Dancing with Eloise

Chapter two

The night flew by.

At first things were hesitant and awkward, but as time wore on we were laughing and talking like old friends. My previous suspicions were confirmed: Dan was perfect.

My phone suddenly vibrated, breaking off the conversation. I checked it. It was my dad. "Hold on, I have to take this." "No worries, I'll be here." He grinned at me and I picked up, wandering away from all the people that had gathered outside.

"Margot Louise Winters what the heck do you think you're doing not home?"

Crap. I checked the phone's clock: 11:26.

"Dad I am so sorry I lost track of time and--"

"Save it. I am coming to pick you up right now, young lady. Be outside in five minutes. You hear me? Five. Minutes."

I groaned, "But Daddy! That's not fair! Nothing is worth you picking me up in that truck. I can get a ride home if you give me the chance..."

"I already have you a chance and you blew it. You have four minutes."

"Ok fine." I hung up and headed back over to Dan, who was watching some girls playing chicken going on in the in-ground pool.

He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"I have to go."

"Well it was nice getting to know you, Margot." He cleared his throat, "maybe we can, ya know, hang out sometime?"

The biggest, stupidest grin crept onto my face. "Of course!"

"Cool. Can I have your number?"

I gaped at him. Had I done it? Was this really happening?

He misinterpreted my look of disbelief, thinking I was stupid or something. He rolled his eyes. "I have to get ahold of you somehow." He said with a smile playing on his lips amusedly.

"Oh right" I looked around frantically for a piece of paper to write it on, barely hearing him call my name.

I looked up to see him holding out his phone with a new contact open. My face burned red as I grabbed the device and hastily entered my info.

Out of nowhere country music started blasting from somewhere. I jumped, almost spilling my third can of soda. Then a car horn joined in, honking to the beat.

Oh no...

I looked at Dan apologetically, "I have to go" and I rushed out front as quickly as possible, dodging random people who I barely knew who suddenly though I was their best friend. What was in their punch?

I made it out just as a crowd was beginning to form. My dad was standing in the bed of the truck wearing nothing but tights, a superman cape, and a cowboy hat, waving around a glow stick whooping like no tomorrow.

"Oh hey Margie! I just though I'd just show your friends what we do back home," He shouted over the music blasting from the truck, "and look! They're enjoying it so much they're video taping me!"

Sure enough they were. All of them. And half of them were turning to point at me.

My fists clenched at my sides and I stomped over to the passenger door, yanked it open, and shut the radio off. I then proceeded to slam the door as hard as I could and yell back, "I get it! Now let's go!"

I could hear the applause and cries of protest as he dismounted and got into the truck. "Was that necessary, Dad? Really?"

The smile was gone off his face. "We'll talk tomorrow. When we get home, you are going straight to bed and you are giving me your phone. I'll be keeping it for a week."

The truck started and I panicked. What if Dan tried to text me? Or call me? What if he though I was ignoring him or wasn't interested?

"But Daddy--"

"No buts. This is a non-negotiable punishment. Any and all resistance will result in no phone for a month."

I clamped my mouth shut and stared out the window the rest of the ride home.

As soon as we pulled into the driveway I opened the door and ran into the house, locking myself in my room. I buried myself under the covers on my bed and seethed. How dare he embarrass me like that? And then take away my phone? It's not even like it was a repeated offense!

Knock. knock. knock. "Margot? Margot I need your phone.'

"Go away!"

"Margot, give me the phone," great. Now he was raising his voice.

"No!"

I heard him fumbling with the doorknob, trying to open it. I tunneled deeper under my covers.

A minute later the scratching stopped and the door swung open. I peeked my head out to see him standing in the doorway with a paper clip in hand. "Now you can either give me the phone, or I can get it from you the hard way."

He should've known the answer. "Never."

The curls on top of his head bounced as he hook his head. "You've been warned."

Suddenly I burst into a fit of laughter as he tickled my will into an oblivion. "Fine!" I gasped, "take it!" I thrust the phone into his hand. "Now leave me alone!"

He placed his hands on his hips and posed triumphantly, "I told you." And then exited the room, shutting the door behind him.

Darn my ticklishness.

I sat back resting my head on the wall and sighed. How could one night go so right and yet so wrong?