“So then what, are you like not even gonna go to the dance?” Maria asked.
“Would that be the end of the world?” Scarlet replied.
Maria shrugged.
“I’m gonna look for Sage. I’ll be back. Will you be here?”
“I think I might wander a bit,” Scarlet said. “Maybe get some air.”
“Okay, I’ll do a quick tour of duty, then find you.”
Scarlet wandered out of the kitchen, into the adjoining sitting room, the music getting louder. She weaved between the bodies and made her way out to the back deck. She set down her barely-drank wine cooler in a dark corner. She really didn’t want to drink tonight, or get into the habit. She didn’t need it. She could enjoy herself without it.
It was good to be out here, in the fresh air, especially since inside was so hot and steamy. A small group of kids congregated back here, but they were engrossed in their own conversation and kept to themselves.
Leaning on the railing, she looked out across the backyard. She watched the large oak trees swaying in the wind, and behind them, caught glimpses of the full moon. It was a beautiful night.
“There you are,” came the voice.
Scarlet’s heart pounded as she recognized the voice. Blake.
She slowly turned and saw him standing there, dressed in jeans and a hoodie, a shark-tooth necklace at the base of his throat. He held a cup of beer in one hand, and Scarlet could tell from his expression that he’d already had a few.
“I heard you were here,” he said. “Why didn’t you say hi?”
Scarlet stared back at him, wondering if she’d heard correctly. Was he kidding? Was he playing mind games?
“Why should I?” she said, proud of herself for standing up to him.
He took a step closer, a little off-balance, and looked at her. As she looked into his blue eyes, she momentarily felt her old feelings for him; but she forced herself to look away.
“You’re the one that took off,” he said. “I figured you weren’t into me.”
She thought about how to respond. Finally, she had a chance to explain.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I really am. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I was actually having a really good time. It was just…”
Scarlet hesitated, wondering how to phrase it.
“Just what?” he said. “I’m not good enough for you?”
“No, it’s nothing like that,” she said. “It was just…I got really sick. I can’t explain it. I just didn’t feel well.”
He looked at her, and for the first time, his expression softened.
“Why didn’t you just say so?” he asked.
“I tried,” she snapped, her anger rising, “but you never replied to my text.”
He looked down, as if with regret. “You’re right. If I knew….” He trailed off.
“Anyway, you didn’t have to go saying those things about me, to Vivian,” Scarlet said. “That you dumped me and all that.”
His eyes opened wide. “I never said that.”
“It was all over Facebook.”
He shrugged. “She made it up. It wasn’t me. I can’t control her.”
“Then why didn’t you go online and say something?” Scarlet asked, relieved he hadn’t said it, but still mad.
He looked down, guilty.
“Listen,” he said, “let’s just forget all that. The past is the past. I came out here because I wanted to talk to you. About the dance tomorrow night. I was—”
“So, this is where you’re hiding,” suddenly came a voice.
Oh no, Scarlet thought. Not her. Not now.
She turned and saw, standing there, her worst nightmare: Vivian. Flanked by two of her friends. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she was clearly drunk. The three of them marched out onto the back deck, as she strutted right up to Blake.
“Vivian,” he began, “I don’t—”
“You don’t what?” she snapped back, not letting him finish.
“It’s just not…” he began, “…it’s just not working out.”
“What are you talking about?” she spat, fuming. Then she turned and looked at Scarlet, daggers in her eyes. “Are you telling him lies about me?”
Scarlet was taken aback. Here was Vivian, who told lies about everyone else, accusing Scarlet of telling lies about her.
“We weren’t talking about you at all,” Blake said, in her defense.
Finally, Scarlet thought. Blake was finally standing up for her.
“Don’t lie,” Vivian snapped, turning back to Blake. “Remember what you said to me the other day. I don’t think you want me repeating it,” she threatened, staring right at Blake.
Blake’s face turned red and Scarlet wondered it was he’d said.
“Anyway, this is between me and her,” Vivian snapped, looking back at Scarlet. “Go get me a drink,” she ordered Blake.
Blake stood there, debating. Scarlet could see that this was his moment. This was his time to stand up to her for good, to be the man that Scarlet needed him to be.
But his eyes glazed over in defeat, and she could see in that moment that he just didn’t have the courage to stand up to Vivian. There was just something about her that overpowered him.
Blake slinked away, back into the house, leaving Scarlet alone to face Vivian and her friends. It was an act that Scarlet would never forgive him for.
Scarlet’s face flushed red. Not only was she furious at Vivian, but she was supremely disappointed in Blake. That certainly wasn’t the quality she wanted in a boyfriend. And for the first time, she wondered if she was wrong to have any feelings for Blake at all. For the first time, she wondered, if he asked her to the dance, if she would even say yes.
“If you think you can waltz in here and steal Blake away from me, you’re mistaken,” Vivian said, inching closer to Scarlet, slurring her words. “You’re a loser. A nobody. You wouldn’t even have been invited here if your friend wasn’t dating Jake. Good luck going to the dance tomorrow night without a date.”
Vivian leaned in closer, so close that Scarlet could smell the vodka on her breath.
“And if you get in my way with Blake again, that little posting online will be nothing compared to what’s going to come. Every single day, for the rest of the year,” she hissed at Scarlet, with utter venom.