Page 117

Story: As It Was

I watched her dance for a few songs before her eyes caught mine. She was running over to me the second they did.
“That was fun!” She grabbed my arm. “You should join.”
“What?”
“It’ll make you look good! And I don’t like dancing alone.”
I was shell-shocked. Completely baffled. That was the only explanation for the way I followed her.
The last time I’d danced was long before Eric came into the picture, so I had no idea what to do. Mollie didn’t have such reservations, and her iron grip on my hands made it so I moved with her. The music was upbeat and most of the people around us were drunk.
The ones that weren’t were staring at us.
Hard.
“Stop worrying about them!” she yelled in my direction. “Just have fun!”
I wasn’t sure how to do that, but she spun, and my hand went with hers, turning it into a twirl. She laughed and did it the other direction, enjoying it just as much.
Slowly, and almost painfully, I started moving. Lucas’s band was infectious, and so was she.
I focused on her, only her, and finally let go for the first time in a long time.
We danced for three songs, slowly growing closer. By the time it was over, we didn’t have an inch between us.
The music ended as the band finished up the set. I caught on to how close we were and stepped back.
“You should go say hi to Lucas,” I said before I could stop myself.
She blinked. “B-but?—”
I walked off before she could say anything else, desperately needing space from her signature scent. When I came back, she would be talking to another man. Someone she probably would have far more in common with.
And I would be okay with that.
Or that’s what I told myself. Even seeing her walk toward him filled me with rage I couldn’t explain, and I had no idea how to stop it.
I found my place at the bar once again. I should have been thrilled that I was alone and that she was with someone else. But I wasn’t.
I regretted my decision the first time she fucking smiled at him. I had no idea what they were even talking about, but her smile was the only thing I could see from across the room. Lucas was into her, without a shadow of a doubt. He had alwaysleaned toward the women he planned to ask out, and he was no different even years later.
Mollie seemed to soak it up. She nodded along with what he was saying, talking back with enthusiasm that I wanted but didn’t deserve.
“Jealous?” a voice asked from behind me.
“No,” I said to Mark without even looking at him.
“You could be over there with her, you know.”
Yeah, I could be. But being close to that would only fan the flame I felt deep in my gut. I looked away. By the time I looked back, she was walking toward me.
“What are you doing here?”
“Lucas just asked me out.”
My molars clenched. Why the hell was she telling me? “Have fun.”
I ground it out before walking away. It was tempting to leave. Lucas could drive her home for all I cared. But what I needed to do was get out of her sight so I could cool off.

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