In The Sight of These Hills (Dolan Twins)

The Dance

Chapter 16: The Dance

"'Tell me things I won't mind forgetting,' she said. 'Make it useless stuff or skip it.'

I began. I told her insects fly through rain, missing every drop, never getting wet. I told her no one in America owned a tape recorder before Bing Crosby did. I told her the shape of the moon is like a banana-you see it looking full, you're seeing it end-on."

- From "In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson is Buried" by Amy Hempel

The air was crisp, cold, and nipped at the senses when Ethan and Grayson Dolan arrived at Morrison High School. There were already other students there, and the whole air bit with youthful excitement and prospects of a fun night to come. There were lights strung up at the entrance of the building and décor to set the mood.

The streetlamps overhead glowed and buzzed softly, and the darkness around the school building crept and shifted, moving around it. The light within it was glowing outward through the windows, touching the dead, dry grass, licking at it like a lazy cat strolling with no obligations, with nothing better to do.

Everyone looked so different yet so the same all at once. The girls were in long dresses, short dresses, or all sorts of colors, hair done, and makeup flattering. Their laughter seemed more feminine somehow, like beauty queens in the moments before they go on stage. Not all, though. The guys were in their suits, all fitted and formed well. Most were in black and white, but some had chosen more flamboyant colors; pastels, reds, and even a royal blue, all velvet and soft, could be seen through the crowd of moving, breathing teenagers.

Some had brought their masks from home, but most were in the long line that stretched outside of the double doors, to get in, to put on their masks.

As though they hadn't worn them already every day of their existence.

Ethan's eyes darted around the crowd, the line, the clusters of groups, and he could feel his brother behind him, twitching slightly. They were still towards the road, not quite making their way to the line yet. People were glancing at them, some of the girls biting their lips, whispering, and smiling, probably surprised they had even decided to show up in the first place, and a few even went up to them to make small talk.

Aaron was there, wearing a pair of thick rimmed glasses. He had forgotten his contacts at home and had decided that it really didn't matter either way. He was trudging his way up the slope of dead grass when he practically ran into Ethan and Grayson.

"Hey, Aaron," said Ethan when he saw the male look up at them in surprise. He was mask-less yet was wearing a brown bow-tie that matched the color of his eyes.

"Hey," he said back, his voice cracking slightly. He stepped back.

"Do you think someone is going to spike the tea?" Asked Ethan jokingly. Aaron's eyes shifted to Grayson whose head was cocked to the side ever-so-slightly at him. He went back to Ethan's friendly gaze.

"What?" He asked, blinking, as though he hadn't heard him. Ethan repeated himself.

"Oh, yeah," he said, laughing lightly, "I imagine. Don't drink it."

"I wasn't, don't worry," he said with a smile. Aaron swallowed thickly.

"I like your suit," said Ethan, nodding his head to the outfit. Aaron looked down at himself.

"I know, vintage. It was my dad's."

Ethan nodded, and Aaron ran his hand at the back of his neck, "Well, I hope you two have fun. I have to get going."