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24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNzNM9kBc1
"Did Clyde ask you to the dance?" Maddox asked, leaning against the lockers. She hugged her books against her flat chest.
"Not yet." Sailor collected her books without looking at her friend. Several weeks had passed since they spoke to each other. She felt terrible about slamming the window in Maddox's face.
Maddox, who came from a less privileged background than Sailor, held a grudge for a long time. She didn't like when people acted against her. It made her blood boil. She stayed away from Sailor on purpose—for revenge. She wanted information about the spring dance now.
"Jack ask you?" Sailor queried in return.
"No." Maddox's voice was flat and hard.
"There's still time, I guess." It was Wednesday, and the dance was on Friday.
"I guess."
Jack Meadows stood in the corridor watching the girls. Sailor shivered and turned away from his glare. Maddox threw an encouraging smile at him.
"You're on the dance committee, ain't ya?" Maddox continued. "What's the plan?"
"We're having a disco ball," Sailor informed. "The custodians are installing it in the cafeteria tomorrow. Other than that, it's the usual stuff—cookies and punch, balloons, streamers. Confetti at the end. Serious Swank is playing. Frank's older brother plays drums, so Frank got them kinda cheap. We’re gonna have a blast."
"You're only on that committee because you're getting friendly with Bethany again. Why do you want to hang around with Miss Stuck-Up?" Maddox flared, jealousy edging her voice. "Do you know Dora Cortez?"
"Yeah, sure," Sailor answered noncommittally. Dora lived a few blocks north of the trailer park where the Kelleys lived.
"She invited me to her house after school yesterday," Maddox stated, hugging her books tighter. "They have all this 'as seen on TV' stuff. Like everything they have is 'as seen on TV.' It's so cool."
"Yeah, whatever," Sailor replied. She wasn't impressed with 'as seen on TV' stuff.
"Dora and I are going to be good friends now," Maddox declared, her determination shining through.
"Good for you." Sailor started walking toward her homeroom class. Maddox followed.
"Really good friends," Maddox assured her.
"Yeah, good." Sailor left her friend in the corridor. She took her homeroom seat and stared ahead of her. Dora Cortez lived catty-corner behind Girty Meadows. Any friendship Maddox sought with Dora had to do with her obsession with Jack. Sailor knew her friend too well.
Sailor ate lunch with Bethany, Erik, and Frank. They discussed the dance, but she kept her eye on Clyde. When he finished eating, he paused at her table on the way out. She thought he would ask her but, after a moment, continued toward the door. A deep, frustrated flush crossed Sailor's face. Time was running out. She noticed Maddox sitting alone with Dora while Jack sat at the next table. When her friend stood, she pushed her chair back, making it collide with Jack's. He scowled at her, and she grinned back.
"Hey, Sailor, wait a minute, will ya?" Erik called when the group rose.
"Sure."
Erik took both trays, and Sailor followed him to the trash bins. He tossed out their lunch remains and then turned to her.
"Go to the dance with me," he stated, the words tumbling onto each other.
Sailor's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected this from Erik. She thought he had already asked Bethany. "Beth" fell from her lips before she realized she was speaking.
"Going with Frank," Erik informed. "Since we're on the committee, we should go together."
"Oh." Sailor hesitated. Was that the only reason? She felt a little disappointed. Erik was one of the most popular boys in her grade. She wasn't up to par with him. "Sure," she finally answered.
"I'll meet you there. We go on different busses, you know." He walked away before she could reply.
Sailor watched Erik disappear into the corridor crowd. When she arrived, she would meet him at the bus round-up. The school provided transportation for any student wishing to attend the dance. The Newell family lived on the other side of town from the Kents.
Sailor walked absentmindedly toward her next class. Maddox ran to catch up with her.
"What you looking so far away about?" her friend asked suspiciously.
"Erik Newell asked me to the dance," Sailor's voice drifted dream-like, her heart fluttering with a mix of excitement and disbelief.
Maddox gaped at her.
"You're kidding, right?"
"Noooo." Sailor paused, then focused on Maddox. "I…I can't believe it. He hardly knows I exist."
