Andy shrugged, and Arnold stared, paralyzed. "To whoever's hiding, it's a party. We're all just here to dance and have fun." Instant anxiety overtook my body, and I squeezed my eyes shut in fear. A clammy hand gripped mine and attempted to drag me from behind my impenetrable human wall. I yanked my arm back, and the guy rolled his eyes, pointing at me to confirm I was behind them.
Friggin jerk!
"Well, either they come out and come up, or one of you takes their place," Grey said.
"I gotcha, Hazel," Andy said nonchalantly. I moved behind Arnold, who slumped, relief overtaking his body.
I couldn't stay. Grey would probably want me to go up or have Arnold take my place. Arnold would die if that happened. So once Grey's attention was fixed on everybody on stage, I yanked Arnold out of the room with me.
"Thank you," he said, relieved. "Sorry about that in there... I was really—I'm just sorry." I waved it away and patted his back.
We waited there together and talked, me using my phone to respond to what he said. "All right, everybody, get off my stage." A few minutes later, Mindy and Andy came strolling out of the room.
"You guys survived!" Arnold said. Andy pulled him into a headlock and gave him a noogie.
"You were so annoying," he said, laughing.
"Nu-uh!"
Mindy placed her hands on her hips and playfully glared at me. "And you! How dare you make Andy go up instead of dancing with that beautiful specimen?"
Gorgeous, actually.
"We're gonna have a quick break," Grey said over the microphone. "Get some drinks and stuff. That's what I'm gonna do." He sounded so casual. It was weird that he could be that way right after such a bad breakup.
As people began to file out, I grabbed Mindy by the arm and started to tug her down the hall.
"What?" she asked and laughed. I didn't want her to see my panic, but I was freaking out. Grey could not see me. If he recognized me, my secret could get out, and everybody would think I was insane—creepy even. It jumped the gun a little, but I never wanted to risk it.
"What's up, guys?" I heard Grey's voice shockingly close behind me. How the hell did he dip through the crowd so quickly?! I tensed up, my eyes meeting Mindy's. She gave me a confused smile.
"How's everybody enjoying the party?"
"It's really fun!" Mindy said.
"Yeah, it's cool," Arnold added.
"How about you?" he tapped my shoulder. I lightly flinched.
"She doesn't talk," Mindy said. "She signs, though."
"That's perfect; I love practicing my ASL," Grey said. Mindy smiled widely, then spun me around to face him.
His laid-back expression sharpened with recognition; my stomach dropped, dread pooling into it.
"Do I know you?" he signed. I shook my head a little too quickly. He narrowed his eyes as he seemingly tried to remember.
"We've never met before," I signed nervously.
I could tell he didn't believe me, but he didn't push it further. Instead, he shrugged and walked off.
"What was that?" Andy asked. I shook my head, unable to do anything else.
"Come on, let's go follow him," Mindy said, hitting me on the back. "This is the only night we'll really be intermingling with them. We gotta break down some walls and get on their radar!" I shook my head frantically.
YOU ARE READING
Little Sweet Dreamer
Teen Fiction"Oh," he said, as my back hit the wooden wall. Damn it, of course. With nowhere to go, his arms locked me in between him and the wall. He stared down at me as he said, "So you're trying to piss me off?" His lips were surprisingly close to mine. No g...
