Bleak Wood Dance

“Look. Paula. I’ve told you a million times, and I’ll tell you again. Stop stressing! You look great.” I sighed, leaning back against the bathroom stall door. Paula raised her eyebrow at me in the semi-grimy bathroom mirror. Then she continued smoothing the front of her dress down. “I don’t know. I think we should have worn different dresses,” Paula said. I listened to the pounding of the music coming from the gym. “Or at least you. Your dress makes my dress look like crap in perspective. Like, come on, Mads.” Paula frowned.

I rolled my eyes. With Paula, she rarely watches her mouth and just says whatever pops up in her head. So I’ve learned to tune it out. Paula turned around, her yellow dress swaying with her. She groaned, looking at my dress. “Paula! Listen! Brett is our there wondering where you went. This is our last spring dance. Just go dance with Brett. At the last dance in June, I’ll let you borrow the dress if you want,” I said, pushing myself off the nasty smelling door. I gently pushed Paula towards the bathroom exit. “God. I don’t know what I would do without you Mads. I love you to death.” Paula turned to face me. I smiled and moved a bobby pin in her blonde hair a little to the right. “I love you too. Save me a dance, ok? I’ll be out soon.” I hugged her. Paula nodded and walked out, the music growing louder once the door was open.

I sighed and pulled myself back near the mirror. My pale blue dress looked amazing against my olive skin, I had to admit. I admired myself in the mirror for a second, and the door burst open. “He is soooo into you.” The taller girl slung her arm over the shorter one and giggled. The shorter one took a swig from a black water bottle. I was willing to bet good money that that was alcohol. I don’t think they saw me yet, seeing as they just giggled over some dude named Jack. From what I heard, he was a douche. But whatever. I’ll let them pick their battles. Them being what looked like sophomores obviously didn’t know you could tell when you were drunk. The taller one flew to a stall and retched into the toilet. The shorter one stalked over to me.

She raised an eyebrow and held up the bottle. I shook my head. I was gonna get plastered at the Only Seniors After Party. She nodded in response, then dropped the bottle and went to throw up. I gagged and plugged my nose. I immediately left the bathroom, making my way through the crowded gym. Sweaty, dancing bodies slammed into me left and right, and I clutched my purse.

School dances weren’t really my scene. Especially here at Bleak Wood. All the guys here are douches, unless you’re lucky enough to find a real one. Like Brett. Not that I like him, but I’m glad Paula is happy. I found Brett and Paula and some of our other friends dancing near the snack table. I smiled and fished a Spicy Dorito out of the bowl on one of the tables. “Mads! Come dance!” My friend Lily cried, grabbing my hands. Throwing my purse on a chair, I wiggled in and started dancing. I fanned my mouth from the spicy chip. Taking a break from dancing to sip from a water bottle, I sat down in one of the chairs and watched my friends dance.

Large hands rested on my shoulders. Surprised, I turned around in my chair hastily. “Logan?” I said, astonished. “Hey, is that the way to treat your boyfriend?” He asked, swinging me around into a hug. Logan always smelled like Woods. It was nice, a familiar scent. “Wha-but how?” I pulled away. Paula grinned. “Is that why we were in the bathroom for, like, an hour?” I cried. She nodded. “While we were in there, Logan drove down here. For you, Mads! She smiled. Logan goofily put his hands on my hips and swayed me along with the music. I laughed.

“Babe, you didn’t have to come. I know you had a game at your school tonight.” I threw my left arm around his neck and my right hand into his soft blonde hair. “Well, Maddie, if you're coming to my dance next week, then I couldn't have left you hanging!” Logan kissed me. I beamed.

Logan is a senior, like me, at a school about an hour from here. He said he had a huge football game, so he couldn’t come. I hummed along to some Justin Bieber song that blasted from the gigantic speakers in the gym. Logan grabbed my hands and did some fast square dance thing. I threw my head back and laughed. I caught Paula’s eye and nodded at her. She nodded back. It was like an understanding, and a thank you from me for getting my boyfriend here. “Maddie, you are unique. One of a kind.” Logan smiled, in that way that makes girls swoon, enhancing his dimples. I stood on my tiptoes and jumped a little to kiss his forehead.

“You, Logan, are creative. One of a kind.” I hugged him. He kissed me, and I felt like we were the only ones in the room, moving back and forth. I wrapped my hands around his neck, and Logan put his around my waist. The song playing was slow, and I danced with Logan, Paula with Brett, Lily and Will, and a couple of my single friends took a break.

I looked up at Logan’s deep blue eyes, and he looked down into mine. I couldn’t help but smiling. Logan was so goofy, but at least he knew when to stop joking around. He was perfect, I decided. He pulled me in closer, and we stayed like that for a long time. Even when there was a new song, fast and upbeat. Logan’s heart beat against my head. His heartbeat pounded along with mine. I rested my hand on his chest, next to his heart. “I love you, Maddie.” Logan hugged me tight. “I love you too, Logan.” I said, smiling. I think I’m starting to like school dances, I thought to myself as Logan started to really dance, and not the slow kind. He and Brett won the Friend Dance Contest, just doing some made up-on the spot routine. Paula and I filmed the whole thing, laughing the whole way through.

The spring dance that year was my favorite high school memory. In all my years at high school, I never partied quite as hard as that night. Or danced as hard. Or just enjoyed my friends, and boyfriends, company.