by T. Banny
“ And you are the best-est best friend a girl could ever have, Romina Vilella," I said, and I felt my eyes tearing up.
“ OK, lets stop with the love fest and the waterworks," she said, after we were done hugging each other. “ We are so going to ruin our makeup. And it took hours for me to get us looking so good”.
“ OK," I said, blinking a few times so the tears wouldn’t fall and ruin my mascara.
Ro went to the mirror and patted her hair. Her normally straight hair had decided to be cooperative, and it fell in soft waves down her back. Well, as wavy as bone straight hair like Romina’s could get. She looked beautiful in her wine gown and soft, sheer makeup. Her eyes were big and blue as a summer sky.
“ Ty Sutton is really gorgeous, Ro," I said softly. “ Don’t feel bad for being attracted to him. There’s not a lot of guys who look like movie stars in our school”.
“ It isn’t just his looks, though. He’s just so funny, and carefree," Ro said, wistfully. “ Like he doesn’t care what people think. He just marches to his own drum”.
“ So call him. Hang out with him. I mean, it doesn’t have to lead to anything. Ty seems like he’d be a pretty cool friend," I said.
“ No way. I couldn’t do that to Tommy. He wouldn’t understand. I’m from Egg Cove and Ty is from A Park, that just doesn’t happen," Ro said, then she looked away when she realized that was exactly what Chan and I were. “ Enough with the Sutton boys! It’s like they’re taking over our lives! Let’s think about how hot we are going to look coming out of limo!”
“ And on the dance floor!" I said, giving a sexy shake of my hips. I did my best Beyonce moves all around our bedroom.
“ Honey, save some of for later!” Ro giggled.
Two hours later, we were downstairs, being fawned over by my mother, Giselle and my mother’s boyfriend Eduardo.
“ Where’d I get such beautiful girls!" my mother cooed, while Giselle fluttered around us, taking pictures.
“ It’s obvious they got their beauty from you, Daisy," Eduardo said, giving my mother a hug. “ Why don’t we dress up and crash this Winter Dance?”
“ No, we’ve got to let the young people have their fun, Dudu," my mother laughed, squeezing his hands.
It felt good to see my mom so happy. I didn’t know Eduardo well, but from the way he was staring at my mom, it was apparent he was smitten by her. It was about time my mom got on the dating scene. My father, Fernando, had died before I was born, and my mom had struggled to raise me on her own. She deserved to be happy now.
Giselle let out an excited squeal when she the limo pulled up in front of our house.
“ Yeah, baby!" Ro said, doing a happy dance when we opened the front door.
It seemed like all of our neighbors came out to see us get into the limo, but not before forcing us all to stand in front of it while we they took pictures.
“ We’re going to miss the dance if we wait any longer!" Joaquim laughed.
Finally, after all the picture taking, oohing and aah-ing, and admiration from the adults, we piled into the limo, and settled back for the twenty minute drive to the Ardsley Grand Hotel.
“ I feel like a movie star!" Ana cried, kicking her high heeled feet up.
“ You look like one too," said Thiago, her boyfriend. He tried to give her a kiss but she slapped him away.
“ You’ll ruin my make-up!” she laughed, as Thiago did his best to kiss her cheeks.
“ You look so beautiful, Nellie," Joaquim murmured softly into my ear. “ I can’t believe I’ve got such a gorgeous girl at my side”.
“ You look really handsome too," I told him, and it was true. It was a shame I wasn’t in love with Joaquim. He looked so good-looking in his black tux. His long hair was combed back, and tied with an elegant black silk ribbon. He looked like some dashing character out of a romance novel.
“ That’s a beautiful necklace, Nellie," Ana said, admiringly. She leaned forward to get a better look. “ Are those pearls and diamonds?”
I nodded, fingering the necklace. Joaquim noticed and raised an eyebrow.
“ Wow, that is nice," he said. “ Did your Mom buy for that you?”
“ No. Someone special gave them to me as a gift”. I couldn’t tell the truth, but I didn’t want to lie, either.
“ Probably her avó," Ana said, and she sounded a little jealous. “ Your grandmother always spoiling you!”
