16. Finger guns fix everything

There was a bug in the air. The dance bug. A bug where mostly everyone is affected by it, usually women. Unlike the past years of my dance life existence, it wasn't affecting me.

The hallways were decorated with all sorts of colors that follow the stereotypical winter colors. White, silver, and lots of sparkle from what I got from it. I enjoyed the tiny sparkle details, reminded me of snow.

There was a banner hung up in the staircase. I wonder why the faculty thinks that banner isn't gonna be gone by the end of the year. My bet it will be knocked off by lunch.

"Julia!" Blake yelled my name. Grabbing my wrist and dragging me to the side of the hallway where students bobbed and weaved around us.

"You know I have a very important science test to get too." I joke.

He smiled, "I need your help."

"Blake Hunt needs my help? Should I be honored?" I grin.

"Someone woke up sarcastic." He grins.

"Ah you know I eat,sleep, and dream of being sarcastic." I leaned up against the locker. Feeling whoever lock stab the side of my lower right. Ramming into the rib.

"No but serious note. I definitely need your help. About the dance." His smile dropped.

I crossed my arms, waiting for him to explain what the heck he was worrying so bad about.

"Tara won't stop talking about the dance and how we're gonna be the king and queen." He starts.

"Aw poor Blake doesn't want to be crowned."

"Okay ouch." He says, "but that's besides the point."

"Right." I smile.

"I don't know how to dance."

My mouth just about dropped on the floor. "No way."

"Yes way." He sighs. "And if I get crowned I have to dance in front of the entire school."

"What is this? A high school movie?" I joke.

"Tara is counting on me to not embarrass her." Right, because if you embarrass her, it's the end of the world. We graduate in six months.

Sighing I give in to his somewhat hilarious frustration and anxiety about the not knowing how to dance. "Fine. What do you need me to do?"

"During lunch, meet me in the gym." He explains.

"And what's in it for me?"

He smiled slightly. "The valuable time with Blake Hunt."

"If that was the case, I would of passed up this offer quicker than a roadrunner."

"Very funny Lee."

"Don't worry Hunt. I got a list of more coming your way."

I snuck into the gymnasium to find it almost professionally done. A giant stand stood in the middle where I expected some sort of ice sculpture to be. Silver streamers hung from the ceiling with tiny bits of glitter at the tips. Reflecting off each other and the light. Fake snow was scattered across the gym floor leading up to a DJ booth because it wouldn't be a school dance without it. I took in a deep breath, taking it all in while I had the chance.

"I was starting to think you ditched me." I jumped around to see Blake standing right behind me. A smug look on his face I wish would disappear.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"The whole entire time." He smiles. "It felt like I was watching a baby experience the world for the first time."

"Did I just get referred to a baby?" I joke.

"Uh," he hesitated. "Yeah, kind of."

I chuckled. "I'm gonna take that as a compliment." I do have a youthful glow.

"So this dance thingy." He says. Rocking back and forth on his heels. Making him look like a toddler trying so hard to be patient. And not because he has that stupid adorable look to him.

"Right." I quickly say, walking in closer to him. "Okay, so I'm gonna grab your hand here." I grabbed his right hand with my left. Interlacing our fingers with each other. "And you're gonna out your hand right here." I guided his left hand and placed it right on my waist.

"Aren't you suppose to sway when you dance?" He chuckles.

I looked up. "Of course, I just did this so we could have a princess and prince moment."

His eyes widened. "What?"

"I'm joking," I smile. "This is the dance the crowned people must do. It's kind of a requirement."

"Oh." His face dropped.

"Ow!" I yelled. Looking down at my feet where he completely stepped on.

"Sorry." He smirks. "Kind of bad at this dancing thing."

"You know," I look back up at his touch brown eyes. Reflecting off the light turning it into a tiny ember color. "Would you be shocked if I said I've seen worse?"

He chuckled, moving his head and almost hitting mine. "You've seen worse, really?"

I nodded slightly, "Elliot sucked at this."

"Elliot as in the guy that cheated in you?"

We stopped dancing, but still were latched onto each other.

"Yeah that's," I hesitated, "that's the one."

"You know Julia. You deserve someone so much better than him." He starts, "you need someone that can see you for you and enjoys being around you. A guy like him is in it for the wrong reasons. You deserve someone that can see how smart, beautiful, funny, and kind you are."

We were staring at each other's eyes. I was speechless. No words were gathering in my mouth. As if I have never spoke before. I could feel him pull me in closer to his body. Our breaths becoming in sync.

"There you guys are!"

We let go of each other and both turned to see Theo with a giant smile on his face.

He noticed the awkwardness in the air, "uh sorry. Tara just wouldn't shut up about the dance and my ears couldn't take anymore."

He looked at both of us, "I can probably find a pair of earplugs if-"

"We were just finishing." Blake cuts him off.

"Yeah," I attempt to play it off, "I need to go makeup a French test. I'll see you guys later."

"You don't take French," Theo points out.

I turned around, "online French. See you after school."

Then I left to the place I could only think of. The most logical place to hide of course.

The women's restrooms.

"I thought you'd be in here," Blake voice echoed inside the restrooms.

I looked up from where I was sitting to see him standing by the entrance way.

"You know this is a girl's restroom right?" I joke, standing up from the tiles floor.

He chuckled, "I mean apparently not when I was ten and accidentally ran into one."

"Completely ramming into me. Trust me I remember." I smile just thinking back.

"Look," his tone of voice became serious. "I never really thanked you for the teaching me how to dance."

"Right," I smile, "sort of never got to that part."

"Yeah," he smiled. "So we're good?"

"We're good." I grin.

"Great, I'll see you at the dance."

"Right back at you." I used my fingers as tiny guns like the cool kids.

He laughed slightly before walking back out of the restrooms.

"Oh my goodness!" Rebecca shouted through the screen. "You are absolutely stunning!"

I twirled around to see myself in the mirror. "That cashier boy has a good taste in fashion."

"He's like my dream man!" Rebecca stopped herself, "did I say that out loud."

Laughing I nodded, "a little bit. Yeah."

"You know it feels different not going to this dance with you."

"Hey! You know the rules. No getting all sentimental on me especially when I'm wearing makeup which by the way, I did by myself."

"I can tell."

"I would chuck a pillow at you right now."

She smiled wide right when the doorbell rang and Koda started his barking spree.

"Oops that's me." I smile.

"I want a full article on you're night!" She shouted right before I ended the call.

I pushed Koda out of the way with bribery of a treat before opening the door.

"Thank god you're here Theo, I didn't think you'd get off work-"

I looked up to see Blake standing there where Theo was suppose to be. "Hello."

"Theo didn't get it off?" I question.

"Yup," he popped the p, "but he will definitely be there before the crowning ceremony."

"Gotcha." I smile.

He held out his arm, "may I. I mean I don't wanna ruin your night by not being a gentleman."

I grabbed onto it kicking the door shut with my foot, "you shall."

He lead me to his car and opened up the back door for me where I crawled in. Tara was in the front passenger seat, readjusting her lipstick that matched perfectly to the red dress I was gonna get.

"You guys ready?" Blake asked.

"Just one second," Tara turned and smacked her lips onto Blake's. Kissing him which definitely made me feel like a stalker for watching.

"Now we're ready." Tara said after detaching herself.

She eyed me in the rearview mirror. I rather walk.