Silenced by the Night

First Dance under the Moonlight

The eighth grade dance was coming over. I haven’t had anything to wear or anyone to go to. Well, I have a choice, I would go there just to watch Caylah and Paige or I would just stay in our house. I’m fourteen years old. What am I suppose to do? Nathan was already with a date, she’s a mystery-girl I don’t know her.

“Ellie, come to my room right now”

Paige yelled emphasizing the last two words.

“What is it? Buy a can of hairspray?”

“No. I have a dress for you to wear in our eighth grade dance. And you are gonna love it”

“Every girl loves a casual dress, right?” 

“Not every girl”

She handed me a box and closed her closet door.

“This is new”

“I bought it just for you, I was suppose to give it to you on your thirteenth birthday but it was too big so maybe this time I can give it to you”

“Thanks Paige”

“OK, so we need a can of hairspray, a headpiece…”

“A headpiece, are you kidding me? Why do you need that?”

Paige gave me a confused look and went back to her notepad.

“A hairdryer, a curling iron or maybe a straightener”

“You have all of those”

“Yes. But I’m making this night special”

“Why?”

“You’ll find out later, right now we’re arranging your hair”

“Why is it so special to you?”

“It’s your first dance”

She took the straightener and straightened my hair. She applied mascara and eyeliner on my eyes and took out the lip-gloss. My eyes widen as I stared at the cosmetic.

“Stay still, you don’t want people thinking you just messed with a pack of skittles”

The lights were blinding in the gym. Paige and Caylah were walking with me inside.

“Paige, I don’t even have someone to go with”

“Don’t worry; we’ll take care of that one. Let Caylah and Paige do the magic”

Caylah was already going out with her friend, Luke. And Paige is already with Logan. The tone of ‘Look after You’ played on the background.

“Go. Nathan’s waiting on the dance floor”

Nathan is in the eighth grade dance?

“Hurry up and Go. Romeo’s gonna commit suicide if Juliet doesn’t come”

I walked to the dance floor searching for Nathan.

“Hey El”

Nathan pulled me outside.

“The dance is inside”

“I know but I’m making our first dance special”

Josh approached us and put the beat box on the side of the fountain. The tone of ‘Look after You’ played. The only light around us was the moonlight; OK this is pretty romantic and I was feeling a bit strange. He pulled me closer to him and put his arms around my waist, I put mine around his neck. We’re swaying side to side, under the moonlight. 

We’ve been dancing for minutes, the song already ended. But we didn’t even wanna stop, if that’s what Nathan thought about. I took my arms away from him and sat down on the fountain. He sat down beside me, wrapping his arms around my shoulder. My first dance was with my best friend; what was going on with us?

Our friendship was already changing; it was improving. Something in my mind kept telling me that someday he’ll take it to the next level. We were best friends; well we were both acting weird around each other.

Forget about it, scratch that. Whatever he’s thinking right now, I might not like it.

Next morning, Paige fell asleep in my room. That dance was amazing; last night was an incredible experience. Despite the fact about my thought, that stupid thought that kept saying ‘He’s taking it to the next level’. I don’t know what I’m thinking but I think I’m going stupid. Even when I was twelve, why would I have nightmares because of him not being around?

My friendship with him was going stronger but I didn’t know that we would go through this. That he would be my first dance. What did my thought mean about him taking it to the next level? Why am I asking myself about my thought? Why am I thinking about him taking it to the next level?

Nathan went in my room smacking at pillow at Paige’s face.

“Paige! Get up, get up”

She woke up and took the pillow from him smacking it on his face again.

“OK, I surrender”

“Good. Now leave me alone”

He locked the door and sat down beside me. We never actually lock doors anymore. It was appropriate whilst Caroline was in the house.

“We don’t lock doors anymore”

“I don’t follow house rules anymore”

Nathan? Not following house rules? Wow, I thought he never broken a single rule. Except for escaping the gym whilst painting it, that suspended us for three days. 

“Breaking another rule? That’s not good for you”

He mimicked what I said.

“Really funny” 

“You’re right. But can you meet me at the beach before sundown?” 

The wet sand was caking on my bare feet. It was a great feeling; I was still waiting for Nathan. What did he wanna talk about? It must’ve been a huge deal for the two of us.

“Hey El”

I turned around and saw Nathan. 

“Where have you been?”

“You know. Making trouble”

I was really confuse what he was gonna talk about with me. My hair was tied in a messy ponytail that was blowing on my face by the breeze. 

“Our friendship has gone far. Maybe we can take it to the next level”

Was this the time he was waiting for?