Beauty and the Dork

Bluffing

"Are you having fun?" I asked, pressing my lips to his ear. He pulled back and nodded.

"I still can't believe you're here with me," he said quietly, studying my face. I felt my face flush and nodded.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," I replied. He smiled, and we continued to sway together, laughing whenever we tripped over each other.

"I've got to go to the bathroom," Eddie announced, his face sheepish. "Wait for me by the punch?"

I nodded and I went to the punch bowl as Eddie trotted away. I swayed to the music, grinning at the memory of Eddie and I dancing.

"Hey, Mar-got," a voice said quietly. I turned, wide-eyed, to Jason. He waved awkwardly and walked over to me. I looked around, panicked. "I come in peace. I promise."

I watched him for a beat and nodded tightly. He walked over to me and stood next to me, watching the dance.

"Where's Chrissy?" I asked. He nodded to the photographer.

"She and the other cheerleaders are in line to get some photos. I saw you by yourself and wanted to come say hi."

"Well...hi," I replied awkwardly. We stood for another beat.

"Chrissy, uh...Chrissy told me what you told her the other day," he offered. I felt my stomach drop. I shrugged.

"That makes sense," I replied. I looked at him and he nodded awkwardly.

"I...I wanted to say I'm sorry," he said. I raised my eyebrows and he shrugged. "I didn't realize...look, if I had known, I wouldn't have said or done those things about Munson."

I looked at my feet and nodded sadly.

"I just thought you changed, Margot. I didn't...I couldn't have—"

"Known I was a dork?" I asked. He looked at me and smiled sadly.

"I'm just sorry," he said. I nodded.

"Thank you," I replied. He smiled again. We were quiet again.

"We're...we're probably not going to be friends anymore, are we?" he asked quietly. I looked at my feet.

"Not...not best friends. I'm not that Margot – I never really was," I answered. He nodded.

"I can tell you guys are happy. Like how me and Chrissy are happy. Probably happier," he said. I smiled, my heart seizing. I nodded.

"We are really happy. So happy," I answered. He smiled genuinely at me.

"That's great," he replied. We smiled at each other, and he placed a hand on my shoulder. "You guys look great, too."

"Thanks – you guys do, too," I replied. He grinned wider. I felt a wave of relief that we had gotten some sort of closure. I pulled him into a tight hug, my eyes welling with tears.

"Bye, Mar-got – I hope you guys have fun," he said quietly. I nodded.

"Bye, Jace," I replied. I pulled back and patted his shoulder. "Make sure you kiss Chrissy."

He laughed and nodded before walking away, hands in his pockets. I sighed, relieved.

---

I watched as Margot hugged Jason, and my stomach dropped. I thought I knew better by now, but I still got panicked, convinced that she was finally wising up.

He walked away and I headed over to her, my stomach filling with dread. She finally noticed me, and her face lit up, making my heart stop. All of my anxiety went away, and I practically ran over to her. She threw her arms around me, pulling me close to her face.

"What was that about?" I asked nervously. She shrugged and kissed me softly.

"Just saying goodbye," she replied. I furrowed my brows, and she brushed my hair out of my face. "I'm just Margot now."

I grinned wildly and kissed her hard. I pulled back and she was giddy.

"Want to keep dancing?" she asked. I nodded and my girlfriend pulled me out to the dance floor, smiling wildly at me. I remembered how I watched her from afar for a year, how chicken shit I was by the pool at that first party.

We got to the middle of the floor, and I decided to be Eddie the Brave. I pulled her close to me, kissing her like I did to make her breathless, and pulled back, grinning. She was bright red, almost as red as her dress.

"If you keep kissing me like that, we'll need to leave and go back to your place," she warned. I grinned, kissing her again.

I needed to see if she was bluffing.