That Was Then

Now-73

I don't leave the dance floor for the next two hours. I jump and twirl and sing along to all of the songs with Vivi and my girl friends. We take no less than one thousand pictures, most of which I send to Petra. I slow dance with Caleb again and again.

Around 10:30 people start leaving, going to various after parties. Aiden is hosting a small after party but I'm surprised find that I'm not ready to leave yet. Exhausted but grinning ear to ear, I drop down into a chair along the dance floor. Caleb brushes a kiss against my cheek and heads off to the bathroom and to find drinks. 

I'm texting Petra when I feel the chair next to me sliding out. I assume that it's Caleb so I don't even look up until I hear a long dramatic sigh. My head jerks up and I am stunned to find Kya sitting there in her too short dress. I follow her gaze across the dance floor where Seth stands surrounded by a fan club of younger girls.

"Why do you put up with it?" I ask before I can stop myself. Kya opens her mouth to say something and I can almost see a bitchy retort forming on her tongue but she presses her lips together and I start to think she's going to ignore me. Fine with me.

"Why do you care?" She finally responds.

"I guess I don't," I shrug, "it's just... nobody deserves to be treated like that."

"Not even me?" Her voice is barely audible above the music.

"Not even you," I say looking into her pale blue eyes. This is the closest to a truce Kya and I will ever get and it doesn't go unnoticed that I'm still the one bending. But I can see that it cost her to even ask the question. Our eyes are still locked on one another when Marley comes crashing between us.

"She's a fucking liar," Marley breathes her alcohol breath all over us. A few flasks have been floating around among our group and I have passed each time I've been handed one. Marley clearly has not.

"What are you talking about?" Kya snaps as I realize what is happening. Marley thinks I've told Kya that I saw her and Seth coming out of the bathroom together.

"She," Marley gets too close, pointing in my face. Just how much has she had to drink? "doesn't know what the fuck she saw." Across the dance floor Seth appears to suddenly become aware of two things. First, that he has a girlfriend. And second, that the shit is about to hit the fan. He walks away from the girls as one is clearly midsentence. They visibly pout as he walks away.

"What did you see?" Kya asks me and sadly, I think she already knows the answer.

"Hey," Seth flashes us a nervous grin.

Marley starts to sputter, realizing belatedly that I hadn't told on her. "Well she... and I... we were just..." Seth shoots daggers in her direction, willing her to shut her mouth. I feel a hand on my shoulder and I don't have to turn around to know that it's Caleb.

"C'mon babe, lets go dance," Seth tugs on Kya's arm but her gaze remains fixed on me.

"What did you see?" She asks me again.

I don't owe her anything but I'm also not going to lie for Seth and Marley. "I saw them coming out of the men's bathroom together down the hall earlier."

Kya blinks slowly, absorbing the information. She sucks in a breath and asks "why didn't you tell me before?" Before, when we were having our little heart to heart. It's almost laughable so I don't answer.

"Kya," Marley is in tears.

"Nothing hap-" Seth starts but the look Kya gives him stops him from finishing his lie. She looks back at me.

I shrug, "I don't know what happened in the bathroom, but it didn't look good." I don't mention that Marley was reaching up her dress and adjusting her panties as they came out. It was out of the way a bit but the bathroom wasn't exactly hidden, they had to know they could get caught. Maybe that was part of the fun of it for them. Neither looks like they're having very much fun right now.

I expect Kya to make a scene. I expect a whole Broadway production. I am waiting for her to scream at them, to cry. Instead, with a grace that I didn't know she possessed, Kya stands up and starts walking toward the door. Seth and Marley start to follow her and she spins on her black heels, I can't hear her but I see her mouth move, slowly, deliberately, "do not follow me." They stay where they are and watch as she weaves through the tables and disappears out the front door.

Marley sits at the nearest table and puts her head down. Seth waits another minute before walking out the same door Kya just went through.

"You okay?" Caleb asks and I nod. I let him pull me back to the dance floor where Vivi and Allie are trying, and failing, to teach Aiden the steps to a dance move. He's like a big clumsy toddler tripping over his own feet but keeps a smile plastered on his face the whole time.

Eden laughs loudly and covers her mouth, "I don't know why I'm laughing, I can't do it either!" She yells at me but laughs again when Aiden lands ungracefully on his ass. Caleb takes his arm and hauls him back up to his feet.

"Enough of this nonsense," Aiden laughs, "are y'all ready to get out of here?"

We spill out of the overly decorated room and down the concrete steps of the building, linked together, one of my arms hooked through Allie's as she holds onto Tatum. Eden clutches Tatum's other hand and Mara loops her arm around my shoulder, Vivi to her right. The guys follow, I grin over my shoulder at Caleb.