It Starts With Him

18

His eyes are the first thing I notice.

This is for two different reasons. First, it's the way they shine. Even in the dim light in the poorly lit hallway, the cerulean blue stands out even more than the sequins of my dress. Ace is dressed in black jeans and a white dress shit. Taupe colored accents line the cuffs and collar, and a gold band wraps around his wrist.

Secondly, it's the way they're looking at me.

As soon as I had stepped out of the small, raunchy bathroom, his eyes swallowed me whole. Times before, I had seen them do something similar, but then he could at least hide it. Now, it seems impossible for him to keep it out of sight.

They dance over every inch of my body, and I feel goosebumps unearth themselves on my arms. His eyes linger on my legs, my arms, my dress, my lips, my neck, and my face. I visibly shiver at the intensity they bring. We stand in silence, him in the hallway and me in the doorway of the bathroom, just taking each other in.

I don't know how long we stand like this, but I'm half-aware when the girls in the bathroom shove past me and open the door to the club. It snaps me out of my stupor, and I find myself stepping forward. Ace looks almost nervous as I approach him, his hand playing with the gold band on his opposite wrist.

"Ready?" he breathes after a moment. I can only nod. His eyes, normally hard and stern, seem melted and soft. Maybe it's just the lighting, but it makes my heart skip a beat regardless.

We walk to the door together, and excitement crawls up into my chest. I've never even been to a regular high school party, let alone a club. Ace pushes the door open with his elbow and puts his hand on the small of my back. He gently nudges me through, and I get the instinct to cover my ears. I don't, though. The music is just so shockingly loud, that that's my immediate reaction.

Strobe lights cover every inch of the huge room, and I realize it's two stories. The actual dance floor is below us, and we're simply on the balcony. The room is a big square, and outlining the entire upper half of it is the balcony. The only way to get down is the single set of stairs on the opposite side of the room. The dance floor is so crowded that I can't see even an inch of the actual ground itself. It's covered by wild hair, flailing bodies, and the smell of sweat.

Without speaking, Ace and I start to make our rounds to reach the staircase. We pass tons of people who are enjoying themselves on the balcony whether it's just talking or having a drink at the bar. I noticed eyes lingering on us every few seconds, and it doesn't surprise me. Of course Ace is going to get stared at. He's handsome, and in the rainbow lighting of the club, he looks like the definition of perfect.

"They're all looking at you, you know," I mumble to him, nudging him in the side. He turns his head, his quick stride never slowing. His eyes flit quickly over my body, and then back to my eyes. "Trust me, Dev, they're looking at you."

No, they aren't. Are they? I mean, maybe the dress, but not me. I'm not dashing like Ace is, I don't draw the same attention as him. With Ace, you can't help but stare. But what does he mean they're looking at me? Does he think I'm worth looking at?

Once we reach the steps, Ace reaches out to grab my hand. I take it without hesitation and rest my other hand on the metal railing. Eyes still linger on us, but this time Ace's are included. His gaze seems glued to me, and it makes me feel more desirable than any dress ever could.

Once we reach the dance floor, we start off on just the edge of it. There are way too many people to get anywhere further than here, but I don't mind. The music is nearly deafening, but Ace's hands find my hips, and my arms loop around his neck regardless. We sway slowly even though the music is some upbeat hip hop beat.