Two Weeks With Chelsea

Chapter 6

Dances and parties or any occasion where students had fun were things Chelsea avoided as much as possible. The school held monthly dances and formal dinners, some aligned with special occasions like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Valentines Day. Students, including Chelsea, were required to attend a minimum of half of the events held within the calendar year. Halloween of that year landed on a Saturday and despite the potential for parties in town, many students decided to follow Trevor's lead and planned to attend the school's dance. He was behind on his requirements but didn't mind the break from the off-campus party scene. Chelsea had overheard him talking to his friends talking about the dance and for the first time in five years decided to attend.

"He's been avoiding me," Stacy said as she checked her makeup while she gazed at her reflection in a window. "What's his problem?"

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have shown up at the same restaurant while he was on a date. Or, the same movie theatre," Chelsea replied as she affixed the messy bun in her hair. "Does the bun look the way I had it before?"

"Yeah, it's fine. You know what? I'm done with him. Done!"

"Are you almost ready?" Chelsea asked as she pondered Stacy's declaration.

"Let's go," Stacy replied as she followed Chelsea out of the commons. "Do I look sexy?"

Chelsea's presence at the Halloween dance seemed to go mostly unnoticed with the exception of a few friends. While Stacy and Shelly rushed onto the dance floor, she stood uncomfortably at the darkest spot near the entrance to the gymnasium, hoping the popular senior would happen by and finally notice her. Too shy to make such an encounter possible herself, she remained pretty much out of sight, even as she moved further into the mix of students.

As Chelsea waited in line at the refreshment table, she placed her hand on Stacy's shoulder and asked, "Are you going to talk to me?"

Stacy paused for a moment before turning then said, "I'm still mad at you."

"Oh, come on. It was a joke. I said I'm sorry," Chelsea replied before her eyes darted towards Trevor.

Stacy followed the line between Chelsea's eyes and Trevor then turned her gaze back towards her. "You know, while you hide here in the shadows, he's dancing with every girl here. Maybe I should go over and tell him you want to dance."

Chelsea stopped Stacy as she started to step towards the dance floor. "NO! Please. He probably already thinks I'm pathetic, that'll just make it worse. Look at me. My lame zombie ballerina costume idea. I'm just, blah! Everybody else is a sexy something. Sexy cat or sexy witch. A sexy zombie."

"That's more like it. But I'm still made at you," Stacy responded.

Chelsea's eyes scanned the crowd, observing and analyzing through the haze of self doubt. "Look at her. Skintight low-rise leggings, and that's not a shirt... It's a bra with sleeves. And a collar with a freak'n leash!" Chelsea said as she nodded towards a girl on the dance floor that seemed to be following Trevor around. "That's wrong in sooo many ways."

"Who, sexy cat? That's not midriff. That's... is there such a thing as full-riff? 'Cause if there is, that's gotta be it," Stacy said. "I think that's what I'm going to be for next year's dance."

"More like sexy kitten. She's in middle school!" Chelsea groaned.

"Well, sexy kitten is handing Trevor her leash and asking him to dance, and it looks like he's—" Stacy paused and waited to see what Trevor would do "—oh, wow. He took a pass. I thought he'd be all over that!"

*****

Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, for Chelsea, were spent in the homes of various faculty members. While pleasant, these visits had become increasingly awkward. Talk of family traditions and the inevitable question from a host's young child or an elderly aunt, "Where's your family, dear?" reminded Chelsea that she had no family; she simply borrowed one for special occasions.

Trevor went home to Boston for the holidays. He returned to Well Stone with exaggerated stories of family gatherings, playing with his brother and little sister, and meeting up with childhood friends to get drunk and party. His Well Stone friends would listen intently then recount their own, lesser, holiday exploits. Trevor listened and kept feelings of jealousy well hidden.

The start of the second semester meant a new class schedule. Sadly, for Chelsea, her lunch break only overlapped Trevor's once a week and the preceding class was as far away from the cafeteria as one could get without leaving campus. By the time she arrived for lunch, even if she didn't stop for food, the small table near his usual spot would already be taken by a random mix of girls. Stacy and her friends couldn't manage to claim their table so Chelsea's Trevor watching time was limited to random occurrences in the commons or library, or the odd time she managed a seat nearby at breakfast or dinner time.

The Valentine's dance was much the same as the one at Halloween from Chelsea's perspective. The decorations were different, and costumes were replaced with dresses and dress shirts. Instead of arriving with a group of buddies, Trevor entered the school gymnasium with a sandy blonde senior on his arm. Everyone Chelsea knew had found a date to accompany them to the dance. Stacy had managed an arrangement that saved her from going solo just an hour before the dance. Chelsea's ticket went unused. Instead, she sat in her room and stared at a borrowed red dress that hung on her closet door.

"I can't believe he brought that slut to the dance," Stacy said as she burst into Chelsea's room.

"What happened to... who did you go with?" Chelsea asked as she reclined on her bed.

"That idiot Steve." Stacy kicked off her shoes after dropping onto the chair at Chelsea's desk.

"Creepy Steve?" Chelsea's eyes popped open wide.

"Yeah! He spent the entire dance hanging out with his 'crew'. Like, who does he think he is, a pirate captain? I couldn't even get him to feel me up. What kind of shit is that?"

"You wanted him to feel you up? Creepy Steve? That's just, I don't know what to say—" Chelsea screwed her face up in a disgusted look. "You remember what he did in fifth grade health class, don't you?"

"Yeah! He asked me to demonstrate how to use a tampon," Stacy huffed.

"And you not only went to the dance with him, but you wanted him to feel you up?"

"How the hell else am I supposed to make Trevor jealous?" Stacy asked.

Chelsea sat upright with a confused look on her face as she said, "Wait! I thought you were over him. Moved on."

"Yeah, I was. I backed off 'cause you seemed to want a shot at him, but you haven't been making any bold moves, so..." Stacy paused mid thought.

"I doubt that letting Steve get to third base would make Trevor jealous. Concerned! Grossed out, maybe!" Chelsea said. "Frankly I'm both!"

"I wonder if Emily has any booze. I'm freak'n depressed. What's wrong with me if I can't even get anywhere with Creepy Steve?"