Love and dances - Joel Dawson

Save me a dance

Dear Joel,

You really look great in your smoking. I only wish you looked that good for me.

Maple had guessed Joel would look amazing that night. He was always talking to her about the best way to style his hair and asking her if she really thought his smoking fit him and if his shoes went well with his tie and what type of cologne he should use. And, of course, as a good friend, Maple would answer all of his questions. So, really, it came as no surprise to Maple to see Joel, standing there in her living room in his beautiful smoking and his pale red tie. His hair was done to perfection, in a way Maple had never seen before and, as much as she loved the casual, relaxed style of clothing Joel usually wore whenever he came over to her house, she really liked seeing fancy, dressed up Joel too. She really, really liked seeing that Joel.

And she was about to say something about it, but, as soon as she came out of her shared bedroom with Minnow, putting on her right earring, Joel couldn't even stop the words that tumbled out of his lips.

"Wow..." He mumbled, causing Maple to look up at him, confused. "You... You look amazing, Maple."

And she did. She really did. She had told Joel about the dress she had planned on wearing. She said it looked fancy enough even if it was just a pretty dress she had found in a thrift shop down the street. She told him it was red dress and they had laughed, saying they were going to be matching, even if they never planned on it. She had said she was planning on wearing her favorite black shoes and a black glittery earring that she loved that used to be her mom's. She said she didn't know yet what to do with her hair or her make-up, but Joel supposed she had decided to do something simple because, as she stood there, in her elegant red dress with a matching vibrant red lipstick and barely any noticeable make up on her eyes except for a little eye-liner and her hair pinned back and a few little curls framing her face to near perfection, Joel realized Maple had really down played how beautiful she was planning on looking that night.

"Thank you..." Maple whispered back at Joel, her shy voice snapping the boy back to reality as he blinked a few times to be able to focus on her again. "You look great too. That color really suits you."

"Not as much as it does you." He admitted, a smile playing on his lips as Maple rolled her eyes with a smile.

"Such a charmer..." She mumbled, her smile faltering for a split of a second before it reappeared when she looked up at Joel. "Are you practicing? For Aimee?"

"Maybe." He admitted, with a shrug of his shoulders. "Do you think it'll work?"

"I don't know." She said. "Every girl is different and I don't know Aimee enough to know what works for her."

But, whatever it is that you do, it definitely works for me, she thought, biting her lip before the words could slip out. Joel mumbled something about wishing none of this was that complicated, but Maple didn't really hear his exact words, turning around from him to look over at Minnow instead when the younger girl emerged from their bedroom with a black clutch purse in her hands.

"You forgot this, Maple." She said, stopping just beside Maple as she offered her sister her purse and the older girl smiled with a thank you. "I checked. You have your wallet there and your cellphone and your lipstick."

"Thank you very much, squirt." Maple smiled at her, messing with her hair as Minnow whined and pushed her hand away from her. "I'm not taking the keys to the house with me, but Clyde is gonna be here with you while I'm out, so that's fine. You know the drill, though, right? You be good for him and when it's time to sleep, it's time to sleep, okay? No stalling."

"Fine..." Minnow rolled her eyes, before frowning quietly as she looked up at Maple. "Wait... You're gonna be out until after ten?"

"I think so, yes." Maple nodded. "The benefit usually ends at eleven, so I should be home by midnight. But you better be in bed, okay?"