The Girl

         It was dark save for the dancing lights all around. The floor seemed to move with each flash of red and green. Shadows moved from place to place as silhouettes jutted from every inch of the room. His feet trembled as the hardwood basketball court shook beneath him with each step and jump from the crowd. The beat from the speakers pounded on his chest, though he was still able to breath despite the pulsing. Music filled his ears with loud melodies accompanied by bass tones and harmonies, but this all went right over his head as he searched the crowd. Two friends had brought him there, but it wasn't because of their bond that he had decided to go. It was another thing entirely.
         For the past few weeks he'd stood at his locker collecting his books for the morning class. Grades were important to him, but it seemed like something was missing from his life. Happiness felt distant; like no amount of praise from his parents could cheer him up. His friends were average as was he. But not long ago he noticed her.
         She was the first person who had ever stopped to talk to him. He had been so surprised when her voice drifted towards him. His heart slowed down and he felt bliss for the very first time. That did not last long as he forgot how to talk and the only thing he could get out was a grainy, "uh." She giggled at him and apologized right before walking away. He could not remember what she had said to him but from that moment onward he knew she was the one.
         Her face played around in his mind like hummingbirds to a patch of flowers. Blonde hair flowed down to her shoulders. Blue eyes stared gently at him in his thoughts, leveling him with a single wink. Her nose was small and cute while her lips were pink and soft. She was the epitome of innocence. He tried to imagine himself with her, but seeing him next to her in his mind was a horrid thought. He never considered himself attractive. His nose bulged, his eyebrows were thick, hair greasy and brown, and his ears protruded outward in a winged fashion. Hideous was what came to mind.
         Many times had he tried to strike a conversation with her, but it was never the right time. "Hey," he would manage to say, but she always needed to be somewhere and couldn't talk. A friend had told him she was avoiding him and didn't like smart kids. This beat down his spirits, but every day at his locker she would walk by and smile at him. It had to mean something.
         This high school dance was the time, but he needed to find her before the next slow dance or he would lose his chance forever. Two slow songs had been played already, and the way the seniors spoke, they only played three in a night. His two friends took forever picking him up and they ended up arriving unfashionably late. They'd missed the first song and he'd been stuck on the side sipping on fruit punch with the two knuckleheads who didn't even want to dance at the Dance. Some time had passed and they went off to use the bathroom, which meant he was free to meld with the group of dancers in the middle of the room.
         The lights were distracting and made faces difficult to depict, but he was determined. Her face was engrained in his mind so there was no way he could miss it if he came across her. The song changed as he passed a group of jocks. He peered into their group to make sure she wasn't in the middle. She wasn't. He passed another group of kids, but nothing. The court was big but she had to be there. Everyone was. He made a few more passes through the crowd and in that time more songs passed. Time was running out, and before he knew it the last song of the day was played. A slow song that had everyone holding their partners close and rocking back and forth. A sick feeling grew in his stomach as the thought of failure filled his mind. Soon the song was over and everyone left the room and went home.
         His friends came to find him and asked him if he wanted a ride back home. He got up to leave and just as he walked out the door his gaze lifted to meet the magical blue eyes of her. Hundreds of feelings flowed through his body as the realization that it was actually the girl he had been looking for was standing in front of him. His friends were lost to him. They tried to call to him but eventually gave up when he didn't respond. The girl walked up to him with a great big hearty smile on her face. She wore a pink dress that went down to her knees and heels that gave her an extra inch. That put her taller than he was. She looked adorable to him and he could feel his face getting flustered. His stomach fluttered more and more the closer she got and eventually they were face to face.
         "Hey," she said still smiling.
         "Hey," he responded trying to keep his smile from getting too big.
         "I was looking for you out there."
         This pleased him profoundly. "I was looking for you too."
         They both kept smiling awkwardly at each other, but neither one cared. "So," she started. "Is there something you want to ask me?"
         He was puzzled. "Ask you?"
         "Yeah, a guy is supposed to ask a girl a specific question when at a school dance." Everyone had gone home already and the chaperones were cleaning up the messes everywhere inside.
         "But the dance is over."
         "Just ask," she said smiling at him still.
         "Do you want to dance?" He was unsure what to expect.
         "Yes," she responded, and quickly grabbed his hand and ran to the parking lot. Only one vehicle was left. It was a big Ford F150, and the light inside was on. A man sat there fidgeting with something in his lap. "Daddy!" She yelled. "Can you turn the mix tape on for us? We have some catching up to do."
         He heard the man grunt and then turn on a song inside the car. When the volume increased he noticed it was the last slow song they had played that night. Now he knew what she meant. She turned to him and said, "Ok, let's dance." She wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and pulled him closer. He brought his hands to the small of her back and pulled her close. Her hair smelled like sweet peaches and tickled his nose. She was soft to the touch and it only made him want to huddle closer to her. She brought her right hand over his shoulder and down his arm. She gripped his hand in hers and he squeezed gently as they rocked back and forth to the music.
         That night he would remember forever. The girl he found, not a moment too soon. That night, she gave him his first kiss.