The Rest of Us Just Live Here
“You having a good time?” I ask.
“Yeah,” she smiles. “I really am. Who knew it’d be this much fun?”
“I’m starving, though.”
“Oh, God, me, too. I hope Mr Shurin brought out some steaks–”
She stops because she’s seen Tony Kim. He’s coming over to us. I feel her immediately soften.
“Hey, Henna,” he says.
She gets a really tender smile on her face. “Hey, Tony.”
I know Tony came to the prom with Vanessa Wright, the ex of mine and the girl who I lost my (and her) virginity with, but he’s not with her right now. It’s kind of a shock to see him. He really dropped away after Henna broke up with him.
“Long time no see,” I say.
“Hey, Mike,” he says, his face tight. I know how it must look, me here with Henna on this couch. He must have known – since everybody does – how much I’ve mooned after Henna all these years. And here we are, together, at prom. Looking like dates. Part of me actually wants to explain that, no, really, I have no idea what’s going on with me and Henna, that I think she’s still after this Nathan guy, that I’m even more confused now than ever, that Henna herself probably doesn’t even know how she feels and from what she’s told me, she’s kind of okay with not knowing right now.
I don’t say any of that, though.
“You look incredible,” Tony says to her.
“Thanks,” she says, warmly. “You look great, too.”
This is true. Tony is stupidly handsome but not in an arrogant way. He was always a nice guy.
Always good with Henna and to her. They were really beautiful together. Even now, because I can see how hurt he still is without her.
Well, tough, though. Right?
“So,” he says, sticking his hands in his pockets, looking a little uncomfortable. “Prom, eh?”
“Yeah,” Henna says.
He looks over to me but doesn’t say anything.
“We’re not here together,” Henna says, maybe a little too firmly. “I mean, we are, but we came as a group. Mike and his sister. Jared.”
Tony nods. “Saw you guys dancing.”
“Where’s Vanessa?” I ask. Everyone frowns at me for this.
“Getting a drink,” Tony says, looking around as if he could see her. “I think. Listen, Henna–”
“Tony–”
“I just wanted to–”
“I can’t do this, Tony.”
“I just want to call you sometime,” he gets out. “Just to talk. That’s all. No pressure, nothing. I just… I miss you.”
Henna bites her lower lip. “I miss you, too, Tony.”
He smiles, really sadly.
“It’d be great if you called me,” Henna says. “Before I go to Africa. That’d be great.”
He nods. “See you,” he says, shuffling away.
Henna watches him go. “Poor guy.”
“I guess so,” I say, a little too hard.
“For someone I’ve never dated,” Henna says, rising, “you feel entitled to way too much jealousy.”
I have to rush after her to catch up.
The Hummer waits for us. Our driver is called Antonio, and he opens the doors while we’re on our way over. Henna and I get in and wait for Jared and Nathan, still dancing inside.
“I’m sorry,” I say.
“It’s okay,” Henna says, leaning against me in the giant Hummer seat. “Actually, it was pretty nice having everyone think you were my date.”