REALLY ✓

20: The Night Moves

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      TAYA's POV:

I pulled my hand away as soon as I could, causing Blake to flinch. He followed my gaze and his body stiffened as soon as he saw the figure standing by the door.

"Blake, I'm sorry..." I started and he turned his head back to me. "I think I need some time,"

"What do you mean? I just told you all those things and you—"

"And I'm saying I need some time to let it all sink in," I paused for a second before saying, "Okay?"

"But..." he looked as if he wanted to say something, but he took in a deep breath and let out a long sigh instead. Finally he muttered, "Fine..."

"Excuse me," I slipped past him and made my way over to the door. I was well aware that Blake was still watching my every more. The whole room too—I could almost hear all the whispers.

"You came," I said as soon as I was an arm's length away from Judah. I didn't want to sound too excited, but the small smile curving up my face was a dead giveaway.

"Yeah," he raked his hair with his hand. "I just came to check up on you. I was worried you'd look like a fool, waiting for me all alone. But I see you've got yourself some company, so I think I'm just gonna go,"

And my smile immediately turned to a frown.

"Wait, what? But you just got here,"

"This isn't really my scene, Blondie. You know that," he gestured around the room before putting his hands in his pocket. "And plus I got somewhere to be, someone's waiting for me,"

One minute I was beyond excited to see that he actually showed up for me, but the next minute it was all taken away. I felt my heart plunging itself down a cliff.

"Is it Ava?" I muttered lowly.

He didn't answer me, but the look in his eyes gave it away.

"Please don't go," I said before I could even stop myself.

He looked at me and let out a sigh. It was as if he wanted to say something, but he was holding himself back.

"Dance with me. Just one dance. And then you can go if you want to," I said again, noting his frustration.

Perhaps asking Judah to a school dance was a mistake after all.

"Fine. One dance," his eyes softened a little as he said it. I was relieved.

Even if all I could get from him was just one dance, fine, I'll take it.

I took his hand and led him to the middle of the dance floor. As we walked in, I noticed the jealous eyes of the junior girls, the playful wink coming from Hallee, the mocking scoff coming from Viv, and the cold stare coming from Blake.

Ignoring them all, I linked my arms around Judah's neck and he responded by putting his hand on the small of my back.

"Look at all these people. They're all wishing they were dancing with the hottest girl at school," he commented, and I could taste the sarcasm in his words.

"Screw you," I said, rolling my eyes at him.

Leave it to Judah to make any tender, picturesque moment an unromantic one.

As if he knew what I was thinking in my head, he skillfully twirled me around in a circle. Then he gripped my back tightly before letting me down and pulling me back up quickly.

"What was that?" my eyes widened instantly, barely registering what just happened.

"That was the winning move from the 2011 ballroom dancing championship at Camp Tahoe," he laughed.