The missing mortals, p.26
The Missing Mortals, page 26
Continuing to feign reluctance, Emma gave a half-hearted smile. She didn’t tell Martha that she had reached that very same conclusion right after the trivia game. Despite Martha’s assurances, Emma still held out little hope that anyone would ask her to dance, but she had decided in her own heart that she would be okay with that. She would be perfectly content to sit on the sidelines and just observe the goings on. She might even help herself to some of the goodies that were sure to be provided—if last year’s dance was anything to go by.
Clarice and Susie were in the room getting ready for the dance when Emma and Martha returned from supper. As usual, both girls looked stunning. Nothing in Emma’s wardrobe could match what Clarice and Susie were wearing. Emma consoled herself with the thought that she wasn’t going to be dancing, so it didn’t really matter what she had on. Knowing that Martha wouldn’t approve, she didn’t share her negative thoughts with her friend.
Susie talked nonstop, while Emma and Martha got ready for the dance. She was really excited about getting a chance to dance with Daniel. Emma remembered being just as excited before the dance last year, but things hadn’t exactly worked out the way she’d hoped. She sent up a little prayer that Daniel would ask Susie to dance. If he didn’t, Emma might just have to go over and thump his head. Boys could be so thick sometimes.
Soon everyone was ready, and the four girls left the room together. Emma felt a knot of nervous excitement in the pit of her stomach. The sound of music drifted toward them as they walked down the hallway. When they got inside the ballroom, they saw that several couples were already out on the dance floor. Emma took a moment to look around. The decorations all had a harvest theme and were pretty much the same as last year. The food tables, which lined the east wall, were covered with bright yellow tablecloths and decorated with twisted loops of orange streamers. Pumpkins and a large assortment of colorful gourds served as centerpieces. Clusters of red, yellow, and orange balloons were everywhere, and scarecrows wearing bib overalls and straw hats kept a watchful gaze on the proceedings from the corners of the room. Bales of hay had been stacked along the south wall and would serve as seating for those not dancing. Emma recalled spending a great deal of time on those hay bales last year and had already prepared herself for another long night of sitting on the scratchy bundles.
Daniel Jacobs must have been watching the door because as soon as the girls entered the ballroom, he came over and asked Susie to dance. She accepted with a giggle and happily followed Daniel into the crowd of dancers. Emma and Martha started over toward the hay bales to sit down, but when they looked back, Clarice was no longer behind them. Emma glanced around the room and spotted her almost immediately. A cute older boy was leading her onto the dance floor.
“Well, that didn’t take long,” Martha commented dryly as she watched Clarice.
“I know,” Emma agreed. “Who’s that boy she’s with? I’ve seen him before but I don’t know his name.”
“He’s a friend of her cousin. I think his name is Brandon. Of course, he’s a freshman.”
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Emma said. “Clarice and Susie have been hanging out with the freshmen more and more lately, and it’s all thanks to Preston. I just feel bad for Reggie. It seems like he’s getting left behind.”
Martha nodded her agreement as the two girls took a seat on the lowest tier of hay. Then they spent the next few minutes watching the sometimes-comical gyrations of those out on the dance floor. Emma wasn’t at all surprised to see Phil dancing with Kim, and right next to them were Tom and Cindy. Emma was glad that Tom had been able to summon up the courage to ask Cindy to dance. She couldn’t help feeling a little envious of the two couples.
Just as the song was ending, Emma saw Sebastian come in. He looked quite handsome in a pair of khaki pants and a long-sleeved green polo shirt. As soon as he spotted them, he smiled and came over to where they were sitting. He didn’t sit down but stood next to Martha. Emma could tell he was nervous. His face was beet red and there were beads of sweat on his forehead.
“Martha, do you want to dance? I mean if your ankle is feeling okay,” Sebastian added quickly after clearing his throat.
He was trying to act casual, but Emma wasn’t fooled.
