Chapter Twenty-Nine - Homecoming

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THE ADORNED GYM held no surprise for me and the girls. We'd helped all day to string up the fairy lights, disco balls and streamers. Snack and punch tables lined one side of the room. When we were done, we had a huge confetti fight. Resting tables were draped in white sheets, with fresh flowers at the center. The music from the DJ boomed, and the dance floor was already packed.

At the opposite corner, Chuck greeted an influx of students at the photo studio. My chest tightened with discomfort at his sight, but luckily he didn't see me.

"Are you okay?" Adam's thumb grazed my forearm, snapping my attention back.

"Yeah, why?"

"Dunno, you looked a little tense," he spoke over the music.

"I'm good." I pointed at the snack table, the furthest one from Chuck. "I'm kind of thirsty. Want me to bring you something?"

He squeezed my hand gently. "Orange soda, please."

I left him and the group to head over to the food and juices. I filled a cup with soda for Adam and another one with chocolate milk for myself. I came back with both in each hand, greeting a few classmates and a chaperone on my way. I found the group settled at a table adjacent to the dance floor. Emma was already dragging her date along to the music, and soon enough, they disappeared amid the mass.

After a couple of minutes, Adam asked me. "Want to dance?"

"I thought you were supposed to wait for a slow to come on. You know, like in the movies."

His teeth glowed in the neon lights. "Rules are no fun. Especially when my date is you."

I must have blushed so hard he picked it up even through the multicolored lighting. He was being bold, tonight. An entire cloud of butterflies seemingly fluttered in my stomach.

"I don't know how to dance."

"You danced well enough at the victory party back at my house," he replied with a smirk.

I didn't have a clue it was that memorable. "You know I was drunk and it was not my fault."

"Come on, I'll show you if you can't remember. No one's really watching, anyways." He got up and offered his hand.

I took it, and it was nice and steady. Sam and Jen silently wished me good luck. We weaved through the crowd, stopping in the middle of it. He took my other hand, and then proceeded to shake it loosely.

"You're a little stiff, be flabbier."

"Interesting choice of words," I pointed out as he rotated me like he was playing with a stuffed animal. Then, he spun me around and brought me closer to him, grinning when I clumsily bumped his chest. Embarrassment flushed over me, and my cheeks exploded with warmth.

"I'm going to be so bad at this."

"Who cares?" he said, eyes bright. "Just follow the music and do whatever you want. We're here to have fun."

I couldn't help the next silly thing that escaped my mouth. "Oh, so I can twerk if I want to?"

I wanted to fill our conversation with something funny and not seem dull or worse—uninterested, but it came out weird. It would have been better if I had let that sit in my brain.

Adam seemed to give it some thought, then nodded. "I won't stop you. Hell, I'd do it with you."

It was sweet of him to make me comfortable, despite that. But I was not making an even bigger fool out of myself.

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