Take a dancing break

After another song, Mia leaned toward me.

“Want to get some air?”

“Yeah, definitely.”

We slipped through the crowd and stepped outside. The music faded behind us as we walked around the side of the house, where it was quieter.

Mia leaned against the railing, then gave me a playful smile.

“Okay, I have to ask.”

I smiled. “What?”

“Sarah.”

I laughed. “What about her?”

“You’ve mentioned her like three times tonight.”

“Have I?”

“Yeah.” She nudged my arm lightly. “I’m starting to think she’s important.”

“She is.”

“So how long have you guys been together?”

“A few years.”

She gave me a surprised look.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s actually kind of impressive.”

She reached over and briefly straightened the collar of my shirt.

“Long distance the whole time?”

“Mostly.”

She nodded, her hand lingering for just a second before dropping back to her side.

“That sounds hard.”

“It has its moments.”

“But you guys are good?”

“Yeah. We’re good.”

Mia smiled.

“You really love her, huh?”

“Yeah. I do.”

She stepped a little closer.

“What about after graduation?”

“What about it?”

“You guys staying together?”

“That’s the plan.”

“The plan?”

I laughed. “Yeah. I mean, we’re talking about getting engaged eventually. Maybe marriage.”

“Wow.”

She lightly touched my arm again.

“That’s serious.”

“Yeah, I guess it is.”

She looked at me for a moment before glancing toward the street.

“So why are you here?”

“I told you. I wanted to do something different.”

“Yeah, but you could’ve done something different without coming to a Halloween party.”

“True.”

She smiled.

“I think you wanted to see what would happen.”

“Maybe.”

“And?”

I looked back toward the house.

“So far, I’m having fun.”

“That’s all?”

She gave my arm another light tap, almost teasingly.

I looked at her.

“What else would there be?”

She shrugged.

“Nothing.”

But her smile suggested she wasn’t entirely convinced.

For a moment, neither of us said anything.

Then Mia stepped back.

“Come on. It’s too cold out here.”

She started toward the door, then glanced back at me.

“You coming?”

“Yeah.”

I followed her inside, still wondering exactly what she’d been trying to figure out.

Maybe she was just curious.

Maybe she was flirting.

Or maybe she was testing how close she could get before I pulled away.

I wasn’t sure.

And somehow, that uncertainty made it harder to stop thinking about it.