Splinters: Part One

Part One | 18

Collie locked the car and together, she and I strolled to the front doors.

...

There had been so many upbeat dances; I couldn't even count how many songs. I didn't want to dance, but Collie went ahead and did so with her friends. I didn't think I'd be a good dancer anyway. I felt like I'd just make a fool of myself.

I ended up leaning against a wall and watching everyone have a good time.

"Hey," I heard a voice say next to me.

I turned. A boy with short blond hair held a cup and wore a suit similar to mine, except he wasn't wearing his jacket.

"Flint," he said.

Realization ran through me. Flint's first name was Cornelius. Not many people knew that because he hated it and he'd gone by Flint since grade school. I only know this because Collie's been in his same classes from fourth to eighth and she told me about who was who. He's, like, a huge Lacrosse player, too.

"Brayden," I replied.

He looked away from me and back at everyone who was on the floor. "So you're with Collie?"

He was genuinely curious. I could tell by the way he asked. I think he was asking so that he could confirm the rumors. He wasn't jealous. He came off as just another guy who wanted to separate the lies from the truth. In return to his question, I nodded.

"Did you ask her to come?"

"Yeah."

Flint leaned back against the wall, bringing his cup up to take a sip. "That's crazy."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Why?"

"Collie never comes to dances."

I gaped. "What?"

He laughed. "I don't know how many times my friend Dallon asked her to Sweethearts last year and she turned him down."

"Why?"

"Dallon's a little-"

"No," I shook my head. "Why doesn't she come to dances?"

Flint shrugged. "I don't know." He turned to me and slapped my shoulder lightly. "Maybe she was just waiting for the right guy to come along and ask her." He gave me a friendly smirk, stood up, and walked away.

The song ended and then came a slower one. I knew she was going to get me to do this before she even came over so I stood up and tried to find a girl in a blue dress with blonde hair. To make it easier, I'm looking for the most perfect girl in this gym.

And there she was, standing with Tay. Tay, of course, saw me first and then Collie noticed me. She smiled when I took her right hand because her left was clutching a drink.

I nudged my head to the dance floor where there were now couples beginning to sway and she nodded slowly. I acted like I didn't notice Tay roll her eyes.

"Hold my drink, k?" Collie ordered, handing her best friend the cup.

"Whatever," Tay sighed.

Collie and I didn't pay attention to her rude attitude, mostly because we already knew why she was being mean. She didn't like me.

I don't know what I ever did to her. I don't know what I did to anyone here that hated me, besides Zech, but still, I didn't do anything to make him hate me. Sure, I'm with Collie, but he shouldn't be mad at me for that. He should be mad that he wasn't good enough for her.

I smiled. That meant that I was.

When Collie and I both chose our spot, she put her hands on both my shoulders and I wrapped mine around her waist.