An Exchange

Chapter Forty-Two - Stake Valentines Dance

Penny

Forties era paraphernalia and black and white cut outs decorated the hall. With brass band and jazz music playing, everyone was either swing dancing or chatting by the walls. Jonas―being too young as the dance was eighteen and older―wasn't there, and everyone else seemed to have a date. Zoe and Seth were there together, which made me smile when I saw them dancing, and Giles was nowhere to be seen but would be with Sonya all night.

Pat offered to stay with me, but I wanted to let her dance and spend time with Alma. So, as all my friends were with dates, I slipped into the back corner and sat to watch. I wished Ryan was there with me, but I didn't let it get me down. Instead, I tried to focus on watching my friends have fun, and smiled again as I watched Zoe laughing with Seth.

"Penny, why are you sitting here by yourself?" Ray sat beside me.

"Ray! Don't you have a date?"

He nodded to the dance floor. "My mom. I wanted her to have some fun, so I asked her to be my date even though I'm technically too young still."

"You're not eighteen?" I asked, surprised.

"Not until April twelfth."

"Huh. You really do learn something new every day."

He patted my knee. "Come on, my mom's meeting some of Sister Taylor's friends, so I have a few minutes."

He stood and offered me his hand. I took it and he yanked me to my feet. He danced me around the hall, spinning and dipping me, and I, not being a very good dancer, stumbled and tripped and he laughed at me.

Then mid dip, he looked up. "Hey there's Giles. Should we go bump into him?" He pulled me up.

"Oh yes, let's." I grinned at him mischievously. "I wanna see how his hot date is going."

He swung me around, and we danced across the room. Just as we reached them, Ray shoved me roughly into Giles' back. I laughed as Giles spun to face us.

"Watch it, Ray!" he said teasingly.

"We're sorry, Giles," I said, laughing. "We just got a bit swept away by the dance."

"Ah huh. I'm sure you did." He let go of Sonya and turned to face me. "So, is Ray your date?"

"Oh no," I answered. "His date is way hotter than me. She's right over there." I pointed to Ray's mum.

"Ah yes, she most definitely is."

I giggled.

Ray punched his shoulder, grinning. "Please don't start spouting 'Your Momma' jokes, it'd be lame."

Giles looked Ray in the eye. "Yo momma's so fat―"

Ray punched him again. Giles rubbed his shoulder, laughing. Then Giles remembered he was there with a date. "Where are my manners? Ray, this is Sonya, Sonya; Ray. He was baptised earlier today."

"I remember Ray from middle school," she said as she shook his hand. "He plays basketball, doesn't he?"

"That's right, and football." Ray nodded.

"And this of course is Penny. You remember her from that dance?" Giles rested his hand between my shoulder blades as I reached out my hand to shake hers.

She took it tentatively. "Yes, I remember Penny."

"You're a cheerleader right?" I smiled as she let go of my hand.

Her expression showed a glimmer of hope. "That's right. How did you know that?"

"Zoe told me. But you can't go to our school because of Dylan. I'm sorry to hear that."