Now the day was finally here, and butterflies swarmed inside Anya. She’d caught sight of Heath several times in the hall that week, and his infectious smile spread to her. Could he genuinely like her? Today was going to be the best day ever!
She had so much to do when she got home. Her mother had promised to fix her hair and do her make-up. Anya loved feeling girly, but make-up was not her strong suit. Those details and more occupied her mind through all six periods. She could hardly pay attention to any of her classes.
After school, Valerie drove them both to Anya’s house. Valerie had packed everything she needed for the dance in her car that morning. They pulled into the driveway, and Anya helped Valerie carry her things inside.
“Mom! We’re home!” Anya yelled in the entryway as she set Valerie’s bag down.
Valerie squeezed by her and dropped her cargo unceremoniously onto the hardwood floors. “I have too much junk. Ugh!” She shook her arms out as if to get feeling back into her fingers.
“I’m in the kitchen, girls!” Julia called from the back of the house. The smell of Italian food wafted down the hall. They glanced at each other before they dashed down the hall and skidded to a stop on the linoleum floors.
“Mom, tell me you didn’t make your famous lasagna.” Anya’s mouth watered at the delicious smells swirling around her. Her mom only made lasagna for special occasions. Surely, a simple school dance wasn’t a special occasion.
Julia beamed. “Um, I didn’t make my famous lasagna. I can say that, but it would be a lie. I’m so excited for you, sweetie! You’re having your very first date!” Her mother pulled her into a heartwarming hug. “My baby is growing up so fast!”
“MOM!” Anya groaned but clung to her mother nonetheless.
“Don’t &mom’ me, young lady.” Julia released the death grip on her daughter and motioned her out of the kitchen. “Now, go upstairs, and I’ll be there in a minute. I’m just going to pull the lasagna out of the oven to cool. We’ll do both of your hair and make-up, then you two can eat before you put your dresses on. That way you won’t spill anything on them.”
Anya and Valerie headed back to the entryway and gathered up Valerie’s things, then thudded upstairs to Anya’s room. They got their dresses laid out just as Julia joined them.
“You girls ready to get dolled up?” Julia said, a mischievous glint in her eye.
For the next hour, they were a riot of hair and make-up as Julia made them look stunning. She made sure to emphasize their beauty with minimal makeup. She selected an up-do for Anya’s hair, leaving ringlets to frame her face. Valerie’s hair was naturally wavy, and she had chosen to wear it down. She secured a few strands on either side to keep her hair out of her face.
Anya hated her long boring hair, so with her hair up and curled, she felt like a princess. No, a queen! The snowflake and melted thumbprint had long been forgotten in the joy of a night of revelry with a cute boy.
*
Heath picked her up promptly at seven o’clock as promised. He knocked on the door, and Anya paused at the top of the stairs, listening as her mother opened the door and greeted him.
“Good evening, Heath,” Julia said kindly. “The girls are still upstairs, but they’ll be down in a minute. You can come sit in the living room and wait if you’d like.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Sutherland.”
“You’re welcome, young man. I’ll go get them for you, okay?”
Julia’s footsteps advanced on the stairs. Anya met her on the landing, her hands shaking.
“Good luck,” Julia whispered, kissing Anya on the forehead.
Anya tiptoed down the stairs, wanting a moment to look at him before he knew she was there. He stood in the middle of the living room, his eyes roaming over her mother’s tasteful holiday decorations: the white Christmas tree wrapped in red garland and covered in little star ornaments Anya had made as a child. Three stockings hung from the fireplace, and a tiny village decorated the mantel, complete with lights on the inside to make them glow. As Heath’s profile came into view, Anya could see he was smiling.
“Hey,” Anya whispered.
Heath spun around and sucked in a sharp breath. He stared wide-eyed at Anya as if he’d never seen her before.
“Anya, I… Well…you’re gorgeous!” He stuttered through his words while reaching out to take her hand. He kissed her knuckles, his lips warm.