“She’d love to,” Emma said, quickly accepting for Martha. It would be just like Martha to say no because she didn’t want to leave Emma sitting by herself. Emma was determined that Martha wasn’t going to let Sebastian down on her account.
Martha looked at her quickly but didn’t argue. Instead, she smiled at Sebastian and got up from her seat. Sebastian offered her his hand, and she took it, allowing him to lead her onto the dance floor. Emma watched them for a moment with a satisfied grin. Then with a little sigh, she began shifting around, trying to find a more comfortable position from which to watch the dancers. It was a moment or two before she became aware that someone was standing directly in front of her. She let her eyes travel upward and was surprised to see the very handsome face of Preston Danvers smiling down at her.
“Would you like to dance?” Preston asked before Emma could fully recover from her shock at seeing him so close. His blue eyes seemed even brighter at this range.
Emma couldn’t seem to find her voice, so after a brief hesitation, she simply nodded. Just as Sebastian had done with Martha, Preston offered her a hand to help her up, and once she was up, he didn’t let go. Numbly, Emma let herself be drawn onto the dance floor. Emma’s heart began to pound and a wave of heat washed over her as she began to grasp the fact that Preston Danvers, of all people, had asked her to dance. Preston let go of her hand once they were in amongst the other dancers. The DJ was playing an upbeat rock tune. For a moment, Emma was at a loss as to what to do. Preston had already begun to move to the music and was looking down at her with a quizzical expression. Emma realized briefly that she’d never actually danced before. She had been so caught up in the idea of being asked to dance that she’d never seriously considered what would come next. Almost without conscious thought, Emma began to imitate the movements of those around her. After all, although she may have never danced before, she’d certainly watched enough of it to have some idea of how it was done. Her efforts must have pleased Preston because he smiled and nodded in approval. The song went on for several minutes, and as time went on, Emma began to relax and enjoy herself. The music was too loud for any conversation, so there was nothing to do but dance and look around at the other couples. Preston would always smile each time her eyes met his, and she couldn’t help but smile back. He really was incredibly handsome, and that smile of his was irresistible. She liked the way his blond hair curled over the tops of his ears.
It never occurred to Emma to wonder what Doug would think of her dancing with Clarice’s cousin. However, it had apparently occurred to Martha because right after the song was over she sought Emma out.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Martha demanded abruptly.
“What does it look like? I’m dancing. Someone finally asked me to dance and I said yes,” Emma replied defensively.
“I could see that,” Martha huffed. “It’s not the dancing that’s the problem. It’s who you’re dancing with. Doug’s already jealous of Preston, and he’s not going to like this one bit.”
“I don’t think he’ll mind in the least,” Emma declared with a certainty she didn’t really feel. In her heart, she knew that Martha was right. Doug would be upset when he found out. But it had felt so good to finally be asked to dance by someone that she’d pushed aside any thoughts of Doug and his possible reaction.
“Preston and I danced one time,” Emma continued in her own defense. “He probably won’t ask me again. And we were just dancing together for heaven’s sake. It’s not like I kissed him or anything.”
Martha eyed her with obvious disapproval. “You know that’s not the point.”
Emma found herself getting angry. I guess I’m not allowed to have a good time, she thought. Aloud, she said, “Last year, I didn’t get asked to dance a single time. I sat on those stupid hay bales for two hours. Not a single guy, not even Doug, my supposed boyfriend, asked me to dance. So maybe, just maybe, you could cut me some slack and be a little more understanding.”
Martha’s expression softened slightly. “I do understand, but why did it have to be Preston?”
“He’s the only one that asked me,” Emma replied in a somewhat less hostile tone.
Martha was about to reiterate that dancing with Preston was a bad idea when Sebastian came up to claim her for the next dance. With a sigh and a slight shake of her head, Martha decided that it wouldn’t do any good to continue arguing with Emma. It was clear from the stubborn set of her jaw that her mind was made up. Emma was going to do as she pleased regardless of anything she might say.
