The Arts

27 - Dance With Me Tonight

TYLER

          Tyler grabbed Andi's hand. It was small and clammy, but she offered him a timid smile. He led her to the dance floor. He was acutely aware that all eyes were on them as the floor cleared a little space for them. Extended Weekend began to play Steven Sanchez's "Until I Found You." The warm purple lights cast a neon glow over the two. Tentatively, Tyler pulled Andi closer by her waist as she placed her free hand on his shoulder, and they swayed gently back and forth.

          She looked furious. And she had every right to be. Maybe part of the reason Tyler volunteered to do this was because he felt horrible about how he treated her earlier in the year. And the other part? Because he also felt horrible about something he almost did tonight. And maybe Andi was the only person he could tell. Maybe there was a part of her that didn't hate him for what he did to her.

          "Andi, listen," Tyler started, but Andi cut him off.

          "What's your deal, Tyler?" She asked, her mouth a tight, flat line. "All everyone wants is for you to just be nice to them. And they're you're friends!"

          "I know. I've been a jerk," Tyler sighed. "I never meant to make you feel bad. I just...I couldn't think of a kinder way to say I wasn't interested, and then we were both high, and neither of us knew we were high, and that just made everything even worse."

          Andi raised one eyebrow. "Wait, what? You're still talking about that one party? Tyler, I got over that, like, forever ago after I replaced you in your band."

          Tyler's eyes widened. "You replaced me? That's...wow. I'm impressed."

          Andi shook her head. "Ah. It doesn't matter anymore. They found out I couldn't play the bass and kicked me out."

          Tyler couldn't believe what he was hearing. A chuckle escaped his lips. "Oh my God. This is nuts. I need the whole story."

          "Okay. How about a trade?" Andi asked. Something compelled Tyler to spin Andi around, so he did. A few people who were still watching them whooped and clapped. "I'll tell you all about how I ruined your old band from the inside out, and you tell me why you took the money and where you hid it."

          Tyler's eyes widened. How did she know?

          The song was coming to an end. He didn't have much time to explain. But he tried his best. "Okay. So, I never wanted to. But Jack put me up to it. He threatened me with total social suicide if I didn't take it for him. But I couldn't do it. And he doesn't know where my dorm was, so I thought if I just booked it and hung out there for a while he would forget about me and just do it himself. I knew I couldn't stop him. And...I don't know. Ivan and Gianna are my friends. I just couldn't do that to them."

          Andi nodded. "I understand. It was good of you to back out even though you know what it meant. You risked your entire reputation for your friends. That's really cool, Tyler."

          "Yeah. It was nothing, really," Tyler smiled sheepishly, looking down. His gaze returned to Andi. A grin peeked up at the edges of her gloss-coated lips. As the song came to an end he found himself inching closer to her, pulling her in. Was he really going to kiss Andi right now?

          Andi suddenly looked behind Tyler, her smile instantly morphing into a frown. "Ivan, no!"

          Tyler didn't even have time to register what was happening, but suddenly he was, once again, tumbling to the ground. And it was Ivan on top of him, pinning him to the floor and grimacing.