Dancing In The Thunder

5- Oh No..

Glowy POV

I wake up to a shrill whistle, again. God, it's so annoying. I can also hear Daniel talking. That, too, is annoying.

I get up and don't need to get dressed. Unfortunately, I still only have my summer dress, and it's nearing November. My birthday would be soon enough. Clove's birthday was yesterday. I think of all the birthdays I had at home. I made it so long...

I stumble out of the barn with everyone else. Daniel decides that this is a good time to talk to me.

"Hey, what's your name?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"You're pretty, that's all."

"I'm not telling you."

"Okay, I'll just find out at role call today. I'm Daniel," he says.

"You told me," I reply, "Six times."

I walk ahead. I see Clove's barn, and Layla's house. I think of them, how much chemistry they had last night. I don't hate her anymore. Because I saw how much Clove loved her. I saw how much they cared about each other.

"Oh, hey," says a mysterious figure, "Ya dropped this."

"Oh, thanks," I say, taking back my notebook.

"No problem," they say.

"Uh, what's your name?"

"I'm Valen," they reply.

"Glowianna," I was far enough out of Daniel's earshot to say it, "Glowy for short."

"You're the first person I've talked to in a while, Glowy."

"Hey," says Daniel suddenly. Had he caught up to us?

"Valen," he says, "Are you a boy or a girl?"

"Even though I've said this several times, fine. Gender's dumb," Valen replies, "I'm neither."

I suddenly thought Valen would really like Clove.

"You'd like my volunteer friend," I say.

"I would?"

"Yeah. Her name's Clove. She likes Layla, the farm girl. They were together at the dance a few weeks back, did you see?"

"I did see," Valen replies, "It's nice to know they weren't faking it. I didn't know who she was."

"Yeah," I say.

"That dude over there, he's annoying. I'm sorry for you," says Valen.

"Totally. And thank you."

Did I just make my first redhead friend?

Layla POV

I can't sleep.

Not that I don't want to, I totally do..

I just can't seem to do it.

It might be because of Clove.

I mean. I do think of her every 4 seconds, ever since the dance. I'm just glad that school's on break for now, otherwise I'd never be able to possibly pay attention.

Unless she went with me. I don't want to put her in danger though. Plus, I think she already did.

My 9:00 alarm rings. I pretend I've been asleep all this time. I put on my most real fake yawn I possibly can.

My parents seem to believe it.

"Hey Layla, I didn't see you at all these few weeks, been too busy with business," says my dad, "How was the dance?"