The Last Dance

by Kiki Hamilton

  Ivy

  In the end, Mira decided it was too soon to ask Q to Sadie Hawkins. I had gently tried to point out that since the guy had trouble walking, I doubted he wanted to try to dance with a stranger. In combat boots. So, she asked Tank Bergstrom instead, who seemed very happy to say yes.

  I asked Brandon, Shelby asked Glen Hawkins and Lily asked Ryan Larsen. We decided to all go together, which was going to be interesting. Tank was a metal head, totally into his music, Brandon was an orchestra geek, Glen was a baseball player and friends with Q, and Ryan was a granola boy but I secretly thought he was a closet pothead. I hadn’t mentioned that to Lily though. But we’d all known each other for the last four years, some of us longer, so I figured it would be fine.

  The theme for Sadie Hawkin’s was “Celebrity Night.” Brandon and I decided to go as Pierce Brosnan and Renee Russo from The Thomas Crowne Affair. That way he could wear his orchestra tux and I could take another stab at wearing a fancy dress. I was pretty sure no one would recognize which celebrities we were, but it would still be fun to pretend we were ber-rich. And Mira had a short red wig I could borrow and a ton of costume jewelry. Hopefully, no one would puke on me.

  The four of us planned to get ready at The Mansion. I was the first to arrive and ran up the grand staircase to Mira’s room. She was going as Lady Gaga and Tank was going to be her lead guitarist. Hardly a stretch for either of them. Mira was sitting in front of her big white vanity, the one from Pottery Barn, putting on some outrageous makeup when I got there.

  “Nice boots.” I motioned to her hot pink combat boots. She was wearing a super short dress that revealed a lot of leg. “What are you going to wear with them?”

  “Ha ha, very funny,” Mira said, not even pausing in her application of fake eyelashes. A hot pink lightning bolt colored one whole side of her face.

  “Lucky thing you have good legs,” I said. “Tank’s going to like that outfit.”

  Mira grinned at me over her shoulder. “Too bad Q’s not going to see me.”

  I laughed. “Probably better he’s not. You’d probably give him a heart attack.”

  Mira stuck her finger in her mouth then touched it to her hip. ‘Siiizzzzzz. Too hot to handle.”

  I rolled my eyes and snorted. “Whatever.”

  She shooed me with her hand. “Get your dress on. Shelby and Lily are going to be here any minute.”

  I pulled my dress from the garment bag.

  “Ohhhh, that’s pretty,” Mira said.

  It was a dress I had worn for a few piano showcases. Black and glittering, it was tight enough to show off my slim figure, and hit me just above the knees. Plus, I had a great pair of black heels that went with it. Elegant but sexy, sort of like one of the dresses Renee Russo had worn in the movie – this one just wasn’t see-through like hers had been. Thankfully.

  Shelby and Lily arrived a few moments later. Glen was going as Edgar Martinez, a retired Mariners baseball player (big surprise) so Shelby decided to dress up as a cheerleader. Somehow she’d found a real cheerleader outfit on Ebay that actually fit.

  Ryan was going as John Lennon so Lily opted for Yoko, which was a little bit funny as I was the only Asian in the crowd, but she found a wig and some big glasses and the most God-awful bell bottoms.

  Glen picked us up in his mom’s huge SUV so all eight of us could fit in the car.

  “Scoot over,” I giggled as Lily half-sat on me and wapped me in the face with her Yoko Ono hair.

  “Mira’s shoving me!” Lily laughed, her big white glasses sliding down her nose while she tried to shove back as we crammed into the far back seat. “Don’t step on my toes with those boots!”

  Shelby got to ride shotgun because Glen was her date. Brandon, Ryan and Tank somehow got stuck sitting together but they managed to squeeze into the middle seat with less drama than the three of us in the back. After about ten minutes of squirming and adjusting we finally headed to the school. As we were driving out of Springwood, Glen tooted his horn at somebody on the sidewalk. I peered out the window, squinting to see through the settling dark as we drove past. I froze as I recognized broad shoulders. Was that Q?

  The guy raised his left hand at Glen. It looked like he was holding a football. Did Q live around here? For a second, I thought he saw me through the glass. His head swiveled to follow the car’s passage and he seemed to be looking right at my window.

