Chase & Adrienne

30

ADRIENNE

SATURDAY NIGHT

Being at this dance with Luke is so much different than every other dance with Chase. With Chase, it was silly and goofy. With Luke, it's passionate and intentional. Every slow dance is laced with magic and peppered with gentle kisses. We hold each other tight during the fast songs and sing along with the words. Everyone around us is grinding. I hold off for as long as I can. I just don't feel right about it. Luke keeps trying to push me into it. After I refuse for the third time, he excuses himself angrily. I feel guilty the whole time he's gone, and when he returns, I give in. I gotta admit, it's pretty fun. I don't know what I was so worried about. While we're dancing like this, his arms around my waist from the back, he whispers in my ear, "Adrienne, you are the most beautiful girl here." I smile and turn to face him, our bodies pressed together. He can't take his eyes off of me, and I gobble up this attention as devoutly as its delivered. 

"Follow me." Luke takes my hand and leads me off of the dance floor. We go into the hallway, greeted by a blast of cool air. I'm secretly grateful for this. The dance floor gets so hot so fast. I try to raise my arms as discreetly as I can, trying to air myself out. The last thing I want is to get all sweaty. Thankfully, Luke doesn't notice. His eyes are determined, focused on some invisible prize. I follow him down the hallway. 

"Where are we going?" I ask. I can still feel the thumping bass of the music this far away. I won't be surprised if I go a little deaf tonight. Luke turns to face me as I lean against the wall, trying to shift some of my weight off of my towering heels. My feet are already killing me. 

"Adrienne," Luke says seriously, looking at me in the way that no person has ever looked at me before. His blue eyes are huge, electrifying. "You are the real deal."

"What are you talking about?" I ask, embarrassed. Luke isn't necessarily one to talk about his feelings. 

"You are so amazing. I can't believe I'm here with you right now. I'm the luckiest guy on the planet."

"Luke..." I murmur, touched by his sweet words. I wrap my arms around his neck and hug him. He hugs me tight, like he's afraid to let go. We stay like this for a long time. He pulls away, but he only does so to kiss me. We are so close, and yet not close enough. Never close enough. I never thought of myself as one of those girls making out with someone right out in the hallway, and I'm quickly overcome with self-consciousness. Luke's kisses start getting a little sloppier. I pull away for just a second. 

"There're people around," I remind him, motioning with my head down the hallway where a group of juniors are conversing. He cocks his head like he's surprised we're not the only two people on the planet right now. I know how he feels. 

"I have an idea."

Luke starts trying the handles on nearby doors. Several tries later, the door to an empty classroom squeaks open. Luke leads me in. The light's are off, but a streetlight shines brightly into a window on the opposite side of the room. Luke closes the door and locks it behind him. There is a tiny trashcan next to the door, and he spits a big, fat wad of gum into it.  He comes back to me, and we crash into each other. I can't decide where to put my hands, so I let them wander a bit. He does the same. Before I know it, my feet are off the ground. He carries me over to a bench and sits me on top of it. I wrap my legs around his waist, and he tangles his fingers in my hair. He plants a trail of kisses along my jawline, continuing down my neck. They get softer and softer the farther down he goes. He kisses my collarbone, and I freeze. I guide his head back up to my face again. I'm not ready for something that intimate. He places his hands on my knees, which tickles a little. As a reaction, I put my hands on top of his. His fingers find their way up my leg, ever so slowly. His fingernails graze the hem of my dress. I don't stop him. His fingertips find their way under my dress. At this point, I grab him by the wrists and pull his hands away. He seems unfazed by this, settling for my shoulders instead. But then, he's slipping my straps off of my shoulders. I remove his hands again. This time, he stops kissing me. 

"Will you relax...?" he tells me, fumbling with the zipper on the back of my dress. This is when I pull away completely. 

"What do you think you're doing?!" I demand. 

"I really like you, Adrienne. Let me prove it to you," he whispers, trying to kiss me again. I shrink away from the touch. 

"Not like this!" I exclaim a little louder than I mean to. 

"What--what are you..." Luke sputters, staring at me like I'm crazy. "You were all up on me five seconds ago. I thought you wanted to--"

"No." I state firmly, shaking my head. "I don't."

"What do you mean you don't?!"

"I'm waiting, Luke."

"Waiting?" Luke cackles, sending shivers up my spine. "You were shaking your ass all over me in there, Adrienne. You're a tease."

"Don't ever call me that again." I try to say this firmly, but my voice is trembling, and so am I. My throat is burning with tears, my skin burning with shame. 

"You're almost 18. What's the big deal?"

"Sex is the big deal," I hiss. "It means something to me."

Luke can only stare at me for a second. The doting, respectful boy I thought I discovered is gone. He has been replaced by someone sinister. 

"You're the first girl to tell me no. How does that make you feel?" 

I have no response to him. 

"Adrienne," Luke says, "I can promise you that there are at least a dozen girls out there who'll do it with me right now. Don't miss your chance."

I can only shake my head as I feel my eyes well up with tears. 

"Then go find one of them," I choke out. "But if you do, we're done."

I run out of the classroom and pray to God Luke doesn't follow me.