Maddox slunk away, her envy towards Sailor burning inside her. Trust her best friend to get the best date in school. All the good things happened to Sailor Kent. They never happened to Maddox Kelley. Her friend lived in a nice house with a swimming pool and flat-screen TVs in at least three rooms, including the basement rec room. The Kelleys lived in a dingy, rundown trailer with an old analog television that barely worked. She wore Salvation Army clothes and worn-out sneaks. Life wasn't fair.
"Hey!" Maddox yelled out. She ran after Sailor in the hallway the following day. "Guess what? Mom bought me a new dress for the dance. And I mean new—brand new. You should see it."
"I got a new dress, too," Sailor answered. "Gabby and I picked it out at Teen Scene last night. It's cream colored with…"
"Don't tell me," Maddox cut her off. "Let's surprise each other at the dance."
"Yeah, okay," Sailor agreed. She hesitated and then asked if Jack invited her.
"No, but he's going," Maddox answered. "That's as good as asking."
"Okay, well, I'll see you there." Sailor grabbed her books from her locker.
Maddox continued to hang out with Dora Cortez, leaving little time for them to spend together. She stuck around Bethany, Frank, and Erik. Sailor looked forward to the spring dance. She had attended the fall and winter ones without a date. This time was different. It was her first real date.
Friday night arrived. Kennedy sat on Sailor's bed and watched her middle sister dress. Gabby brushed Sailor's long blonde hair until it shone. Kennedy thought she looked pretty and hoped she would look like her siblings when she grew up. Finally, Sailor grabbed her little beaded bag and waved goodbye. She walked to the bus corner and waited. Clyde appeared and stood close beside her.
"Going alone?" he asked.
"I'm meeting Erik Newell," Sailor answered. Clyde looked disappointed, but she thought if he wanted to go with her, he should have asked.
"Have fun." Clyde brushed past her when the bus stopped. He sauntered to the rear and plunked down. Sailor took a seat near the front.
Erik was waiting when the bus arrived. They entered the crowded cafeteria together. A few students were already dancing, but most lingered along the sidelines. Sailor cast her eyes amongst the group. Maddox appeared and rushed toward her, then halted. Sailor sighed.
Both girls wore identical cream-colored dresses with roses sprinkling the design and bolero jackets. The only difference was Sailor's jacket matched the blue roses while Maddox's was pink. Maddox scowled. The happiness of having a new dress faded. They were the only two girls at the dance who dressed alike.
Erik led Sailor onto the dance floor. She brushed aside Maddox's hateful look and enjoyed herself. Her friend remained on the sidelines. Every time she got close to Jack Meadows, he moved away. Maddox darted around her fellow students, trying to catch up. Finally, Jack disappeared through a side door.
Sailor watched Maddox hesitate, then shadowed him. It was a long time before she reappeared. Sailor waited. She followed her friend into the girls' room.
"You stink," Sailor exclaimed, standing close to her friend. "What's that smell?" She sniffed again, her eyes widening. "Marijuana. Are you out of your mind?"
Maddox looked at her through hazy eyes. Her body swayed, and her mouth wobbled into a smirk.
"You got it from Jack!" Sailor exclaimed. "Where you out there alone with him?"
"I wish," Maddox slurred. "There were like five of us. Me, Jack, Dora, Alfonse Fillo, Bryce Kiln."
"Oh, brother." Sailor rolled her eyes. "You'll get in trouble doing that. The teachers monitor the entire perimeter. They'll catch you if you go out there again."
Maddox shrugged her 'so what' shrug. It was the first time she'd really done anything with Jack. She considered it their first date, although there were others around.
"You always were a goody two shoes." Spinning on her heel, Maddox charged out of the girls' room. The door slammed behind her.
Sailor adjusted her hair and returned to the dance floor. Clyde stepped before her as she headed toward Erik.
"Dance with me," Clyde stated abruptly. It sounded like an order.
"I'm meeting Erik," Sailor answered, brushing past Clyde.
"He's with Bethany," her companion answered, indicating the couple embraced in a slow dance. "He won't mind."
