Fairy Tale

Chapter 25: Unwanted Attention

Emily was dragged back onto the dance floor. This time however the crowd parted, and heads turned towards them. It didn't phase Minho, being the most popular kid in school, he was used to attention. Emily was not. Sonya, Gally, Thomas and Newt right behind them. Eyes followed. Emily kept her head tilted down. She tried very hard to not shrink. She couldn't hear the voices, but she saw from the corner of her eyes, they were whispering, pointing and a few had pulled their phones out.

Minho stopped and turned, a big sly smirk on his face, he pulled her closer. His smirk slid off slightly.

"Talk to me Em." He leaned in to talk to her, to be heard over the music. He had his arms wrapped around her waist he was swaying with the beat of the music.

She swallowed hard, her eyes closed, trying to take a deep breath, but her lungs felt tight.

"Emmy. Look at me."

He tiped her chin up, she opened her eyes. His steady dark eyes were locked onto hers. His smirk had turned into a smile of care and concern.

"Just a lot of attention I'm not used to."

"I don't even notice." He shrugged.

"I know. The whole football team...but especially you. You've been Mr popular for how many years? I've been a no body all my life, sliding into the back and through shadows."

"But I want you front and centre, you deserve the spotlight."

"I'm just not used to it. Makes....me feel like crying and running away."

"I don't like that." Minho frowned. His hand holding her chin slid back into her hair.

"The big star quartback is giving some girl his attention; a girl who no one knows, a girl who is known for being picked on, and now has the reputation of being a slut...people are going to have a hayday with this. And I'm not comfortable with attention on the regular day."

"Emmy...do you want to go? If your uncomfortable with this we can leave. I could care less where we are. We can go get Bacon cheeseburgers."

Emily smiled, he was so sweet and thoughtful. Her stomach flipped and her cheeks felt warm.

"No." She said quietly, but firmly. "I want to be here, and with you and my first group of friends. I want to wear the shuck dress. But, I'm not going to change over night."

"I'm not expecting you to change. I don't want you to change." He frowned again, his eyebrows pulled together.

"Well I'm an introvert, that's never gonna change, but maybe the crippling social anxiety can become manageable."

"Good that!" He grinned again. Emily smiled up at him. He had been swaying and guiding her, and she didn't realize they were dancing, he has kept her attention and distracted her.

"You sneaky little shank!" She chuckled.

He smirked down at her, "I got moves." He pushed her away and twirled her, making her big dress twirl. He spun her around again and pulled her back in. She couldn't help but giggle. And it made Minho's smirk grow. The people around her faded away. She didn't quite get to the point of their kitchen dance parties in their jammies, but she let her shields crack open enough to smile and giggle and dance a bit.

Their group shared some big group dances, Sonya grabbed her for one dance. They tried to line dance for one song, none of them were very good. Emily blew the Thomas and Gally away with knowing all the words flawlessly when one gangster rap song came on.

"I'm going to go grab something to drink. Want some?" Minho yelled over the music.

"I'll come with."