Sequel: Pirate Smile
Status: Giving it a go...wanted to see what Holly and Jared would have been like before...

Pretty Eyes

I Like to Dance All Night

“I think I like this one better.” Holly flipped through a bin of ‘45s, grinning at her find.
Jared watched her from across the row of vinyl. He’d lost a bet regarding the school quarterback, so he had to buy her a record. It was an early birthday present.
The two were in the middle of their typical record-store game. Once they hit the unknown artists, everything was rated on band name and album art. While Holly was partial to mod, Jared liked psychedelic.
“No way,” He pushed past the album she’d pointed out in attempt to find something to top it. She liked that he never agreed with her only to make her happy.
They quietly thumbed through a few more selections, racing one another.
“Evan wants to make out with you,” Jared stated casually as he peered over at Holly. The words tasted bitter.
“Who told you that?” Holly flushed scarlet as she focused intently on a track list.
“He did.”
Ever since they climbed down from that tree a week ago, things had been different. They were “official”, which of course was a very confusing word in the ninth grade.
“Well,” Holly wasn’t quite sure what to say. Jared didn’t usually bring up other guys. “Have you smelled his breath?”
“I, uh,” He realized he’d been caught. “I never got that close.”
Evan had been a thorn in his side since the beginning of summer. He was either obsessed with Holly, or just obsessed with making Jared think he was obsessed with Holly. Even though Evan was a sophomore, Jared saw more of him during a school day than he wanted to. It was like he enjoyed watching Jared squirm as he talked about the way Holly’s hips swung as she walked. Jared had always thought he was the only one who appreciated that.
“Alright,” Jared tapped his fingers against his leg, thinking of a subject change. “There’s a preseason game on at three, you know I can’t miss that.”

An hour later, Holly’s prize dangled from her wrist in a green plastic bag. As they walked down the sidewalk, Jared threaded his fingers through hers. He glanced at her, smiling as he saw her lips curve upward. Evan could talk all he wanted, but he wasn’t the one holding Holly Finn’s hand.

“So,” Holly veered left down their street. “You aren’t going to make me dance alone are you?”
“Huh?”
“Homecoming,” She looked up at him. “I will uninvite you if you don’t dance.”
“What—no.” He snorted. “You know I can’t dance.”
“Oh please,” She nudged him. “You’re like a white Usher.”
Her analogy made him laugh incredulously. He knew she was being sarcastic.
“When the hell have you ever seen me dance?” Through the corner of his eyes, he eyed her suspiciously.
“Your bedroom window looks into mine, remember?”
Once again, he’d been caught. While he knew he looked through hers, he never thought she’d been looking through his.
“Well what about that little thing you do?” Holly looked at him questioningly. She tried recounting the numerous jam sessions she held in her bedroom. “You know, when you…”
He dropped her hand to mimic her, his hips shaking. She laughed, more embarrassed for him than she was for herself.
“On second thought,” she shook her head. “Maybe I should just dance by myself.”