Happenstance 3 (Happenstance #3)(13)
Author: Jamie McGuire

Brian grimaced. “She’s trying really hard, Janelle. Give her a break.”

As we picked over our greasy chicken breasts and bland green beans, Weston cringed. “Wow, this is…”

“At least the rolls are good,” Brian said, chewing.

I couldn’t help but smile. I liked Brian.

Janelle dropped her fork against the plate. “Disgusting every year. I wish they would just let us eat at a restaurant and then come here for the dance.”

After dessert, the DJ introduced himself and welcomed us to prom. He announced the main chaperones and sponsors, and then he put on an upbeat song to initiate a line dance. I was one of a handful of girls who didn’t rush to the dance floor. Whoever didn’t know the moves were giggling while trying to learn it.

Weston watched with a smile on his face. He seemed content with sitting next to me, his arm resting on the back of my chair.

Brian leaned in closer and spoke loudly so that we could hear him over the music, “Are you excited for Duke?”

Weston shook his head. “I’m not going to Duke.”

“What?” Brian asked, confused.

“I’m going to the Art Institute of Dallas,” Weston said with pride.

“Since when?”

“Since I applied and was accepted.”

“Is your dad mad?” Brian asked.

Weston shook his head. “He was surprised.”

“I’ll bet,” Brian said, raising his eyebrows. A few beads of sweat had begun to form at his hairline, and he tugged at his collar. “I gotta take this off. I’m burning up.” He removed his tux jacket and swung it around the back of his chair.

Weston did the same and then looked at me. “You wanna dance?”

I shook my head.

The current song ended, and a ballad came over the speakers. Chairs squeaked across the tile floor as the boys stood to join their dates on the dance floor.

“C’mon,” Weston said, shamelessly begging me with his beautiful eyes.

“O-okay,” I said, taking his hand.

Weston found an open spot and then spun me around before pulling me close. He pulled my hands up and behind his neck, and I clasped my fingers together. He settled his hands on the small of my back and took the first side step.

“I don’t dance,” I said.

Weston didn’t hear me at first, so I leaned up on the balls of my feet and repeated the words next to his ear.

He touched his cheek to mine and then kissed my forehead. “I don’t either, but I’ll dance with you.”

I rested my temple against his chest as I let him sway me back and forth to the music. We were stiff and not at all graceful, but I didn’t care who was watching or what they might be thinking.

All that mattered was that I was with Weston Gates. I had imagined it many times before, including the previous year when I had been making dip cones and Blizzards instead of attending prom. Now that I was with exactly whom I had always dreamed of, my only goal was to be present and live in these few minutes of time, for as long as they lasted, and enjoy every second of it.

By the gentle way Weston was pulling me against him, I thought that maybe he was thinking the same.

“I’ve spent a lot of time trying not to hope for this night with you,” Weston said into my ear. “But the harder I tried, the more I thought about it. I wasn’t sure how I could make it happen, but by some miracle, you’re here, in my arms. I don’t want to think about graduation or this summer or even two hours from now. Right now is the best it’s ever been for me. In this moment, you’re my entire universe, shining in all the right places.”

He slid his fingers over the jewels at the small of my back and smiled.

I hugged him tighter to me, trying to make the world stop, to make time pause, as I wished that we could somehow remain there forever.

When I glanced at a small group of boys clustered a few feet away, I knew they had no plans of letting that happen.

Chapter Six

“JESUS, GET A ROOM, GATES,” Brady said, standing on the outskirts of the dance floor with his group of friends.

Weston simply raised his fist, lifted his middle finger, and then returned his hand back to me. He didn’t even look at Brady.

Never one to be ignored, Brady took the few steps to where we were dancing and craned his neck at Weston. “I remember when you were on this dance floor last year, feeling up Alder every time you got a chance.”

Weston stopped dancing and stared straight over my head, probably at nothing.

“Weston,” I warned, “don’t let him ruin it. That’s all he’s trying to do.”

He took a deep breath and then sidestepped, dancing again.

Brady looked behind him and nodded to his group of friends. Micah and Brendan were standing there with Tyson and Andrew. Tyson was the only one who didn’t look particularly amused with the scene Brady was trying to make.

Brady turned back to us. “You gonna tap Erin’s ass tonight the way you did Alder last year? In the back of your truck?”

I froze.

Brady began to laugh. “He already has, hasn’t he? What, Erin? Did you think it was something he did just with you?”

“Where’s your date, Brady?” Weston seethed.

By this point, everyone around us was watching, still dancing but coming closer to see and hear better.

“Unlike you, I have standards. And the only two girls worth bringing passed away a little while ago. You remember them, don’t you? Your friends since childhood? Your girlfriend? The girl you said you were going to marry?”

My expression betrayed me, and Brady’s eyes brightened with satisfaction.

“Did he give you the we’re-going-to-get-married-someday speech, too? Figures. He throws that around about as easily as I love you.”

Just as the song ended, Weston turned to face Brady.

Brian walked over, keeping one of his broad shoulders between the two enemies. “C’mon, guys. It’s prom. Let’s keep it civil.”

Weston took a step and leaned in, just inches from Brady’s face. “If you try to ruin this night for her, you have my word that your parents will have to buy that tux once I’m through with you.”

“Yes, because a couple hundred bucks will be such a hardship,” Brady scoffed.

Weston took my hand and led me back to the table. I stood next to Weston while he took a gulp of his ice water.

Brian followed. “Don’t worry about it, man.”

Weston set down his cup. “He’s just trying to detract from the fact that he showed up here alone.”