Hope Is The Thing With Feathers

Chapter 6: Part 3

*2 hours later*

"ARE YOU GUYS HAVING A GREAT TIME?!?!?!?!?"
The DJ screamed into the mic, reveling in the resounding cheers from the packed dance floor. I think I might have blown an eardrum, my feet are screaming, I'm sweaty all over, and I'm slightly tipsy. I'm the happiest I've ever been.

"I love you guys sooooo fucking much...." I grab Eva and Jared's heads and pull them close to me.

"Ow ow ow girl, you're yanking on my neck!!" I let go laughing and stumbling backwards. My heels trip me up and I start to fall, only to have someone catch me. 'Ohh someone's been hitting the gym..' I think to myself before looking up into the beautiful masked face of my savior.

"Um hi...thanks. For catching me."

"My pleasure."
Oh God that smirk. I think I might melt into a smooth pile of cocoa butter.

"Umm..you're kind of crushing my arm...." I stand up quickly. "I'm really sorry about that, I know I'm kind of heavy."

"It's fine. If I'm being honest, your the sexiest girl here no contest. Heavy or not." That smirk again...Lord please prevent me from jumping on this man right now in public.

"Thank you, you're too kind." I turn away from him and he grabs my arm and pulls me against him. " Can you dance?" He whispers. ' Did he just.... oh boy you gonna get it now...'

"I can dance better than you Curly. Make your pick."

"How about the tango?"

" Prepare for the most embarrassing defeat of your life."
As if by fucking magic, 'Bust Your Windows' starts blasting through the speakers. I grab his hand and head for the middle of the dance floor. He swings me into his arms and we start to sway to the music. Our feet move, gliding and spinning. He lifts me as I slowly extend my leg into the air beside my head. I feel so light, so free as we dance together. He spins me out as I keep spinning, spinning.......and fall on my ass in front of the whole school.

The spotlight still shining on me as I hear everyone laughing at me. I search and see Alex and Stacey dying of laughter beside two empty bowls. 'Fucking beads.......I hate beads'

I choke back my tears as I run out of the building to the night outside. At least out there, I could cry and no one could hear me. As I'm slumped over, holding back tears, I hear footsteps on the gravel next to me.

"Hey are you okay?"

"Please..just go. I'm fine, just please go." My tears start to slide silently down my face as my body shakes from embarrassment. I'm so stupid. I actually thought I could get away with something like that.

" You're not okay at all. I can hear you crying, you know. C'mere." He offers me his hand and I look at him. His concerned eyes gazing at me from inside his mask. I wipe my tears and take his hand, pulling myself up.

" Thank you....ummmm what's your name?" He laughs and takes off his mask, and I swear my heart stops and I can't breathe for a few moments.

" You're.....you're Harry Styles....wow."

" What, expecting Drew Seeley? Sorry to disappoint. Now, what's your name?" He looked at my face expectantly. 'I can't take it off, not now. He'll run away from me.' I grab his hand and pull him along.

"Come with me, I know the best place to be at this time of night." He laughs and follows me through the underbrush to the old gazebo in the north area of the school.

" What is this place? Are we even on school grounds anymore?" His voice shouts from behind me. I laugh and stop walking to face him.

"Of course we are. Before this was a school, it belonged to some rich guy or whoever. This was his gazebo, placed in the northern area of his land. Most people have forgotten about it, but its still here. It grows roses and ivy all around it, and when the fireflies come out in the summer......it's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen."

"You come to school in the summer??"
"Not school, just here. It's one of my absolute favorite places. It's so quiet and hidden. I can come out here and do anything."
He grabs my hand and pulls me closer.
" Even dance?"
I smile at him through the semi-darkness.
" There's no music Curly. If you say we'll dance to the beat of our hearts, I just might vomit. "

He bursts into laughter and puts on this old Edwin McCain song on speaker and offers me his hand.
"May I have this dance?" I take his hand, feeling the rough yet soft, warm skin.
"You may" 
We slowly step in time to the music as he spins and twirls me around. The sounds of my laughter fill the air as I lay my head on his chest as the song finishes playing.
"How could an amazing girl like you go to this school, and I've never noticed you?"
I start to chuckle a bit and stare into his eyes.
" Not everyone knows about the best things in the school. That's why they're  the best. They're kept secret. "
He laughs with me and he gazes into my eyes, beyond my eyes even, almost like he's staring into my soul. I can feel the air grow hotter and my body tenses.  His hands lift toward my mask and I feel his fingers on my cheek.

I can feel the mask edge slightly lifting, the cool night breeze grazing the side of my face. I close my eyes and then-
" MOVE BÏTCH GET OUT THE WAY, GET OUT THE WAY, GET OUT THE WAY!!!!!!"
" Ahhh!!" I jump as my phone alarm goes off and I grab it from my chest.
" Oh my god...I gotta go! I'm so sorry Harry, I really gotta go!"
I take off out of the gazebo like a bat out of hell, running towards home, hair flying in the wind.