I'll Keep You Safe

The Dance

Vanessa's POV:

Another month has come and gone. I had grown accustomed to eating lunch by myself. I even stopped eating lunch in the cafeteria. I hadn't had any contact with Brooke Lynn since her first night home. When I passed her in the halls, she just looked down. In our classes, she sat on the other side of the room. I miss her. One rainy Thursday, I was sitting in the library because it was raining outside. I was lost in thought until a voice said "hey". My head snapped up and my heart skipped, I tried not to show disappointment when I saw it was Aquaria.

"Hey, Aquaria." I tried to smile.

"How have you been?" she asked me.

"I'm...good." I managed. We both knew it was a lie, but it was selfish of me to admit. I wasn't the victim here. I wasn't the one who was sent away. Brooke Lynn had been through hell.

"We miss you."

"I miss you guys too." I paused, "I miss her."

"We do too. She's not the same person, Vanessa."

I felt tears in my eyes, "It's all my fault."

"No, no it's not!" Aquaria put her arm around me, "her parents did this, not you."

Aquaria and I had become very close in the time that Brooke was away. The tears started to fall, I couldn't stop them.

"It's okay." She hugged me, "I promise everything will be okay."

I nodded and wiped the tears away.

"So, Vanessa, do you want to come to the dance with me on Saturday?" Aquaria asked, "a-as friends I mean."

I thought about it for a second. "Yeah, I'll go." I managed a smile.

"Awesome. Text me!" and Aquaria was gone.

The bell rang signaling the end of lunch. I grabbed my things and headed to my next class. Saturday rolled around. My hair was curled, my dress was zipped, and my makeup was perfect. I ran out the door, sending a quick text to Aquaria to let her know I was on my way. Aquaria looked amazing in her light blue knee length dress. Her blond hair in ringlets down her back.

"Hey bitch!" she said getting in the car, "let's go." She turned the radio up and we were off. Half an hour later we were pulling into the parking lot at the school.

"You ready?" she asked me. I nodded. We got out of the car, linked arms, and walked to the door.

Brooke Lynn's POV:

After a lot of begging from Owen, I decided to cave and accept his invitation to the dance. It's either that or sit at home and stare at the wall while my parents ignore that anything is wrong.

Owen was nice, but something was missing. I just didn't like him. My mother, on the other hand, loved him.

"Oh, I'm so glad that you have found a nice boy to date." She said, fussing over us as we tried to leave for the dance. She thought he was my boyfriend; I didn't have the energy to correct her.

Owen grabbed my hand and lead me to the car. As if a reflex, I turned my head toward Vanessa's house. The lights were off. Looked like nobody was home. I wonder if she was coming to the dance.

"Ready?" Owen smiled. I nodded, and turned my eyes to the passenger window, getting lost in thought.

Before I knew it, we had arrived at the school. My stomach turned. My eyes searched the faces of my classmates. I didn't know why. All my friends had arrived except Aquaria. I wasn't surprised though. She always liked to make an entrance.

"Want to dance?" Owen asked. No, I don't, but I couldn't tell him that. Instead I agreed and he walked me to the dance floor.

It was a slow song. He placed his hands on my waist and I linked my fingers behind his head, and we started to sway with the music. Why was this so strange? It wasn't right. His hands were heavy on my hips, like they didn't fit right. They weren't Vanessa's hands. Vanessa's hands were soft, light. Delicate the way she would graze my skin with her fingertips.

These thoughts are impure, said the voice in my head, you left those thoughts at the retreat. It wasn't a retreat. It was hell.

The room started to spin; my head felt fuzzy. My chest tightened, and I felt like I couldn't breathe.

"A-air." I finally managed to say, and I let go of Owen and started towards the door.

I stumbled out the door and fell onto a bench. I tried to catch my breath. Another panic attack. The air was cool on my skin. It helped.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here." Said a voice. I looked up. Shit. Morgan and Tatiana. This is not what I need right now.

"Where's your friends, Hytes?" said Morgan.

"Did they abandon you? Because you're a dyke?" taunted Tatiana.

"No, Tati, she's not a dyke. She went to conversion remember?"

"No, I don't think so. I think she will always be a dyke."

"Guys what are you doing?" a male voice behind me yelled.

"Hi, Owen!" Morgan said sweetly.

"Hope you're having fun at the dance. We just wanted to say hello to Brooke Lynn. We're so glad she's back."
"No you're not. Can you just leave her alone? She's not bothering you."

"Well she is bothering us, she's here." Morgan laughed.

"Guys just go away." Owen was getting frustrated.

"C'mon, Morgan, let's go. We don't want Cookie Monster to come out here and defend her girlfriend."

Tears stung my eyes. What had I done to deserve this? Morgan and Tatiana walked inside. Within a second, Owen was kneeling in front of me.

"Brooke Lynn are you ok?" he asked. I nodded.

Why did they have to bring up Vanessa?

"What's going on?" said a voice, the familiarity sent chills down my spine.

I turned my head and there was Vanessa, looking stunning in a knee length white dress. It looked perfect on her.
"Brooke Lynn are you ok?" she asked.

I hate being asked that. No, I am not ok, except I am now. One look at Vanessa, and all the tension in my body disappears. I nodded slightly. She nodded back and turned and walked away.

"Ready to go back inside?" Owen asked, holding his hand out.

I took it, stood up, and followed him back inside.