started heading inside. They were smart.
The flock was now circling overhead, and the wind from their flapping was causing Cliff's hair to move around. My hair would not have budged in a hurricane with all of the styling products that Brooke had used.
One by one, the crows looked down and began screeching at me. I knew they were cawing at me and not Cliff. I desperately wanted to go inside and get away from them.
Cliff took his arm from my shoulder and raised both hands high into the air, saying very loudly, "Go! Be gone!"
Suddenly, all of the birds stopped their shrieking and in the blink of an eye, they flew away in the direction from which they came.
I stepped back and stared at him. "How did you do that? Why did they obey you?" I couldn't believe it.
"I have a way with animals," he said. "Let's go in and see how the gym has been decorated."
I hadn't thought of the gym being anything other than a gym, and was suddenly curious to see what it looked like. I vaguely recalled hearing talk around school about an elaborate decorating plan.
Cliff took my hand and we walked into the gym. I was amazed at what I saw. It was no longer the ultra-bright gym where Natalie played volleyball. It was an undersea wonderland. The walls were decorated to look like water, bubbles and sea life. All kinds of glittery decorations hung from above.
It felt very magical and I felt as if I had indeed entered a new world.
"Very nice," Cliff said. "It's amazing what high schoolers can accomplish when they set their minds to it!"
"That's for sure," I said. "My Honors Club would have a lot more members if they put this much effort into their grades!"
"Alexis Ferguson!" came a voice from my right. "Is that really you?"
I turned to see Sydney, who was Natalie's loud and annoying best friend. I faked a smile and said, "Sydney, how nice to see you! Meet my date, Cliff."
"Oh my gosh, Alexis!" Sydney shrieked. "You look gorgeous! Now I believe that you're Natalie's sister. Why have you dressed so horribly all these years? Nice job with your date--what a hottie!" she said, winking at Cliff.
I repressed my urge to slap her and I heard something shatter behind us.
"What was that?" Sydney exclaimed. "I think a light bulb just burst! I hope we don't have a replay of that one volleyball practice!"
"I see my friends over by the food table," I told Sydney. "Cliff and I are going to go join them. See you around!" I grabbed Cliff's hand and nearly dragged him away. "Sorry about that. She's my sister's annoying and low-IQ friend."
Cliff laughed. "Don't worry. I didn't think that she was associated with you!"
As we made our way to the food table, which was only half way across the gym, we were stopped on three separate occasions by people who could not believe that it was me. We were stopped by someone who had to meet Cliff because she had never seen someone so gorgeous outside of the movies before.
"Maybe people will leave us alone if we just start dancing," he suggested.
I gulped. I knew that we were going to a dance but I hadn't thought about the actual dancing part of it. I had no rhythm had no idea how to dance.
"I should warn you that I don't know how to dance," I said.
"I have no doubt that once you warm up, you will be a fine dancer," he told me.
"Don't hold your breath!"
"You are amazing and I know you've been surprising yourself all evening," he said. "This will be no different. You just have to let go of being reserved and have fun. That's what it's all about."
"I'll try," I said.
We walked to the dance floor, and at first I was as stiff as a board. I started focusing on the music and then I got lost in Cliff's eyes. Everything around me melted away and before I knew it, I was dancing and having fun.
"What did I tell you?" he asked, smiling. "You are a natural!"
I smiled back at him, "It's easy to dance with you!" I felt that I could do anything when I looked into his eyes. I couldn't get over the feeling that I was where I belonged
The flock was now circling overhead, and the wind from their flapping was causing Cliff's hair to move around. My hair would not have budged in a hurricane with all of the styling products that Brooke had used.
One by one, the crows looked down and began screeching at me. I knew they were cawing at me and not Cliff. I desperately wanted to go inside and get away from them.
Cliff took his arm from my shoulder and raised both hands high into the air, saying very loudly, "Go! Be gone!"
Suddenly, all of the birds stopped their shrieking and in the blink of an eye, they flew away in the direction from which they came.
I stepped back and stared at him. "How did you do that? Why did they obey you?" I couldn't believe it.
"I have a way with animals," he said. "Let's go in and see how the gym has been decorated."
I hadn't thought of the gym being anything other than a gym, and was suddenly curious to see what it looked like. I vaguely recalled hearing talk around school about an elaborate decorating plan.
Cliff took my hand and we walked into the gym. I was amazed at what I saw. It was no longer the ultra-bright gym where Natalie played volleyball. It was an undersea wonderland. The walls were decorated to look like water, bubbles and sea life. All kinds of glittery decorations hung from above.
It felt very magical and I felt as if I had indeed entered a new world.
"Very nice," Cliff said. "It's amazing what high schoolers can accomplish when they set their minds to it!"
"That's for sure," I said. "My Honors Club would have a lot more members if they put this much effort into their grades!"
"Alexis Ferguson!" came a voice from my right. "Is that really you?"
I turned to see Sydney, who was Natalie's loud and annoying best friend. I faked a smile and said, "Sydney, how nice to see you! Meet my date, Cliff."
"Oh my gosh, Alexis!" Sydney shrieked. "You look gorgeous! Now I believe that you're Natalie's sister. Why have you dressed so horribly all these years? Nice job with your date--what a hottie!" she said, winking at Cliff.
I repressed my urge to slap her and I heard something shatter behind us.
"What was that?" Sydney exclaimed. "I think a light bulb just burst! I hope we don't have a replay of that one volleyball practice!"
"I see my friends over by the food table," I told Sydney. "Cliff and I are going to go join them. See you around!" I grabbed Cliff's hand and nearly dragged him away. "Sorry about that. She's my sister's annoying and low-IQ friend."
Cliff laughed. "Don't worry. I didn't think that she was associated with you!"
As we made our way to the food table, which was only half way across the gym, we were stopped on three separate occasions by people who could not believe that it was me. We were stopped by someone who had to meet Cliff because she had never seen someone so gorgeous outside of the movies before.
"Maybe people will leave us alone if we just start dancing," he suggested.
I gulped. I knew that we were going to a dance but I hadn't thought about the actual dancing part of it. I had no rhythm had no idea how to dance.
"I should warn you that I don't know how to dance," I said.
"I have no doubt that once you warm up, you will be a fine dancer," he told me.
"Don't hold your breath!"
"You are amazing and I know you've been surprising yourself all evening," he said. "This will be no different. You just have to let go of being reserved and have fun. That's what it's all about."
"I'll try," I said.
We walked to the dance floor, and at first I was as stiff as a board. I started focusing on the music and then I got lost in Cliff's eyes. Everything around me melted away and before I knew it, I was dancing and having fun.
"What did I tell you?" he asked, smiling. "You are a natural!"
I smiled back at him, "It's easy to dance with you!" I felt that I could do anything when I looked into his eyes. I couldn't get over the feeling that I was where I belonged
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