Emma was on her way to the hay bales to sit down when she was hailed by Preston.
“Hey, where are you going? We’ve got more dancing to do.”
Without waiting for a reply, Preston pulled her back out onto the dance floor. Emma knew that Martha would be mad, but for once, she didn’t care. She was going to have a good time tonight. Emma was flattered that a freshman boy, especially one as good looking as Preston, had asked her to dance. The fact that all of her friends would see her dancing with him didn’t hurt either.
As she danced, she silently rationalized her behavior. She and Preston were only dancing, and there was absolutely nothing for Doug to be upset about. All of these thoughts swirled through her head, but deep down inside Emma knew they were far from the truth. There was more to it than that. Emma didn’t want to admit it to herself, but she had a crush on Preston, and if he knew, Doug would most certainly be upset about that!
They danced the next several dances together, and then Preston suggested they get some refreshments. Preston held her hand as they walked over to the snack tables—only letting go in order to get them each a plate and napkin. Then they walked side by side along the tables, filling their plates with whatever took their fancy. Once they were finished making their selections, Preston led them over to the hay bales so they could sit down and eat. While they ate, they watched those still on the dance floor. Emma looked for Martha but couldn’t see her in the crowd of dancers.
The music was so loud that whenever Preston talked to Emma, he had to lean close to her face in order to be heard. In those moments, Emma was glad that Martha couldn’t see her. She would most likely misinterpret Preston’s actions.
“Was the dance this much fun last year?” Preston asked so close to her ear that she could feel his breath on her neck.
Trying to ignore the little tingle making its way down her spine, Emma struggled with how to answer. She didn’t want to admit to Preston that last year’s dance had been a disaster for her and that she hadn’t been asked to dance a single time. Deciding that Preston didn’t need to know any of that, she answered simply, “Yeah, it was great.”
Preston continued to look at her as if he was waiting for her to say more on the subject, but when it became obvious that that was all the answer she was going to give, he went back to eating. When they were both finished, Preston took their plates and left Emma for a minute, while he went to dispose of them. He returned quickly and held out a hand to help her up.
“Shall we dance?” he asked with a gallant bow.
“We shall,” Emma replied with a laugh. As she followed Preston onto the dance floor, she realized that the evening was turning out much better than she could have ever hoped. Thanks to Preston, she was having a wonderful time.
The minute they got back on the dance floor, the DJ began playing a slow song. Up until then, all of the songs had been fast rock tunes. Emma immediately felt awkward and unsure of what to do. Preston, however, had no such doubts. With a wry smile, he put Emma’s left hand on his shoulder and took her right hand in his. Then he put his other hand on Emma’s waist and leaned close to whisper, “Now, just follow me.”
Emma nodded and then turned a deep red—extremely embarrassed that she hadn’t known what to do and even more embarrassed that Preston had known it. As they moved together with barely an inch between them, her embarrassment faded to be replaced by other unnamed and heretofore unknown feelings. Unaccountably her thoughts turned to Doug. She began to wish that she was dancing with Doug instead of Preston. She looked around at the other couples on the floor. None of them were dancing as close as she and Preston. Emma began to feel uncomfortable. Something wasn’t right. She tried to put a little more distance between herself and Preston, but the arm he had around her waist was an unyielding iron band. The more she tried to pull away, the tighter it became. Not wanting to make a scene, Emma quit struggling and prayed for the song to end. She didn’t intend to dance any more dances with Preston Danvers.
As soon as the song was over, Emma broke away from Preston and excused herself, saying that she needed to visit the ladies’ room.
“Hurry back,” Preston called after her as she hastened from the ballroom.
