Glimpse by Stacey Wallace Benefiel Read Free Book Online

really pretty.” Avery’s eyes locked back on mine.
    Aw, screw it. I lowered my arms back down to my sides, speechless. I kinda didn’t care if the whole room was scoping my nips at this point; I was filled with reckless sixteen-year-old abandon.
    “Jesus H. Christ, Avery,” Claire shouted from the “dance floor” that was now more of an open space for the couples to rhythmically grope one another, “ask the girl to dance already!  She’s going to be a virgin until she’s twenty at this rate!”
    “Thanks, Claire!” I called back to her, a crimson blush overtaking my whole face. 
    “Well,” Avery said, taking my sweaty palm in his, “we wouldn’t want that to happen.” His eyes got wide and he started to backpedal. “Not that…virginity is good.  I’m good with it…too?” He took a deep breath in and then blew it out slowly. “Let’s just dance.  This song is really good. Jason’s band Fresh and Fruity covers it.”
    As Avery’s fingers intertwined with mine, a jolt of electricity shot through me. I could feel my blood circulating through my body, whooshing in and out of my heart. All of my senses became hyperaware. The smell of pine overwhelmed me. A million flashes of Avery went through my mind.  His mouth, his hair, his hand now in mine and then a vision of the future played out behind my eyes.
     
    Avery covered in blood, an older version of himself, splayed out on the side of the road. He was next to a red pickup truck with its driver’s side smashed in.  I was there too, older, screaming, holding my pregnant belly, kneeling down beside him.
     
    “Hey, are you okay?” Avery asked.
    I blinked hard and the vision disappeared.  He was still holding my hand.  How long had I spaced out for? It couldn’t have been long.
    “Yeah, I’m fine.” What the hell just happened?  I was so not fine.  Why was I ruining this for myself?  I had to pull it together. “Blecch!” I shook my head and stuck out my tongue, “I just spaced for a moment, sorry!  Let’s dance, please. This song is good.” I had no freakin’ idea what song was playing.
    He led me to the center of the room. I could feel everyone’s eyes on us. 
    “I’m glad it’s a slow song,” he said, “I don’t really know how to dance.”
    Oh, good.  Slow dancing. Much, much easier. “Yeah, I can’t dance very well either.” I pictured myself doing the welcome home dance. That evened me out a little. I tentatively put my hands on his shoulders.
    He put his hands on my hips at first, and then instead, moved them to the small of my back, pulling me closer to him. It seemed it was his turn to be filled with reckless sixteen-year-old abandon. We rocked back and forth. I suppose you could call it dancing.
    Despite the whole vision thing, which I was completely choosing to block out until later, I expected to be freaking out a lot more in Avery’s arms than I was.  He felt comfortable, right.
    I let my hands glide from his shoulders towards the nape of his neck. This was my real freak out test. I took hold of a lock of his hair and rubbed it between my fingers.  It was so soft, like satin. Okay, that wasn’t very manly.  It was like…how it was supposed to be.  How I had dreamt it would feel. I was glad his mom hadn’t cut it after all.
    The music changed.  It got faster, then slower.  Again and again.  We stayed as we were. I didn’t care about the other people in the room.  What they thought of me, if they thought of me.  He was it.  Avery was the only thing in my mind. I looked into his eyes.  I trusted him, felt close to him. We drifted into the corner.
    He leaned into me, backing me up against the wall. And just like I’d pictured a hundred times, he rested his forehead against mine.
    “I’m going to kiss you now,” he said.
    My heart jumped in my chest. The breath from his words was hot on my lips. I gulped, moving my mouth closer to his. “Okay,” was all I could say. I had no idea what I was