Sailor glared at her date. He wrapped his arms around Bathany's waist and cupped her buttocks with his strong hands. The popular girl entwined her fingers in his light hair. They kissed as they swayed to the music. Sailor's face grew hot. The song was an oldie: Beth by Kiss. She knew Erik had requested it.
"Let's dance," Sailor agreed.
She pressed her body against Clyde's on the dance floor. He seemed surprised at first but smiled at her tenderly. Their bodies merged, and he kissed her.
"I should have asked you," he muttered into her hair. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay." Sailor pressed her cheek into his shoulder.
The music stopped, and a loud commotion broke out on stage. A hand wearing a single white glove appeared from the left wing. The song Thriller began to play. A slim figure wearing tight black pants, a red leather jacket, and a white T-shirt moonwalked across the stage. The entire room groaned.
"I am the Prince of Pop reincarnated," Arnold Gorey shouted.
"How'd he get in here?" someone shouted.
"Get him off of there," the principal shouted, storming toward the stage. Three security guards followed him. They grabbed Arnold under the arms and dragged him away.
"Way to ruin a good time, Gorey," Frank Bartley yelled.
Several boys began heckling, and a few girls ran to the restrooms. Although Serious Swank tried to pick up the beat again, the party was over. No one wanted to dance. Slowly, the middle school students drifted out to the buses. Sailor and Clyde sat at the back. His arm encircled her shoulder, and she leaned her head against him. At their stop, they hesitated on the corner.
"Rotten way to end," Clyde finally commented. Sailor nodded. "You want to go with me?"
Sailor nodded again. They walked toward the Kent house. Clyde stretched out his palm, and Sailor grasped it. They kissed on the front stoop before saying goodnight.
"You came home with Clyde," Gabrielle stated, standing in her sister's doorway. "What happened to Erik?
"He went home with Beth," Sailor answered absently.
"Never trust a Newell, little sis," Gabby instructed, entering and sitting on the bed. "You feel bad about it?"
"Not particularly," Sailor replied, flopping onto her pillow. Her body tingled all over.
"It was Clyde all along, wasn't it?"
"Yeah." Sailor's voice drifted off.
24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi311PYef1r
"Did Clyde ask you to the dance?" Maddox asked, leaning against the lockers. She hugged her books against her flat chest.
"Not yet." Sailor collected her books without looking at her friend. Several weeks had passed since they spoke to each other. She felt terrible about slamming the window in Maddox's face.
Maddox, who came from a less privileged background than Sailor, held a grudge for a long time. She didn't like when people acted against her. It made her blood boil. She stayed away from Sailor on purpose—for revenge. She wanted information about the spring dance now.
"Jack ask you?" Sailor queried in return.
"No." Maddox's voice was flat and hard.
"There's still time, I guess." It was Wednesday, and the dance was on Friday.
"I guess."
Jack Meadows stood in the corridor watching the girls. Sailor shivered and turned away from his glare. Maddox threw an encouraging smile at him.
"You're on the dance committee, ain't ya?" Maddox continued. "What's the plan?"
"We're having a disco ball," Sailor informed. "The custodians are installing it in the cafeteria tomorrow. Other than that, it's the usual stuff—cookies and punch, balloons, streamers. Confetti at the end. Serious Swank is playing. Frank's older brother plays drums, so Frank got them kinda cheap. We’re gonna have a blast."
"You're only on that committee because you're getting friendly with Bethany again. Why do you want to hang around with Miss Stuck-Up?" Maddox flared, jealousy edging her voice. "Do you know Dora Cortez?"
"Yeah, sure," Sailor answered noncommittally. Dora lived a few blocks north of the trailer park where the Kelleys lived.
"She invited me to her house after school yesterday," Maddox stated, hugging her books tighter. "They have all this 'as seen on TV' stuff. Like everything they have is 'as seen on TV.' It's so cool."
"Yeah, whatever," Sailor replied. She wasn't impressed with 'as seen on TV' stuff.
"Dora and I are going to be good friends now," Maddox declared, her determination shining through.
"Good for you." Sailor started walking toward her homeroom class. Maddox followed.
"Really good friends," Maddox assured her.
