He turned off the engine of his car and checked himself in the rearview mirror. He wasn’t exactly dressed for the occasion but he did his best with what he brought home. He bought her a bracelet instead of a corsage because it was all he could find. He took a deep breath and exhaled as he readied himself to get out of the car and walked up to see her.
He was practically gliding his way across the dance floor in search of her. He didn’t know what to expect. How her reaction would be when she sees him. How he would feel when he sees her. What she was wearing. Is everything still the way it was when he left.
As he came closer to the figure he was sure was her, his heart pounded faster. He didn’t expect to be that nervous. People started to notice him, they recognized him and whispered under the loud music. They giggled and smiled at him, he smiled in return. It was as he remembered it, the girls were blushing at his presence, but he only cared about one girl, and she was standing by the table where they served all the drinks.
She was all dolled up, glowing even from afar. Once he passed the last person standing in the way of him and the girl he was there to see, he stopped at his feet and took it all in. He surprised himself with how fast his heart was beating. He was taken by that moment. Everything came back to him all at once.
“Micky.”
She turned to the sound of his voice. Her surprised expression, and how her face immediately lit up at the sight of him sent shivers down his spine. He would’ve been disappointed if her reaction was any less than that.
She rushed toward him with open arms and wrapped them around his neck. She smelled really nice and felt like soft fabric on his skin.
When they let go, he held both her hands and took a good look at her from up close. She took his breath away.
“Wow … Micky … you look … different …”
It was amazing how a year can changed someone so significantly. But then again, they were in that age where they grow by the day.
“Oh my God … why didn’t you tell me you were coming? This is such a surprise … where’s Max? Are you here alone?”
He shrugged, “That’s kinda the idea,” though it surprised him more how he was overwhelmed with all kinds of emotions. “Max is not here … if you’re not busy, maybe we can go somewhere quiet to talk?”
“Well … well … look who we have here?” the MC’s voice blared through the speakers.
It startled them and they looked at the stage where the MC was.
“Pinehurst Valley High is honored to welcome one of our most notable Alma-mater … our soccer team Captain … the one and only … TJ Shanley …”
The venue was rowdy with claps, whistles and shouts of the students who all knew who TJ Shanley was. Theo smiled politely and raised his hand. The spotlight was directed at him.
“A very special guest … will you do the honor to do the first dance of the night TJ? We have a special request for the first slow dance song of the night … This Love by Taylor Swift …”
The crowd murmured.
Theo glanced at Hazel, he was almost blushing, his hand was still holding hers, “Do you wanna do this?”
She smiled shyly and nodded. Theo raised her hand up high, “She said ‘yes'”
Everyone cheered and cleared the dance floor for them. Theo led her to the middle of the dance floor. He was always so confident with himself. Though sometimes it’s just a facade that he mastered because deep inside he was as nervous as anyone would be when taking the hand of the girl he hadn’t seen in a year to take the first dance.
She put her hand on his waist, and he took her other hand in his. They stood close … so close they can feel each other’s breaths on their faces. Looking straight into her eyes was too nerve wrecking, he looked away and masked his nerves with a smile.
“I can’t believe they asked us to do this … are you alright?” he asked.
She stifled a giggle, “I’m fine … sorry about this …”
“That’s okay … it’s kind of special though … we’ll remember this for a long time.”
She looked at him and paused. “Yeah … I think we will.”
Their eyes met, and for a moment they just let the music take the lead. It was a nice surprise, the kind that made their stomach fluttered. She gasped silently.
“So … no dates for the dance?” Theo finally asked.
She shook her head, “No … I just had to be here because I organized everything … Lee left a couple of weeks ago …”
“I heard … sorry about that,” he said.
“Yeah … me too … what about you? Did you bring your girlfriend home?”
He laughed lightly, “No … no girlfriend …”
They stared at each other in silence. They didn’t know what to make of it.
“Where’s your famous new friend? I heard all about him from your mom … she must be so excited … Joshua Reynolds?”
Hazel laughed, “Oh yeah … and he’s actually really nice too … my dad hates how nice Josh is … Marlon’s in Goldstone … he had to join his parents for a family therapy.”
Theo furrowed his brows.
“It’s complicated … and anyways, he’s banned from the dance, he held a party at his house a couple of weeks ago and it got out of hand, Edgerton found out and suspended him …”
“Jeez … Micky … you really got yourself mixed up with the wrong crowd,” he teased her. They laughed.
“Marlon’s really nice though … once you get to know him … are you staying for the summer?”
Theo nodded, “That was the plan … but … that’s what I needed to talk to you about … after the dance?”
He seemed to have something serious to talk about. She nodded. The whole room was quiet. They realized everyone was looking at them. They fell silent and the music felt louder.
This love is good
This love is bad
This love is alive, back from the dead
These hands had to let it go free
And this love came back to me …
Taylor’s voice was singing in the background but it felt more like she was singing about them.
This love left a permanent mark
This love is glowing in the dark
These hands had to let it go free
And this love came back to me …
His gaze lingered on her face. She held a smile. As the music faded, the lyrics stayed. When the music was over, they wished it had gone for a little bit longer.