Growth, not change.

Yeah, prom was in full swing, but I wasn’t really a part of it. Even I could see I’d come a long way from the start of the school year, but I’d call that growth, not change. The dancing, the type of music playing, the large number of people gathered in a single place… It still didn’t agree with me. It made me feel uncomfortable.

Of course, Kevin and Lena were in their own little world. It was funny seeing a guy even taller than Thomas dancing with a girl only a bit taller than Noelle, but it was also pretty cute. The way they looked at each other was clear signs of people fully in love.

Thomas and Isabelle were dancing, too, but comparing them to Kevin and Lena was like night and day. They kept a healthy distance yet they laughed loudly and freely. It meant I wouldn’t have to get rough with him or warn Maria. Still, seeing Isabelle laughing happily warmed my chest.

It’s funny. My sister seemed a lot more cheerful and content with herself now than at any other point in the past where she had a boyfriend. And now that Mark had moved on from feeling like he needed to have a girlfriend, he also seemed more satisfied with his life. I guess that means romance doesn’t necessarily fix your life? I mean, it kinda did it for me, but I don’t think it was having a girlfriend (or six) that did it. It was the desire to improve myself that pushed me forward, though the reason for wanting to improve was mostly them. I don’t know. I’m not an expert. Different strokes for different folks, definitely.

Speaking of the girls, they were also on the dance floor. They were dancing with some of their friends. Some of those friends were girls, some were guys. Mila and Mark were dancing at that moment, and no, I didn’t feel jealous of any of it. I knew I had no reason to. Why would I? I trust these girls with my life. Still… I don’t like dancing, and I don’t like the music that was playing, but I still felt like I should be there.

That’s not to say I was alone, though. I was at one of the tables with Ben. I was drinking soda, he was drinking juice.

“Are you going pro after this?” I asked him.

“Yeah,” he said with a nervous smile. “My mom is against it but my dad says to go for it. He believes I can be the next Sugar Ray Leonard. Hah. As if.” He laughed, but there was some self-deprecation there. “There are so many guys better than me at my own gym. Imagine the wider world out there. I love the sport, but I don’t have the talent like you do.”

“Huh? Me? What do you mean me?”

“I’ve heard you play music, Oliver. I watch your channel, too. You have talent, you’re gonna be big, dude. Didn’t you start playing the bass and the ocarina this year? And you’re already really good. Some people are just born with the talent to succeed. You have it, but I don’t think I do.”

“...” I didn’t have it in me to be upset at what he said, so I answered with a small, wry smile. “I’ve been playing guitar for years. I think this is the first year where I feel like I actually understand what I’m doing beyond just following tabs. I read somewhere that talent is something you make bloom. I haven’t, at any point, felt like I had any particular talent for music. Nothing I do hasn’t been done before and been done better. But even so, I don’t want to stop because I finally feel like I see a path I want to follow. You might not feel it now, Ben, but I know you’ll eventually find it. Your own kind of boxing.”

I hope that’s true,” he said. He raised his glass. “Alright. I won’t stop, but can’t stop, either. You’ll make it, dude. I’m serious.”

I chuckled and raised my own glass. “Make it where?”

“Wherever the fuck you want. Every time you feel like quitting, remember that I and other people in this school listen to your music.”

“Very well. But you have to tell me when and where your debut match is. I’ll go watch.”

“Deal.”

We made a toast. Ben and I didn’t talk alone a lot, so it was really cool to share a moment like that. I felt flattered that he’d share those insecurities with me, and I hope I was able to at least give him something to consider.

“Um… Sorry to interrupt you two.” We turned to Noelle, who was suddenly standing across the table. “Sorry, Ben, but they sent me to steal him from you.”

“Aww, but we were having a moment…” Ben moaned dramatically before laughing. “I’m kidding. Take him. **** him to have fun. I’ll go bother some of my other friends.”

“Thanks!”

Beaming at me, Noelle held my hand and dragged me to the dance floor, walking backwards as she kept her eyes on me. Most of my hesitation went away just by looking into her beautiful green eyes.

Before I knew it, I was surrounded by the five sexiest and most beautiful girls in this school. Mila threw herself at me, hugging me by the waist pecking my lips.

“Oliver, dance with us!” she ordered.

Sarah poked me on the ribs with a scowl. “I thought we were your dates, not Ben. Anything you want to tell us?”

“Oh, so I have to watch you dance with other guys and girls, but you get jealous when I spend five minutes with a friend?” I jokingly shot back.

“I mean, you two seemed pretty into whatever you were talking about,” Alice told me. “We got worried he might steal you, so we had Noelle drag you here.”

“I can’t believe you would cheat on Thomas like that, Oliver,” Grace said, shaking her head. “For shame.”

“He’s a big guy. He can take it.”

We laughed.

I might not like the music, I might not like dancing and I might not like being among these huge crowds, but I did really like these girls. If it was with them, I’d be anywhere.

“So… Dancing?” I asked.

What happened next would’ve made me believe the DJ here was a paid agent or something, because almost on cue, the music changed.

It was time for the slow dances.

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