-S-
Jack came 20 minutes earlier to Sara's house and rang the bell.
"Hey, I came a little early. I hope it's ok."
"That's ok. I need to get ready. Do you want to wait here?" Jack smiled and followed after Sara.
"I met Shawn today. It was awesome." Jack sat on the couch in the living room.
"That's fun. I will be back soon." Sara came back to her room.
"Who was it?" Michelle asked with half make up on.
"Jack."
"Why did he come so early?"
"I am not sure. I didn't ask."
Michelle blew her lips. After Sara got ready, she went down and talked to Jack. Most of his stories were about his friends. He was telling her how they were chased by cops for riding skateboards in the city hall. He also talked about riding motorcycles, but Sara did not think the stories matched Jack’s character. In spite of that, his story had many funny aspects and made her laugh occasionally. Soon Joe came, and Sara introduced Joe and Jack. Jack kept telling her his story while on the way to the dance.
-How come he never shuts up? Michelle texted Sara while they were in the car.
-I think it is kind of funny.
- :(
Sara checked Michelle and Joe. They seemed to be getting to know each other. Sara wanted to hear them talking, but she could not ignore Jack. They met Bailey and Jennifer at the dance.
"Who is that guy?" Bailey asked about Joe with curiosity.
"He is my neighbor. He is nice," Sara explained simply.
"Hey, guys, there are some creepers here. You should protect us," Michelle said to the guys.
"Oh, don't worry. I am a good body guard," Jack said.
It seemed like Joe had never danced before. Jack was not great, but at least he actually knew what he was doing. Sara was impressed because she thought Jack had been bluffing.
"I told ya," Jack said proudly.
"You should teach Joe to dance," Sara told Michelle.
"I think you should do it."
"I will, of course. I don't want him to feel left out."
Sara was enjoying dancing. When she was resting, she talked to Bailey and Jack. Fewer guys talked to her when she was around Jack. Sara tried to find Joe. She looked around and found him dancing with other girls. He was like a baby who was just learning how to walk. Sara thought it was cute. She saw Joe again when he was with Jennifer outside of the dancing room when she went out to get a drink of water. She saw them talking and laughing. She wanted to talk to them, but she did not want to interrupt. Later, they came back to the room and danced together. Sara waited until the dance was over and found Joe. She grabbed his hand to drag him onto to the dance floor for the next dance; his hand was warm.
"Hey, Joe." He looked back. At that moment, the warm feeling from his hand traveled through her right arm to her mind. It was a mysterious feeling.
"Dance with me." She pulled his hand. Luckily, it was a slow song, so Joe had an easier time dancing. He was not good, but she knew he tried hard. Sara thought it was a good dance. She also liked the soft scent of his cologne. After the song, she walked with Joe. She wanted to talk more, but a man with a beard grabbed her hand.
"Would you?" It wasn’t really a question, because she really didn’t have a choice.
"Sorry, talk to you later," Sara told Joe, and he smiled and said “yes.” The guy was wearing suspenders, a belt, a bow tie and a hat.
"Do you remember me?"
She thought he was one of the guys that she met when she came there for the first time. She could not remember his name.
"Yes, but I don't remember your name."
"It's Brady. How have you been?"
"I've been good." Brady was good at dancing, but it was not pleasurable to dance with him.
"I texted you a couple times."
"Oh, sorry. I was busy." She wished for the song to finish.
"Do you want to grab dinner with me this week?" He asked after the dance.
I have to be clear. Sara thought.
"Sorry. I don't think I can."
"Hey, come on, I am just being friendly."
"Sorry, I can’t."
"Why?"
"I don't think I will have time."
"Oh, really? What do you do? I don't believe that you don't have enough time to eat." Brady was mean and his eyes were cold. Sara was scared of him. When she tried to say something, somebody came and took her out of the conversation.
"Are you ready for another dance?"
For some reason, Sara thought her rescuer was Joe, but it was not. It was Jack. However, she was very grateful. She did not look back at the scary man.
While Sara was dancing, she found Joe. He was walking to the blond girl, but she kept approaching him. Sara smiled with disappointment and kept dancing with Jack.
When she came back home, Sara told Michelle what happened with the scary man.
"Really? I only danced with nice guys."
"I don't think I can ever go there by myself."
"Well. They are under construction anyway, and next time you can bring your date."
"Maybe."
"How was Joe tonight?"
"He was fine."
"I saw him talking to girls. He is good."
"Maybe. I didn't really talk to him today. He never asked me to dance, so I asked him once."
"I saw him dancing with Jennifer. They seemed to get along well," Michelle said.
"Yeah, I saw them, too."
"Maybe we should help them unless you like him," Michelle said.
Sara remembered when she felt that warm feeling from him.
"I don't know. Maybe we should. I think we should ask them first."
"Ok. Anyway, when are you leaving?"
"Leaving? You mean for my birthday?"
"Yes."
"I am thinking next Thursday."
"When are you coming back?"
"Hmmm. I am not sure."
"We should eat dinner or something before you leave. It will be your birthday party here.”
"Yeah, that sounds nice." Sara smiled.
That night, Sara did not get any texts from random guys. She exhaled with relief, and slowly fell asleep. Sara was tired from dancing and slept well that night.