For a dance in the school gymnasium, the Spring Fling wasn't bad. The walls were camouflaged with cheerful decorations and multicolored streamers. Twinkling lights hung from the ceiling like shooting stars. The basketball hoops were tied back and filled with bright, pungent flowers - primroses, tulips, and chrysanthemums - masking the smell of adolescent sweat. The gym had been completely transformed.
As promised, Adam had matched his bow tie to Cassie's pink halter dress perfectly. She fiddled with its knot now, straightening it solely as an excuse to touch him.
"Would you get me a glass of punch?" she asked. "Or else I might have to start kissing you."
Adam grinned. "I'll be right back."
Cassie stood alone for a moment and gazed around the gymnasium. Everyone from the Circle had come except for Faye and Laurel, and Melanie, who thought Laurel would need moral support being cooped up with Faye. Cassie thought about giving them a call to check in and see how they were doing, but then Nick appeared before her.
"You look beautiful," he said.
He'd caught Cassie by surprise, so she laughed, embarrassed. "Thank you. You don't look half bad yourself."
Nick stared down at himself, wearing his regular jeans, T-shirt, and leather jacket. "I didn't really dress for the occasion," he said. "But this is a clean shirt, so I guess that's something."
Cassie laughed again and a sudden warmth came to her cheeks.
"Do you feel like dancing?" Nick asked.
Cassie hesitated.
An air of mischief crept into Nick's face. "I'm only asking because I know you, Cassie Blake, came here with a very specific mission to have some fun tonight. I couldn't let you go home a failure."
"Then how could I possibly say no?" Cassie allowed Nick to lead her onto the dance floor.
Whatever song the band was playing was loud and boisterous, nothing Cassie recognized, but it felt good to let her guard down and just enjoy the music - to enjoy the simple pleasure of being a girl at a dance. Nick skipped and bopped about trying to amuse her. She knew he actually hated dancing and that this was all for her benefit. Cassie appreciated the effort and followed his lead, synchronizing her steps to his until together they were making quite a scene.
From the dance floor Cassie saw that Adam had returned with her punch, and Diana was behind him with a glass for herself.
Nick dashed for them, took the cups from their hands to set them aside, and then pulled them onto the dance floor, too. Deborah and Suzan were quick to join in, and before Cassie knew it, Nick had single-handedly altered the energy of the whole group. They were all being silly, rambunctiously bumping into their classmates on the dance floor, infuriating them in the process. It made Cassie remember when she and Nick were together, and how sometimes his refusal to take anything seriously was just the thing she needed to get out of her own head and start having a good time.
Then the music changed to a slow song - one of Cassie's favorites. She looked at Adam, hoping he would ask her to dance, but she noticed his attention was elsewhere. He was watching someone.
"Max is here," he said. "Act natural."
"Whatever that means," Nick mumbled under his breath. He turned around and cut through the crowd toward the punch bowl. Their merriment was nothing more than a lingering memory.
"It's supposed to be our night off," Suzan said, pouting. "Remember? No policing tonight."
But Cassie knew it was only a matter of time before the Spring Fling became about Circle business, just like everything else. Come to think of it, she was surprised it had taken this long. The group dutifully exited the dance floor and gathered near the back wall.
Max sauntered over to them with his usual air of confidence. He was dressed in a black shirt, black pants, and a necktie as brilliantly green as his eyes. "Hey," he said, greeting Diana first, as always. "Is Faye around? I can't find her."
"Didn't she tell you?" Diana said. "Faye's got a terrible cold."
"Oh," Max said, disappointed. "No, I didn't know. She hasn't answered any of my calls." When Max pouted, his features softened, bringing out the boyish charm to his face.
Diana frowned sympathetically. "Don't take it personally. She's been knocked out on decongestants since yesterday. I bet she turned her phone off."
Cassie couldn't tell if Max was buying Diana's story or not. She thought he looked more confused than skeptical, but Diana must have sensed some suspicion in him because she didn't stop there.
"Just because Faye's not here doesn't mean your night should be ruined," Diana said to him.
Max cracked a sideways, hopeful smile.
"Dance with me," Diana said. And before Max could even react, she grabbed him by the arm and hurried him to the dance floor. The band was still playing a slow song, so Diana clasped her arms around the back of Max's neck and let him hold her lower back.
Max gazed into Diana's eyes as if he couldn't believe his good fortune. All his arrogance and swagger had given way to a sturdy modesty, and he held Diana with care. Faye was the furthest thing from his mind, Cassie was sure of that.