remember me

chapter 28, dancing

Let's talk about dancing, says Katie.

The next day
(at Elisa's house)
Elisa walks to the living room and says, "Rise and sunshine. Katie confusingly replies, "It's 12 p.m." Elisa tries to think of something they could do before the fourth round of practicing that would drain them because they have been practicing nonstop. She actually thinks they have a chance of beating Dan, so she states, "I really have been thinking, since you guys have been training hard and we all went through our fair share of trauma and pain, that we deserve to dance for our last day." Haylee crosses her arms and asserts, "So you want to dance instead of training?" She gets a little nervous, so she smiles.

Haylee then says, "How can you not like her?" She then laughs, "Thanks." Katie shakes her head. "I don't know; it sounds too risky." Cody looks at Katie, and she looks at how excited everyone is. Cody chimes in, "Katie, this is going to be fun; we already miss homecoming and your birthday; this dance is a good break." Johnny replies, "I agree with him on this one." Everyone chants, "Party! Party! Party!" She smiles and states, "Fine." Everyone cheers.

Elisa walks to Austin with so much enthusiasm that she says, "Do you maybe want to go to the dance with me?" Austin replies, "I hope you're not asking me to dance." Elisa stares, thinking that he knows something. She then starts to actually freeze for the first time in her life; she doesn't know what to do. Austin was the only person to see her in the light. Austin adds, "I'm kidding, I love to." Elisa fakes a smile and replies, "Okay, well, I'll see you." Austin walks away, and she sighs as Dana walks to her and says, "May I ask you what the theme is?" Elisa replies, "Flowers." Dana hugs her out of excitement. "Thank you." She checks her phone and states, "You're welcome."

Katie describes how it is the most delicate thing in the world.

(Flashback)
[At Dan's house in LA]
Johnny brings a box of ornaments to Dan, and as he happily says, "It's time to decorate." He was happy to spend Christmas with his father, as he had never spent one with him before, and his birthday was a week or a month before that, so tomorrow is his birthday. Dan replies, "For what?" Johnny smiles and states, "My birthday is tomorrow; you know the big sixteen." Dan then puts his hand on Johnny's shoulder in comfort, and by this, Johnny already knows what he's going to say as Dan asserts, "Oh, Johnny, I have this trip coming up soon. I'll miss this birthday and Christmas. I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you next week."

Johnny pushes Dan's hand off by shrugging his shoulder as he laughs and says, "You always say this birthday and Christmas like you haven't missed it for the last 16 years." Dan shouts, "I'm sorry, we have what we have because of what I do: all the business trips, all the money to pay for your private school, your car that you will finally be able to drive, your fame from the privileges I could afford; I had none of this as a newly 16-year-old."

Johnny muffles, "And I didn't ask for it." He throws the box of ornaments away.

(At the store)
Johnny picks out party decorations and leans against the budget: "Why not hire people to put them up as you did for my party?" Katie said, and Johnny replied,
"Jeez, I don't know, 'cause they'll turn us in, plus I could just call my personal party planner." Katie shakes her head in disbelief. "How rich were you?" Johnny states, "I don't like to brag." She sighs, "Oh." He then puts lights in his cart and asserts, "But..." and continues telling her.

(At the dressing store.)
Ria laughs at what Willo just said as she shouts, "That's what I said." Cody then chimes in, "Excuse me," and she says, "Yeah, sorry," and moves out of his way, allowing him to walk past. Willo realizes what just happened, and she quickly asserts, "What was that?" Ria looks at the dresses as she replies, "What was that?" Willo states, "I haven't seen you and Cody say one word to each other." Ria holds the dress up to her as she says, "Well, now that things are back to normal, I don't need Cody, and he doesn't need me." Willo sits down on the try-on bench as she pats Nex to her and replies, "I don't believe you for one second."

Ria sighs and sits next to her. She was right; she did miss Cody like crazy, but after what she said, there was no going back. Willow states, "Wanna tell me what really is going on?" She angrily asserts, "I thought we were best friends, but I'm just second to Anna for him; I just thought I was more to him." For a second, she saw emotion in Ria's eyes, but then she added, "Anyway, I can't be sobriety; I can't be the thing that keeps him sane."

She can tell Ria was just tired of being hurt and losing people, so she pushed Cody away before they even got to talk about anything. Willo states, "I know you hate dealing with your emotions, because then you'll have to feel all the pain. I'm like that too, because when you trust people and you feel betrayed by them, you push them away rather than talk it out." And when I was that person, Cody talked so much good about me to you, asking you to forgive me, and I plan to do the same. Cody is the most mature but immature person I've met; he's so fun and caring,and he's a great friend, a great guy." Ria leans her down, "I know." She looks at Willo,