Behind Our Backs

Evaline sighed happily as she looked in the mirror. She and Lila had been ogling over what to wear to the dance. It was almost 7:00 (time for the dance to start) when Evaline finally found what to wear. She inspected her body: The simple cream coloured dress she was wearing, her kinky hair falling gracefully at her shoulders, her lips perfectly shaded with a light pink, her fingernails painted with a bright yellow. It wasn't like it was prom or anything, but still, she wanted to look special for her first date with Dylan.

Lila was practically jumping up and down while she was sitting on Evaline's bed.

"You look so amazing!!" She exclaimed.

"Thanks... I hope Dylan thinks so too." Evaline blushed.

"Oh don't worry! He'll think you look beautiful!" She smiled.

Just then, the door bell rang.

"I'll get it!" Lila jumped up and ran down the stairs. Evaline could hear a conversation going on and few seconds later:

"Evaline! It's Dylan!" Lila called.

She took a deep breath and started to carefully walk down the stairs. Her stomach was churning with butterflies, her teeth started to tingle with anticipation. What would he look like? Would he like her dress? She bit her lip as she neared the landing and the front door.

"Wow!" Dylan's jaw dropped slightly as Evaline came into view. "You look wonderful!"

"You look good too!" Evaline smiled.

Dylan was wearing a white pull-over shirt with tight dress pants. It was casual, but still formal for the dance. His, hair was jelled up into a small faux hawk.

"Ready to go?" He asked as he took Evaline by the hand. Her heart skipped a beat and she bit her bottom lip again.

"Yeah..." She said dreamily. They stared at each other, forgetting that Lila was still there.

"Hello??" Their attention snapped back to her, "You two, dance, get going!" She said, practically pushing them out the door.

Evaline and Dylan laughed and they walked out the door, heading towards Dylan's car. He opened the door for her and she stepped in.

"Why are you driving us there?" She asked puzzled while he started the car. "The School is just a few blocks away."

He pulled out of the driveway and started to head down the street in the direction of Pine Wall before he answered.

"Because... I didn't want to walk you there, that would be stupid. What if you ruined your dress?"

"Hm, I hadn't thought of it like that." She marveled thoughtfully. Evaline looked out the window and something caught her eye. Well, it wasn't a something, more like a some ONE... It was the boy! The mystery boy that she had bumped into in the hallway that afternoon. He was walking down the road, his hands stuffed in his pockets and his bright blue eyes on the ground. Headphones were in his ears, his lips were mouthing wordlessly and he was nodding his head to a beat.

Dylan pulled the car into the school parking lot and parked.

'Is he going to the dance? Why would he want to be there?' Evaline wondered as she watched him cross onto school property. His black hair blew in the slight breeze and he walked carelessly, kicking rocks over the pavement as he neared the front doors. Even after he had disappeared into the school, Evaline stared at the place where he had vanished.

"EVALINE!" Dylan exclaimed, bringing her back to her senses.

"Yeah?" Her head snapped back to him, startled.

"I've been trying to talk to you for the past minute." He explained. "You were just looking out the window completely zoned out. What were you day dreaming about?"

"Oh, sorry," She apologized. "I was just thinking... But, yeah, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Uh.. Nothing, it's not important." He brushed it off. "Let's go!"

He and Evaline got out of the car and into the school. Evaline could hear the music already blaring. Yes... It was a rock song.

That was another thing about Evaline. She always liked rock music, but she always pretended to like the stereotypical, generic stuff to fit in with all her popular friends. After all, what "popular" girl would like screamo music??

She sighed and let Dylan pull her into the decked out gym, letting the beautiful music flow through her.

"Do you wanna dance?" He asked.

"Yes." Evaline smiled.

They went out onto the "dance floor" just as the rock song ended (much to Evaline's dismay) and a slower song started. Dylan took her hand and her waist as she took his shoulder and his hand. She looked around the gym to see that other couples were doing the same. She didn't like slow dances, but she had learned how. She'd rather just rock out and be herself, but whatever, the DJ's choice, not hers...

"You know..." Dylan whispered. "I REALLY like you... I think I'm starting to fall in love..."

Evaline's heart moved to her throat. Did he REALLY just say that he loved her? Like love? REAL love? It was only their first date and he already LOVED her! That had to be some sort of record. She didn't know what to say and her heart beat even faster.

"You-you love me?" She stuttered, not believing what he had said.

"Yes, I do." He smiled. Evaline's heart melted... He loved her.... Dylan Starzomski, the most popular guy in school, loved her. The slow song stopped and something with a little more beat came on.

"I'll be back in a few minutes... I'll go get something to drink." He said as he released her, walking off of the "dance floor". She watched him go, and soon enough, he was swallowed by the crowd of people.

She sighed dreamily but was cut off when she saw him. She saw the stranger again!! He DID come to the dance! He walked by and Evaline couldn't help but want to follow him. She was, naturally, a very curious girl. Where was he going? Was he leaving? She hoped not. He didn't seem to be with a girl either. Why would he be here alone?

She followed him through a small crowd of people, keeping a safe distance behind him, so if he noticed her, he wouldn't be suspicious of anything.

"Hi, Evaline!" Someone called.

She turned towards her name being called, but still keeping an eye on the stranger. He had stopped at the table where Dylan was supposed to be, but Dylan wasn't there.... Where was he?

"Oh, hi Tom." Evaline muttered distractedly. Tom had found her. He didn't talk to her often, but he was nice. He was also one of the major jocks of the school, but he didn't have a big head.

"What are you doing here alone?" He asked concerned. "I thought you came with Dylan?"

"Yeah," She said, taking her attention away from the stranger and looking Tom in the eye. "I did. He said he'd be right back with something to drink, but he's gone from the table and he's not back yet..."

"Hm, I wonder where he could be..." He looked around. "In the meantime, do you wanna dance?"

"Sure," She said, "Why not?" She looked back at the snack table and... He was gone. The stranger had gone again! Where did he disappear to? She wanted to know more about him. Evaline had no idea WHY she wanted to know this boy, but there was just something about him that was... Different, but it was a good different. He was a mystery waiting to be solved and she wanted to get to the bottom of it.

Tom lead her to the dance floor again and they just hung out, talking, dancing, laughing, just having fun. After a few songs Evaline started to get worried. It had been a half hour and Dylan was STILL missing. Maybe he had found some friends of his on his way back from the snack table and they had started talking? She didn't know...

"Thanks for the dances," Evaline laughed. "I had a lot of fun! But, I think I should go find Dylan now."

"Ok, see you later!" Tom said as he asked another girl to dance.

Evaline made her way through the crowd and towards the gym exit. She had scanned the gym and asked people if they saw Dylan, but no one said they did.

She moved down the hallway alone and quietly soon she came to a classroom with the door closed. Why would the door be closed? Teachers at Pine Wall never closed their doors... They were always wide open, unless there was a code red or a fire, but neither of the two were happening right now, so why would the door not be open?

She stepped closer to the door, hoping to find a clue as to why it was closed. As she stepped closer, she could hear giggling and voices. WHAT was going on?

She put her hand on the door handle and turned it slowly, trying not to raise any alarm from the people inside. Her heart pace quickened. She opened the door just a crack and peaked her eye through the slit. What she saw completely shocked her.