Dark Humanity

by Gwynn White

  “Sorry.” Cassidy wrinkled her brow with the apology.

  “Who is it?” Ariel demanded, feeling like all her plans were crumbling. She didn’t want to go to the prom alone but couldn’t go with anyone else but Gabe. Without Cassidy, she was going to turn up alone like a loser.

  “Matt Tingle.” She said the words apologetically, like she had done something terribly wrong. Ariel knew Matt Tingle well, he had once pulled her hair when they were in kindergarten and she still hadn’t forgiven him. It was difficult when he had hardly grown up since then.

  “Matt? Why would you want to go with Matt?”

  “Because he asked me and I didn’t want to turn up alone. I thought you’d be going with Spencer.”

  “I don’t like Spencer. Now I have to go alone.” Ariel was close to calling the whole thing off and not going at all. She would prefer it over having to pretend to have a good time. It was all too much bother. Perhaps she should just stay home and Skype with Gabe instead. Maybe he would have settled somewhere by then?

  “You can come with Matt and I.” Cassidy grabbed her hand so she couldn’t run off. She needed her to know how sorry she was. In her mind, it should have been easy. “Or… you could go with Spencer? You’ll have fun with him. Just think about it, okay?”

  “I don’t need to think about it,” Ariel insisted. “I can’t do that to Gabe.”

  Cassidy shrugged and let her go. She knew how stubborn her friend could be. At least she had planted the seed, hopefully she would come to her senses.

  The rest of the afternoon passed much like the rest of the week. The prom was a looming dark cloud, hovering over Ariel and threatening to ruin everything. If she wasn’t researching the Morbose family tree, then she was avoiding everyone. Her list of people she didn’t want to talk to seemed to be growing.

  Every day the cloud grew darker over her head and before she knew it, it was Friday. She only had one more hour left of school and then she would no longer have to avoid anyone. Ariel still didn’t know whether she would be going to the prom or not, but at least her decision would be over within the next twenty-four hours.

  Feeling triumphant she had managed to avoid Spencer all week, Ariel sat in the bleachers of the gymnasium by herself. A few others were dotted along the rows but nobody seemed to be as nervous as she was. Cassidy was up next and if she didn’t wow Niccolette and her posse with her routine, she was going to be horribly disappointed.

  The music stopped as the girl trying out for the cheerleading squad let her pompoms fall to the ground. Niccolette just stared at her nonchalantly. “Next.”

  The girl walked towards the bleachers and fell onto the nearest seat. So far, none of the girls had done anything to bring even a hint of a smile to Niccolette’s face. Ariel imagined the sheet of names in front of her were just crossed with giant red marks. It would take something crazy to get her approval.

  But if there was anyone crazy enough to do it, it was Cassidy, thought Ariel. She spotted her by the door, waiting for the music to start. Ariel gave her a quick thumbs up, hoping to give her good luck. Cassidy nodded and took a deep breath.

  The music started to beat, it sounded too loud in the nearly empty room. Ariel noticed it was one of Cassidy’s favorite songs, she had probably picked it first and then choreographed the routine to it rather than the opposite way around.

  Cassidy ran into the middle of the gymnasium and started with a bang, jumping into the air and doing the splits. From there, it only got bigger and better. She shimmied, cheered, and danced her butt off – all perfectly in time to the music. She wasn’t just great, but spectacular. Ariel was so proud of her. She had taken everything Niccolette had thrown at her and funneled it into her routine. She was making a point, not just trying out.

  Ariel wished she could see the look on Niccolette’s face but her back was to her. She hoped she was stunned, regretting every mean word she had said to her. That would have been worth it.

  The music stopped and Cassidy moved into her final position with her pompoms on her hips. She was gasping for air from the energetic routine but standing tall and strong as she faced the panel. They weren’t saying anything.

  Ariel started clapping and cheering, the other few people joining in. The panel continued their silence.

  “Well? What did you think?” Cassidy asked expectantly. “Am I good enough to be on the squad?”