  Giggles and laughter filled the car around me, for but for a second it was like I was standing alone on that corner watching the car full of laughing kids drive by. I leaned forward and pressed my nose against the glass, watching him until we turned the corner and he was out of sight.

  “Ivy, what are you doing?” Mira asked.

  I jerked my head back, suddenly aware of how I must look. “Nothing. I thought I saw something… weird out there.”

  “Weird, like in what? A ghost?” Brandon asked.

  His comment was oddly appropriate. It was like Q was a ghost of himself anymore.

  But that was all it took to get the car laughing again. By the time we got to the school, I’d forgotten all about Q.

  Almost.

  THE NIGHT WAS nearly over and the band was taking their last break, so for the moment we could actually hear ourselves. We sat around a big circular table talking and drinking the lame lemonadey kind of punch stuff they had.

  Two tables over Laurel Simmons was all over Josh Hendershot. Her hair was messed up, her lipstick was smeared and it was only by a miracle that any part of her boobs were still covered by the low cut top she kept pushing in Josh’s face. I was pretty sure they’d had more than lemons in their lemonade.

  “Who do you suppose they are,” Mira whispered in my ear as she nodded in their direction. “Courtney Love and her dealer?”

  I laughed under my breath. “Mrrreoww. Vicious when you want to be, aren’t you?”

  “It’s not like she doesn’t deserve it.”

  “Hey, did you hear about Paris?” Brandon asked, nudging me with his elbow. He really looked cute tonight, in his tux and with his hair all fashionably spiked. He had such a friendly face and easy smile. He never made me nervous.

  “No.” My curiosity bubbled over. “Paris who?”

  “What’s this about Paris?” Mira leaned closer. She was as Paris-crazy as I was. We daydreamed about living there one day and talked about how when we fell in love we’d put a padlock on one of the bridges as a sign of our undying love.

  “Oh, that’s right,” he said, looking at me, “you weren’t there. You were gone tutoring.” There was no inflection in his words. In fact, he didn’t seem bothered by my tutoring Kellen Peterson at all. “Mr. Flynn announced on Friday that Heritage Festivals is putting on an international orchestra competition in Paris over spring break. If they can get enough kids to commit, he’ll chaperone a group of us there to compete.”

  My mouth dropped open. Paris in the spring. It would be my dream come true.

  WE DROPPED LILY and Ryan off first. When Glen dropped me off, Brandon got out of the car and gallantly walked me to the front porch.

  “Thanks for asking me, Ivy,” he said, his arm on my elbow. “That was really fun tonight.”

  “Yeah, thanks for coming.” I turned to face him. “I had a blast.” And it was true. I’d had a great time. We’d laughed all evening and even though we were all so different, the dance had been a lot of fun.

  Brandon stepped onto the porch step next to me and moved closer. My heart started racing. We were standing directly under the porch light and part of my brain wondered if he was going to kiss me while the other half wondered if Mira and the guys were watching from the car.

  Somebody rolled a window down and I heard them giggling. Suddenly Tank yelled, “kiss her!”

  Before Brandon could see me blush he leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. I pressed back. So this is kissing, I thought. Big deal. Then it was over.

  Glen started honking the horn and Brandon stepped back, looking pleased with
himself. On the other side of the door, I could hear my father’s measured footsteps approach. I widened my eyes at Brandon and he stepped away.

  “Okay, see you later,” I said, just as my father opened the front door.

  “Ivy, what’s all the commotion out here? It’s after midnight. The neighbors are trying to sleep.”

  “Hello Mr. Ly.” Brandon reached forward and shook my father’s hand. “Thanks for letting Ivy come out with me tonight.”

  “Oh, hello Brandon.” My father gave him a little half-bow. He was old-school—some things never change. At least Brandon totally got it. “Be careful driving home.”

  “Yes, sir.” Brandon grinned at me and then ran back to the car.

  “Bye Ivy,” Mira called out the window, waving.

