State of Grace (Complete)

Dancing

Chapter 15

Grade eight graduation always has a potluck and dance which the grade sevens are allowed to attend if they serve the graduating grade eights, and this year is no different. I want to attend graduation because I want to see the twins finish with elementary school. It's been a bumpy ride for them, and I want Ian to start fresh where he isn't known as the bad twin.

For the potluck, I just make sandwiches and cut them into quarters. I know that Mommy won't cook anything, even though we get the free food next year, so I just make them myself. It's pretty easy, I do two loaves of bread worth of sandwiches and lay them out in a pretty pattern on a platter I borrowed from Andrea. I put on my nicest sundress and put my hair back in a ponytail. I want to look nice for the dance part of the evening. The seventh graders have to be to school early to set up everything in the gym, so I walk, carrying the sandwich tray.

The gym looks nice when I carefully put my tray on the table, relieved to put them down finally. We set out place cards at the tables for all the graduates and their families, and we make sure all the food is laid out nicely. I sit with a Melody and a few other girls from our class, including Audra, ready to serve the food and drinks when people arrive, while the guys from our class play a game of basketball outside.

"Are you staying for the dance?" Audra asks, she never talks to me, so my guard is up.

"Sure, why not?"

"I don't know, don't you think it might be awkward for the twins?" I can't believe she still has a crush on them.

"Why?"

"Maybe they feel like they won't be able to dance with who they want because you'll be here."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know, it's like you're their mom or something, always nagging them." This hurts my feelings, although I'm sure that's what she's trying to do. I don't keep the twins from doing what they want, I just try to keep them from getting into too much trouble.

"Whatever, Audra, you're just upset that they don't like you."

"Yeah, but at least other guys like me. When's the last time any boy has been interested in you?" she snidely comments.

I have no good comeback, "Shut up," I tell her, because I know she's right. Thankfully the guests start to arrive.

We take turns leading guests to their seats. The twins have Steve, Andrea, Mr. Reed and his latest girlfriend, Kendra, at their table, and I seat them. We spend the next hour acting as wait staff for all the guests, then when dinner is done, we clear away the tables and chairs while the graduates and their parents do the diploma ceremony in the library. The high school student DJ is setting up his equipment while we sweep the floor and put up some basic decorations.

Only a few minutes late, the graduates traipse back into the gym in their fancy dresses and suits. The teacher supervisors come in and give us some rules, then the lights are lowered and the music starts. Because our school is so small, we never have dances, which is why this one is such a big deal. Even with all the grade sevens and eights, there is still only about 30 kids. The girls all dance in little groups, with a few of the more confident boys dancing, too, otherwise everyone else stands around the side of the gym watching.

It's not a long dance, only two hours, but we all know that there's going to be some slow dances and most of the girls are pretty nervous about who's going to ask them. I'm not any different. Audra has already made me feel badly about it, so I consider just going to hide in the bathroom when a slow song is imminent.

The beat changes and people flee the floor, with the exception of the few couples that exist in the eighth grade class, who cling to each other and sway slowly. I am sitting on a chair by the door contemplating my escape when Ian steps forward, "Come on, Grace. I need you to dance with me."

"Are you sure, Ian?"

"Of course I am."

I stand and follow him out to the centre of the gym, then we awkwardly come together for our dance. It's weird, I know Ian almost as well as I know myself, but dancing like this feels different somehow. He pulls me closer and I settle my head on his shoulder, just happy that he picked me first. I can feel him breathe, and it's just so good. I know good isn't the right word, but I can't think to describe it any other way. His body and mine are pressed together, the warmth of his body feeling so different. I feel a bit tingly and my heart beats a little bit faster, but this is Ian, my best friend. When the song ends we pull apart and Ian just looks at me with a small smile, the "Thanks Gracie," is almost a whisper and he walks away. I watch him go.

The next slow song Chris asks me to dance. "Ian won, so he got to ask you first, but that's okay. Dance with me?"

"Sure, Chris."

Chris and I have fun with it, making exaggerated waltzes around the edge of the gym floor. I spend the entire slow song giggling with him and it's just funny. A few of the serious dancers shoot us dirty looks, but Chris seems mostly relieved. "I'd rather dance like this any day, Gracie," he tells me as the song ends.

"Thanks, Chris, that was awesome." We laugh and skip to the side of the gym.

The dance passes pretty quickly, two hours isn't very long. I dance a few more slow dances, one with Max—I was the only one who agreed to dance with him. I would have danced with him anyway, but feel really badly that the three other girls he asked said no. He's weeping a bit, but doesn't pull out his puffer. Chris dances with Melody and does the similar waltz routine that he did with me. I have a feeling that he's just not too interested in girls, which doesn't really surprise me. Ian dances a few more dances, but when he sees me sitting to the side near the end, he comes over.

"What's wrong Grace?" Ian sits in the chair next to me.

"I don't know. Why aren't you dancing?"

"Because I'm good right here. There's no one I'd rather sit with."

"That's sweet Ian, but you're going to have to get used to not having me around so much to keep you in line. You'll be leaving me here next year."

I was close.