"Yeah, good." Sailor left her friend in the corridor. She took her homeroom seat and stared ahead of her. Dora Cortez lived catty-corner behind Girty Meadows. Any friendship Maddox sought with Dora had to do with her obsession with Jack. Sailor knew her friend too well.
Sailor ate lunch with Bethany, Erik, and Frank. They discussed the dance, but she kept her eye on Clyde. When he finished eating, he paused at her table on the way out. She thought he would ask her but, after a moment, continued toward the door. A deep, frustrated flush crossed Sailor's face. Time was running out. She noticed Maddox sitting alone with Dora while Jack sat at the next table. When her friend stood, she pushed her chair back, making it collide with Jack's. He scowled at her, and she grinned back.
"Hey, Sailor, wait a minute, will ya?" Erik called when the group rose.
"Sure."
Erik took both trays, and Sailor followed him to the trash bins. He tossed out their lunch remains and then turned to her.
"Go to the dance with me," he stated, the words tumbling onto each other.
Sailor's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected this from Erik. She thought he had already asked Bethany. "Beth" fell from her lips before she realized she was speaking.
"Going with Frank," Erik informed. "Since we're on the committee, we should go together."
"Oh." Sailor hesitated. Was that the only reason? She felt a little disappointed. Erik was one of the most popular boys in her grade. She wasn't up to par with him. "Sure," she finally answered.
"I'll meet you there. We go on different busses, you know." He walked away before she could reply.
Sailor watched Erik disappear into the corridor crowd. When she arrived, she would meet him at the bus round-up. The school provided transportation for any student wishing to attend the dance. The Newell family lived on the other side of town from the Kents.
Sailor walked absentmindedly toward her next class. Maddox ran to catch up with her.
"What you looking so far away about?" her friend asked suspiciously.
"Erik Newell asked me to the dance," Sailor's voice drifted dream-like, her heart fluttering with a mix of excitement and disbelief.
Maddox gaped at her.
"You're kidding, right?"
"Noooo." Sailor paused, then focused on Maddox. "I…I can't believe it. He hardly knows I exist."
Maddox slunk away, her envy towards Sailor burning inside her. Trust her best friend to get the best date in school. All the good things happened to Sailor Kent. They never happened to Maddox Kelley. Her friend lived in a nice house with a swimming pool and flat-screen TVs in at least three rooms, including the basement rec room. The Kelleys lived in a dingy, rundown trailer with an old analog television that barely worked. She wore Salvation Army clothes and worn-out sneaks. Life wasn't fair.
"Hey!" Maddox yelled out. She ran after Sailor in the hallway the following day. "Guess what? Mom bought me a new dress for the dance. And I mean new—brand new. You should see it."
"I got a new dress, too," Sailor answered. "Gabby and I picked it out at Teen Scene last night. It's cream colored with…"
"Don't tell me," Maddox cut her off. "Let's surprise each other at the dance."
"Yeah, okay," Sailor agreed. She hesitated and then asked if Jack invited her.
"No, but he's going," Maddox answered. "That's as good as asking."
"Okay, well, I'll see you there." Sailor grabbed her books from her locker.
Maddox continued to hang out with Dora Cortez, leaving little time for them to spend together. She stuck around Bethany, Frank, and Erik. Sailor looked forward to the spring dance. She had attended the fall and winter ones without a date. This time was different. It was her first real date.
Friday night arrived. Kennedy sat on Sailor's bed and watched her middle sister dress. Gabby brushed Sailor's long blonde hair until it shone. Kennedy thought she looked pretty and hoped she would look like her siblings when she grew up. Finally, Sailor grabbed her little beaded bag and waved goodbye. She walked to the bus corner and waited. Clyde appeared and stood close beside her.
"Going alone?" he asked.
"I'm meeting Erik Newell," Sailor answered. Clyde looked disappointed, but she thought if he wanted to go with her, he should have asked.
"Have fun." Clyde brushed past her when the bus stopped. He sauntered to the rear and plunked down. Sailor took a seat near the front.
Erik was waiting when the bus arrived. They entered the crowded cafeteria together. A few students were already dancing, but most lingered along the sidelines. Sailor cast her eyes amongst the group. Maddox appeared and rushed toward her, then halted. Sailor sighed.
