Well, tonight was the night. The night of the dance. Being a new thing & all, my parents, along with my friends' parents, all thought it'd be cute if we all got together at Jaden's house to take pictures of us & those of us who had dates.
Collin, Randy, Jeff, Alex, Dane, West, Jaden & I were all dressed up hanging out at Jade's house before we all car-pooled to the school in about an hour. At first, the parents were obsessed with taking pictures of all of us. Dane, Jeff, West, Alex & Collin had dates. Alex had been asked by Sarah, but she stood him up after, ensuring that her mom told Alex she went with somebody else instead.
Randy had been asked by the most girls out of all of us, but being shy, he had politely said no. Jade & I were secretly going with each other. But we'd dance if we were asked, since we knew how to dance.
Eventually, the folks settled down & began to talk amongst each other about 'important' stuff. So we boys decided to go down & play some video games while our dates followed & talked endless gossip.
We were playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl when Jeff started a big conversation with everyone.
"Does anybody know what time this thing is over?"
"It ends at 9:30. Why? You got something better to do?" answered Peggy, Peg for short. They had been going out since the end of 8th grade. They had some sort of love-hate thing going on. They argued a lot, but it never seemed to change their feelings for each other, no matter what they quarreled about.
"What's that s'pose to mean?" he shot back.
"Nothing, I just asked if there was something more important than the dance, that's all."
"What's your problem? All I asked was what time it ends."
"Why do you have to know? Why can't you just let it happen?"
"I was just wondering. Sheesh. You do this all the time."
"Excuse me? Like when?" she interrogated.
"Like when you-" he was cut off.
"HEY! Take your wife somewhere else to talk about this, will ya?" said Collin.
"Shut up Collin, no one asked you to interrupt" Peg replied. So pleasant.
"You should have though of that before the game got paused so you two have argue."
"Guys, stop fighting, please" said Alex.
"Eh, they're like babies. You just got to let them get all the crying out & not do anything" said West with a laugh. His date, Gina, nudged him in the arm.
"Aww, West, that wasn't nice."
"Oh c'mon now, we're all friends. It's just a little teasing here & there."
"You say that all the time" said Rose, Dane's date.
"I told you not to get involved..." Dane groaned.
"STOP!" shouted Jeff.
"Thank you..." Jaden muttered.
Soon after the argument had settled down & regular talking had resumed, we were all called upstairs to get ready to leave. As we were walking up the stairs, Randy turned to me.
"Can't wait for next year."
When we left the house, half of us went in my moms car, the other half in Collin's dad's car. It was squished, but we made it with not being pulled over.
We finally arrived at the front of the school. There were tons of people walking in good looking suits or beautiful dresses. We met up with some of our other pals, but it was mostly the 8 of us. Those who had dates hooked their arms & went to the gym. Randy, Jade & I still went anyway.
The music that the DJ was playing was absolutely fantastic. It wasn't like, today's totally up-to-date rap music stuff, but it was pretty good. Easy, but with a good beat & rhythm.
We all danced under the color flashing lights on the ceiling. Jaden & I made sure that we were near each other. It was a lot of fun.
"Hey Noah" I felt a tap on my back. I turned around. It was Sarah, who was in my grade.
"Hi."
That's the moment a slow song by Stevie Wonder came on. Some of the people on the dance floor walked off, allowing more 'couples' to get in on the slow dance.
"You want to dance?" she asked.
"I don't know, I mean, you stood up Alex for somebody else. He's my friend. I don't think he'd like it."
"Um, we talked about it a minute ago, everything is all settled. So you want to dance now?"
I thought for a moment. Was he really ok with it? I hope so.
"Yeah."
She reached her arms over my neck while I placed my hands on her hips. We danced slowly, listening to the song playing, just allowing ourselves to move freely in tune to the music.
Our bodies moved together as one as we got closer to each other. We swayed back & forth. Soon, I realized her head was resting on my shoulder. What was going on here?
Just then, the song changed & it wasn't just a slow song, but it was also a love song. I wasn't sure what was going to happen now, but I went with it, letting myself float along with the music.
It was like this for two more songs. Jaden was about 10 feet away dancing with somebody the same way pretty much. He smiled at me, which I returned.
After a couple minutes, Sarah looked at me in the eye & leaned in. I felt her lips lock with mine. Naturally, my eyes closed. But after a second, the kiss broke & I opened my eyes. I didn't even want that kiss.
I looked past Sara to the other side of the dance floor where Alex & Jaden were standing at the food table.
Alex had on a face that looked like it would frighten Satan himself. I could see a small tear form in his eye as he gritted his teeth in anger to keep him from exploding. He stormed off, violently shoving people out of his way. He was furious at me.
