Sara, could you please pass the salt, dear"? Her mother asked smiling at her from across the table.
Sara glanced up from the egg she had been delicately rearranging on her plate for the last five minutes.
"Sure, Mom", she said sighing softly.
"What's wrong dear"? Grace Burrows said her brow furrowing with worry.
"Nothing", Sara said quickly, wishing she had kept her mouth shut.
Mentally kicking herself Sara shot a glance in Michael's direction.
"Here you go, Mom", Sara said passing the salt.
Sara retrained her eyes to the cold rubbery egg on her plate, and resumed pushing it around with her fork.
When her mother didn't say anything, Sara glanced up at her.
Sara sighed inwardly. By the look on Grace Burrow's face she wasn't about to let this drop.
She was having brunch with her mother and Michael in the dining room, and Sara just wanted to let enough time pass so that she could make an unquestioned escape.
She had been thinking about the night before. She couldn't believe Michael had caught her and Kelly fighting over him. Well, not fighting exactly, but still.
Sara felt her cheeks redden at the memory. He must have heard them whispering and figured it out. Why else would he have been looking at them? Then when Kelly kicked her…Sara had felt so embarrassed. She still felt embarrassed!
Now her mother was being.. Well…she was being her mother. And as usual she was asking too many questions. Sara knew her mother wouldn't let it go, so she said the first thing that popped into her head.
"It's just… I don't have a date for the dance yet, that's all", she said hoping her mother would be satisfied with her answer and let it go at that.
Sara felt Michael's eyes on her and looked over at him. When her eyes met his he quickly looked away and down at his plate.
Sara felt her cheeks flare once again. Why had she said that about the dance? Now Michael would think that she couldn't get a date. She just kept making things worse and worse.
"That's what you're worried about"? Her mother said shaking her head.
Then, not waiting for Sara's answer. "Well, I have it on good authority that David is planning to ask you", her mother said smiling brightly at her.
"David Apolskis is going to ask me to the dance"? Sara repeated dumbly. Sara had been hoping David would ask her…well until Michael had shown up that is.
Funny she thought now, but she hadn't really given David much thought since Michael's arrival.
"Yes, his mother was telling me just yesterday…you know we are both working on the book drive this year", her mother droned on.
"Anyways we were chatting and she happened to mention it. Isn't that wonderful, dear"? Her mother was looking at her expectantly.
"Um, yeah that's great ". Sara forced a smile for her mother's benefit, and then looked back down at her plate.
"What about you, Michael"? Her mother asked suddenly dismissing her.
"Who are you taking to the dance, dear"?
Sara continued staring at her eggs, pretending she wasn't dying to hear his answer.
When he did answer Sara felt her heart cave in.
"Um, I was…um, I was thinking about asking Sara's friend Kelly, actually. But I don't really know how to dance, so I might not go". Michael replied.
"Well, that shouldn't be a deciding factor for you dear", Grace Burrows said as she picked up her water glass.
"As a matter of fact, she continued, Sara is an excellent dancer. I'm sure she could teach you everything you need to know. Right, dear"? Her mother smiled.
Sara swallowed hard, her tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth and her heart pounding at the mere thought of being in Michael's arms.
"Um…yeah…sure", Sara answered when she could finally get her tongue to move.