Once she was out in the hall, she didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t just go to her room without telling Martha first, but if she returned to the ballroom, Preston would expect her to dance with him again, and he’d already demonstrated his unwillingness to take no for an answer. While Emma had never really intended to go to the restroom, she went anyway, just to give herself some time to think. While she splashed cold water on her face at the sink, a plan began to form in her mind. She would sneak back into the ballroom with a group of other girls returning from the restroom. Preston would probably be waiting near the door so if she could get past him, he’d never know that she’d already come back in. Then she could find Martha and let her know she was leaving. Emma wasn’t really concerned about sneaking back out. She was sure Martha would help her figure out something once she explained the circumstances.
Emma’s plan worked even better than she’d expected. Two groups of girls were going back into the ballroom just as she was leaving the restroom. Emma got in behind them and ducked down as they went through the doorway. Then she edged along the refreshment tables until she was standing next to one of the doors leading out onto the terrace. She craned her neck to see where Preston was, but if he was still waiting for her by the door, she couldn’t see him. In fact, she didn’t see him anywhere. Maybe he’d decided to use the restroom himself while she was gone. It didn’t really matter where he’d gone. Emma was just glad that, at least for the moment, she was free of him. She’d better hurry up and find Martha before Preston returned from wherever he’d gone. Emma scanned the ballroom, but she didn’t see Martha in the crowd of dancers. She made a complete circle of the room but still no Martha. Sebastian didn’t appear to be in the ballroom either. They could be out on the terrace getting some fresh air, Emma reasoned. At any rate, the terrace was the only place left to look. Emma was just about to step outside through one of the French doors when a voice she recognized stopped her.
“I think she’s onto me,” Emma heard Preston say from somewhere out on the terrace. It sounded like he was close by.
Emma quickly ducked back inside and hid around the corner. Was Preston talking about her, and who was he talking to? She couldn’t leave until she had the answers to her questions. Fortunately, the song that had been playing ended just then, and Emma was able to hear the rest of the conversation clearly.
“It doesn’t matter now. The damage is already done. When Doug finds out that you’ve been dancing with his girlfriend all night, he’ll come unglued. He’ll probably never talk to her again. I’m sure they’ll both be miserable, and that of course makes me very happy. You did a great job.”
Emma recognized the other voice immediately. That horrible voice belonged to none other than Bobby Wilcox. Before Emma could fully process the fact that she’d been had, Bobby continued.
“Sorry you had to waste your whole night slumming with little miss nobody, but I’ll figure out a way to make it up to you. Thanks for helping me teach that little brat an important lesson. Nobody tattles on me and gets away with it. As the saying goes, anyone who messes with me has to pay the piper.”
“No problem. I kind of enjoyed myself. It was so easy. She didn’t have a clue until that last dance. I think she really thought I liked her.”
“As if you could like someone like her. She’s not in our league and never could be.”
“You said it. Did you see the way she danced?” Preston asked with a laugh.
“Yeah. I couldn’t help laughing. I don’t know how you were able to keep a straight face.”
In a daze, Emma moved slowly away from her hiding spot. She’d heard enough. How could she have been so stupid? She should have known Preston was up to something. He hadn’t paid her a bit of attention all year, and then suddenly there he was—acting like he was her boyfriend. She wanted to cry and rage at the same time. As Emma blindly made her way to the exit, she decided she wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of tears. Instead, she would find a way to get even. Bobby Wilcox didn’t know whom he was dealing with. She may be poor, but she wasn’t stupid. Bobby needed a good set down, and she was just the one to give it to him. Emma was angrier than she’d ever been in her whole life, but the anger was good. It kept her from dwelling on what she may have just lost—her friendship with Doug.
Emma was so upset that she forgot all about finding Martha to tell her she was going back to the room. All she wanted to do at the moment was get away. She was so mad she felt like she was going to explode. Just as Emma made it to the exit, she bumped into Martha, who was coming back in.
“There you are,” Martha began accusingly. One look at Emma’s face stopped her before she could say any more. Emma was as pale as a ghost except for two red splotches high on her cheeks. It was clear that something terrible had happened. Martha put both of her hands on Emma’s shoulders and asked, “Emma, what on earth has happened? Are you all right? Did that beast Preston cross the line?”
