CAULDER
Harper was quiet in my arms. She had barely looked at me since we started dancing. Even though I held her in my arms, the distance between us felt greater than before, and I didn’t understand it.
“Are you okay?” I finally asked. I knew the answer already, but I didn’t know why.
“Why would you pick me to dance with?” Harper looked over my shoulder, and her voice was quiet.
“What do you mean?” I wanted her to just look at me for a moment, but she looked anywhere but my eyes.
“I mean, why didn’t you ask Michelle or Daina or Lindsay or any of the other girls you’ve gone out with? Why did you ask me?” Her body was tense in my arms, and I wanted nothing more than to help her relax, but I knew I was the reason she was tense.
“Because I didn’t want to dance with them. I wanted to da