“ Darn it. I thought this was champagne!" Tommy said, and I was grateful for the change of subject. He reached into the little bar was built into the limo. “ It’s just sparkling cider”.
“ No worries!" Ana said, mischievously. She opened her bag, and took out a bottle of wine. “ I brought our own stuff we can party with!”
“ Let’s save it for the after-party," said Ro, ever sensible. “ We don’t want them to not let us in because we’re all drunk”.
“ She’s got a point," Joaquim said, as a disappointed Ana put the wine back in her bag.
Thiago noticed some Cove kids driving along beside us. He opened the limos sunroof and whooped at them.
“ Party time!!!!" he yelled, and the other cars honked at him. We all laughed hysterically and poked our heads out of the roof too, shouting and laughing and waving at our friends.
And that was how we arrived at the hotel, with a whole bunch of cars following behind the limo, with horns honking and music blasting.
“ Oh yeah!" Ana said, doing a dance in her seat. “ If it’s one thing us Cove kids know how to do, it’s how to start a party!”
“ I can just imagine what these A-people are thinking," Joaquim laughed as we drove onto the hotel grounds. “ Damn, those Cove kids are rowdy!”
“ We wouldn’t be Cove kids if we weren’t!" Ro agreed.
Still, we calmed down when we reached the front entrance of the Ardsley Grand. It was just so magnificently elegant, you couldn’t help but be awed into silence. The hotel was a huge, brick building with a cobblestoned circular entrance. Beautiful paths meandered around the sides of the hotel. The trees and hedges bordered the paths were decorated with tiny lights shimmering like little stars.
The limo pulled up to the front entrance. The driver came around to open the door for us. We’d all been whooping and yelling before, but now even the guys were hushed and subdued by the ornate hotel entrance with its stone steps, Grecian columns and topiaries.
Joaquim held my hand as we walked up the steps into the hotel lobby. The lobby was just as impressive at the exterior. It had marble floors, chandeliers, and a huge fountain in the center.
“ Welcome to Ardsley Grand”. We were greeted by friendly, elegant hotel staff. After taking our tickets from us, they told us to follow the signs to the hotel ball room.
“ This is so unbelievable," Ro whispered, walking beside me and Joaquim. Our heels clacked elegantly on the marble floors. I was speechless at how luxurious the hotel was. There were roses in crystal vases set on expensive looking wood tables, and gorgeous gold framed paintings on the wall. Never in my life had I been to such a fancy hotel.
We could hear dance music coming from the ballroom, and it relaxed me a bit. It was hard to feel uncomfortable when there was hip hop music blasting. It seemed at odds with the upscale ambiance of the hotel…I was expecting to hear violins coming from the ballroom.
We reached the ball room entrance, and my heart began to pound so fast I thought Joaquim would feel my pulse through my palm.
Channing was standing by the entrance, looking excruciatingly handsome in a black tuxedo and tie. He was standing with a friend, talking quietly. He looked so dapper and stylish and rich. Unlike Joaquim, Tommy and Thiago who were distinctly uncomfortable in such a luxurious environment, Channing looked perfectly relaxed and at ease.
It felt kind of odd. I didn’t know this side of Channing. For me, he was just Chan, the boy whose eyes got bright anytime he talked about wood, and music, and movies, and who liked to have tickle fights. The Chan I knew liked to wear plain w
hite tees, slouchy jeans, and always had his hands dug deep into his pocket.
This boy, in his expensive tux, looked like a stranger. This Channing looked like he should be polo playing or golfing or sailing or whatever it was rich boys did.
I didn’t even want to look at him as Joaquim led me to the entrance. I was scared of what I’d see in his eyes. What if I looked as awkward as I felt? And what would he think, seeing me hand in hand with Joaquim?
But I couldn’t help it. I looked at him from under my lashes as we walked past. He just looked so fine!
He’d been smiling, but the smile disappeared when he saw me and Joaquim holding hands. His eyes flew to my neck, and his expression softened when he saw the pearls, but he still looked kind of angry.
“ Dudes! What’s up!" Ty Sutton sauntered out of the ballroom, a very pretty girl on his arm. Her name was Iselin Jones, and she was an A-girl, but I knew she didn’t really hang out with Samantha and the rest of crowd.
