At the Edge by Norah McClintock Read Free Book Online Page B

kitchen.
    My mom continued to smile as she got up off the sofa and swept into the dining room.
    Dinner was amazing—grilled fish, baby potatoes, salad, and my all-time favorite—crème brûlée. While we ate, my mother gave me a progress report on the renovations to our house and on her wedding plans.
    Finally, over dessert, Ted said, “How about you, Robyn? How’s school?”
    â€œOkay, I guess. I’m tutoring a new kid. He’s in my homeroom.”
    â€œOh?” my mom said. “Is he cute?”
    â€œMorgan drools every time she sees him,” I said.
    â€œAnd what about you?”
    â€œHe’s okay, I guess. But—”
    â€œYou’re stuck on Nick, right?” Ted smiled at me. If I liked Nick, that was fine with him. Ted always made me feel like my happiness was important to him.
    I nodded, avoiding the less-than-thrilled look on my mom’s face. “I really have to get going, Mom. I don’t want to be late.”
    â€œYou’re going to that party with Nick, aren’t you?” she said, no longer as cheerful as she had been. “I think it would be a good idea if you came and stayed here with Ted and me.” In other words, where I would be farther away from Nick.
    â€œI’m fine where I am, Mom.” I folded my napkin—linen, of course. “Dinner was great, Ted. One of these days you’re going to have to teach me to make crème brûlée.”
    â€œIt would be my pleasure,” Ted said.
    â€œI mean it, Robyn,” my mom said. “I’d feel more comfortable if you were staying here.”
    I stood up, circled the table, and kissed her lightly on the cheek.
    â€œHave a great trip, Mom. I’ll see you when you get back.”
    â€œRobyn—”
    â€œBye, Ted.”
    I was glad to be out the door and down the elevator. I caught a bus back downtown and then another one to the address that Nick had given me.

    Â Â .    .    .

    The party was being held in an apartment building where one of Nick’s classmates lived. I could hear music pulsing as I made my way down the hall. My stomach fluttered. Nick knew some of my friends, but I really didn’t know any of his. So far that hadn’t mattered. But after my visit to his school earlier in the week, and the way his classmates had acted around me, I felt self-conscious. I wished that I had asked Nick to meet me so that I could walk in holding his hand instead of arriving all alone.
    I paused at the door to the party room and drew in a deep breath. What if Nick wasn’t here yet? What if I walked in and no one talked to me?
    â€œExcuse me,” a voice said behind me. It was Jenn, the girl who had ignored me the whole time I’d been at the restaurant with Nick. She reached past me and pulled the door open. “You coming in or what?” she said.
    I followed her inside.
    The pulsing music was much louder now. Everyone stood clustered in the middle of the room. At first all I saw were the backs of the kids closest to me and, at intervals, the faces of the kids farthest from me. They seemed to have formed a large circle. I glanced at Jenn. She grinned at me and walked toward the circle. I followed her.
    When I got close enough to get a good look at what was happening, my jaw dropped. Nick was in the middle of the circle with Danny. They were dancing. Not only that, they were good together. They really seemed to know what they were doing, which told me that they’d danced together before. I stared at them. I had never danced with Nick. I had never even suspected that he liked to dance. But there he was, moving to the beat—and to Danny—like it was the most natural thing in the world to him. Everyone around was urging them on. Danny was wearing a short, low-cut dress and spiky heels. Nick, as usual, was dressed completely in black.
    Finally the music stopped.
    The spectators burst into applause.
    Danny