Heat Lightning

Chapter Thirteen

The dance started at eight-thirty p.m. The whole camp was totally ecstatic about it. Everyone would soon be heading toward the dancehall in semi-formal outfits. Alison was putting her dress on. It was a fitted pale salmon-colored pink taffeta dress with cream silk and lace sash, and cream lace detail on the sleeves and trim of skirt. She was chatting with me, and she was quite upset.

"Oh, it's so terrible. I still like Neil, and he's probably going to look totally hot tonight. What am I going to do?"

I sighed. "Just hope Chris is going to look totally hot too."

Alison grabbed me and hugged me. "You're such a good friend," she said. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

I smiled."Thanks, Alison."

Lauren sat on top of the vanity in the washroom, all ready for the big dance. She was wearing a flowing A-line cream-colored silk dress with beaded accents all over the bodice.

Alison and I were applying makeup to each other. "You know, you're really pretty, Alison," I commented.

"Nah, you're prettier," Alison replied.

"No way! Oh, who cares, we're both gorgeous sexpots, then, okay?" I giggled.

"Fine with me," Alison agreed, smiling.

We started giggling when Lauren came out of the washroom and marched over to us. I looked up at her.

"Oh, hi," I muttered.

Alison continued to laugh, not bothering to say hi. I began laughing, too.

Lauren narrowed her eyes, then turned on her heel and marched away.

"What's wrong?" I called.

Lauren stopped and turned around. She looked like she should be on the cover of Seventeen Magazine. "Oh, you care? I didn't think you did!"

Alison gave her a snotty look. "Stop sulking, Lauren," she ordered.

Lauren put her hands over her face and sighed dramatically.

"Come on, you two, smarten up," I said.

Alison rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Jenni."

"I talked to my ex, Mark, on the phone tonight," Lauren said. "I still love

him."

My mouth fell open. "Mark!?"

"Who else?" Lauren asked, looking dreamy-eyed.

"Oh, what about Dale? Remember him?" I thundered. What was her problem?

"Ssh," Lauren hissed. "I'm not going to break up with Dale. What Dale and I have is special." Her violet eyes glowed. They were shiny. Wet with tears.

"What are you trying to pull off?" Alison demanded. "If I were Dale, I'd tell you to go to hell."

"Well, you're not him anyways, so butt out," Lauren snarked. She grabbed some kleenex, looked in the mirror, and dabbed tears from her eyes.

"You're an idiot," Alison said. "Thinking back on Mark all of a sudden. Did he even call you?"

"I can't help how I feel about Mark," Lauren whined. "No, he didn't call me. But I was the one who broke up with him."

I bit my lip and shook my head. I didn't know why Lauren was obsessing about her ex suddenly. I sat on my bed and waited patiently. Then I decided to keep busy, so I touched up my makeup.

"Just focus on Dale, you do still like him, right?" I said.

"Yes, I still like Dale. And I'm going out with him tonight. I'm just saying, when I get back to school . . ."