  I rested my hand on the knob of the front door and waved back. She was probably more excited about my first kiss than I was. At least they’d had enough sense to stop honking the horn.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Kellen

  I got to fifth period early on Monday, before Ivy arrived. I’d spent a lot of time working on the piano lately, struggling to read the notes on the page, to get my fingers to go where my brain told them to go. But things actually seemed to be improving.

  I pulled the intermediate piano book I was working from out of my backpack and stood it up on the stand. It always took a few minutes for the fingers on my right hand to warm up so I started working on a simple C scale. Though I had taken piano lessons for four years when I was younger, I hadn’t played once in the three years since I’d quit. Now after my brain injury, I wasn’t sure there was anything left to remember.

  After a few minutes my fingers felt looser so I started the song on the page. I played just my left hand for a few measures, trying to get the rhythm of the repeating phrases so I wouldn’t have to think so much about that hand when I tried to add in the right hand.

  It took a few minutes before I got a nice rhythm going with my left hand but every time I tried to come in with my right hand, I got jumbled up.

  “Dammit.” I swore under my breath, my shoulders starting to tense up.

  “Here.”

  Ivy’s voice was so close to my ear I jumped. “Shit.” I faked a cough and cleared my throat. “Sorry. I didn’t know you were back there.”

  She smiled at me—soft and—different.

  “I can be sneaky like that sometimes. I get it from my mother.” She leaned close to my right side and placed her small hand on top of my right hand. “Let me help you.” Her long dark hair slid off her right shoulder as she moved and the fragrant scent of plumeria wafted around my head. Fifth period was definitely the best part of my day.

  She pressed down on my spastic fingers to make them play the keys. She didn’t even seem to notice that they were so messed up.

  “Keep your fingers relaxed and your wrists straight. You don’t have to rush.” With her help, suddenly the notes sounded like music instead of torture by piano. “There.” She tilted her head to look at me. “Can you feel the difference?”

  She was so close I could see how perfect her skin was and the delicate black lashes that framed her dark eyes. I wondered what she was thinking at the same time I thought about kissing her.

  It was like she read my mind because all of a sudden she jerked her head back and hurried to sit in the chair. “Keep playing,” she said over her shoulder. “You’re doing great.”

  I turned back to the piano, a sick feeling twisting in my gut. What the hell was I thinking? Kissing my tutor? Not only was that totally wrong and the most stupid thing I could think to do, but I knew she had a boyfriend.

  Self-loathing was my new best friend. Two months ago I probably could have dated any girl in this school. Now I probably couldn’t get a date—and to make matters worse—I wanted to hit on my tutor, the one person I should probably never date. God, I was such a loser.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Ivy

  When I got home from school I went directly to my room. I flopped on my back onto the bed and left my feet hanging over the edge. I put one of the orange throw pillows over my face and screamed “HOLY CHICKEN HEAD” into it. What was wrong with me? This afternoon in fifth period, when I was helping Q play the treble notes with his right hand, I had thought about kissing him. KISSING HIM!

  I groaned in utter mortification. The truth was I had wanted to kiss him. But I was his tutor! Tutor’s don’t kiss their students. Even if they are the most beautiful ex-football playing boys that have ever walked the face of the earth. That’s like sexual harassment or something. I’d probably get arrested if anybody knew, not to mention that I sort-of have a boyfriend and the very most important part: Q WAS MY BEST FRIEND’S OBSESSION.

  “Ivy?” I jerked the pillow off my face at the sound of my mother’s voice. Sneaky, that woman. Her head was poked around the corner of the door jamb and she was staring at me with a confused frown. “Is everything all right? I thought I heard you scream.”

  “No— I mean yeah—Ma. Everything’s fine. I was … er…singing.”

  My mom scrunched her eyebrows like she didn’t believe me.

  “What are you doing home?”

  She brushed a wave of gray-streaked hair off her forehead. “We had a furlough day at work today. Don’t forget Dr. Cobbs wants you to start working on the Christmas pieces for the Youth Symphony.”

  “I’ve been working on ‘em, Ma.” I pushed off the bed and went over to grab my laptop off my desk. “I’ve got some other homework to do first.” Which was totally the truth. I was putting in long hours, up until midnight every night, trying to keep up with the homework from my regular classes.

