Beautiful Souls (38 page)

    
              Leo shot me a doubtful glance.

    
              “Okay, so Emmy did pick out the heels, but I chose the color…and the dress.”

    
              The limo driver opened the rear door at the approach of our foursome.

    
              “Well then, remind me to show you my thanks, as well.” Leo bowed to me, allowing ladies first into the back of the black limo.

    
              Leo and I sat so closely in our seats that I could feel the heat radiating from his turned-on body through the fabric of his tux. My God, he looked so good. Too good. How was I going to make it through the rest of the night if I could barely contain myself by simply sitting next to him in the car, wearing that scrumptious tux and his gorgeous grin.
Enough
, I told myself.

    
              “Ready to dance our booties off all night long?” Emmy yelled across the seat, as she blared the music once we were out on the road and on our way downtown.

    
              “Yeah, dance our
asses
off,” I corrected her.

    
              “That’s my Princess Potty-Mouth,” Leo laughed as he caressed my bare knee, moving his way ever-so-slightly up toward my thigh.

    
              Will and Emmy both laughed.

    
              Our limo came to a stop outside The Club about fifteen minutes later. I peered from the blackened tint on the windows to see fifty familiar faces waiting to sign in at the ticket booth underneath the giant neon Paramount sign that still jutted out over the sidewalk.

    
              Our driver left the limo running directly in the middle of Main Street as he opened our door letting us out onto the sidewalk, then he drove off down an alleyway around the corner, presumably, to find a parking place for the evening.
So
much for inconspicuous
, I thought, when all fifty heads turned at our arrival. Emmy
ate up the attention, of course, and waved to approximately half of our onlookers.

    
              Thankfully the wait to sign in was no longer than five minutes and we made our way through the lobby, waited our turn to have our pictures snapped under a black and white balloon arch, then entered the now ballroom/ex-theater.

    
              The ballroom consisted of black and white checkerboard-style floor tiles, a stage raised from the floor at the far end of the room where the D.J. had already set up and begun pumping thumping music through the speakers as his stage lights danced along to the beat of the songs. Round restaurant-style tables were set up along both sides of the room, and from the incredibly high ceiling dangled an expansive antique-brass chandelier, dripping with reflective crystals. There was also a balcony jutting out over our heads, placed just opposite of the stage.

    
              A few of our less reserved peers were already gyrating out on the dance floor. I instinctively shied away, and Leo must have read my body language because a second later I was being steered toward an empty table in the corner.

    
              Alone, in a dark corner, with Leo. Twinkle lights danced all around us, and our hormone-driven bodies had already begun to fog our minds. The way my body was reacting to his, made it so hard to believe that only six short months ago I had wondered if I could see Leo as anything more than just my best friend. What a difference a few months had made in both our lives.

    
              Leo’s eyes lingered over my dress, then moved down my legs toward the blood-red stilettos barely hidden beneath the draping tablecloth. He cocked his head to one side, obviously contemplating his thoughts and next move.

    
              “That look is very distracting, you know,” I said, still attempting to keep my hands on my own lap and my nervous toe tapping to a minimum.

    
              “Oh, I’m definitely not the distraction here,” Leo smirked, as he lazily leaned against the back of his chair and rested his arm along the table’s edge. His fingers dangled off the side mere centimeters above my knee, sending heat waves through my body.

    
              Leo’s gaze slid over me once more, and I couldn’t help but bite my bottom lip as the electricity spread between us like wildfire. A quivering ache grew inside me and I dropped my knee to distance my skin from his fingertips, needing a moment of relief from the building tension. A slight touch at this exact moment would cause a riot of things to run over my skin and throughout my body; a kiss would surely ensue total pandemonium.

    
              Leo’s thoughts must have been along the same lines as my own, because after he had brushed a stray lock of hair from my eyes that had mistakenly fallen and disrupted our sight line, he quickly stood and placed his hand out before me.

    
              “Ms. Olson, would you care to dance?”

    
              Lord have mercy; that face, this gesture, that tux --- this may end badly.

    
              I nodded and took his proffered hand. “Of course, Mr. McMyllin.”

    
              The D.J. had just put on a slow song, and Leo led me onto the dance floor which was sparkling in the reflective shine from the crystal chandelier.

    
              The gyrating of a hundred sweaty, hormonal teenagers slowed, morphing into a gentle swaying motion that felt almost dream-like. Leo found an opening in the center of the dance floor and twirled me one full spin, the skirt of my dress fanning out fluidly and following my every move, before he pulled me in toward his chest.

    
              Our bodies locked. They fit together perfectly. He began to move the two of us together, gently and patiently, along with the feel and rhythm of the music. Our eyes locked, syncing our souls together as one. We no longer swayed alongside each other as two people pressed together in an embrace. We moved as one.

    
              Leo dropped his head and lightly brushed the hair away from my neck. His nose nuzzled my ear, then I felt his lips smoothly caress along the length of my neck. A quick, hurried breath shot warm muggy air down my throat as every sensation in my body felt heightened by the simply touch of his soft lips.

