Categories > Original > Romance > Dancing with Death
“I’m Samantha,” I said when he sat down next to me, holding out my hand.
“I’m Gerard,” he mumbled, digging through his bag, refusing to look at me.
“Where’d you move here from?”
He straightened and gave me that look again, except more intense this time, because I could just barely see his other eye through his think black hair. I felt my skin crawl. “Look, I know you don’t wanna be here anymore than I do, so let’s make this as painless as possible. Don’t talk to me unless you have to. Let’s just not make contact.”
I frowned. “And what if I have to talk to you right now? Isn’t it kind of important to know a little bit about your lab partner?”
“You know my name. Isn’t that enough?”
“No.” This time, I glared right back at him.
Then the bell rang and Mr. Poloni started passing back papers.
As I sat at lunch, surrounded by my friends, I was bombarded.
“What’s he like?”
“Is he as amazing as he looks?”
“Is he creepy? Think he doubles as a grave digger?”
“Okay, everyone shut up. First off, the guys a socially challenged jerk. Second, I have never met anyone so irritating. I’m serious,” I said as they snickered. “He wouldn’t tell me anything about himself. He was all ‘I’m Gerard. I won’t tell you anything else about me.’ The guy wouldn’t tell me where he’s from or anything.”
“So he’s mysterious, too? Let me add that to my list of adjectives describing him…” Rhaely laughed. “You have to at least be intrigued or you wouldn’t care. Face it. He’s a bloody wonder to you!”
“Stop trying to sound freaking British!” I couldn’t help but crack a smile at her. Her British step dad was definitely rubbing off on her. “And I don’t care. Not anymore. Maybe I did. I’ll admit, he’s pretty cute. But the guy gave me this glare like he was ready and able to kill me. It was bizarre; I hadn’t even said anything to him yet! And then he got all defensive, like everything except his name was confidential.”
“Maybe his parents are spies! What if he’s a spy!” Tiffany’s mind was clearly running wild as she stared at her phone, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she raced to spread this new bit of gossip on Gerard.
I shook my head and allowed my eyes to fall on the nasty concoction the school cooks expected us to eat. It looked like they’d put together the most fatty and burnt meat they could find, the stalest bread, the most lactose-free cheese, and little white strings that were supposed to be macaroni. I swallowed hard and got up to throw it away. I was just turning away from the trash can when I slammed into someone head-on.
“I’m sorry!” I exclaimed, backing up and pulling the black hair out of my eyes.
Gerard glared down at me through that stupidly perfect hair. “Watch it!” he hissed, and seemed to slither by me, arousing the suspicion in me that his black hair was really just disguised snakes and if I stared at him too long I’d turn to stone.
I stomped back to the table. “Did you see that?” I yelled, pointing in the general direction of the trash can.
Rhaely was laughing when I sat down. I frowned at her. “What is so funny?”
“You guys are perfect for each other! He’s clearly Goth, possibly emo, and depressed. Also seems to struggle with anger. Who else do we know like that?”
“Whoa, hold up. First, you know I don’t live by labels. Second, I am not depressed. At all. I’m more happy than you, usually. And third, I only struggle with anger around the annoying people who deserve it.”
“Weren’t you saying you didn’t have a date to the dance in three weeks?”
“Don’t you dare,” I snapped. “I won’t do it.”
“I dare you,” she laughed, mischief glinting in her eyes.
“Oh, are we in the seventh freaking grade again? Why would I possibly accept a dare? Haven’t done that in years.”
“Oh, fine. I’ll make it a bet. Ten bucks says you can’t do it. You can’t ask him to the dance, go with him, and dance to at least one full song, then let him drive you home.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but Tina across the table from me smiled and shoved a breadstick in my mouth. “I can make it twenty. If you lose, however, I can spread that you guys made out behind the bleachers, therefore smashing your reputation and his. Facebook’s waiting, dear.”
I spit out the gross bread and gaped at her. “How dare you? No. I won’t do it. And you’ll keep your mouth shut, or so help me—“
“Freedom of speech,” she said, holding up her phone threateningly. I didn’t care if she spread rumors about me. I didn’t care if my reputation crumbled. Gossip has never bothered me, nor have I ever taken part in it. But, well, despite how much I hated him, I’m a kind soul and I didn’t want a new kid like him to have to start off like that. Because at our school, making out with a new kid was a huge scandal, for whatever reason, and both the guy and the chick are held accountable. And he would be ruined.
Also, Tina got on my nerves. I couldn’t stand the fact that she was always making gossip if you got on her bad side and the fact that she was a loud mouth who loved to rub in what she’s done and what her mom bought her last weekend. I was not about to look afraid in front of her. It would give her way too much satisfaction.
So I plastered a smile on my face and accepted. “Fine. I’ll do it. I’ll take him to the dance, and Rhaely will pay me twenty bucks, and Tina will keep her mouth shut. Agreed?”
Everyone nodded, and the conversation shifted to a different topic. I slumped in my seat a little when I realized what my non-conformist nature had gotten me into this time.
