Those Nightmares Gone

Chapter 9

Asha's POV

I finished homework with Ryan in my room, and I started to put my books away. "Are you ready for the dance?" I asked him.

"Yeah. We had dances in our old school. I want to see how it is," he said. He seemed excited as he went to change into the outfit he put out on the bed. He had no idea what the extent of this dance would be.

I skipped out of the room and to pay Danny a visit in her room. Somehow, seeing she and Devin fighting wasn’t a surprise.

"I. Am. Driving!" Danny shouted at him. He rubbed his ear and looked to me for a solution

"I'm driving," he said to me. I shrugged apologetically. Danny shoved him aside and stomped towards me.

"Let’s go, Asha," she said, looping her arm through mine and dragging me out the door. "We’ll drive there together."

Devin and I caught each other’s eye before we hit the hallway. Although I liked the idea of them going to the dance together, he had to go separately else the plan wouldn’t work.

Judy and Karissa were waiting with our dresses and shoes already picked out. I didn’t want to overdo it so long there was less skin than sparkle. Karissa twisted Danny’s brown curls and Judy brushed the excess eye-shadow from my lids.

"Okay, you're free to go!" Karissa said, and she shared a high-five with Judy. As much as I loved being their dress-up dolls and make-up mannequins, we were running late.

Once we were in the car, I started to feel jittery and nervous. How must Danny be feeling? It was her first time going the dance, or any dance for that matter.

"You seem excited," Danny said, giving me a side grin. "Can't wait to see Ryan?"

I blushed and looked out the window. "What about you? You want to see Devin, right?"

She snorted. "Yeah, right." She wouldn’t deny it. For someone whose feelings were always concealed, she wouldn’t know what she wanted either.

The banquet next to Bramalea was engulfed in red, pink, and white lights, and a carpet of glittering snow led us to the entrance. Danny's face was aglow, her eyes widening in awe as we pushed through the double doors.

The hall was humongous – the walls were draped with curtains, heart-shaped balloons strung at every corner and food table, and chandeliers illuminated from the looming roof. Students in dresses, teachers on supervision, and couples with bouquets stood and danced, chatted and ate together.

Devin and Ryan were chatting and laughing at the punch bowl. Danny spun to walk away, but I held her arm and took her to them.

"Hi guys!" I chirped. Their eyes moved to us and enlarged. Devin’s were glued on Danny and she mumbled for him to look away. Aw. I looked over to see Ryan and he smiled at me. My heart beat faster as a nervous smile grew on my lips.

Devin cleared his throat and shifted his gaze to me. I peered at Danny, who was fiddling with the hem of a frill on her dress, and I gave Devin a little nod. The plan was set. I just prayed Danny wouldn’t end up more hurt over this.

"Let’s go see the night view," I said and guided her to the terrace.

It was dark and chilly outside with lights from the banquet illuminating the floor. She folded her arms on the metal railing and gazed at the starry February sky. I was having second thoughts, looking at this peaceful side of her. Should I disrupt this peace? Would we get a better chance?

"Danny, I’m going back inside," I told her. She looked over her shoulder and I pressed my fingers uncertainly. "I want to dance with Ryan, if you don’t mind."

She smirked and shooed me away with her hand. "Course not, Ash. Have fun."

I didn’t want to leave her alone on the terrace, or leave her alone, period. I was trusting Devin for Danny’ sake, and I hoped it was for the better.

Devin's POV

Man, I couldn’t get Danny out of my head. Her attire, her face, her image, and especially how her expression would change after this risky plan. When Max came, I knew it was time. I didn’t know if I would be a problem-solver or a trouble-maker at the end of this.

Ashley tried to get me to dance with her, the most persistent of the other ten girls that mustered the courage to ask me. In my old school, I would’ve been dancing away with a drink in one hand and twirling a girl in the other, but I had better things to worry about now.

I took Max by the shoulder and pushed him towards the terrace. "What the hell?" he complained. "What are you doing?"

