The End of Nothing

Chapter 7

"Well hello ladies, it's amazing that y'all can even make leg warmers seem classy," he remarked kissing Minnie and Helen on the cheek. Margie's mind immediately flashed to Silas' reaction at seeing her in leg warmers this morning and her cheeks flamed in embarrassment. Seeming to notice, a mischievous sparkle entered Minnie's eyes.

"That is so sweet of you to say Silas!" Helen gave a hum of approval at Minnie's statement. "Doesn't Margie also look darling in her outfit too? That spandex is really outlining your amazing figure Margie." Margie's face flamed even redder at Minnie's comment, and she could see red creeping up Silas' neck too. He had no choice but to respond though, and Minnie knew it too.

"Yeah, she looks great," he choked out, excusing himself quickly with an excuse about stretching.

As Margie glared down Minnie, who sat in her chair attempting to look innocent, Helen chuckled to her left.

Few times I've been around that track, so it's not just gonna happen like that. Margie's mouth shut before she could respond as she heard 'Hollaback Girl' being played from the speakers behind her. The former conga line participants had organized themselves into orderly rows in the grass and looked up eagerly towards the stage as Mrs. Wu adjusted her mic one last time.

"Well I guess that's your cue, Margie girl, go get-em tiger!" her Mom exclaimed pushing her into the throng of people. The only space left was up in the front row, two people away from Silas.

---

Margie was dying, both figuratively and literally. Throughout the course of the workout, which consisted of Mrs. Wu playing Hollaback Girl on repeat for 30 minutes, the choreography set by Mrs. Wu conveniently caused Margie to end up right next to Silas.

She could feel the sweat dripping down her face and back and knew her face was an unattractive shade of red from exertion. Silas, on the other hand, looked like he hadn't even broken a sweat, and performed the moves that Mrs. Wu was screaming into her microphone with smooth precision. Being next to Silas and trying to look even half as smooth as he did while dancing was becoming difficult. She had to admit that his proximity did something to her, but the annoyance that she felt from their first meeting in the gas station was still in the back of her mind. She needed to ask him about that, or at least get Minnie to ask him.

"Margie! What are those arms? That does not look like a dab to me!"

Margie was stunned out of her thoughts by Mrs. Wu's yelling, and from looking around, realized she flubbed the routine-ending dab. She quickly adjusted her arm, hoping Mrs. Wu wouldn't make her go through the routine again.

Luckily, Mrs. Wu seemed to take mercy on her and instead looked over the crowd and congratulated them for completing her 80's dancing party, causing a loud clap to flow through the audience. Margie glanced over to her Mom's and Minnie's chairs to see Minnie slumped over snoring, while Helen joyously clapped with everyone. Those chicken nuggets really seemed to do Minnie in.

Silas turned to her, while wiping his face with a small towel, and gave her a hesitant smile.

"Hey so.." Silas began while scratching the back of his head, "do you have any plans for dinner later?" Margie looked off to the right, where Silas was staring as he asked her and saw Bernie, not-so-subtly mouthing the words for Silas to say. At the moment, it looked as though he trying to act out eating a bowl of cereal.

"Because Bernie wanted to know if you wanted to hang out with us," he paused, squinting in Bernie's direction, "to get soup?"

"Um," Margie hesitated, not sure what type of scheme she was going to get roped into with these two. As she looked over at her mom, Mrs. Wu, and Minnie though, she realized that hanging out with the boys tonight was probably the lesser of two evils, as they were all giving her conspiratory glances from a small huddle.

"Sure, I would love to." Silas smiled at her answer and gave a thumbs up to Bernie, who in turn nodded, did a strange hand signal, and turned his wheelchair around and raced towards the main building. Suspicious.

"Great, I'll see you later." Giving her one last winning smile, Silas raced behind Bernie.

---

Standing outside Bernie's room later, Margie didn't feel like herself. Once they got wind of Silas inviting her somewhere, Minnie, Helen, and Mrs. Wu jumped into action, painting her face with makeup and dressing her like their own personal doll. The result was nice, Margie had to admit, but probably didn't fit what Bernie and Silas actually had planned, which was most likely roping her into a scheme to get more pudding or something. She straightened her white blouse and ran her sweaty hands down her jeans one last time, then knocked on Bernie's door.

Silas swung it open right away, with his hair in all directions, like he'd run his hand through it many times.

"Margie." His voice was as hesitant as she felt, and as he ushered her into the room and she looked around, only one thought came into her head.

"Oh, hell no!"