  “We’ll have to consider it, along with all the other girls,” Niccolette finally replied. There was nothing Cassidy could say in response, she just left them and headed for the change rooms.

  Ariel followed, hurrying across the gym as each of her footsteps squeaked on the floor. It was the only sound, making her cringe with the noise.

  “Cassidy, you were amazing,” Ariel gushed as she gave her a hug. “If you’re not on the squad, then it’s only because they don’t want you showing them all up.”

  “You really thought it was good?” Cassidy asked, carefully putting her pompoms away.

  “Way better than good. They didn’t even know what to say.”

  Cassidy smiled but there was trepidation in her eyes. “Do you think they’ll let me on the team?”

  Ariel wanted to be a good friend and say yes, but she really didn’t know. Niccolette was likely to say no just out of spite. There was no-one overseeing her decision, no teacher to appeal to for reason. She could do whatever she wanted with the cheerleaders and nobody could do anything about it.

  Instead of saying something empty, Ariel decided to be honest. “If they don’t, then it’s their loss. They don’t deserve someone as great as you.”

  “Thank you,” Cassidy said as she took her in another hug.

  They left the gym and walked home. At least Ariel could tick one of the bad things she was dreading off her list – cheerleading try outs, done. That only left the prom.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  The light blue dress was pretty, even Ariel had to admit that. Putting it on did give her a slight buzz of excitement. So she was going to the prom alone. So everyone else had a date except her. So what? She was only going to do her job anyway. Someone had to collect the tickets so it may as well be her. She could leave afterwards and nobody would have to know, they would be too busy having a good time of their own to worry about her.

  Besides, didn’t Cinderella go to her ball alone? The theme was fairy tales, she was only staying true to the story, right?

  Still, as positive as Ariel was trying to be, she couldn’t help but wish Gabe was there with her. He would look amazing in a suit, she could picture him down to the finest details. They would have made a cute couple, she lamented. It wasn’t fair that he wasn’t there.

  She took one last twirl in the mirror before going downstairs. Her big ride to the prom wasn’t a limo or a hummer, but her dad’s car. It wasn’t fancy or exciting but it got her there nonetheless.

  Couples spilled from the door of the school gymnasium, the loud music was pumping in the distance as they pulled up.

  “Have a good time, Sweetheart. Call me when you want to come home and I’ll be right over,” her father said, turning in his seat to watch her leave. She thanked him for the lift, took a deep breath and stepped out.

  Ariel made her way to the door and took her place just inside. She was on ticket collection duty for one hour until her replacement took over. When she was first told she had to collect the tickets, she was annoyed. It wasn’t enough she had sacrificed so many lunch periods to sell the things and now she had to take them back? However, when Ariel realized she wouldn’t have a date, she didn’t mind so much. At least it meant she didn’t have to stand in a corner alone.

  After the initial influx of students, the entrance started to die down. Ariel grew bored as she longingly looked inside. Gold stars were dotted along the walls, an enchanted tree in the middle of the room. Sheer curtains were strung around the place, trying to replicate a fairy tale castle. Couples were having fun as they danced to the music. Others mingled around the
food as they chatted happily together. Everywhere she looked there were people having fun. Everyone except her.

  If Gabe was there, she would have been dancing. She didn’t know if he enjoyed it or not – probably not – but she would make him do it anyway. They would twirl around, he would dip her backwards with one sweeping movement, and they would giggle together at how silly it all was. She sighed, wishing the picture in her head could come true.

  “You’re done,” Ms. Thatcher declared as she approached. “Go inside and enjoy the prom. Be young while you still can be.”

  Ariel glanced inside, it all looked so confronting to have to walk in alone. She wouldn’t know what to do once in the doors. She couldn’t dance by herself and she wasn’t really hungry. Standing by the wall like she feared seemed to be the only option she had.

  Suddenly, Cassidy appeared in front of her, her bright yellow dress filling her vision. She grabbed her arm and no longer gave her a choice whether to go inside. “Come on, come and dance with me.”

