Chapter 2

Colored lights and festive banners decorated the school gym. Loud bass-heavy thumping music blared from speakers set up on the stage, a couple of DJ’s busy. No one was dancing, too early perhaps. Boys stood on one side of the floor, girls flocking together on the other side, groups chatting and giggling. Dresses went from flamboyant, puffy, lacy, knee-length designs in outrageously bright colors, to simple sheath-like dresses that barely reached thighs. Some had makeup more appropriate for ladies of the night; others, plain Janes, insecure in their looks.

The boys stood in loose groups sorted by age; young, awkward teenagers, obviously embarrassed and nervous, and the older guys trying to look mature beyond their years, all of them lasciviously ogling the girls. I frowned. I knew what those predatory males were thinking: baseball. First, second and third base; which girl would let them have a grope, a kiss, maybe even let them get lucky tonight. I knew it because I remembered my own thoughts at that age.

Shit!

Further observation confirmed there were far too few teachers policing this potentially explosive situation; twelve covering almost one hundred kids.

“You can go now, Dad,” Sia instructed as we stood at the entrance.

“Maybe I should stay a while in case you need me,” I suggested, still holding Sia’s shoulder.

“Don’t embarrass me,” Sia said, shrugging my hand off. “Go home. I’ll be fine.”

Yeah. Right.

I watched Sia move across the floor to her friends. She looked far too good in the slender burgundy sheath that hugged her to mid-thigh. It did a great job of showcasing her petite bust and adding unacceptable shape to her rear.

I muttered to myself, annoyed and more than slightly protective of my no longer little girl.

“Shouldn’t you two be watching those boys?” I snapped at two teachers chatting together at the entrance and ignoring the gym.

The snow-covered road was lonely on the drive home. I hoped somehow I’d taught Sia enough about the perils of slick-spoken boys and their intents. No. I hadn’t. I’d never had the talk with her explaining how all boys lie, how all boys just want to get her into bed, how dangerous a species they were. Double damn!

SIA GLANCED AROUND THE gym, excited, butterflies in her stomach. She glanced across at the boys as she made her way towards Katie, Robin, Lara, and Jasmin, her BFF’s who huddled together chatting away. In the group of boys, she spotted Jim Prentice, tall and slender, dressed in black pants, a sky blue shirt unbuttoned to his chest, and a black leather jacket. His dark eyes looked smoky, his smile sexy. He laughed at something another friend said before turning to scan the gym.

Sia saw him notice her sending pleasant shivers through her. Would he ask her to dance? Not! She was nowhere near as sexy as some of the girls. Still, Sia straightened slightly to emphasize her small bust and tried to walk gracefully to her friends.

“Did you see what Susan’s wearing?” Robin said. “Just look at those frilly sleeves!”

Lara laughed. “It’s like a dress from, like, my grandma’s era!”

“Don’t be catty,” Jasmin, the quietest of the group, said, reaching out to hug Sia.

“You look amazing,” Katie said with a smile, hugging Sia. “Who are you going to dance with?” she asked, studying the boys.

“I dunno. Whoever asks, maybe,” Sia replied.

Lara laughed. “It’s the twenty-first century. You can ask a boy to dance, Sia.”

“I’d be too embarrassed.”

Robin announced she was going to ask a boy to dance with her, “Bill Hall looks pretty cute.”

“You think he’s cute?” Lara asked in disbelief. “He can’t even talk without blushing.”

“I don’t care. It’s sorta cute.”

Music grew louder. People started dancing, mostly girls dancing together while boys watched and longed, trying to look cool and hide their nervousness at the terrifying prospect of asking a girl to dance. They shuffled and preened, and egged each other on until the first made an approach to a girl, bent to her ear and asked. That first couple encouraged the others, soon the gym floor was full of dancing teens.

Sia danced with her friends and gradually relaxed. She enjoyed dancing and lost herself in the music. It was a shock when Jim appeared in front of her and asked her to dance, her knees growing weak.

GLANCING ACROSS AT MY daughter sitting quietly in the passenger seat, I wondered if I should ask how she’d enjoyed the dance. The rear wheels of my ancient Ford F1 slid on thick snow that had collected during the evening. I turned the steering wheel and the grumpy pickup thought about it before changing direction. I cursed silently at the Old Sod. We had a hate-hate relationship but it had such pretty curves; a real fifties classic. Successfully back on the road, I drew a deep breath, and took the plunge.

“So did you enjoy yourself?” I asked.

“Uh-huh.”

That didn’t sound like enjoyment to me. “Did you dance?”

“Uh-huh.”

Wow! Something was up. “Who did you dance with?” I asked, only so I could know which asshole had upset my daughter.

“Just some guy.”

Hmmm. “Want to talk about it?”

“No thanks.”

“You didn’t drink alcohol, did you?” I asked.

“Daaaad!”

“Okay. Just checking.”

When we arrived home, Sia disappeared into her room. I hunted for a beer in the fridge, retreated to the living room, turned the television on for company, and tried to imagine what could have upset Sia. The platinum blonde weather lady from WCCO, with a waving arm and pointed finger, her bust and her unfortunate nose her most prominent features, announced another winter storm front moving in; a foot more snow expected. “If you’re out, drive carefully, the roads will be slippery and dangerous.”

Well, duh! Bimbo.

IN HER ROOM, SIA eased the zipper down on her dress and slipped it down her body, stepping out of it. She took off her bra, scratching under her breasts briefly before pulling on a sweatshirt. Hunting through her dresser drawer, she found pale pink sweat pants and pulled them on. Mindlessly she moved across the hall to the bathroom to pee, remove the small amount of makeup she’d put on, and brush her hair out before tying it up in a pony tail.

She hated Jim Prentice. What a jerk!

How was she to know what an ass he was? At first, it had been fun, even exciting to be dancing with him, even if he wasn’t that great a dancer. At least he was handsome. Her heart had fluttered when a fast song ended and a slow one started. Jim had looked at her with those smoky eyes, smiled slightly and extended his hand.

Sia, trembling with excitement at her first slow dance with a guy, a handsome guy at that, had taken his hand. Jim had pulled her close and, as the music played, had drawn her closer, body-to-body, moving slowly together. She’d felt that first tingle of arousal as her nipples brushed against him. Even his hand dropping to rest on her butt had been nice. Then he’d leaned back and looked at her, studying her.

Nerves had her knees weak. Would he? Would Jim be her first kiss?

When he’d bent his head in, his lips touching hers, Sia just about fainted.

Then ... all her dreams were shattered. That asshole had shoved his tongue into her mouth and groped her breast! No sweet kissing. No gentle fondling, touching, exploring. Nope. A rude tongue in the mouth and a painful grasp of her tender breast. That was that.