I Thought You Died

The Dance

Chapter: 05

Xander's POV:

It had been a few weeks since River and I had talked out about the whole 'James' thing. She still hung out with him and talked to and about him a lot but she paid attention to the rest of the world too. She'd started hanging out with Maya again.

The flyers for the school dance could be seen almost everywhere now. Even a glance at one of them gave me a headache. I barely ever went to these school dances but River had convinced me to come this time since it was our last senior year and a few social activities wouldn't hurt.

A pair of light footsteps approached me and I looked up to see River. "The dance is in two days and James still hasn't asked me," she looked worried and nervous.

"Well, why don't you ask him?" I suggested with a shrug and she looked at me as if I was crazy.

"I can't ask him to the dance."

"Why not?"

"It would be awkward and it might seem like I'm desperate," she reasoned.

"But you are desperate." That earned me a glare and a flick on my forehead from her. I rubbed the spot and pouted at her. As if on cue, James approached us and my mood immediately went sour.

I didn't know why I couldn't stand him. Despite his good looks and nice behaviour, there seemed to be something seriously wrong with this guy. I just didn't know what it was. It was like an itch I couldn't scratch. Sometimes I thought that maybe it was just my imagination and there was nothing wrong with him. I reminded myself that he was perfect. But he seemed a little too perfect.

"Hey, River," her eyes lit up as she saw him approach. I couldn't understand why she didn't find anything odd about him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," she replied and it was completely obvious with every move she made that she was trying to act cool. Or maybe I just knew her too well.

"Would you like to go to the dance with me?" he asked and she tried to keep her excitement under control. I smirked.

"Um... I'd love to," River replied grinning.

"Great, I'll see you later," with that he walked away, not acknowledging me for even a second. It didn't bother me in the least. In fact, I was glad he was ignoring me.

A high-pitched sound pierced through my ear, shocking me. I turned to River with a look of disbelief. I didn't even know she could squeal like that.

"What is your goal for this week? Try and make me deaf?" I asked her. she just waved a hand in dismissal.

"I'm too excited to control my squeals," she said and I shook my head. "Aren't you going to ask anyone to the dance?"

I scoffed, "As if. I don't have that kind of confidence or a crush."

"Oh, come on. You're nineteen, there's gotta be someone," she pushed.

"Look, there's no one I like. So, it's settled. I'm going to the dance alone," I told her in a tone that would finalize my decision but she didn't want to give up like that.

"Okay, maybe you don't like someone. But that doesn't mean no one has a crush on you either," I was startled at that.

"What?!" I asked incredulously. There was absolutely no way a girl could have a crush on me. River having a secret admirer, I get it. She had a fair complexion and silky blond hair. She had the looks and personality. But me? I couldn't imagine a girl wanting to go out with a guy who wasn't social at all and spent all his day playing guitar.