|<>|
"You and I are used to dealing with mysteries that live on the page."
"There are no bad guys. There are just complicated people who did bad things."
"I've got enough crime fact in my life. I don't need to read about it."
|<>|
When c...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
|<>|
After Tyler pulled out my shoe, the rest of the room sort of blurred around me. It was like one of those moments in the movies where everything is out of focus - blurry as the main character can't comprehend what's happening - until they find a focal point that takes their breath away. And then, they can't take their eyes off of that point, so they do the only logical thing to do.
Hide from the damn crowd.
In a furtive attempt to do so, I clutched Leah's arm and spun her in front of me. She giggled and pushed me forward again with Ella's help. Scanning the crowd of applauding students, a sudden bout of anxiety came over me. The blood rose to my cheeks, it's warmth seeping into a blush that I could feel radiating off of my skin.
Everyone was glancing about, trying to figure out whose heel had been selected. Ella screamed as loud as humanly possible, wildly pointing at my feet. All of this took about 3.5 seconds to happen in reality, but it felt like hours.
Getting the rather obvious message, President Price boomed into his microphone once more.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have our first pair! Miss Walker, I'll ask you to join your dance partner as he escorts you to our fourth wall," he directed, and the crowd of people around me parted like the Red Sea. As skirts shuffled and ladies limped out of the way, my gaze fell upon Tyler. All of a sudden, the dust settled, and it wasn't blurry anymore.
His dark eyes stared into mine, and I sucked in my breath. Slowly, I removed my shoe and walked evenly over to him.
One of his hands held my discarded heel as the other was jammed into his pocket. Barely breathing, I slipped my arm into his latter one, and we walked to the wall - all of the noise drowned out by the moment.
Time still passed slowly, but it was more of an experience to relish. Coming to a stop beside me, Tyler offered me my shoe. I accepted, leaning forward to slip them both back on.
These doctors are all the same - they think in cliches.
Tyler gave me a strange look, and only then did I realize that I had said it out loud. Red seeped to my cheeks.
"All right everyone. Now onto our next couple. Let's have the gentleman-"
Time sped up again as the dean continued with the Elm's tradition. We watched from the side as each guy plucked out a shoe from the pile; occasionally laughing at the reactions of some of the girls.
Zach cheated, trying to lift the blindfold with his nose and find Leah's shoe. Fortunately, she had formulated a plan with him and had placed hers in a specific spot. He found it with heade, and the two lovers were off together.
After about ten minutes, everyone had a partner, and the music began.
Softly, the orchestra played out a slow tune, and everyone began to sway along after a couple of measures. Offering me his hand, Tyler grinned at me. Returning the smile, I immediately accepted.