What if he said no?
“I’m Gerard,” he mumbled, digging through his bag, refusing to look at me.
“Where’d you move here from?”
He straightened and gave me that look again, except more intense this time, because I could just barely see his other eye through his think black hair. I felt my skin crawl. “Look, I know you don’t wanna be here anymore than I do, so let’s make this as painless as possible. Don’t talk to me unless you have to. Let’s just not make contact.”
I frowned. “And what if I have to talk to you right now? Isn’t it kind of important to know a little bit about your lab partner?”
“You know my name. Isn’t that enough?”
“No.” This time, I glared right back at him.
Then the bell rang and Mr. Poloni started passing back papers.
As I sat at lunch, surrounded by my friends, I was bombarded.
“What’s he like?”
“Is he as amazing as he looks?”
“Is he creepy? Think he doubles as a grave digger?”
“Okay, everyone shut up. First off, the guys a socially challenged jerk. Second, I have never met anyone so irritating. I’m serious,” I said as they snickered. “He wouldn’t tell me anything about himself. He was all ‘I’m Gerard. I won’t tell you anything else about me.’ The guy wouldn’t tell me where he’s from or anything.”
“So he’s mysterious, too? Let me add that to my list of adjectives describing him…” Rhaely laughed. “You have to at least be intrigued or you wouldn’t care. Face it. He’s a bloody wonder to you!”
“Stop trying to sound freaking British!” I couldn’t help but crack a smile at her. Her British step dad was definitely rubbing off on her. “And I don’t care. Not anymore. Maybe I did. I’ll admit, he’s pretty cute. But the guy gave me this glare like he was ready and able to kill me. It was bizarre; I hadn’t even said anything to him yet! And then he got all defensive, like everything except his name was confidential.”
“Maybe his parents are spies! What if he’s a spy!” Tiffany’s mind was clearly running wild as she stared at her phone, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she raced to spread this new bit of gossip on Gerard.
I shook my head and allowed my eyes to fall on the nasty concoction the school cooks expected us to eat. It looked like they’d put together the most fatty and burnt meat they could find, the stalest bread, the most lactose-free cheese, and little white strings that were supposed to be macaroni. I swallowed hard and got up to throw it away. I was just turning away from the trash can when I slammed into someone head-on.
“I’m sorry!” I exclaimed, backing up and pulling the black hair out of my eyes.
Gerard glared down at me through that stupidly perfect hair. “Watch it!” he hissed, and seemed to slither by me, arousing the suspicion in me that his black hair was really just disguised snakes and if I stared at him too long I’d turn to stone.
I stomped back to the table. “Did you see that?” I yelled, pointing in the general direction of the trash can.
Rhaely was laughing when I sat down. I frowned at her. “What is so funny?”
“You guys are perfect for each other! He’s clearly Goth, possibly emo, and depressed. Also seems to struggle with anger. Who else do we know like that?”
“Whoa, hold up. First, you know I don’t live by labels. Second, I am not depressed. At all. I’m more happy than you, usually. And third, I only struggle with anger around the annoying people who deserve it.”
“Weren’t you saying you didn’t have a date to the dance in three weeks?”
“Don’t you dare,” I snapped. “I won’t do it.”
“I dare you,” she laughed, mischief glinting in her eyes.
“Oh, are we in the seventh freaking grade again? Why would I possibly accept a dare? Haven’t done that in years.”
“Oh, fine. I’ll make it a bet. Ten bucks says you can’t do it. You can’t ask him to the dance, go with him, and dance to at least one full song, then let him drive you home.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but Tina across the table from me smiled and shoved a breadstick in my mouth. “I can make it twenty. If you lose, however, I can spread that you guys made out behind the bleachers, therefore smashing your reputation and his. Facebook’s waiting, dear.”
I spit out the gross bread and gaped at her. “How dare you? No. I won’t do it. And you’ll keep your mouth shut, or so help me—“
“Freedom of speech,” she said, holding up her phone threateningly. I didn’t care if she spread rumors about me. I didn’t care if my reputation crumbled. Gossip has never bothered me, nor have I ever taken part in it. But, well, despite how much I hated him, I’m a kind soul and I didn’t want a new kid like him to have to start off like that. Because at our school, making out with a new kid was a huge scandal, for whatever reason, and both the guy and the chick are held accountable. And he would be ruined.
Also, Tina got on my nerves. I couldn’t stand the fact that she was always making gossip if you got on her bad side and the fact that she was a loud mouth who loved to rub in what she’s done and what her mom bought her last weekend. I was not about to look afraid in front of her. It would give her way too much satisfaction.
So I plastered a smile on my face and accepted. “Fine. I’ll do it. I’ll take him to the dance, and Rhaely will pay me twenty bucks, and Tina will keep her mouth shut. Agreed?”
Everyone nodded, and the conversation shifted to a different topic. I slumped in my seat a little when I realized what my non-conformist nature had gotten me into this time.
What if he said no?
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