“Thank you. You look really handsome. I like the pattern of your tie.” Anya fingered the material and watched the lights from her tree dance across the shiny strands interwoven throughout the satin.
“Yeah, my mom picked it out.” Heath smirked and averted his eyes like he’d said too much. “We better get going or we’re going to be late. Oh, I almost forgot!” He picked up the corsage he had brought with him. It was made up of three white roses and a sprinkle of baby’s breath.
“Oh, my goodness,” Anya whispered softly as he opened the clear plastic container and slipped the corsage onto her wrist. She stared at the beautiful arrangement before lifting her gaze to his.
Heath’s eyes were blue like hers, but a much deeper, richer color. They both grinned at each other like fools, and then Heath wove his fingers through hers and pulled her toward the hall.
Heath almost bowled Valerie over as he rounded the corner. “Whoa! I didn’t mean to…” Heath and Valerie both stepped back.
“It’s okay. No harm, no foul. Are we ready to go yet? I’m ready to dance!” Valerie shimmied in place.
Anya laughed. “Good grief, woman. Calm down. We’re not even there yet.”
“Get your coats on,” Valerie said as she shooed them out the front door and into her car.
Anya didn’t live too far from school. If she lived any closer, they probably could have walked, but the night was blustery. Dark clouds drifted over an almost full moon.
Valerie parked in one of the open spots, letting everyone get out before she locked the car.
“Brrr… It’s starting to get colder outside,” Valerie squeezed out through chattering teeth.
Anya lightly punched her in the shoulder. “You’re always cold, though. Maybe you need to eat a cheeseburger and gain some weight.” She laughed at her statement, looping her arm through Heath’s.
Heath remained silent through the whole exchange. They entered the gym and handed over their tickets to one of the teachers manning the entrance.
“You kids have fun,” called the teacher as they entered the dimly lit gym decorated in red and green. A Christmas tree sat in the far left corner with fake presents piled high underneath. A strobe light twirled slowly overhead, casting bright splashes of light all over the hardwood floor.
The three of them left their jackets with the teacher in charge of coat check. The teacher, in turn, handed them a ticket with a number on it.
Anya looked around, noting there were already a lot of people there. The DJ blared over the microphone about the next song, but no one was dancing yet. Students stood all around the perimeter, socializing.
“Let’s go get something to drink,” Heath said. He pulled her over to the right side where a long stretch of tables held various snacks and drinks. Several rows of cups and a large punch bowl adorned one table, with a sign proclaiming what each row contained in the cup.
Anya’s gaze swept over the different snacks and finger foods. She had gone back for seconds of her mother’s lasagna, and she was absolutely stuffed to the brim. A drink didn’t sound too bad, though.
Heath picked up the ladle and poured her a cup of punch. “Here you go, m’lady,” he stated with an air of chivalry.
Anya chuckled behind her hand, and reached out with the other to take the punch. It was nice to have someone else to hang out with who liked her. She still wasn’t sure why Heath had asked her out. He could have had his pick of any of the girls in her class.
“Do I get a cup of punch, too?” Valerie tapped the toe of her pointed shoe with her arms crossed. She had a look of
frustration on her face, but Anya knew she was just toying with Heath.
“I’m starting to think I have more than one date tonight,” Heath mumbled as he poured another drink, but there was no bite behind his words. “And a glass of the finest punch in the gym for you, m’lady!”
Valerie loosened her stance and accepted the cup from him.
Anya tipped back her drink, drained it, handed her empty cup to Valerie, and tugged on Heath’s arm as she heard a slow song come on.
Heath let out a yelp of surprise as he was hauled onto the dance floor. “Are we eager to dance already? I thought Valerie was the one excited about dancing.”
“She is, but I’m scared she’s going to steal you away, and I want the first dance,” Anya confessed.
Heath wrapped his arms around her waist, being polite in the placement of his hands. Anya brought her arms up and wrapped them around his neck. A nervous lump formed in her throat as they swayed back and forth to the music the DJ piped through the speakers.
