Part 5
There wasn't a sound in the room as we stood there other than the long neglected music. I looked around me, seeing nothing but stunned expressions and wide eyes. This lasted for what felt like an eternity, until, finally, Jessie and Katie walked over to us, their hands interlocked.
"Grace, you look great!" Katie said, giving her a quick hug. "I love your dress!" As soon as Katie broke the silence, everyone else seemed to break out of their daze and go back to what they were doing.
"God, Jessie, thank you so much!" Grace said, seriously grateful.
"Don't thank me, thank Katie," Jessie replied. "It was her idea to come over here."
"Oh, well, then thank you Katie," Grace said, smiling gratefully. I looked at Katie, realizing what Jessie saw in her. It was obvious that Katie made Jessie happy, and right then I realized that Jessie also made Katie happy. It was good for Jessie that she found someone like Katie to be with.
As Katie and Jessie walked away, Grace and I sat down at one of the many confetti covered tables. She stared out at the dance floor, sighing as she watched the couples dancing. I knew exactly what she was thinking.
"Do you want to dance?" I asked her, as a slow song came on. "I'm not much of a dancer, but I promise I'll try!"
"OK," she said, smiling, and I led her out to the dance floor. At first she was stiff, but soon she relaxed into my arms, and we swayed back and forth comfortably. I quickly broke the moment, however, by stepping on her foot. She leaned back and laughed.
"I told you I can't dance," I said apologetically.
"Well, at least you're trying," she said, still holding the back of my neck. We began dancing again, and I felt her run her fingers through my hair. It was a simple gesture, but it was enough to make every part of my body become suddenly aware of its surroundings.
"Grace, stop," I said, my voice not much louder than a whisper. Apparently she knew what I was talking about, because she immediately removed her hands, and placed them on my neck again.
"Sorry," she said, though it was hard to tell whether she spoke at all. As we danced, I listened to the song that was playing.
*Disappointment stops by from time to time
To see how I'm doing
He came by last night right after you left
My life in ruin
When I don't get what I want
The spoiled child inside breaks down,
Kicking, screaming, praying and dreaming
For a love lost and found
I wish we never, I wish we never,
I wish we never met
'Cause now I've got my heart set on you
Humiliation asked me out last night;
I had nothing else to do.
So we took a cab to loopy drunk, had conversations
I couldn't get through,
And another stranger's eyes
Were trying desperately to meet mine,
But I looked away, tabs to pay, lies to say...
Like, "How are you?" Oh, "I'm doin' fine...but I..."
I wish we never, I wish we never,
I wish we never met
'Cause now I've got my heart set on you
I wish we never, I wish we never, I wish we never met
'Cause now I've got my heart set on you*
And I don't get what I want
From another stranger's eyes
And I don't get what I want
From another stranger's eyes
Oh I wish we never, I wish we never, I wish we never met
'Cause now I've got my heart set on you
I'm set on you*
As the song ended, I realized that it was a little depressing for a school dance. Still, it hit a little close to home, and as I pulled back, I noticed that Grace was visibly shaken.
"Are you alright?" I asked.
"Yeah," she said. "I just need to sit down."
"OK," I said, guiding her over to the table. "I'm going to get you something to drink, OK?" She nodded, and I walked over to the refreshments table. That song had affected Grace in some way, and I don't think I was being too presumptuous when I figured it had something to do with me.
There wasn't a sound in the room as we stood there other than the long neglected music. I looked around me, seeing nothing but stunned expressions and wide eyes. This lasted for what felt like an eternity, until, finally, Jessie and Katie walked over to us, their hands interlocked.
"Grace, you look great!" Katie said, giving her a quick hug. "I love your dress!" As soon as Katie broke the silence, everyone else seemed to break out of their daze and go back to what they were doing.
"God, Jessie, thank you so much!" Grace said, seriously grateful.
"Don't thank me, thank Katie," Jessie replied. "It was her idea to come over here."
"Oh, well, then thank you Katie," Grace said, smiling gratefully. I looked at Katie, realizing what Jessie saw in her. It was obvious that Katie made Jessie happy, and right then I realized that Jessie also made Katie happy. It was good for Jessie that she found someone like Katie to be with.
As Katie and Jessie walked away, Grace and I sat down at one of the many confetti covered tables. She stared out at the dance floor, sighing as she watched the couples dancing. I knew exactly what she was thinking.
"Do you want to dance?" I asked her, as a slow song came on. "I'm not much of a dancer, but I promise I'll try!"
"OK," she said, smiling, and I led her out to the dance floor. At first she was stiff, but soon she relaxed into my arms, and we swayed back and forth comfortably. I quickly broke the moment, however, by stepping on her foot. She leaned back and laughed.
"I told you I can't dance," I said apologetically.
"Well, at least you're trying," she said, still holding the back of my neck. We began dancing again, and I felt her run her fingers through my hair. It was a simple gesture, but it was enough to make every part of my body become suddenly aware of its surroundings.
"Grace, stop," I said, my voice not much louder than a whisper. Apparently she knew what I was talking about, because she immediately removed her hands, and placed them on my neck again.
"Sorry," she said, though it was hard to tell whether she spoke at all. As we danced, I listened to the song that was playing.
*Disappointment stops by from time to time
To see how I'm doing
He came by last night right after you left
My life in ruin
When I don't get what I want
The spoiled child inside breaks down,
Kicking, screaming, praying and dreaming
For a love lost and found
I wish we never, I wish we never,
I wish we never met
'Cause now I've got my heart set on you
Humiliation asked me out last night;
I had nothing else to do.
So we took a cab to loopy drunk, had conversations
I couldn't get through,
And another stranger's eyes
Were trying desperately to meet mine,
But I looked away, tabs to pay, lies to say...
Like, "How are you?" Oh, "I'm doin' fine...but I..."
I wish we never, I wish we never,
I wish we never met
'Cause now I've got my heart set on you
I wish we never, I wish we never, I wish we never met
'Cause now I've got my heart set on you*
And I don't get what I want
From another stranger's eyes
And I don't get what I want
From another stranger's eyes
Oh I wish we never, I wish we never, I wish we never met
'Cause now I've got my heart set on you
I'm set on you*
As the song ended, I realized that it was a little depressing for a school dance. Still, it hit a little close to home, and as I pulled back, I noticed that Grace was visibly shaken.
"Are you alright?" I asked.
"Yeah," she said. "I just need to sit down."
"OK," I said, guiding her over to the table. "I'm going to get you something to drink, OK?" She nodded, and I walked over to the refreshments table. That song had affected Grace in some way, and I don't think I was being too presumptuous when I figured it had something to do with me.