  Ariel let herself be dragged in, eternally grateful for her best friend. She was pulled right into the middle of all the chaos. The music was even louder inside, they had to shout to be heard. They gave up on trying to have a conversation and just danced instead.

  The song was lively, making sure no couple got their slow dance yet. Ariel and Cassidy moved to the beat, jumping around like they did in their bedrooms on sleepovers. They probably looked incredibly stupid but they didn’t care. It was fun and that was all that mattered.

  A round of applause burst out when the song ended. The school hadn’t sprung for a live band but the DJ was doing an excellent job at keeping everyone on the dance floor.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Ariel saw Niccolette and her friends heading directly for them. “Cassidy, we’ve got company.”

  Cassidy’s head shot around to see them just as they arrived. She stood beside Ariel, comrades in arm.

  “Cassidy,” Niccolette started. “Nice dress, very yellow.”

  She didn’t know whether it was a real compliment or just sarcasm. She stood there without replying, not wanting to seem stupid if she got it wrong.

  Niccolette continued, flanked by two friends on either side. They made a formidable team. “We’ve been talking about the cheerleading squad. You’re on the team. Congratulations.”

  Ariel was so excited for her friend, she wanted to throw her arms around her to congratulate her but when she looked at Cassidy, she stopped herself. She was just standing there, her lips pursed in thought.

  “Cassidy?” Ariel asked, prompting her to say something. She had achieved what she wanted, she should be happy. Ariel couldn’t work out why she wasn’t saying anything.

  Finally, Cassidy came to a decision. “Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t want to be part of your squad. I would rather hang out with people that deserve me.”

  With that being said, Cassidy turned and left, pulling Ariel with her. Niccolette and her posse could only stare after her. Nobody said no to Niccolette.

  “Why did you do that?” Ariel asked when they reached the drinks table and grabbed a plastic cup each. The cold punch was welcome in the heat.

  “Because I can’t stand her,” Cassidy replied. “I’m better than that, you taught me that lesson. I’ll try out again next year after she’s graduated.”

  “But you wanted to be a cheerleader so bad.”

  “And I’ve got plenty of time. Next year, I’m totally going to rock it out.” Cassidy grinned and Ariel didn’t doubt it. “Turn around, we’ve got a visitor.”

  Ariel had no idea what she was talking about but turned around anyway. When she saw Spencer standing right in front of her, she couldn’t move. He was dressed in a dark grey suit with a black tie. He wasn’t just cute, he was gorgeous. He even slicked his dark blonde hair back for the occasion.

  “Hi Ariel, you look really nice,” he said in greeting. She closed her mouth, not realizing it had fallen open.

  “Hi Spencer, you too,” she managed to stutter out.

  “Would you like to dance?” He held out his hand for her to take. Ariel just stared at it before feeling someone push her forward.

  “Of course she wants to dance,” Cassidy said, grinning from ear to ear. “Don’t you Ariel?”

  She couldn’t exactly say no. “Sure.” She finally accepted his hand and allowed herself to be led onto the dance floor.

  They didn’t just have one dance, they had several. The more they did, the more relaxed Ariel found herself. Before long, she realized she was actually having fun. She saw Cassidy and Matt dancing beside them, and couldn’t stop laughing she was so happy. She had absolutely dreaded the night and it was turning out way better than she had expected. It was perfect, almost.

  When the music changed to something slower, Ariel was immediately relieved. She was just on the verge of running out of breath, she needed the pace to slow.

  Spencer pulled her close, placing one hand on her back as he gripped the other in his own hand. They rocked back and forth with the soft ballad. Ariel instantly became aware of how close Spencer was. He was holding her tight against his body, she could feel his heart beating in his chest. But instead of panicking, Ariel felt comfortable. If she closed her eyes, she could imagine he was Gabe and she was in his arms. He smelt like a spicy cologne, like they were dancing in some exotic ballroom. She could get lost in his arms.

