Paige flipped forward another page to show a handful of drawings of costumes, all very modern updates that looked like the classic looks in today’s styles.
“With stuff from the consignment shop and a little elbow grease, we can get it done. I can use a sewing machine like no one’s business.”
“What’s Bas going to look like?”
“I should be Gatsby, don’t you think? If there’s anyone in this group making enemies and ruining people’s lives, it would be me,” Bas said.
Paige held up a picture of another white tux, this one very modern with a very distinct bow tie. Yeah, Bas could totally wear that. Dane smiled. He compared the picture of himself with what he remembered of his image and felt weird, like he couldn’t pull it off. How could he be that surreal person in the picture? He frowned and realized what he was doing. He looked over Bas for something to say.
“I love when you smile,” he blurted. “And your skin’s nice. I like to touch it.”
The room sat in silence for a minute, everyone staring at each other in question. Boy, he’d really messed that up, hadn’t he?
“Thank you, Dane,” Bas said, rewarding him with another smile. “You can touch me all you want. Fair warning, I’m ticklish.”
Dane let out a deep sigh of relief.
“Too bad we couldn’t get Tommy to go. We could hold a raffle and make a mint on people competing to dance with him,” Paige said.
“That gives me a crazy idea,” Ru said. “What if wedidget him to come and do a raffle sort of thing? Tommy has a certain amount of dances and winners. But you can buy tickets for a chance to win. We could donate all the money for some good cause, like anti-bullying or a gay-straight alliance.”
“That’s a great idea.” Bas pulled open the handbook. “Let me make sure there are no rules against it. Someone call Tommy and decide what he’s gonna wear.”
Everyone laughed. Dane settled his side against Bas, taking confidence and strength from him. This event would be about friends. He’d be there with Bas, who was going to be dashing in his tux. And Dane would get to dance. The idea excited him as much as it terrified him. He reached out to grasp Bas’s hand, thrilled that Bas returned his touch with a soft squeeze.
