people are
dancing in front of the juke box that's now playing a Rihanna song. Actually,
they're not exactly dancing, more like clinging to each other and shuffling
their feet.
A guy from the bar walks over and asks Lucy to
dance. She says in a friendly manner, "Maybe later, Mike."
He nods and leaves.
I ask Lucy, "So, you know him?"
"Yeah, he's a real asshole. Always trying
to show how smart he is in class. I have no intention of dancing with
him."
"He seems to like you. Maybe he shows off
to impress you."
"Yeah, well maybe he'll have to be voted Sexiest
Man Alive by People Magazine before I'm impressed."
I laugh at Lucy and watch the door open to a new
group of patrons. She lifts her bottle for a swig, but pauses to ask,
"What's wrong?" She turns to look at the door. "Oh, hey, it's
Tyce."
I watch her expression change when she sees who
he's with—his supposedly ex-girlfriend and her entourage. I duck my head
and whisper fiercely, "I don't want him to see me."
Lucy moves her chair to hide me. She leans
forward and says, "I'd ask you why not, but with those blood-sucking
vampires beside him, things could get ugly. They don't like you because he likes you. They're totally jealous of you."
I whisper, "That's ridiculous."
"I take it you want to leave without being
seen."
"Yes. How can we do that?"
"I have no idea. Let's just wait for an
opportunity."
"What are they doing now?"
Surreptitiously, Lucy moves her head.
"They're at the bar ordering. Hey, Tyce just walked to the back where the
bathrooms are. You want to try and sneak out? We might not get another chance."
"Yes!"
"Okay, kiddo. I'll lead the way. Ready,
set, go."
I look at my beer mug that I've only taken a
couple of sips from and don't care. I hate the taste. But the nachos were good.
So much for my night on the town. Following behind Lucy, I make my way around
several couples hanging on to each other. Mostly, they don't see me until I'm
right next to them, and then they jump out of the way, apologizing profusely.
Why can't people just politely step aside and not make a big deal when I pass
by. We're almost to the door and I'm holding my breath. Maybe the mean girls
won't see me and maybe Tyce will stay in the bathroom until I'm gone.
Just when I reach the threshold, Tina steps in
front of me. She waves the beer in her hand. "Hey, Morgan, never thought
to see you here." With a sly glance behind me she says, "Tyce is here
with Cindy. Ya want to say hi?"
I must have looked stricken, because Lucy
interrupts, "Hey, back atcha. We don't have time to hang out. We got hot
dates waiting for us at the movies. Catch ya later." She holds the door
open and I hasten outside.
Before the door closes, I hear Tina snicker,
"Hot dates? Yeah, right."
I push my wheelchair as fast as it will go and
follow Lucy. She has her cell phone out to call a cab. Just when I breathe a
sigh of relief, I hear Tyce's voice behind me. I can't suck enough air into my
lungs.
"Morgan! Lucy! Wait up!"
I look up at Lucy who is looking at me, and she
mouths, "I'm sorry."
Pasting on a fake smile, I turn my chair around
and watch Tyce rushing toward us. He stops in front of me and squats.
"Morgan, when did you get here? Why didn't either of you call me? I would
have come with you."
I can't believe Tyce is so dense. Flippantly, I
respond, "Now why would you want to do that when you have your girlfriend
Cindy and her court fawning over you?" I can't believe I just said that.
Lucy makes a choking sound.
Softly, Tyce says, "Cindy isn't my
girlfriend. And I'm not here with them. I can't help it if we arrived at the
same time."
I can't seem to control my response. "As if
I care? Go back inside, your fan club waits."
Tyce stands and looks around the parking lot.
"Lucy, did you drive here?"
"Ah, no. We took a cab."
"I'll drive you both home."
I look up at Tyce. "No. We came in a cab
and we'll leave in a cab."
Lucy glances between us, lifts her hands in mock
surrender, and says, "Morgan,
dancing in front of the juke box that's now playing a Rihanna song. Actually,
they're not exactly dancing, more like clinging to each other and shuffling
their feet.