    
              “I love you,” came from my parted lips before I’d even realized that the words had left my brain, escaping from my mouth.

             
He smiled that gorgeous crooked grin. “Ditto, babe.”
 

The rest of the evening was magical. It was truly a night played out from one of my best dreams. We talked, danced, ate, danced, rested, danced, kissed, then danced some more. We danced our asses off all night long.

                   Prom was the best night of my life --- so far.

                                    Chapter 17.

Diversion

di-ver-sion

/di’verZHen/

Noun

1. An instance of turning something aside from

   it’s course.

2. An activity that diverts the mind from tedious

   or serious concerns; a recreation or pastime.

                   After-Prom had gone off without a hitch. It had always remained a mystery to the student body each year, planned and pulled off by the Parent’s Club. This year, Monte Carlo night was delivered directly to the Sycamore High School gymnasium.

    
              When the sun had finally begun to rise at five o’clock in the morning, most of us had been depleted of any and all energy. All Prom-goers loaded a Charter bus headed directly for Kings & Queens Amusement Park just across the Indiana/Ohio border.

    
              Leo and I snuggled up together in two empty seats, then slept at least half of our four-hour ride. Will and Emmy sat across the isle, Will snoring noisily most of the way.

    
              Halfway through I became restless. I needed this time, this closeness --- I needed Leo, but something was still bothering me.

    
              Leo’s eyes squinted open into tiny slits, just enough for me to see the ocean-blue of his eyes glowing from underneath his dark lashes.

    
              “You okay, babe?” he asked sleepily.

    
              “Yeah,” I answered, but I couldn’t hide my sadness.

    
              “That sounded convincing,” Leo added sarcastically.

    
              I let out a little laugh. “I didn’t think you’d buy that.”

    
              My last remark seemed to jolt him into consciousness, and he readjusted his ball cap, sitting up a bit straighter in his seat.

    
              “What’s up?”

    
              “Nothing.”

    
              “Meaning?”

    
              I let out a sigh. “Meaning…I don’t really want to talk about it.”                   Jeez, Leo really did know me well.

    
              “Come on, babe, you can tell me or ask me anything. You know that.”

    
              I let out another sigh. “It’s just that…I’m going to really miss this next year. I’m gonna miss you, and us, and all the time we spend together. I’ll miss you so much. How am I supposed to do…” I paused, glancing around the bus at all of our sleeping peers to make sure not one of them were conscious enough to eavesdrop. Feeling satisfied by the level of snores and heavy breathing, I continued, “You know, do everything we do. How am I supposed to do any of it alone?”

    
              “I’m not going anywhere, Becca.”

    
              “Yes you are. You’re leaving this fall.”

    
              “No, I’m not.” Leo grinned.

    
              “Yes,” I argued, thoroughly confused. “You’re leaving for college…this fall, remember? Hello, your football scholarship?”

    
              “Actually, Bec, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that.”

    
              “About what?” I inquired nervously.

    
              “There’s been a change of plans.”

    
              “What?” I whispered.

    
              My heart lurched in my chest, the beat quickening. What was Leo saying? Was he still going away to college in the fall? He had to. I wanted him to stay here with me so desperately, but he had to go. He couldn’t give up his scholarship. I couldn’t allow him to stay for me, if that was in fact what he was planning to do. That’s it, I decided. I wouldn’t let it happen --- I couldn’t.

    
              Leo moving away would utterly break my heart, but I couldn’t be selfish. Not now, and not about this. I had to let him go. I loved him, and after all isn’t that what we are supposed to do with the ones we love? Set them free in hopes that one day, if they love us enough in return, they’ll come back?

    
              I fought back the tears swelling and stinging my eyes. “What are you saying, Leo?”

    
              He sat up even straighter. “I’m not going to I.U. this fall,” he stated matter-of-factly.

    
              “No, Leo, you have to go. As much as I need you to be here…”                   “Shhh.” Leo ran his warm fingers along my cheek, attempting to brush away my worries. “It’s okay. Everything has already been settled. I missed way too much school this year, you know with my mom’s death and everything, and I’m not going to be able to graduate. I didn’t earn enough credits.”

    
              “You could go to summer school,” I blurted out. I couldn’t believe that I had taken up a stance that would ultimately push Leo away from me, but I had to fight for what was right --- right for Leo.

    
              Leo shook his head, “Even if I wanted to make up the credits in summer school, which I don’t, I couldn’t get my scholarship back.”                   “You lost your scholarship?” Tears filled my eyes and a few escaped, running down my cheeks.

    
              Leo wiped the tears away with a gentle swipe of his thumb, keeping my cheek cupped in the palm of his hand as he kissed me lightly on my pouting lips. “It’s fine, Becca, really. It’ll be better this way. Please, don’t cry.”

    
              “But everything you’ve worked for…gone…because of
her
. You lost your mom because of that, that bitch. And now this?” I sobbed. “It’s not fair, Leo.”