Double Time by Julie Prestsater

for a dramatic kiss that lands half on his cheek and half on his lips. Oops.
    “ Your dress is really pretty, Megan,” one of the girls says. She’s probably the Steph of the group, always trying to keep the peace.
    I peel myself away from Brody, but he keeps his hand at my waist. Not bad. He’s good at this. “Thank you, yours is very pretty too.”
    We make small talk with all of Brody’s friends and by the time we get ready to leave, my cup is empty and I’m feeling a little buzzed. Okay, a lot buzzed.
     
    Keesh and Steph are already at the dance when we arrive. Steph is with all the hulking football players, and Keesh is with the twins. They’re on either side of her and I have absolutely no idea which one is her date.
    As we walk toward Keesh, I’m still amazed I kept a straight face long enough to get through security. I’m seriously floating. My rum Slurpee really hit me on the ride over here.
    “ Hey, girl,” she says, pulling me into a hug. And then she throws her arms around Brody too as if they’re lifelong friends.
    Shrugging my shoulders, I think why the hell not and go in to hug Keesh’s man. “Hey, Jamie, what up g-money?” I’m not quite sure what brought on my rapper voice.
    He looks at me puzzled. “Nothin’ loc.” And then he places his hands on my shoulder and spins me around. “But that’s Jamie. I’m Quinn,” he whispers in my ear. Jamie who? Quinn smells delicious and I wouldn’t mind if he whispered in my ear for the rest of the night.
    “ Oh,” I manage to say. “Hey, Jamie.” I blush while the others chuckle at my expense. Wouldn’t be the first time, that’s for sure.
    “ Have you seen Stephanie?” she asks. “She looks great.”
    “ Yeah, she does. Let’s go see if she wants to dance,” I tell her. The music is begging my body to get on the dance floor already.
    “ Not yet, Jamie’s not ready.” He’s chatting with his brother and some other friends. Keesh pastes on a fake smile. I’m not buying it. “You go. I’ll see you out there in a few.”
    I hug her again and take Brody by the hand. He’s like taking a puppy for a walk.
    “ She’s looking at us, you know.”
    I don’t have to look. I know exactly who he’s talking about. I tug on Brody’s hand and pull it over my shoulder till he has his arm around me. That’ll make Caitlyn crazy. “Good.”
    When we reach Steph, I surprise her from behind with a little tickle to her waist. “Hey, Steph. Hi, Ethan.”
    Steph whips around and throws her arms around me, pushing Brody out of the way.
    Ethan turns around and smiles at our girly display. “Hey, Meg,” is all he says. He stares Brody up and down. Obviously, my geek does not meet his uber athlete standards. Finally, he nods his head at my guy, and Brody does the same.
    He better think twice before he’s rude to my man. I don’t care how good he plays. I clear my head of the pissy fog that came over me and ask, “Wanna dance, you two?”
    Ethan tosses an arm around Steph and squeezes her waist. She smiles up at him and looks giddy at his display of affection. He kisses her nose. Oh wow. I didn’t know they were that close. She doesn’t take her eyes off him. “Not now, Meggie.”
    Rolling my eyes, I turn around and take Brody with me. “Looks like it’s just us. Ready to bust a move?”
    “ Megan, I don’t dance.”
    I stop suddenly and swirl around to face him. “You will dance.”
    “ Meg, I can’t. I don’t know how,” he says pleadingly.
    Omigosh. I can’t believe I came to a dance with a guy who doesn’t dance. That should have been my first and only question. How can anyone who knows me think I’d go somewhere with a DJ and pulsing bodies and not dance? That’s the problem. Brody doesn’t know me. Not well, anyway.
    The sound of Pitbull and Enrique starts to blare through the speakers. Oh hell. This dork is going to dance, even if it kills him.
    “ Listen, you are going to dance with me. If you don’t, I’m going to