  The song didn’t last long enough, Ariel wanted it to continue all night. She no longer cared about her sore feet or the cheerleaders. She was just happy to be there.

  Spencer let her go reluctantly as the tempo on the next song started to fasten. Even though he had removed his hand from her back, she could still feel the warmth there. The memory of being in his arms was nice, far more than she had ever expected of the night.

  “Do you want a drink?” He called out over the music. Ariel just nodded in reply.

  Standing in the middle of the dance floor, Ariel grinned as she watched Cassidy and Matt dancing. They were having the time of their lives as they moved about. She kept looking at the dancing bodies as her eyes reached the door. She didn’t know what made her look that way, but she knew it was something.

  As the door opened, Ariel saw someone leave. Not just anyone, but someone she could recognize anywhere. She saw Gabe just as the door closed.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Ariel hurried outside and looked around, she had to find him. If Gabe had seen her dancing with Spencer, it would have looked horrible. She had to find him.

  The courtyards were empty. She kept going with the sole intent of needing to find Gabe. She had no idea what he was doing there or how he even knew to come, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that she had to explain herself to him.

  Entering the school hallway, Ariel stopped when she heard footsteps. There was someone inside and she knew it had to be Gabe. She listened intently, trying to pinpoint where they were coming from. It sounded like the English classroom. She hurried inside.

  The figure loomed in the back, leaning against the wall. She knew the stance even if he was hiding in the shadows. “Gabe, I’m so happy you’re here.”

  “Really?” His voice was sarcastic, but it definitely belonged to Gabe. After all the time they had spent apart, she didn’t want to be reunited this way. Any way other than this way.

  She took a step toward him tentatively. “Really. I didn’t know you were coming, but it’s the best surprise ever. I love that you’re here. I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed you.”

  “You didn’t look like you were missing me.”

  “Spencer is just a friend,” Ariel desperately tried to explain. “We were dancing because that’s what people do at the prom. He’s nothing more, I swear.”

  “I came here to surprise you but I guess you were the one that surprised me. I shouldn’t have come.”

  Ariel took another step closer, wanting nothing more than to jump into his arms. “Don’t think that. I am so glad you�
��re here. Please, Gabe, please believe me. I haven’t done anything wrong. Let’s just go inside and dance. There’s so much I want to tell you.”

  “Don’t bother,” Gabe muttered before he brushed past her. She tried to grab his arm to stop him from leaving but he went too fast. If her legs worked, she would have chased after him but she feared even that wouldn’t do any good. Her last glimpse of him was as he stormed out the door, his sunglasses firmly perched on his nose.

  Ariel didn’t know how long she stood there. Her mind was a muddle of thoughts, none of them good. The night wasn’t supposed to turn out like that. She had wished for Gabe to be at the prom and he was, just in the worst possible way. Now she wished for a time machine so she could go back and fix everything she had messed up.

  At some point, she called her father and asked to be picked up. She couldn’t remember making the call but she made it home after a silent car ride so she figured she must have.

  Once home, she didn’t say a word, just went straight to her room. She knew her eyes must be red raw from crying and she probably looked like a mess but it didn’t matter once inside her bedroom. She let it all out, sobbing until she didn’t think she would be able to stop. So much for the fairy tale ending to the prom.

  A gentle knock on the door tapped before it opened. Her mother stood there, assessing the situation. “Can I come in?”

  Ariel shrugged, unable to make any decisions herself. Her mother sat on the bed beside her, pulling her in close for a comforting hug that only a parent could give.

  “What happened tonight?” She finally asked as Ariel was able to control her breathing again.

  “Boy trouble.”

  “Did someone do something to you?”

  She shook her head, wishing it was that easy. She didn’t know how to explain Gabe or any of the mess she was in. She did her best, needing to talk it over with someone. “I really liked a boy and he saw me dancing with someone else. I told him we were just friends but he got angry and we fought about it. He walked out and left me alone.”