Years of dance showcases had made me good at it. Makeup made me look older, too. What would Asher think if he saw me like this? He’d only ever seen me in comfy clothes or my work uniform.
“You went all in.” Mandy giggled, eyes sweeping over me. “And that black top is sexy as hell.”
“It’s my mom’s. Her clothes finally fit.”
Most of her dresses and tops had sat untouched in the closet for years. Dad rarely took her anywhere, though he didn’t seem to mind taking Sharon out.
Mandy patted my thigh. “She had excellent taste. Good thing you kept them. Did your dad see you?”
The thought alone turned my stomach to stone. “No. He went to some function with Sharon. I just have to be back before midnight—just in case.”
“Boring,” Mandy said, fluffing her curls.
“I didn’t tell him I’d be at your place.” I’d be stupid to risk it with the winter showcase so close. The after-party was the one I actually cared about—Imani always made it fun, even for the shy ones.
Mandy waved me off. “Like I said, boring. Don’t worry, I’ll call you a ride.”
“I can do that myself.” I slumped against the seat, watching headlights sweep the asphalt.
Ten minutes later, we pulled up to Starlit.
I’d never been here before. The sign above the entrance glittered with stars, and the sidewalk teemed with well-dressed adults, the air thick with expensive perfume.
The place was swankier than anywhere I belonged, but as long as the music was good, I didn’t care. I just wanted to dance.
“Didn’t you say some girls were coming too?” I asked as Mandy grabbed my hand and tugged me toward Dean, Kyle, and a group of guys I didn’t recognize outside the entrance.
She shrugged. “Guess they changed their minds. Who cares? More attention for us.”
I would’ve rolled my eyes if I thought she wouldn’t notice. I wasn’t after attention. Kyle was fine, but only as a friend—and I wasn’t thrilled about a night surrounded by strangers. The only guy I wanted to be with wasn’t here anyway.
“Kaia.” Kyle grinned as we walked up. “Glad you could make it.”
Oh God. His smile was way too flirty. I hugged myself. “Yeah. Are we waiting for anyone else?”
“Just you.” He winked. “Let’s go?”
We joined the line outside the club. When it was our turn, the bouncer smirked at Kyle. “Have fun, but don’t start anything, kiddo.”
“Promise,” Kyle said. Another guy stamped our hands, and Kyle swaggered into Starlit with us trailing behind.
Low bass thumped through the air as soon as we stepped inside. White strobes sliced across the crowd, and the same sparkling stars from the sign outside lit up the dark walls and backlit bar counters. Beautiful. No wonder the place was so popular.
I eyed the long coat-check line. Mandy followed my line of sight. “I’ll keep mine.”
“Same,” I said, though she was already focused on Dean, who took off toward the bar with a few guys.
Kyle lingered. “Can I get you girls something?”
“Any mocktail’s fine.” I shrugged off my coat. “Thanks.”
Mandy’s gaze flicked back to Dean. “You know what, Kyle? I’ll go with you.”
Great. We’d just arrived, and she’d already forgotten I existed. “Yeah,” I muttered. “Don’t worry about me.”
“Sorry.” A sheepish smile glossed her lips. “I’ll be right back, okay?”
She hurried off, and I sank into a vacant leather couch along the wall, my coat beside me. Multicolored beams crisscrossed the polished dance floor, faces flashing to the beat of a pop song. The music was good, but the urge to dance drained out of me. I’d wanted to with Mandy, not alone.
