And Then There Was Victor

Chapter 5

I had two goals during Prom; one to dance the night away until blisters made us limp to the limo. Two; get a dance from Clem. Even if he had not asked me, even if I secretly wished he would have found the guts to do so, even if I resented him for his inability to be the guy I wished he'd be, I still cared for the idea of him. I just wanted a dance. I wanted to feel his arms around me, discover how he smelled.

International Drive was bright in action, neon lights and tourists poured into the streets, we were in the middle of May and the high season was swinging. As we pulled up to the massive hotel, we were convinced that tonight would be the best night of our lives. Tons of people had already arrived, and I remember thinking it looked like one of my regency romance novels when Elizabeth arrives at a party. I was Elizabeth, regal and fresh, determined to dance and laugh and perhaps gather Clem as a partner.

The music was nothing like regency England, but Spice Girls was a nice British substitute and it was blasting as we entered.

"If you wanna be my lover you gotta get with my friends."

"Patty Girls!" A random guy announced.

Yara shone with pride, this is exactly what she wanted, the attention and recognition. The music was blasting, people were dancing, and it became a sea of greeting people and gushing over dresses. A ball, is what I thought, I was at a ball, I was in a princess dress and I felt pretty. Everyone around me looked beautiful and handsome and we shone with the magic of adolescence.

"Look to your right!" Rosalind pointed and I turned and there my breath stopped. Clem looked so handsome in a black tux, collar already undone, wearing sunglasses and scooping out the room. His blond hair was mused to perfection and he didn't have a date. He was alone, I was alone. Like Darcy and Elizabeth, this night was meant to happen. I grasped Rosalind's arm tightly.

"You need to ask him, don't wait for him!" She squealed.

I glanced at her. "Do I have lipstick in my teeth?"

She studied my mouth and shook her head, her pretty red curls bouncing around her. She smiled at me and we hugged, her excitement for me filled me with bravery and I picked up my skirts and made my way to Clemente Cruz. I could just casually go say hello and greet the guys, I knew them all, and it would not be awkward. It wouldn't. A deep breath had me sashaying towards where they stood when Clem spotted me, he did the blink he always did when he saw me, then he looked away, sipping on his drink.

Tay spotted me and he elbowed Clem who returned with a terse nod. Tay looked me up and down with a slow smile on his handsome face.

"Look at you, Becky-girl." Tay kissed my cheek.

"You too, very handsome," I smiled and I felt my cheeks heat up as I was inspected.

A glance at Clem told me he continued to ignore everything about me.

"Yara came alone?" Tay's voice was tight and I wondered if he realized the weirdness of Clem refusing to look at me.

I forced a smile. "Yeah, because you didn't ask her."

Tay laughed, his dimples making him all the more charming. "We're not tying ourselves down to no one tonight."

"Not even a dance?" I raised my brows.

"Yeah, I'll dance with you," he came closer and I rolled my eyes at him.

That Ramirez charm did not work on me. He smiled and gave my cleavage a glance of appreciation. His gaze made me suddenly brave and I swathed myself in all of my Elizabeth Bennet glory.