Both girls wore identical cream-colored dresses with roses sprinkling the design and bolero jackets. The only difference was Sailor's jacket matched the blue roses while Maddox's was pink. Maddox scowled. The happiness of having a new dress faded. They were the only two girls at the dance who dressed alike.
Erik led Sailor onto the dance floor. She brushed aside Maddox's hateful look and enjoyed herself. Her friend remained on the sidelines. Every time she got close to Jack Meadows, he moved away. Maddox darted around her fellow students, trying to catch up. Finally, Jack disappeared through a side door.
Sailor watched Maddox hesitate, then shadowed him. It was a long time before she reappeared. Sailor waited. She followed her friend into the girls' room.
"You stink," Sailor exclaimed, standing close to her friend. "What's that smell?" She sniffed again, her eyes widening. "Marijuana. Are you out of your mind?"
Maddox looked at her through hazy eyes. Her body swayed, and her mouth wobbled into a smirk.
"You got it from Jack!" Sailor exclaimed. "Where you out there alone with him?"
"I wish," Maddox slurred. "There were like five of us. Me, Jack, Dora, Alfonse Fillo, Bryce Kiln."
"Oh, brother." Sailor rolled her eyes. "You'll get in trouble doing that. The teachers monitor the entire perimeter. They'll catch you if you go out there again."
Maddox shrugged her 'so what' shrug. It was the first time she'd really done anything with Jack. She considered it their first date, although there were others around.
"You always were a goody two shoes." Spinning on her heel, Maddox charged out of the girls' room. The door slammed behind her.
Sailor adjusted her hair and returned to the dance floor. Clyde stepped before her as she headed toward Erik.
"Dance with me," Clyde stated abruptly. It sounded like an order.
"I'm meeting Erik," Sailor answered, brushing past Clyde.
"He's with Bethany," her companion answered, indicating the couple embraced in a slow dance. "He won't mind."
Sailor glared at her date. He wrapped his arms around Bathany's waist and cupped her buttocks with his strong hands. The popular girl entwined her fingers in his light hair. They kissed as they swayed to the music. Sailor's face grew hot. The song was an oldie: Beth by Kiss. She knew Erik had requested it.
"Let's dance," Sailor agreed.
She pressed her body against Clyde's on the dance floor. He seemed surprised at first but smiled at her tenderly. Their bodies merged, and he kissed her.
"I should have asked you," he muttered into her hair. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay." Sailor pressed her cheek into his shoulder.
The music stopped, and a loud commotion broke out on stage. A hand wearing a single white glove appeared from the left wing. The song Thriller began to play. A slim figure wearing tight black pants, a red leather jacket, and a white T-shirt moonwalked across the stage. The entire room groaned.
"I am the Prince of Pop reincarnated," Arnold Gorey shouted.
"How'd he get in here?" someone shouted.
"Get him off of there," the principal shouted, storming toward the stage. Three security guards followed him. They grabbed Arnold under the arms and dragged him away.
"Way to ruin a good time, Gorey," Frank Bartley yelled.
Several boys began heckling, and a few girls ran to the restrooms. Although Serious Swank tried to pick up the beat again, the party was over. No one wanted to dance. Slowly, the middle school students drifted out to the buses. Sailor and Clyde sat at the back. His arm encircled her shoulder, and she leaned her head against him. At their stop, they hesitated on the corner.
"Rotten way to end," Clyde finally commented. Sailor nodded. "You want to go with me?"
Sailor nodded again. They walked toward the Kent house. Clyde stretched out his palm, and Sailor grasped it. They kissed on the front stoop before saying goodnight.
"You came home with Clyde," Gabrielle stated, standing in her sister's doorway. "What happened to Erik?
"He went home with Beth," Sailor answered absently.
"Never trust a Newell, little sis," Gabby instructed, entering and sitting on the bed. "You feel bad about it?"
"Not particularly," Sailor replied, flopping onto her pillow. Her body tingled all over.
"It was Clyde all along, wasn't it?"
"Yeah." Sailor's voice drifted off.
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