Ty whistled appreciatively at me, even though he was arm in arm with Iselin. “ Damn, Nellie. You look good enough to eat, girl!”
Joaquim put his arm around my shoulder possessively. “ Yeah, my girl is looking beautiful tonight”.
“ All these ladies look gorgeous," said the boy who was standing with Chan. I didn’t know his name.
“ That’s the truth. I feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven," Ty said, with an exaggerated sigh. Iselin rolled her eyes, and they walked away, laughing.
I glanced at Ro. Her face was cool, and I noticed she moved a little closer to Tommy.
“ You really do look breathtaking, Nellie," Chan said, surprising me. I didn’t think he would talk to me with Joaquim right there.
“ Thanks," I said, and I sounded kind of breathless.
“ That guy gets on my nerves, he really really does," Joaquim said, practically dragging me along.
“ This is my favorite song in the world! Let’s dance!" I said, because the last thing I wanted was for Joaquim to be upset.
“ Can we settle in first?" he asked, still sounding a little snippy.
“ Sure," I chirped, “ we should find a table, you’re right”.
The Egg Cove kids had all congregated to one corner of the ballroom, while the A-kids had moved over to the opposite side. It didn’t surprise me, it happened at all Lincoln High events. There was always a clear line between Egg Cove kids and the Ardsley kids and this Winter Dance was no different. Joaquim led us to a table not too far from the dance floor.
“ Can’t we sit next to the food?" Tommy asked, which made us all laugh. Tommy loved to eat.
We sat down at a table, and continued to admire our surroundings. The ballroom had been decorated to look like a Winter Wonderland. There were snowy white and silver helium balloons floating over our heads. Fake snow had been scattered throughout the ballroom in silvery little piles. There were crystal icicle garlands, and each table had a gorgeous arrangement of silver and white candles, with white roses and carnations dusted in silver. It was really awesome.
“ Now you see where our fifty dollars went," Ro teased Tommy, who had complained about the price of the ticket up until the last minute.
“ This really does look great," Ana said, touching the roses. She laughed as Thiago took a carnation, and tucked it behind her ear.
Joaquim kept glaring over at Channing, who had re-entered the ballroom. He was on the dance floor, dancing with Bethany. I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy as he twirled Bethany around. She was laughing as her blond hair swung around her like a curtain.
“ Earth to Joaquim?" I said to him, turning his face to look at mine.
He smiled. “ Hey, pretty girl”.
“ Oh, you noticed?" I said, raising an eyebrow.
“ I’m sorry. I just can’t stand that guy. He makes it so obvious he likes you," Joaquim muttered. “It’s kind of annoying”.
“ Joaquim, I have no idea what you’re talking about," I said, frustrated.
“ Oh God, Nellie, it’s so obvious Channing Sutton likes you," said Ana, taking another flower from the table, and putting it in Ro’s hair. “ He’s always checking you out in school”.
“ No, he doesn’t!" I said, alarmed, and I looked at Ro.
Ro looked away.
“ It’s true," Ana insisted. “ I don’t know how you’ve never noticed. Anytime we pass him and his friends, he just stares at you”.
“ Ana. I hardly ever see Chan in school," I snapped.
“ Chan?" Joaquim repeated, and he gave me a strange look.
“ Everyone calls him Chan," Ro jumped in. “ But you guys? Why are we talking, when we can be dancing?” She got up, and grabbed Tommy’s hand.
“ Ro, I wanted to eat first…," Tommy protested, but he followed her out onto the dance floor.
Ana went up with Thiago. Joaquim got up, but he still looked annoyed. He held out his hand, and I got up reluctantly. The last thing I wanted to do was dance when Channing was on the dance floor.
Joaquim marched onto the dance floor like a soldier. He stood right next to Channing, and pulled me into arms. It wasn’t a slow song, but Joaquim pressed me close.
Bethany, who was still dancing with Chan, moved away in another direction, but Joaquim seemed to want to make a point because he danced us right next to them again.
“ Joaquim, what the hell is your problem?" I hissed.
“ I want him to realize you’re my girl," Joaquim said, and he squeezed my arm so hard it hurt.
“ Joaquim! Chill out!" I said, angrily. “ You‘re hurting me!”.
