pushy type.”
Beth’s face filled with concern.
“Really? Brent seems so laid back, but I can see that about Pete.”
Oops. She was supposed to be
dating Brent, right. “Oh, not Brent. He would never push.” She hurried to
correct herself and clear her friend’s name.
“Well I’m glad. But you’ve known
each other for ages, right? So I bet it was pretty natural…” Beth seemed to
read the discomfort in Alyssa’s face because she let the subject drop.
“Alyssa! The boys are here!” Her
dad was yelling up the stairs to them. Alyssa was never happier to end a
conversation in her life.
At the bottom of the stairs Alyssa
was surprised to find Brent waiting with Tommy. She was sure she’d told him to
go right to the limo.
“That’s a beautiful dress, Lyssa.”
He murmured as he held out a corsage box. He did look incredible. As much as
Alyssa loathed agreeing with Jennifer—he did look yummy in a suit.
“Thanks. You clean up pretty good
yourself Carter.” Alyssa joked to cover up the butterfly feeling in her
stomach. Damn Beth for planting these ridiculous thoughts in her head. Brent
did not give her butterflies. He didn’t!
“This is so nice, you two going to
the dance together.” Alyssa’s dad started to talk.
“We gotta go dad! Bye!” Alyssa
pulled the others out the front door before her father could blow their cover.
“Why’d you come inside?” She whispered fiercely
to Brent as they made their way towards the limo sitting at the curb.
“Must be the gentleman in me.” Brent replied
wryly. “Don’t worry those two can’t see anything but each other.” He gestured
to where Tommy and Beth were walking arm in arm in front of them.
Alyssa’s house was the limo driver’s last stop
and climbing in was a problem. It was a very tight fit indeed. Of course when
they’d originally ordered the car they hadn’t counted on Lisa or Brent. Alyssa
was very glad for the dim lights inside because she was suddenly reminded of
her bold statement to Jennifer of how she would solve the space issue. And she
was very sure that sitting in Brent’s lap would be a bad way to discourage her
traitorous butterfly-filled stomach. Lucky for her she was spared that
experience when at the other end of the long bench seat Pete dragged a giggling
Lisa into his lap. The two of them groping five feet away from her probably
should have bothered her, but she was too busy being bothered in an entirely
different way by the smell of Brent’s cologne, and the warmth of his body
against hers. Since when did Brent wear cologne?
At the school and out of the limo, fresh air
helped calm Alyssa down. Dim lights and slightly cheesy decorations
transformed the gym. Tables lined three of the walls and a DJ was set up on
the fourth wall. The room was crowded to capacity and every time Alyssa turned
around she was saying hello and complimenting someone’s dress or suit. Alyssa
and Brent settled themselves at a table next to Beth and Tommy. As soon as
they sat down Jenn and Jeff claimed the last remaining chairs. To Alyssa’s
dismay Jenn ended up on the other side of Brent, and Jeff wasn’t paying enough
attention to mind at all.
To Brent’s credit he ignored all of Jenn’s
pointed advances and he was very attentive to Alyssa. They danced to all her
favorite songs—he even did the chicken dance which broke Alyssa into a fit of
laughter so violent they had to leave the dance floor in search of the punch
bowl. Dancing with Brent was just as disconcerting as sitting next to him in
that crowded limo. Even after he’d discarded his jacket and tie, and looked
more like his usual self, she found her heart leaping strangely when he pulled
her close for the slow songs.
At some point during the evening
Beth’s face filled with concern.
“Really? Brent seems so laid back, but I can see that about Pete.”
Oops. She was supposed to be
dating Brent, right. “Oh, not Brent. He would never push.” She hurried to
correct herself and clear her friend’s name.
“Well I’m glad. But you’ve known
each other for ages, right? So I bet it was pretty natural…” Beth seemed to
read the discomfort in Alyssa’s face because she let the subject drop.
“Alyssa! The boys are here!” Her
dad was yelling up the stairs to them. Alyssa was never happier to end a
conversation in her life.
At the bottom of the stairs Alyssa
was surprised to find Brent waiting with Tommy. She was sure she’d told him to
go right to the limo.
“That’s a beautiful dress, Lyssa.”
He murmured as he held out a corsage box. He did look incredible. As much as
Alyssa loathed agreeing with Jennifer—he did look yummy in a suit.
“Thanks. You clean up pretty good
yourself Carter.” Alyssa joked to cover up the butterfly feeling in her
stomach. Damn Beth for planting these ridiculous thoughts in her head. Brent
did not give her butterflies. He didn’t!
“This is so nice, you two going to
the dance together.” Alyssa’s dad started to talk.
“We gotta go dad! Bye!” Alyssa
pulled the others out the front door before her father could blow their cover.
“Why’d you come inside?” She whispered fiercely
to Brent as they made their way towards the limo sitting at the curb.
“Must be the gentleman in me.” Brent replied
wryly. “Don’t worry those two can’t see anything but each other.” He gestured
to where Tommy and Beth were walking arm in arm in front of them.
Alyssa’s house was the limo driver’s last stop
and climbing in was a problem. It was a very tight fit indeed. Of course when
they’d originally ordered the car they hadn’t counted on Lisa or Brent. Alyssa
was very glad for the dim lights inside because she was suddenly reminded of
her bold statement to Jennifer of how she would solve the space issue. And she
was very sure that sitting in Brent’s lap would be a bad way to discourage her
traitorous butterfly-filled stomach. Lucky for her she was spared that
experience when at the other end of the long bench seat Pete dragged a giggling
Lisa into his lap. The two of them groping five feet away from her probably
should have bothered her, but she was too busy being bothered in an entirely
different way by the smell of Brent’s cologne, and the warmth of his body
against hers. Since when did Brent wear cologne?
At the school and out of the limo, fresh air
helped calm Alyssa down. Dim lights and slightly cheesy decorations
transformed the gym. Tables lined three of the walls and a DJ was set up on
the fourth wall. The room was crowded to capacity and every time Alyssa turned
around she was saying hello and complimenting someone’s dress or suit. Alyssa
and Brent settled themselves at a table next to Beth and Tommy. As soon as
they sat down Jenn and Jeff claimed the last remaining chairs. To Alyssa’s
dismay Jenn ended up on the other side of Brent, and Jeff wasn’t paying enough
attention to mind at all.
To Brent’s credit he ignored all of Jenn’s
pointed advances and he was very attentive to Alyssa. They danced to all her
favorite songs—he even did the chicken dance which broke Alyssa into a fit of
laughter so violent they had to leave the dance floor in search of the punch
bowl. Dancing with Brent was just as disconcerting as sitting next to him in
that crowded limo. Even after he’d discarded his jacket and tie, and looked
more like his usual self, she found her heart leaping strangely when he pulled
her close for the slow songs.
At some point during the evening
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