No Guidelines

Chapter 13-6

  This time she scanned carefully and she found him! He made his way past Sam and Sebastian and disappeared into the crowd. Audrey got up immediately to catch up. She found it hard to run in heels so she sped walked as fast as she could. Even then she ran the risk of tripping.

  The cute boy Chris got in her way, asking for another dance. She wouldn't mind but only one boy called to her heart right now. "Sorry, I'm looking for my friend." She resumed her chase.

  The number of people around her was overwhelming. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see some people looking at her. What were they thinking? How did she look? Did she look panicky? Her heart raced at the thoughts. She tried to conceal her anxiety and focused on finding Adrian. She barely saw his head over the crowd, walking along the side of the classroom building.

  Audrey maneuvered her way through the dance floor. Where did he go? She thought. He was just here. Was he trying to Avoid her? There was no way he would ditch her. Unless...

He did...

  No. I can't think like that. She went around the corner she had last seen him. There she saw Mr. Harris, who was standing guard at the last staircase. He shifted his weight back and forth to the music. His hands clasped with a radio in front of him.  Audrey held her dress as she hurried to him.

  "Mr. Harris!" She called. He turned with a smile. "Mrs. Perrin, enjoying yourself?" his smile faded as he noticed the worried look on her face. She did her best to sound calm and not have her voice tremble. "Have you seen Adrian?"

  He gave a look she did not expect; a roll of his eyes and a sigh. "You kids planned this or something?" He sounded annoyed. What did he mean? Audrey's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "What?"

  "I knew I shouldn't have let it slide with him," he said. Audrey put two and two together, instinctively looking up the stairway. She looked back at him, his brows now furrowed and a stern look on his face. "No."

  "Harris please, it's me, do I come across someone that would canoodle?" an odd string of words that left her lips yet said with such stone look and assurance. His face cracked just a bit, smiling at her. Then he groaned. Looking both directions as if a shady deal were being made and he was looking out for cops.

  "You snuck passed me when I was talking to someone, got that!" he said. Maybe it was the adrenaline or the anxiety but a rush of emotions filled her, like she could just explode. "Thank you, Harris! You're my favorite!" he gave a wink and motioned his hand over his shoulder. Audrey hurried up the stairs trying not to be seen. The second floor; empty. She nearly tripped over her heel in her haste. The third floor had to be it.

  She was breathing heavy by the time she made it to the final steps. There he was. Sitting in the pale moonlight, looking up at the sky with his phone in his hands. His wired earbuds connected as they stretched to both ears. He couldn't hear or see her.

  Good. It was time to collect herself. She was so tired she sat on the steps, not paying mind to the cleanliness of her dress. She leaned her head on the cold rail, thinking. Thinking of what to say. Questions filled her head on what was going on in his.

  "Audrey?" He called out to her. Her heart nearly stopped. She wasn't ready. She turned to him quickly. He was still in the same spot, same position, only now his face was looking at her, and their eyes met.

  She did her best to swallow through a dry mouth. "Hey, I uh- I waited for you," she said.

  He looked down. "I'm sorry," he said. She got up, dusting her butt for any dirt that may have attached itself to her dress. She moved closer to him. There was a table beside him yet he sat on the ground, against the wall. She motioned to the table and he nodded, his face cold.