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They dropped their baskets off at Hollis’s parents’ stand when they got too heavy and went to go watch the band play.

Annie should have been up there with the rest of the drummers, and she knew it. Their band teacher took a moment to scowl at her over his shoulder when they settled in to stand at the front. They were playing a quick big band song, and most of the townspeople were dancing.

Yulia nodded out to the crowd, but Hollis folded his arms.

“I’ve already done enough swing dancing.”

“I want to dance with Walt, not you . You’re going to step all over my shoes,” Yulia said in a huff.

Hollis rolled his eyes.

“Whatever.”

He let Yulia pull them over to an empty space and then curled up tight inside so he didn’t have to participate. Walt took Yulia’s request with a surge of joy that made Hollis roll his eyes even harder.

What happened to “I love you I love you.”

Walt spun Yulia around.

As much as I would like to show you a good time, we quite literally can’t dance together. We can do other things, but this one is impossible, I think.

Hollis leaned back into the darkness and watched Yulia shriek with laughter. Watched the crowd blur behind her as Walt did something completely out of Hollis’s character in front of the whole town. Too happy to care. Too free.

We’ll see, he answered, aching. I think we’ll figure it out.

When the song ended, the band switched to something slow. Walt wiggled his eyebrows at her, but Yulia wanted to go back to Annie.

She know how to dance?

She’s not too bad. Band kids got to miss PE sometimes, so she’s not as good as Yulia, but I don’t think that’s the point of this.

Hollis stepped them back into the crowd and watched as Yulia tried to get Annie on rhythm. It took a bit longer than he’d thought, but they figured it out and started to sway.

Can we go somewhere after this? I want to talk.

Where do you want to go?