"We need to talk." On the terrace, I immediately recognized the back of Danny’s head, her curly hair and pink dress cascading down her waist. Apparently, Max didn't.

"Whoa, who is she?" he whispered in awe. "She has a sexy back." I opened my mouth and closed it, looking at Danny for real this time. She did have a sexy back. When Max continued to ogle her, I grew annoyed.

"That's Danny," I told him. His eyebrows shot up, and a scowl soon replaced his face.

"Why’d you bring me here?" he hissed. I forced him to walk towards her, and when Danny heard our footsteps, she turned. Shocked filled her eyes when they moved from me to Max.

"Save the argument and tell me what in the world is going one between you two," I said.

"Devin, I'm going to kill you," Max growled, but his eyes were on Danny. There was an awkward moment of silence as Max continued to glare at her and she absently stroked the railing.

Finally, Danny sighed and said to Max, "I'm sorry I punched you." What? I didn't expect that. Neither did Max because his glare fell away instantly.

But we needed to cut to the chase. "Tell me why you guys hate each other," I said. Danny shot me an ungrateful look.

"One night isn’t enough to answer that," she said. "It's painful talking about it."

"Painful to you?" Max spat. "What do you know about pain?"

"Max, shut up," I said. "Take it a little easy." What the hell was wrong with me? Who was I to talk as if I understood and meddle in their business? I simply couldn’t drop it.

"No," Danny said. "He deserves to say that. I know. But, Max, you’re wrong. I do know about pain. I really do." Max stared at her as if he was battling between sympathizing with her and grudging on her. He frowned deeply and thundered back into the banquet hall.

Danny gave me a pointed look and I was prepared for her scolding. "Why did you bring Max out here? What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking of exactly what I asked," I replied. She sighed and faced the railing again, looking out at the cold night. A rush of relief spread through me, seeing her unperturbed from this so-called plan I thought would work perfectly.

"Did you do the favor?" she asked me.

"Nah, not yet," I said. She nodded slowly, and I leaned against the railing with her.

A beat passed by. A wisp of smoke left her lips when she spoke. "Are you having fun?"

"Yep." I had no idea if that was true or not.

"But you’re done here, aren’t you? Get back to your girlfriend," she said. I tried to note jealousy in her voice, but it wasn't there. Did she seriously think I had a girlfriend? Did she think I would do this much for her if I did? Or did she want me to leave her alone?

"What about you? Where's Asha?" I glanced at her sideways. "You seem lonely."

"Asha's with Ryan." I raised an eyebrow – Asha and Ryan? Or did Asha say that to leave Danny alone on the terrace? I leaned over slightly so our shoulders started touching.

"Your dress is all over my legs," I whispered.

Her breath expelled harshly as she attempted to adjust her overflowing frills. "It's all Karissa's fault. She overdid it without listening." She continued to gripe, and I smiled.

Lowering my voice, I said playfully, "Well Prinplup, you look sexy."

Her eyes flared, her shoulder heightening and the irritation rising in her face. "Don't even go there, Devin!" she exploded. I’d been waiting for this and laughed hard.

"Then tell me how I look like," I said. I waited, a little nervous of her appraisal, and she fixed her gaze to mine. Over the smoky mascara, I could see her crystal eyes standing out.

"Well Pikachu, I think you look awful," she answered. I laughed; that was a first. I tugged her hair, and Danny rubbed her head angrily and swivelled around to leave. I watched her, her dress scraping on the terrace floor and her hair capering over her shoulders, and she stopped to look back at me.

Her lips parted, hesitated. She rubbed her arm and said, "You look…handsome. Just for today." She quickly turned and disappeared inside.

I unbuttoned the top of my flannel, increasingly aware of my heating neck. I’d received endless comments about my appearance and girls gushing about how I looked and felt, but Danny? Hearing that from Danny suddenly set my heart aflutter.

I didn’t know if I liked that, or worse, if I loved it.