“Are you planning on going to the Valentine’s dance Saturday night?” Lucas stared across the hall as he stuffed his notebook in his backpack.
Riley leaned against the lockers, tilted his head towards Lucas, and hitched his thumbs into his jean’s pockets. “Yes,” Riley grinned. “C’mon you’re going to be late for your meeting.”
“I don’t need an escort.” Lucas slammed the locker door shut. He wasn’t mad, but he was annoyed that Riley had kept a constant watch on him since the funeral.
“I am not escorting you. I am ditching class.” Riley pushed off the lockers and slipped into the stream of students in the hallway.
Lucas tossed his backpack over his shoulder and watched Riley easily maneuver against the current of the crowd. At over six feet tall, Riley was comfortable with everything about himself. Lucas thought, after being friends for six years, he would feel comfortable with his own feelings for Riley. He struggled with his feelings every day.
Walking a few feet behind, he watched as Riley stopped briefly to talk with a group of kids. Riley leaned down so a blond haired boy could hand him something. Riley smiled as he put his hand out. Lucas fought a pang of jealousy as the other boy handed Riley what was no doubt a Valentine’s card. The group walked away whispering to one another. The blond had definitely staked a claim, the others were moral support. Lucas shook his head and stuffed his feelings down.
When Lucas caught up, Riley was standing in front of the counselor’s office door. Lucas avoided making eye contact. He could see the red envelope in Riley’s free hand. He turned his attention to a large flyer of black hearts on a red background which announced the Love Conquers All dance for Saturday night at the Broussard Community Center. The dance was organized by the Gay Straight Alliance for all of the surrounding high schools. Lucas really wanted to go to the dance, with Riley, but he wouldn’t ever admit it. The silence was becoming awkward as the hallway emptied. Riley put his hand on the door handle. Lucas let his vision blur over the red and black poster.
“Hey, Luc?” Riley asked.
Lucas turned to face him. “This might take a while.”
“I’ll meet you at your house later.” He opened the office door for Lucas and smiled. “Good luck.”
Lucas watched Riley walk to the front office. Through the glass windows he watched him sign out and leave. Lucas wondered why Riley was ditching his last class of the day. Unfortunately, he didn’t have much time to think about it as a voice welcomed him into the office.
“Have a seat Lucas,” Mr. Dearborn said. Lucas shut the door behind him and sat down.
An hour later, Lucas was walking to his car. He had just gotten off his cell with his great-aunt Katherine to let her know all of the paperwork had been taken care of at school. He was now responsible for his own decisions as an emancipated minor. Lucas took a breath as he shed the last of his nerves over this.
Lucas instantly forgot about everything as he pulled up to his house and saw Riley’s Jeep out front. He pulled in the driveway, parked, and headed to the front of the house. Something glittered on the ground. He looked down at a trail of small silver triangular shapes that led up the steps to his front door. He bent down and picked up the foil wrapped, chocolate, candies as he made his way to the door. The trail continued through the hall and into the dining room. He stopped at the table where an extremely large foil covered chocolate sat. Lucas dumped the pile of chocolates in his hand onto the table. He looked at the candy sitting there with a long thin strip of paper flopped over the top of the foil. Lucas put down his backpack and read the message.
Now that I’ve kissed the ground you walk on, will you go to the dance with me?
His heart started beating double time. He looked around the room for Riley, but he didn’t see him anywhere. His neck was hot and the flush crept up his face. He could barely hear himself think for the blood pounding in his ears. Lucas took a deep breath. Before he knew what he was doing he unwrapped one of the small chocolates and popped into his mouth. He focused on the smoothness of the candy as it melted in his mouth. Slowly he swallowed as his breathing evened out.
From the window he heard a steady thumping sound. At first he thought it was his heart again, but he looked out the window to see Riley palming shots into the hoop set up on the side of the garage. He read the message again, and then pinched his arm, he wasn’t dreaming.
Lucas walked through the dining room to the back door in the kitchen. He opened the door and watched Riley for a few seconds. If he didn’t know better he would think Riley was nervous too. Just as Lucas summoned enough courage to say something Riley stopped and turned towards him.
Riley, six feet two inches of hot, stared at Lucas. He held the ball against his side. His brown hair with golden highlights fell over his dark brown eyes. Lucas took another deep breath and leaned against the door frame.
“Yes.” Lucas managed without panicking.
