Crushes Over Papercuts- A Mid 90s Tale

Chapter 14

Pink posters had been plastered in every hall and bathroom around school for the past three weeks. The Sadie Hawkins dance was happening in the school gym on Saturday night. Lily asked Marcus after their first date and she was encouraging me to ask Mark so we could double date. She ended up telling Marcus the truth about why we left the party but he assured her that he wouldn't have liked her any less even if she had thrown up on the fire pit.

Mark called on Sunday which gave me a chance to apologize for leaving the party without telling him. He didn't ask about Lily so Cody and Ben had kept our reason for leaving quiet. The next day at school I ran into Mark exiting the school office after lunch. It was the first time I had any clue where he spent his lunch break since he was almost never in the cafeteria with the rest of us.

He pointed at the pink paper taped to the concrete wall. "Have you seen this?"

"Yes," I nodded, "Are you planning on going to the dance?"

He stared into my eyes with a little smile on his mouth. "That depends. Are you asking me to go with you??

I shifted my weight. "Yes."

"Then yes, I'm going to the Sadie Hawkins dance."

#

Mark held my hand as we entered the dance. Red and blue lights emanated from the corners of the room, replacing the familiar fluorescent white bulbs in the gym. A mirror ball hung from the ceiling reflecting little squares of silver light across the darkened space. The smell of fresh wax on the floor tickled my nose.

I searched for Lily and found her on the floor dancing with Marcus. Mark decided that we should arrive to the dance a little late because he had to run an errand so Lily's dream of a double date was put on hold.

Courtney waved us over to her group but I wanted to run to the opposite side of the room to avoid another repeat of Dylan's house. Instead, I allowed Mark to lead me to her. Ben wasn't with the group but I knew she didn't come alone. A smile beamed across her face when she noticed us holding hands.

She clutched my arm and pulled me aside. "Wow! Are you and Mark are still hanging out? Is it getting serious?'"

"We've only been out a few times so no, not serious."

Courtney leaned in closer like she was about to tell me a secret. "If I weren't with Ben I'd try and get with Mark. He's a fun guy, knows how to have a good time, and is a cutie." She glanced back at Mark and my eyes followed her. "Of course, not as tall and definitely not nearly as handsome as Ben but he's doable. Mark is great and in your league."

Her tone was sweet but the words stung. I couldn't remember Courtney being this way when we were younger.

"Mark told me he asked you to homecoming. Wouldn't it be so fun if we all hung out together at the dance? Maybe we could all split a limo or something."

I searched for Lily, Mark, or anyone to interrupt this conversation but no one came. The last thing I wanted was to split a limo with Courtney and Ben. The drumming of loud music filled the space between us and I wished the room would expand and send me to the opposite side.

She brought us back to the group and when no one was watching, I slipped away. Lily joined me for a few minutes in between songs but Marcus swooped her away when his favorite song started playing.

Though Lily was there and I had a date, I felt all alone. Mark was talking with Courtney alone by the DJ booth and Lily was dancing with Marcus. She looked so pretty in her cream dress and was completely smitten with him. She waved me out to join them on the dance floor but I declined. I didn't want to interrupt their happy little party of two.