Frostbitten Past

X V I I I

THE DANCE ended without another incident. Andorra and her peers filed out when the last song played, and she felt something akin to disappointment at the thought that it was over so soon. That she would have to put away her dress and take down her hair and wipe off her makeup and become who she normally was.

The metaphorical clock was chiming midnight, and it was her time to go. Only, she wasn't so sure that Kyle was the prince meant to find her glass slipper.

Lila stayed with them as they walked to the parking lot, holding onto her boyfriend's hand. In front of her, Andorra was still glowing and shimmering and looking like a princess from another world.

Andorra turned to face her. "That was a lot of fun. Thanks, Lila. You really helped me out... big time. I owe you one."

Lila waved her hand dismissively. "You owe me nothing."

Andorra's smile was soft and sweet, her anger from earlier long gone. All it took was a few dances with Kyle for her body and mind to return to normal. Now, she felt almost drunk on the happiness of the night and the last few hours she spent spinning around and laughing, genuinely having fun with Lila and Kyle.

When they approached Kyle's car, Andorra turned to say goodbye to Lila. The dark haired girl looked tired as she stood there, leaning against her boyfriend, her eyes sleepy and her face soft. Andorra watched the way Lila's boyfriend wrapped her up in his arms, protectively and lovingly, and there was a sudden ache in Andorra's heart. Seeing the blatant love on Lila's face was enough to make Andorra wish that someone looked at her like that. She wanted someone to wrap their arms around her and press kisses to her temple, to her cheeks, to her neck and beyond.

"Goodnight, Andorra. I'll see you at school on Monday." Lila pressed a sleepy kiss to her boyfriend's cheek, then turned to Kyle. "I'll see you there as well."

Kyle was fidgeting beside Andorra, his hands steering Andorra towards his car. "Bye, Lila," was his only response as he opened the door for Andorra.

She did slide into the car, waving one last time as Lila through the window. As she settled in Kyle's car, exhaustion wrapped around her like a blanket, and she wanted to close her eyes and sleep right there in the car.

Kyle turned the key, and the radio came to life, blaring some sort of pop song. He turned down the music and looked sheepishly at Andorra. "Whoops. Forgot we had that on so loudly earlier."

She rubbed her eyes and yawned, looking through the window as they pulled out of the high school. The magic of the night was wearing off, and she speculated that any moment now their carriage would turn into a pumpkin.

She stared at Kyle lazily, noting his sharp jawline and the glow of his tanned skin in the dark. His skin looked soft to touch, and his hair was tousled from the dance. He always looked more mature, but in that moment, there was something so young about him that warmed Andorra.

"Thanks for tonight, Kyle. That dance was the most fun I've ever had." And it was the truth; Andorra didn't have many memories of fun nights, or being with friends. She mostly remembered being home alone, reading her books, playing with her toys, watching the neighborhood kids play without her.

Kyle reached over and grabbed her hand, running his thumb over her knuckles. He glanced at her, but there was something in his expression that was tight, nervous. Perhaps even regretful. "Thank you for accepting me as your date."

Andorra settled back in her seat, the street lights almost hypnotic as they drove under them. So hypnotic, she almost didn't know where they were. When she did, she sat up straighter, pressing her nose to the window. "Where are we going? This isn't the way home?"