Maybe Someday

3- Homecoming

Song Inspo: Heat Waves by Glass Animals

Madison, Olivia, Loren, and you all danced together for the better half of the amped set by the DJ. You'd never had this much fun at a dance before. Going with a group of friends was definitely better than going and waiting for some guy who didn't even want to be there with you to actually ask you to dance. You suddenly remembered you hadn't seen Josh since Nick had wandered off, leaving you girls to put on a show. You looked around as the song trailed off, being replaced by the soft beat of a slower song.

Madison: "I'm gonna go find Nick. Thanks for dancing with me guys. He's such a grump about dancing."

Olivia: "C'mon, let's go get something to drink. Dancing has me dehydrated af."

Loren followed behind Olivia, but you hung back to look for Josh. You weren't trying to ignore him. You'd posed for a photo with him when you arrived and had included him in group dancing every time you could catch him within an arms grab of the dance floor. A group of girls moved out of your line of vision and suddenly you saw him sitting alone at a table, scrolling on his phone. The room was dark, but the soft wisps of his hair were illuminated by the dancing LED lights.

You walked up and playfully batted his phone out of his hand. It fell in his lap as he looked up prepared to be annoyed. His expression softened when he saw it was you.

Josh: "Hey. Whatcha need?"

You: "You?"

He gulped and looked at you with wide eyes as you hurried to clarify: "I just meant... you aren't dancing?"

Josh: "I don't know. I appreciate you being my kinda date and all but I don't want to ruin your fun with your friends. You guys looked like you were having fun anyway."

You asked: "you were watching us dance?"

Josh didn't say another word and just quietly laughed. He grabbed your hand, pulling himself up to standing: "C'mon girl. Let's dance."

He pulled you onto the dance floor just as the chorus hit and the beat deepened. The song was too fast to just sway along to, but slow enough to still count as a slow dance so you stood in place, waiting for him to lead. He spun you around as you let a giggle escape your lips. When he'd stopped you back at facing him, he pulled you close. You hit his hardened chest with an oomph that made your breath catch in your throat. He was holding you close, too close. You prayed he couldn't hear your failed attempt to catch your heart from beating right out of your chest.

You swayed gently, your bodies seeming to melt into one another. His hands rested firmly on your lower back, wrapping you up in an intoxicating embrace. Your arms had been looped around his neck, but the gentleness of him humming along to the melody, drew your arms down with a mind of their own. You curled them up against his chest and tilted your head slightly, resting it against him. He squeezed your waist even tighter as he buried his chin into your hair.

As the DJ's voice called out over the end of the song, you felt too dizzy to completely process what was happening to you:
"Okay couples! Time to wind down for the night with a last dance meant to get you jumping!"

The rest of your friends ran to the dance floor, grabbing your hands as the song of the last summer boomed over the loudspeakers. Josh smiled down at you as he held his hand out to indicate you were free to go party it up with your girls. To his surprise, you grabbed his hand, stopping him from walking away.

You: "Wait! You have to dance with all of us! It's the last song!!"

Olivia mocked you: "Yeah, Josh! It's the last dance of your last homecoming ever!"

He shook his head and relented, putting his hands up to match yours as you whirled around carefree. Either no one had noticed how close you and Josh had gotten during the last song, or how intense it had been... or maybe it was all in your head. Just then a hand wrapped around your waist and dipped you back. The flashing lights blinded you in the most intoxicating way. As you were pulled upright again, you came to a breathless halt, inches away from Josh's smile.