The Blade in the City

The Ball

Josh was prohibited from going over to Alex's house after he had gotten ready, his ma told him strictly he was not allowed over. The two of them would be going in different cars as well, apparently it was bad luck if any boy saw her in her dress before the ball. Now Josh was just waiting for his pa in the kitchen. He had been waiting forever and this didn't help with his nerves, all he could think about was the ball and what he was planning on doing, plus he had to ask Alex if she would dance with him. Not to mention how he was supposed to have a solo dance, all of these emotions were just waiting to break free and it was freaking Josh out. He shouldn't be left alone in times like this, he needed a way out of his thoughts luckily for him his brother came in.

"You look good Josh," James said.

"Thanks buddy" Josh replied.

"Ma said you had the first dance or something, was she right?"

"Yeah, I am the lucky one who gets the solo dance after the mayor's dance." Josh packed in as much sarcasm on the word lucky.

"Fun, who are you going to pick? Wait no, I already know. You're going to pick Alex aren't you?" James said.

Smiling to himself Josh answered him "yes, that is my plan," the more he talked about asking Alex to dance the more nervous he got. She was allowed to say no but what if she did? He kept going over this thought making him doubt himself more and more.

"Josh you look like you're about to puke, are you good?" James said concerinly.

"No, what if she says no? What if she doesn't dance with me? And what if she-" he stopped himself before he told James how he felt about Alex.
"What were you about to say? What are you hiding Josh" James said while squinting his eyes and staring at Josh, making him uncomfortable. Josh was saved from James death stare by his pa walking in.

"Okay boys" Lin clapped his hands together and smiled a brilliant smile, "Let's go". James jumped up from his chair, squeezing past Lin and walking down the hall.

"You good son? Got the pre-dance nerves?" Lin clapped his son on his shoulder, "you'll be fine, and the girl you're going to ask will say yes. Who could say no to my handsome son?"

Chuckling to himself, Josh put on his brave face and followed his brother.They headed out the door and into the car, the car ride to the town hall was shorter than he hoped. They headed inside together Josh had been in the town hall before but he had never been in the ballroom section. The entrance to the town hall started with an extravagant doorway, The tall dark oak doors were placed at the top of a small cement stairway. Framing the doors were tall thin windows, above the doors was a setting sun engraved into the wood.Through the doors the space opened into a foyer. Polished stone lined the floor, the walls were white with gold accents here and there, flowers and other plants lined the walls, large dark oak doors were placed on the left and right sides. A desk in the shape of a semicircle was placed directly opposite the front doors, A squat woman sat behind the desk tapping madly at the keys of her keyboard.

"For the youth ball?" The woman said never removing her eyes from her computer.

"Yes" Lin said in response.

"Through that door" The woman removed one hand from her keyboard and pointed off at the door on the right.

Come on boys" Lin said as he moved toward the door on the right, they walked into another large space with couches lining the walls and tall plants set in between them. On the far side of the room there was two large doors, Josh assumed they led into the ballroom. The room was full of people, mainly boys and their parents all dressed in tuxes. Josh spotted Jay in the crowd and made a beeline for him.