Chapter 2

Three days post-a-bit-less-than-fiasco.

Just a bit?

Yes. Why?

Since you’re ... we’re still wearing burn cream on our finger from the immediate-post-fiasco celebration, yes, I’d say more than just a bit less than a fiasco.

True, and I didn’t wind up dancing with The Jayden, which is worth celebration, although not that sort of celebration.

Where do you think the I-K learned to dance?

I don’t know, but – fuck – they were good.

And what about that last dance? They were pressing on us!

Fuck, yes, they were, and three of the six that night were because of that dance.

Yeah, even I liked that.

How do you get to use “yeah” when both the male parental authority and Mom washed the word out of my mouth? Our mouth?

And what’s up with Emma? Do we know anything?

Don’t you pay attention in school?

Why would I do something non-fun like that when you’re the one who has to be there?

{Silence}

It’s now four days post-non-fiasco in duo milia quindecim Anno Domini. What’s the deal with that Emma? Will you tell me, or do I have to beat it out of you?

If you beat me, do you not hurt?

Hell, no. You’re the one with the nerve endings, not me. I’m just the snark.

{Silence}

And the trouble-maker.

True that. Lord Papá deigned to talk to me at breakfast.

What did he say?

I was here. You were here. Must I rewind the videotape. And what the hell is videotape?

{Silence}

Oh, hell. I’ll rewind the memory for you.

“Good morning, Annah.”

“And buenos dias to you,

Can I go with French, just to cause a mental hiccup? Perhaps Russian. Oh, I don’t know Russian. Fuck. French, it is.

Mon Peré.”

“I’m sorry I suddenly had to go out of town

Oh. I was wondering why breakfasts were so calm lately.

... couldn’t tell you that I thought the party was enjoyable and that you dance well.”

Well, fuck me with an epigram.

“ ... boys also danced very well as did Emma Kingsley. I was amazed that those boys could dance with both of you, but with only one of you at a time. Did you four practice that?”

What the fuck?

I know. He’s not shown any particular interest in my life since ... before I was born. Doppelganger is sounding more-and-more likely.

He’s waiting.

“No, but IanK... {cough, cough, cough}Ian and Kyle are incredibly good dancers and Emma and I are apparently just good enough to have managed to trade places on the beat as Ian and Kyle led each to the other.”

“But there were times when they were holding your hands, and then Emma’s.”

Yeah, I meant to ask you about that. How did you do that?

Hush.

“It was the boys. I know I messed up the trade a couple of times.”

Holy fuck! I just admitted a mistake to mí padre.

The end approacheth. He’ll have a cowshit.

Without doubt.

“ ... not bad given what you were trying to do. Do you miss dancing? Do you want to return to taking lessons?”

“Could I invite Emma, Ian, and Kyle to practice here?”

Holy shit, Girl! You asked him for something? Should we stop the presses?

Fuck a digeridoo! The next thing you know I’ll be calling him, “Dad!”

“ ... afraid not. If you wanted to have regular parties focused on dancing, that could work and could give you practice time.’

Is he thinking that the four of us ... the four of you would use practice time for the horizontal bop?

No clue, but ... fuck, that’s an interesting thought.

Hey, quit that.

Quit what?

Thinking about country matters.

Do we know all the slang I do?

I know our nothing and it’s getting juicy.

“Sorry. I’ve been thinking about your suggestion. Every other week?”

“Hmm, that could be fun.”

He’s attending?

“You’re attending?”

“I think so. I probably couldn’t make all of them. Perhaps we could each invite, say, six of your classmates. No, school mates. That would provide more options. By the end of the school year, we might be able to get a large percentage of the three oldest classes here. I doubt there’s another freshman in the school that would be as suitable as Emma. And speaking of Emmas, we shouldn’t have more than two of them here on the same evening.”

“Yes. It would probably not be too difficult to fill half the card with Emmas. Also, your suggestion would make for an odd number of ... participants.”

“Not really, as two of yours would count as only one on the floor.”

How did you miss that?

I mentally bounced the back of my cabeza off the wall five feet behind me. How did I miss that? Time to gondola.

“I...”

“It’s late. Have you gotten your homework done?”

Fucking quark in a biscuit.

He kicked our ... He kicked your butt.

I sighed internally, then said, “No. I need to finish trig. Bonne nuit.”

That’s the worst we’ve come off in a while.

Tell me about it.

Although I understand your problem, you need to get our head in the game.

Why can’t you do that?

I’m not the one who actually converses with him.

{Silence}

I saw Emma in the halls today, but only while passing classes. We waved at each other, but that occurrence made me realize that I lacked contact info for her. While the same was true for IanKyle, I had the duo in one of my classes, so could easily ask.

I wonder if I’m spending too much time in my own head, recently.

Undoubtedly.

Nine days post-non-fiasco and I encountered Emma in the library and quietly asked her, “Could we talk somewhere?”