” he nudged Marshall. “I just have better taste than you.”
One of the guys stood up and went over to a beat-up sound system and started to shuffle through a few CDs. I was surprised to hear “Hysteria” by Muse. It was a noticeable change from what had just been playing. I sipped my soda and stole a glance at the time on my cell phone. I felt as though an hour had gone by, but only fifteen minutes had passed. It was going to be a long night.
“So, you go to Grand Lakes too?” The girl with the purple hair tipped her beer can, taking another sip. I gave a silent nod, trying to keep my gaze in Micah’s direction. She continued, “I’m Jadie.”
“Charlie,” I responded curtly.
“I don’t think I’ve seen you around,” Jadie commented as she moved closer beside me. I shifted a bit uncomfortably and shrugged.
“Yeah, I don’t think I’ve seen you either,” I said with a shrug. It was probably a good thing I hadn’t.
“I’m Kate,” the girl with pink highlights said, joining the conversation. She raised her brow curiously and leaned forward. “So, are you and Micah dating?”
I turned my gaze toward Kate. Suddenly, I had the strange desire to say yes. I actually wanted to say that I was his girlfriend. I had never felt that urge before.
“No, we’re not dating,” I mumbled.
“That’s too bad. Micah is kinda hot,” she mused and took another sip of her beer. “I’ve had my eye on him since he came back to school. I bet he’d be a lot of fun to hook up with.” My stomach clenched. Just before coming here, he had been holding me, dancing. He had made me feel like I was the only girl in the room; the only one that mattered to him.
“You’re probably not his type anyway,” she continued.
“I doubt you are,” I retorted, glaring at her. Just as Kate was about to say something, Jadie screamed.
I looked up to see Marshall jumping over the licking flames. Micah followed him and leaped over the fire pit, too. Kate and Jadie cheered from their seats, while the other guys got up to join in the stupidity. Even the hot and heavy couple, now on third base, stopped to watch. I was so beyond over this. I wanted to go home. End of story.
Micah headed in my direction with a smirk on his face as he wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. “You look like you’re bored to death,” he commented loudly.
“I am bored,” I stated matter-of-factly.
“Why don’t you mingle a little?” Micah indicated the two raccoon girls sitting next to me.
“I was mingling. I just remembered, I have homework,” I lied automatically. “I’m gonna call my dad to come get me. I don’t want you to have to take me back when you’re having so much fun.” I knew I could walk down the road to one of the local Mini-Marts and have my dad or Josh meet me there, if need be.
“Why don’t you just stay a little bit longer?” Micah asked, a little surprised. “I mean, it just got started. You’re just sitting here….”
“I’m sorry, but it isn’t fun for me to watch you guys jump over fire and drink beer and smoke pot. I promised my dad we wouldn’t.”
Micah lifted his soda can. “I haven’t broken my promise.” He sounded irritated.
“It’s cool, Micah. I’ll just catch a ride home,” I tried to reason.
“No way. Come on. Live a little! Don’t you want to have a little bit of fun?” His voice was getting louder, drawing attention to us. Was he really going to do this now? Here? In front of them?
“Clearly not,” I replied tartly.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Micah asked, his eyes narrowing. I frowned and put my soda can down onto the ground by my feet.
“It means that I’m going to go home now.” I stood up. I wasn’t going to give him the chance to try to stop me. I pulled my phone out of my boot and started to walk back around the house. I heard Marshall ask if everything was all right, but I didn’t wait to hear Micah’s reply.
Great! Just…great. This was not the way I wanted the night to end. I pulled up Josh’s number and dialed it. I refused to call my dad—I didn’t want him to flip out or worry when he heard my voice. The phone just rang and rang until I got Josh’s stupid voicemail. Determined to get ahold of my brother, I resorted to texting.
CHARLIE: Josh??????
CHARLIE: JOSH!!! ANSWER YOUR PHONE!
CHARLIE: Hello??
After a few minutes of walking on the main road, trying to hold back my tears, I finally got a response.
JOSH: What’s up?
> CHARLIE: Can you come get me?
CHARLIE: I left Marshall’s house
CHARLIE: and I’m walking to the nearby Mini Mart.
CHARLIE: I’m out on Route 15.
JOSH: Are you OK?
CHARLIE: I am, can you just come get me?
JOSH: Ya. I can. Is Micah with you?
CHARLIE: Not right now.
JOSH: He let you go alone?????
CHARLIE: I really didn’t give him the chance to follow me.
JOSH: I’m on my way.
JOSH: Stay close to the road. Don’t stop for anyone.
CHARLIE: Don’t say anything to Dad.
JOSH: I won’t. Hang tight!
Relief rushed through me as I read Josh’s last text message. He was coming to save me. I felt like crying, but I did everything I could to keep it inside. I wouldn’t cry over a stupid boy and his stupid friends. They didn’t deserve my tears.
I walked a bit faster in the brisk, cool air, feeling the chill of the night run down my spine. Josh would take at least ten or fifteen minutes to get to me. I was tempted to find a place to sit and wait, but I knew I’d only get colder, quicker, so I kept moving. Just as I was wishing for a warmer sweater, the sound of a car engine came up behind me. I turned to look over my shoulder, the oncoming headlights nearly blinding me.
I pushed myself to the far side of the road, not wanting to be seen or hit. As the car came closer, it began to slow. I knew who it was by the melody of Ah-Ha’s “Take on Me” wafting from the car windows. Who else? Micah.
I frowned as I continued to walk along the roadside.
“Hey! Charlie, stop!” Micah called from the driver’s window. I ignored him. “What the hell is your problem, huh? Fine, you don’t like my friends, but you don’t have to be a—”
The Songs in Our Hearts: A Young Adult Romance Page 12