She’d never really had a boyfriend, so this was new territory. She’d tried to be bold by pulling him out here to dance, but to be honest, she wasn’t sure where the bravado came from. She hoped and prayed her palms weren’t getting all sweaty where they rested against his neck.
She could have sworn she felt her palms get hotter at the thought, and Heath stepped back out of her reach with a look of surprise.
“Ouch,” he exclaimed, rubbing his neck. “What was that?”
Confusion was written all over his face; the same look plastered to Anya’s. She had no idea what was going on. Memories of earlier this week came flooding back: the snowflakes, the thumbprint. She was a walking disaster, and she wasn’t sure how to explain anything to Heath. Heck, she didn’t even know how to explain it to herself.
“Heath.” She hesitated, “I… I don’t know what that was.”
“It felt like you burned me!” He finally dropped his hand and huffed out a breath. “C’mon, let’s finish our dance. The song is almost over.” He cautiously placed his hands on her waist.
This time, Anya put her hands on his shoulders over his suit jacket, avoiding the skin of his neck altogether. She couldn’t meet his eyes. Shame washed over her at the thought of what all of this could mean. Was she a freak of nature? At first, when the snowflakes and melting tray had happened, she’d chalked it up to hallucinations. She couldn’t after Heath just confirmed he had felt something, too.
The slow song came to an end but was followed by something a tad more upbeat.
“Let’s start over,” Heath said, tugging Anya back to him as she tried to walk off the dance floor. “One more dance. Let’s get to know each other better. You’re more beautiful than you realize.” He spoke the last in a much softer tone.
Anya grinned. “Okay. What do you want to talk about?”
“What’s your favorite color?”
“Hm, that’s an easy one. Green!” She tilted her head down to indicate her dress. “My turn! What’s your favorite movie?”
Heath glanced to the right as he considered. “That’s a tough one. I like a lot of movies. I’d have to say either Top Gun or The Fast and the Furious.”
“Really?” Anya pulled her lip between her teeth and worried the skin.
“Is that your next question for me?” He chuckled. “It’s my turn, anyways. Favorite food?”
Anya got lost in the moment as they swayed back and forth to the slow, melodic beat. Everyone else in the room seemed to melt away, and only the two of them remained, having their own private conversation. “I’d have to say, hands down, if the world came to an end, and I had to live off one food item, I’d say anything chicken.”
She was rewarded with a smirk. “Chicken? Really? I pegged you for a steak kinda girl.”
“Nope, I don’t like steak much at all.” She scrunched up her face.
“May I cut in?” a deep voice said from behind her. Goosebumps rose along her arms even though the room was rather warm from the heat, which was probably still turned up.
Heath said one clipped word to the stranger. “No.”
Anya glanced around and found Devlin standing there. His dark green eyes peered down at her through his perfectly mussed brown locks. Her eyes widened, but she tried to remain calm.
“It actually wasn’t a question. I’d like to cut in.” Devlin grabbed for Anya’s arm, and Heath smacked his hand away.
“Stop!” Anya protested. “That’s enough. There is nothing wrong with me dancing with Devlin. It’s just one song. I’ll come find you when I’m done. Go find Valerie, and make sure she hasn’t gotten into any trouble.”
“Fine.” Heath stormed off, and Anya could have sworn she felt the anger rolling off of him, even from far away.
“Why did you do that?” Anya questioned as Devlin wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer than she was comfortable with. He was only in one of her classes. He’d barely spoken two words to her since she’d known him. He’d grown up in the same town, but it wasn’t like they were ever friends.
“You intrigue me. That’s all.” He studied her for a moment. “Your eyes are beautiful. Such a light, crisp blue color. Does your mom have blue eyes like that?”
“Actually, she has brown eyes. I get my blue eyes from my father.”
“I see.” Devlin grinned. A coolness radiated from him, banishing some of the heat that had started to suffocate her. Her goosebumps had finally gone away. Coldness seeped in from where his hands rested on her hips. That was odd.
