A slow song was playing. He placed one hand carefully at my waist.
“Dance with me,” he said.
People still stared. They still whispered.
But Elliot looked at me like nobody else existed.
“You know,” he murmured, “they’re all jealous because you picked me.”
Despite everything, I laughed.
“Oh really?”
“Obviously,” he replied. “Look at me. Total catch.”
I rolled my eyes, smiling.
For a few precious minutes, it felt like maybe we could survive the night after all.
Then someone yelled loudly through the music:
“Maybe she should just pick him up and dance with him like a child!”
The laughter this time was louder. Meaner.
Several students actually turned around just to watch our reaction.
Tears filled my eyes instantly.
And for the first time that night, I saw something break inside Elliot too.
Not anger.
Humiliation.
I leaned closer to him.
“Let’s go,” I whispered. “This was a mistake.”
