Midnight Shadow

Chapter 16 - Plans

The rest of the week was a blur. Mia and I had two classes together before lunch and two classes after. By the following morning the rumors flooded the school. The reclusive loner and the beautiful new girl were all anyone seemed to want to talk about. Never in front of our faces, of course, but it was always there in the background. Mia enjoyed it thoroughly never missing an opportunity to make sure her claim to me was well known. We sat together in every class we had and during lunch. The two of us in our own little corner of the cafeteria, side by side, ignoring the world completely.

There was also no trace of the strange being I'd seen that Monday. It had simply disappeared.

The week passed quickly and the excitement for the Christmas holidays reached it's peak on Thursday. The Holiday dance was scheduled for the first Saturday night during the break and everywhere I looked there were reminders to buy tickets and to vote for the King and Queen of the Winter Formal. It didn't really matter though, Jennifer had thrown herself back into her relationship with Matt in the wake of Mia's arrival at school. They would win the crowns. It meant more to them than anyone else and they campaigned as if for the presidency. I simply wanted school to be out for the Holidays. I couldn't wait for two weeks away from the fake world my existence forced me in to. I wanted nothing more to spend my days with the Hill's and my nights with Mia. We still had to be careful but it was nothing we couldn't handle.

Mia seemed to handle the people at school much better than I did. She'd met quite a few of the girls in our classes and was very pleasant to them. As we sat in the cafeteria on Thursday one of the girls walked up to our private table and cleared her throat, summoning the courage to speak.

"Hey Lynn. Want to sit down?" Mia greeted politely.

"Oh no, I have to go back and sell more tickets for the Formal on Saturday night. Are you going? I didn't see your names on the list..." she asked. It didn't escape my attention that she'd focused on Mia and didn't actually say my name. I could feel her conflict. She liked Mia but was extremely intimidated and uncomfortable around me. It didn't escape Mia's attention either.

"Lynn, This is Ash. My boyfriend" Mia offered. I wish I could say that I had seen that coming but it was a very quick decision on Mia's part. I heard her think it a half a second before she said it. Mia and Lynn both looked at me. Lynn's timid expression cancelled out by Mia's expectations.

"Hello Lynn, it's a pleasure to meet you" I said as nicely as I could. Lynn's reaction surprised both Mia and I. She flushed blood red and looked quickly down at the table for a moment. Only I could feel the anxiety flood the space at once.

"It's nice to finally meet you too Ash" she whispered softly still looking down.

An awkward silence grew as the seconds passed before anyone spoke again. Mia broke the silence. "So the dance on Saturday night is a formal then?" She asked sweetly. Lynn looked back up focusing entirely on Mia's question.

"Yes, but not like the Prom." She answered quickly. "Boys can wear suits instead of Tuxedo's" she clarified. "But girls wear the traditional gowns. You should come! It's so much fun!" The exhilaration in her voice was hard to ignore. I mused for half a second, briefly imagining the possibility that I could actually go on a date with Mia.

"Sounds great. Would you like to go?" I asked Mia. She faced me, glowing with anticipation.

"Oh yes! Can we?" she rushed. I was certain if she were physically capable of blushing she'd be rose red.

"Of course. I'd love to" I responded simply. I turned to Lynn again. "How much are the tickets? I asked.

"Fifteen dollars a couple" she mumbled, still feeling awkward that we were speaking to each other. I pulled a a twenty dollar bill out of my wallet, careful not to show how much money I was actually carrying around with me, and handed it to her.