“What do you see?” Anya asked, confused.
“Nothing.” He shook his head and started staring at something behind her. “Your boyfriend looks angry.”
“He’s probably angry because of how close you’re holding me.” Anya tried to loosen his grip on her but failed. If she had to admit it, she wasn’t repulsed by his touch at all. She was shocked at how right it felt to be in his arms. Her mind rebelled against the thought.
“Don’t go yet. The song isn’t over.” He held tight.
“No, I think we’re done.” She broke away from him and all but ran toward Heath, weaving in and out of the other couples littering the dance floor. She came to a screeching halt by Heath and tried to collect herself.
“You’re done with lover boy over there, so you decided to come running back to me?” He glared daggers at her.
“It’s not like that. I was just trying to be nice and he… and…” she stuttered.
“Save it. It wasn’t like you pushed him away. You all seemed pretty cozy.” Heath stormed away from her and disappeared in the crowd of people.
Anya stood there, dumbfounded. What the hell had just happened? She had been having such a great night with Heath, and Devlin had to ruin it. Why had she agreed to dance with him when he cut in? She was a fool.
Valerie walked up, her brows knitted in concern. “Are you okay, Anya? I saw Devlin cut in, and then Heath storm off. Is there anything I can do?” She wrapped her arms around her best friend to comfort her, and Anya broke down into tears.
“Val, I don’t know what’s going on. Devlin cut in, and I was just trying to avoid a fight between the two of them. I don’t even know Devlin. He never speaks to me, so I don’t know why, of all days, he decided to finally talk to me.” Anya started to ramble on, talking about how she was confused. How she decided she’d had enough and came back to stand with Heath, and the rejection he had thrown in her face.
Huge tears rolled down her cheeks, ruining the beautiful job her mom had done on her make-up. “I need some fresh air,” Anya squeaked through her tight throat. She pushed away from Valerie’s arms and ran for the gymnasium door.
Teachers called out from behind her, asking if everything was all right, but she kept running. She burst through the doors, sprinted through the parking lot, and went straight into the woods that bordered one side of the school.
The wind howled through the trees, whipping her hair out of its tight confines to come crashing against
her face. She pulled the errant strands behind her ear and finally stopped running as she threw herself at the base of a tree and let all of her tears come tumbling down.
A light rain began to fall, making her dress cling to her body. She straightened and leaned against the tree. Anger boiled under her skin, and the wind seemed to pick up in response, howling with a fierceness she’d never heard before. It wrapped around her as if to comfort her.
After some time, Anya slowly relaxed against the tree and took a deep breath. The wind still blew, but now it was a light caress, and the rain died down.
That was strange. It hadn’t been forecasted to rain tonight.
She sat for a while longer, letting the beat of her heart fall within a normal rhythm. Her eyes closed of their own accord, and she remembered Valerie’s birthday was tomorrow. She’d brought a single candle, hoping the school would supply cupcakes like they normally did for this dance.
Here she was running away from her friend when she should have stayed and sucked it up. She stood and brushed leaves and dirt from her dress. Her hair she couldn’t fix, but hopefully she looked all right. She could always do her best to make it look reasonable in the school restroom.
She adjusted the small strap of her purse around herself and trudged back toward the school. She was thankful no one had come looking for her. She needed some time to herself. None of her problems had been solved, but she had at least calmed down. Plus, tears were therapeutic, right?
Heading back into the gym, she found Valerie near the entrance, pacing back and forth as she hugged herself. “Oh, thank God!” She threw her arms around Anya and squeezed the breath out of her.
“Val… Val. I need…to breathe!” She choked out.
“Don’t ever do that again! I was so scared! I would have run after you, but I have a confession. I’m still afraid of the dark.” Valerie whispered the last part.
Anya breathed in the clean scent of her friend and relaxed against her once she had loosened her death grip. “I’m sorry I worried you. I just needed a moment, is all.”