I saw Chan’s body go still, and I could tell he was listening.
“ I’m sorry, Nellie," Joaquim said apologetically. “ I didn’t mean to hurt you”.
I walked off the dance floor, and Joaquim followed. “ Nellie, seriously. I’m sorry”.
“ Just get me something to drink," I said, sitting down at the table. We hadn’t been there not even a few minutes and already the dance was going in the wrong direction.
“ OK. What do you want?" Joaquim asked, his shoulders slumped.
“ Just a Coke," I mumbled. He walked off.
Ro came to the table, her face flushed. “ What’s going on?”
“ Where’s Tommy?" I asked, looking around for him.
“ He went to the buffet. But what’s going on with you and Joaquim?”.
“ He’s obsessed with Channing," I said quietly. “ It’s like he suspects something”.
“ Nellie, why do you think Bethany warned you to be careful?" Ro asked. “I don’t know what you and Chan think other people see, but it’s clear as day there’s an attraction between you two. Do you think just because you’re not making eye contact you’re being discreet?”
“ But…we don’t even talk to each other!" I said.
“ It doesn’t matter. It’s like…chemicals react between the two of you. I think it’s really beautiful because I know the truth. But all Joaquim sees is Chan ogling you, and you blushing like a schoolgirl with a crush. Of course he’s getting jealous. I don’t know how he didn’t figure it out at the bowling alley!”
“ What do I do?" I asked.
Ro shrugged, helplessly. “ Stay far away from Channing. At least for tonight. We’re not just talking about Joaquim, after all. You’ve also got Samantha to think about”.
Joaquim returned with my soft drink. He set it down in front of me. Before I could drink it, he took both my hands and kissed them.
“ I’m sorry for being an idiot," he said, softly. “ You just look so beautiful, Nellie. You’re driving me wild”.
“ Joaquim, you’re so silly," I said, but I smiled at him.
“ Finish that, and let’s dance again," he said, stroking my cheek. “I promise you there won’t be any arm squeezing”.
I have to admit, I took my time sipping my drink. I had no desire to see Chan on the dance floor again. I hadn’t seen him with Samantha, but I knew it was only a matter of time.
Luckily,
though, the dance floor got so crowded I didn’t see Channing for the next few hours. The Cove kids took over one section of the dance floor, and turned it into a bump grind, booty shaking fest. I danced so much my feet started to hurt.
I even felt comfortable dancing a little dirty with Joaquim. There were too many kids for Channing to see, and it was just harmless dancing.
But then Joaquim pulled me off the dance floor and to a corner of the ballroom, behind the huge marble columns. It was quiet, and kind of isolated.
Joaquim gathered me in his ams and kissed me like he’d never kissed me before. There was passion in this kiss, feeling. I pulled away, shocked.
I couldn’t deny the way Joaquim was looking at me. He was looking straight into my eyes. I swallowed, uncomfortably.
“ Nellie, I just have to know how you feel about me," he said, his voice intense.
“ Joaquim, what do you mean?" I stuttered. I looked around wildly for Ro. My best friend was always around to save me. But she was nowhere around.
“ Nellie, I want to know if you feel the way I do ," he said. “I just want to know if there’s a chance between you and me ”.
There it was. There was no getting around it. Joaquim had hinted for weeks how he felt about me, but he’d never asked me plain and clear like this.
I could lie, as I’d been doing all these months. Just pretend I felt the same way for Joaquim. Wasn’t it what Channing was doing with Samantha? Pretending to feel something he didn’t? Why couldn’t I do the same?
Because it was wrong. Joaquim wasn’t a nut job like Samantha. He was a nice guy who genuinely cared for me. He didn’t deserve to be lied to.
“ I promise you, Nellie, I’ll do anything I can to make you happy," he went on. “ You make me feel on top of the world. And I just can’t hold these feelings back any longer. I want you to be my girl. My girl for all the world to see”.
Why couldn’t it be Channing telling me all this? Why Joaquim?
“ I always have so much fun when I’m with you, Nellie," he said.
“ I have fun with you too, Joaquim," I began.
“ Nelle, I want to be everything for you. I want to make you so happy, happier than you’ve ever been. I want to be all you ever need," he said, intensely.