After two songs, she was bored.
A little while after that, Cary dropped back into the seat next to her. He’d taken off his jacket and laid it over a chair. His face was flushed.
“Sorry,” he said.
“It’s fine. Keep dancing. You should be having the full senior-prom experience.”
“And you shouldn’t?”
“No, I am.” Shiloh stretched her hand over her chest. “I’m having myownversion. Classic wallflower scenario.”
“I asked you to dance—you’re not a wallflower.”
She held up a finger. “I’m an intentional wallflower. I choose this adventure.”
Cary blew air through his teeth. He didn’t go back to dancing. “We could leave—”
“Yeah?” Shiloh sat up.
“—but I’m Mikey’s ride.”
She slumped back. “Right.”
Shiloh was so relieved when the deejay finally announced the last dance. It was “End of the Road” by Boyz II Men.
Cary turned to her. He looked unhappy. “Will you please dance with me?”
“Why?”
“Because this is our senior prom,” he said, “and the whole point ofbeinghere is to have this experience.”
“What experience?”
“This.”He looked frustrated. “You get dressed up, you come to the dance, youdance.”
“It’s just a ritual,” she said.
He nodded. “Yes. Rituals are all we have.”
“Speak for yourself, Cadet Colonel.”
Cary pulled his pointy chin into his neck. “How did you know I’m a colonel?”
Shiloh folded her arms. “I read our school newspaper. I’m the editor.”
Cary huffed. He sat back in his seat, away from her. “I should have known you’d be like this.”
She glanced at him. “Like what?”
He didn’t glance back. “Stubborn. Miserable.”
“I’mnot miserable.”
He huffed again. “When I saw you, at your house, I thoughtmaybeyou were actually going to allow yourself this.”
“I’m allowing! I’m here!”
Cary rolled his eyes.