A guy from the bar walks over and asks Lucy to
dance. She says in a friendly manner, "Maybe later, Mike."
He nods and leaves.
I ask Lucy, "So, you know him?"
"Yeah, he's a real asshole. Always trying
to show how smart he is in class. I have no intention of dancing with
him."
"He seems to like you. Maybe he shows off
to impress you."
"Yeah, well maybe he'll have to be voted Sexiest
Man Alive by People Magazine before I'm impressed."
I laugh at Lucy and watch the door open to a new
group of patrons. She lifts her bottle for a swig, but pauses to ask,
"What's wrong?" She turns to look at the door. "Oh, hey, it's
Tyce."
I watch her expression change when she sees who
he's with—his supposedly ex-girlfriend and her entourage. I duck my head
and whisper fiercely, "I don't want him to see me."
Lucy moves her chair to hide me. She leans
forward and says, "I'd ask you why not, but with those blood-sucking
vampires beside him, things could get ugly. They don't like you because he likes you. They're totally jealous of you."
I whisper, "That's ridiculous."
"I take it you want to leave without being
seen."
"Yes. How can we do that?"
"I have no idea. Let's just wait for an
opportunity."
"What are they doing now?"
Surreptitiously, Lucy moves her head.
"They're at the bar ordering. Hey, Tyce just walked to the back where the
bathrooms are. You want to try and sneak out? We might not get another chance."
"Yes!"
"Okay, kiddo. I'll lead the way. Ready,
set, go."
I look at my beer mug that I've only taken a
couple of sips from and don't care. I hate the taste. But the nachos were good.
So much for my night on the town. Following behind Lucy, I make my way around
several couples hanging on to each other. Mostly, they don't see me until I'm
right next to them, and then they jump out of the way, apologizing profusely.
Why can't people just politely step aside and not make a big deal when I pass
by. We're almost to the door and I'm holding my breath. Maybe the mean girls
won't see me and maybe Tyce will stay in the bathroom until I'm gone.
Just when I reach the threshold, Tina steps in
front of me. She waves the beer in her hand. "Hey, Morgan, never thought
to see you here." With a sly glance behind me she says, "Tyce is here
with Cindy. Ya want to say hi?"
I must have looked stricken, because Lucy
interrupts, "Hey, back atcha. We don't have time to hang out. We got hot
dates waiting for us at the movies. Catch ya later." She holds the door
open and I hasten outside.
Before the door closes, I hear Tina snicker,
"Hot dates? Yeah, right."
I push my wheelchair as fast as it will go and
follow Lucy. She has her cell phone out to call a cab. Just when I breathe a
sigh of relief, I hear Tyce's voice behind me. I can't suck enough air into my
lungs.
"Morgan! Lucy! Wait up!"
I look up at Lucy who is looking at me, and she
mouths, "I'm sorry."
Pasting on a fake smile, I turn my chair around
and watch Tyce rushing toward us. He stops in front of me and squats.
"Morgan, when did you get here? Why didn't either of you call me? I would
have come with you."
I can't believe Tyce is so dense. Flippantly, I
respond, "Now why would you want to do that when you have your girlfriend
Cindy and her court fawning over you?" I can't believe I just said that.
Lucy makes a choking sound.
Softly, Tyce says, "Cindy isn't my
girlfriend. And I'm not here with them. I can't help it if we arrived at the
same time."
I can't seem to control my response. "As if
I care? Go back inside, your fan club waits."
Tyce stands and looks around the parking lot.
"Lucy, did you drive here?"
"Ah, no. We took a cab."
"I'll drive you both home."
I look up at Tyce. "No. We came in a cab
and we'll leave in a cab."
Lucy glances between us, lifts her hands in mock
surrender, and says, "Morgan,
Similar Books
The Time Travel Chronicles
Robert J. Sawyer, Stefan Bolz, Ann Christy, Samuel Peralta, Rysa Walker, Lucas Bale, Anthony Vicino, Ernie Lindsey, Carol Davis, Tracy Banghart, Michael Holden, Daniel Arthur Smith, Ernie Luis, Erik Wecks