  “Mrs. Chang told me that Brandon has applied to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.” There was a disapproving note in her voice. “He could be a doctor if he wanted.” She hovered in the doorway, waiting for my reaction.

  I smiled at my mother, giving no indication that I might like to apply there too. “I hope he gets in, I think he’d love it there.” The sing-song tone of an incoming Skype call rang on my laptop. “I’ve gotta get this, ma.” I clicked on “Answer with video” and Mira’s face popped up.

  “Hey!” she chirped.

  “Don’t forget to practice your piano,” my mother muttered as she disappeared back downstairs.

  I shut my bedroom door and plunked down on my bed with my computer on my lap.

  “I think Q was flirting with me in study hall today, don’t you?” Mira said as she painted her fingernails black.

  “Yeah, I think he was too.” And I did. After my insane moment at the piano, Q had barely looked at me the rest of the day. Had he somehow known what I’d been thinking? Instead of staying over after school for a few minutes, like we sometimes did, he bolted right at the bell. Whatever. I was happy for Mira that she and Q were becoming such good friends. I was.

  Ugh. I had to stop thinking about him. “Have you heard from Tank?” I asked.

  “Oh yeah. He texts me all the time. Wants me to go to one of his gigs this weekend, but I don’t know.” She looked into the camera. “I don’t want people to think I’m his groupie or something.”

  I laughed. Mira was too original to be somebody’s groupie. “I wouldn’t worry. Where’s he playing at?”

  “Oh, they’ve got something going on down at The Crypt.” She paused to blow on her outstretched fingers. “But that place is a little scary.”

  “Ya think?” I snorted. “They just busted some guys down there for meth a couple of weeks ago and don’t you remember last summer when somebody got stabbed in the parking lot?” I shook my head, even though she wasn’t looking at me. “That place is bad news. You’re not thinking of going, are you?”

  Mira shrugged. “No, not really. What’s up with Brandon?” She disappeared from the screen and I could hear her rattling around in the background.

  “He’s going to some weekend cello camp in Seattle. But it doesn’t matter because I’ve got homework anyway.” I gr
oaned. “Tons and tons of homework. Plus I haven’t practiced near enough on my piano.” I glanced at the door to make sure it was shut. I didn’t want my mother to hear that last comment.

  Mira popped back into the picture. “Q seems like he’s getting better, doesn’t he?” Now she was looking directly at me. “How much longer do you think you’ll get to tutor him?”

  Mr. Decker had never given me a timeframe, probably because nobody knew how quickly he’d recover. But I could definitely see improvement. Q’s speech was better and his memory seemed to be improving.

  “Probably just until he gets caught up in his classes. Maybe ‘til Christmas break. Maybe January.” I shrugged, but a little voice in the back of my head squeaked ‘or February, please’. “I don’t know. Why?”

  Mira pushed her face really close to the camera and spoke in a furtive whisper. “I want to know how long I have to slip him the magic love potion.” Then she laughed and sat back, and spoke in her normal voice. “Because you know perfectly well, once he doesn’t need you anymore, he won’t be hanging out with us.”

  That’s what I loved best about Mira. She just said it the way it was. Didn’t get in a big huff about anything. Like being used for your brains.

  I smiled at her. “Well, if today was any indication, I’d say it’s starting to work.”

  Mira took a big bite of a Twinkie and smiled at me, her teeth all full of yellow sponge cake and cream. “I knouwf.”

  I stared at the blank screen for a long time after Mira disconnected. What was I doing? Mira had liked Q for over a year. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t even known she was alive until a few weeks ago. That didn’t change how she felt about him. Which meant I couldn’t feel that way about him. And who knows? Maybe he felt the same way about her. People change. Up until a few weeks ago I had thought all football players were stupid jocks who only cared about winning.

  I thought of Brandon and how cute he was and such a good, nice person. He always had a smile on his face and worked so hard to excel in school, partly I know, just to make his parents proud. We’d been friends forever and now he like liked me. I couldn’t waste one more second thinking about Q and things that could never be. Besides, we weren’t really even friends. He was only around so I could help him catch up on his studies. I was his tutor, he was my student. I wouldn’t allow myself to think of him in other way.