Brenda Hiatt - Unraveling the Stars

Dedication

For everyone who feels insignificant

You are far more important than you know!

Deb

Glancing at the clock on the gym wall, I frown. The Winter Formal is nearly half over, and Ive barely made any progress toward getting to know my date better.

Did you go to many dances at your old school? I ask him as the current song ends.

Lucas, the guy Ive been crushing on since the day he arrived at Jewel High three months ago, shakes his head. Not really, no.

This must be your first one here? I persist, determined to draw him out at least a little.

Um, yeah, I heard we just missed Jewel Highs Homecoming. Its the longest sentence hes said to me so far.

I nod. Thats right. It was the very weekend before you all started school here. It looks like all of you have settled in pretty well by now, though?

I think so. My brothers definitely enjoying it here.

We both turn to look at Liam, Lucass identical twin, whos laughing over something with my best friend, Bri, a short distance away.

It definitely shows on the basketball court, I comment, grinning.

Bri, who goes to all the games, claims Liams nearly as good a player as Sean OGara, who took Jewel to State in basketball last year.

Yeah. It definitely does. Theres an edge to Lucass words that makes me glance up in time to see him smoothing a frown.

Before I can think how to ask him about it, the next song starts, too loud to talk over while dancing.

Is he jealous of how well his brother plays? Seems unlikely, when Lucas never even tried out for the team, or acts like hes into sports at all. Liam, on the other hand, is as big a sports nut as Bri, which is why she was more interested in him from the start. When he asked her to tonights dance, she was at least as thrilled as I was when Lucas asked methough maybe not as astonished.

I sneak another peek at Lucas, surreptitiously admiring his strong profile, perfectly disordered dark brown hair and gray-blue eyes. Again.

From their first day at Jewel, a month into the fall semester, I was much more drawn to Lucas than Liam, even though I met Liam first. The brothers are equally gorgeous, of course, and outgoing Liam is easier to talk to. But I sensed a quiet strength in shy Lucas, along with a certain vulnerability that captivated me from the moment I introduced myself in Art, the one class we have together.

Over the next three months, I tried multiple times to engage Lucas in conversation before, during, and after class but never made much headway. Since he hardly talked to anybody, I didnt take it personallyor let it keep me from obsessing over him. Honestly, though, I wasnt completely sure Lucas even knew my name until three days ago when, totally out of the blue, he invited me to this dance. Needless to say, I was over the moon!

Earlier this evening, when Bri and I were getting ready for the dance together, we couldnt stop talking about our luck in snagging the gorgeous Walsh twins as dates.

Yknow, Deb, Bri said while smoothing her hair with a new cream she just bought, if we play our cards right, tonight might be the start of two beautiful romances.

Wouldnt that be wonderful? I sighed. Hey, can I try a little of that stuff?

Bri handed me the jar with a shrug. The product was intended for Black hair, which Bris sort of is, but I hoped it might also tame my blonde, flyaway frizz. It helped some.

By the time the boys picked us up for the dance at Bris house, we both agreed that we looked the best we ever had. Even Bris little brother Joey, who usually teases us whenever were primping for dates, whistled appreciatively as we were leaving.

Do you want to get something to drink? I ask Lucas when yet another loud, fast dance song begins.

Oh, um, sure, he agrees.

Together, we head toward the folded-up bleachers, where a long table holds big dispensers of water and lemonade. As we cross the school gym, I notice how he has to duck to avoid hitting a few of the lowest-hanging paper snowflakes. I dont, of course. Im probably the shortest girl in the junior class, while Lucas is one of the taller guystaller than Ms boyfriend, Rigel, if not quite as tall as Sean.

What was your last school like? I ask as he hands me a paper cup of lemonade. Bigger than Jewel, Ill bet.