Jaden. I don't think I've ever seen anybody so hurt, so heartbroken, so emotionally ruined...until I saw the agonizing look of utter defeat on his face. I could see tears slide painfully down his cheeks as his mouth was agape. He quickly turned around and started to walk off.
"I'll be back in a second..." I said to Sarah, but she didn't let go.
"Sarah, let go."
"Let's finish this dance first though."
"I said let go" I replied, wriggling away from her. I hadn't seen where Jade walked off to, but I knew where Alex was headed. I went that way, hoping to tell him that I didn't mean to kiss her, that she took me.
I exited the building. I looked around for Alex & saw him walking down the sidewalk of the parking lot. He was about 50 feet away from me.
"Alex!" I called.
He turned around to see who was calling his name. When he saw it was me, his face darkened & his eyes drilled a black hole right through me. He had such hatred towards me right now that I was afraid what he might do if I came near him. But I took the risk.
"Alex, wait, please."
He continued to look at me like he was about to slaughter me any second, but he didn't move. His eyes were puffy & he was breathing heavily.
"Look, Alex, I'm telling you..." I started.
"You kissed the girl I like, you !" he yelled at me.
"No I didn't! She kissed me, I promise."
He seemed to be studying me for a moment, to see if I was telling the truth. Then, his face changed. The angriness left his face, but it didn't return to normal. It looked like he had just realized something.
"It's you."
"Huh?" I was confused. What was I?
"You're the other boy Sarah stood me up for!"
"WHAT?!"
He pursed his lips & he gave me a vicious look. He walked over to me & shoved me hard in the chest. I nearly fell to my feet.
"Alex! I didn't do anything! She said she talked to you before she asked me to dance!"
"That's a load of crap & you know it!" he screamed.
"Why don't you listen to someone other than yourself!" That was a mistake.
He walked over to me again & slammed his fist into my jaw with a right hook. Next thing I knew I was on the ground on my rear with pain flooding through my jaw like ocean waves.
"Go to hell you ." With that, he walked off. To where, I don't know.
Jaden.
Oh damn, I needed to find him & fast. I couldn't afford to lose not only my boyfriend, but my best friend as well. He meant too much to me & I didn't want to risk it all just because of a mis happening.
With my jaw feeling half knocked off my skull, I made my way back to the building to where the door was that Jade has left through. I walked through the school yard to the field.
It was dark by now. There was only moonlight, which shone brightly.
It was then that I saw him far away sitting down up against a tree with his knees up & his arms folded across on them on the edge of the field, leading to the woods. I ran over there as fast as my legs could go, but I still wanted to go faster. I finally made it to him.
He was just looking down at the ground. Silver tears stained his cheeks. His eyes were red & he was sobbing. I felt horrible. He was devastated & absolutely crushed.
"Jade, please listen to me" I begged.
He closed his eyes & buried his head in his arms & sobbed softly.
"I'm so sorry Jaden. I didn't mean to."
He didn't respond for a moment. Then he lifted his head & looked at me. He was breaking down in front of me & I couldn't do anything.
"You kissed her. You kissed her. A GIRL!" he cried.
"No...no I didn't. Jade, she kissed me."
There was a moment of quiet. He seemed to be thinking. I respected that.
"You absolutely promise she kissed you & not the other way?" he asked, his voice trembling.
"I give you my word as your boyfriend" I told him, a tear of my own falling. I reached to him & he fell apart in my arms, crying his soul out. He was crying out of relief. How could I ever leave him.
He looked up at me when he had calmed down some more & we kissed hard. He softly stuck his tongue into my mouth & explored around. He brought his hands up to my face & held it. Shooting pain suddenly flew through my jaw.
"Ahh!" I yelped in pain.
"What happened? What'd I do?" he asked concerned, his voice sill just a bit shaky.
"My jaw..."
"I didn't kiss you that hard."
"No, it's that Alex socked me in the jaw a few minutes ago 'cause he thought I was the boy Sarah decided to go with instead."
"Oh my God, did you guys settle things?"
"Naw, he hit me then stormed off."
"I'm sorry baby..." he soothed as I rubbed my aching jaw. He kissed me very gently. We stood up then.
It was silent then. We could hear the music still playing in the gym. It was another slow love song.
"You wanna dance?" I asked him, hoping now things were good with us.
"Yes" he answered quietly.
I draped my arms around his neck & he held my waist. We stood close to each other, embracing the other. I rested my head against him, finally content on not having lost him.
"I love you so much."
"I love you, too, Noah" he said, then kissed me on the top of my head.
We stayed like that, dancing slowly in the Maine moonlight until the night was finished.
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