Dancing with the Devil and Other Stories from Beyond / Bailando con el diablo y otros cuentos del más allá

by René Saldaña, Jr.

  She looked him in the eye, then said, “A date? That’s so nice of you to ask, Joey, but I don’t know if I can go. You know—Papi, he doesn’t like me going out.”

  He smiled weakly and said, “Oh, that’s cool. I mean, if you can’t go, you can’t go.”

  Joey had heard about Marlen’s dad: a tyrant, an overbearing type, a man who would let his daughter go out where there would be boys only over his dead body, and if not his own, then the boys’ who’d dare sniff around his little girl. In a weird way, this sort of made Joey feel better about being rejected. You know, like, it wasn’t something about him that made her say no, but most likely for real her monster of a dad. But still, it stunk for her. And for him, too.

  “Like I said, thanks for asking.” A split second later, she said, “You know what? Forget what Papi says—sure, I’ll go with you.”

  “That’s great,” said Joey. He stretched out his hand to her, which she took, and he shook. Her hand was so soft, and his was so sweaty, but he wasn’t about to let go just yet. Let the moment linger, you know?

  “Okay,” she said, taking back her hand and turning to leave. “Oh.” She spun to face him, walked back up to him, so close he smelled her shampoo—peaches—and whispered in his ear: “If you don’t mind, let’s keep this quiet for the mean time. Walls have ears. I’d hate for Papi to find out from somebody we’re going on a date. Then what would happen? As a matter of fact, let’s not tell a soul about this. You’ll do that for me, won’t you?” She put a soft fingertip to his lips.

  Joey would most certainly keep this secret. If it meant protecting her from her father’s wrath, he’d face the gates of hell. Well, that was a bit much, but he had a date for the dance, and he couldn’t wait for Friday night to roll around so that the whole school would know he’d done it, finally!

  Later that day, though, he overheard some girls in the hallway say his name and hers, then they laughed. He hid behind a group of football players and eavesdropped. He made out that she’d said to so-and-so that if she wanted to go to the dance, it may as well be with him. She’d make do, she’d said, and better to be seen than not. But that if another better prospect turned up, she’d dump poor, little Joey in a flash. He dropped six levels of clouds just like that. But it was possible he’d heard wrong. The girls could’ve been talking about another Marlen and another Joey. Or they just could’ve been jealous that they’d not been asked to the dance and were being the wenches he knew them to be. That was it. After all, she was the one to want to keep their date a secret, so it didn’t make sense that she’d spilled the beans herself.

  “Ten o’clock, then?” Joey asked again.

  His mom didn’t answer. She looked worried. So Joey said, “Okay?” again, this time through clenched teeth. He wished his mom would treat him like the young man she constantly reminded him he’s turning into, not like a child, and worse, doing it in front of his best friend, Juan.

  “Ten it is.” She reached over to fix Joey’s collar.

  “Mom!” he said, hoping Juan hadn’t seen it. Fat chance of that happening. He could hear Juan giggling.

  Another car pulled up to the curb behind them. Was it Marlen? He checked the side mirror, and he saw two girls stepping out, neither of whom was Marlen. The girls walked up to the gym door, knocked, and it opened slightly. One of the math teachers, Mr. Flores, stuck out his head and said something to the girls. They nodded and waved their parents off.

  “See?” Joey pointed at the gym as the girls joined a group of friends standing by a trash can. “We have to wait outside because they’re probably still getting everything ready inside. I mean, this is a graduation dance.” This was like their prom, only not so fancy. Still, he’d dressed up in his best shirt and shined his shoes.

  “Okay,” she said. “But be out here at ten. I don’t want to worry. I’ll come in and get you, if you’re not ready to go.” That wouldn’t be good for Joey. How embarrassing would that be if Marlen and he were dancing a slow piece and there tapping on his shoulder was his mom. He’d keep an eye out for her starting at 9:30, just to be on the safe side.

  Joey smiled at his mom and opened the passenger side door. “I promise. Stick a needle in my eye, and all that jazz.”

  Out on the lawn, more students were gathering. Mostly it was groups made up of equal numbers of boys and girls, which most likely meant they were on dates, too. Soon he’d be on a date of his own. Still, something in his belly kept him from being all happy-happy-joy-joy over it.

  Joey looked around to see if he could spot Marlen. He pushed any negative thoughts out of his head and tried thinking good thoughts instead. What are these chumps gonna think when she and I walk in together? he wondered. She was nowhere to be seen, but still, Joey scanned the growing crowd. She wasn’t there that he could see.

  These last couple of days he’d paid careful attention in the hallways, to try and hear what he could hear. He must’ve imagined it the other day, anxious like he was to finally go out with Marlen. His lips were sealed.

  Juan said, “Listen, man, when I get in here, I may have to throw you to the lions, if you know what I mean. I’m supposed to meet a girl. I didn’t tell you because it’s no big deal. Just a friend, but you never know.”

  “Gotcha,” Joey said. He couldn’t stand it any longer. What could it hurt if he told one soul, his best friend? “Here I was thinking I was gonna have to dump you, but you’ve beat me to the punch.”

  “What do you mean you were gonna dump me? Who for?”

  Joey smiled big.

  “No way! I don’t believe it. You telling me you got a date with Marlen?”

  “Yup,” Joey answered. “So, it seems like we’re both set up good.”

  “Whatever! Wait a second, man. Did you only today ask her to the dance?”

  “Nope,” Joey said, still smiling his dopey smile. “I’ve known about a week.”

  “A week? Why didn’t you tell me about it? I thought we were best buds.”

  “It’s not like that, dude. She just wanted to keep it under the radar. Said she didn’t want her dad to find us out, so to keep it to myself. But here’s what good a friend I think you are. I’m going behind her back and telling you now.”

  “Let me get this straight—you’ve got a date with Marlen, the love of your life, and you’re waiting out here with me. Why?”

  “That was part of the deal. She said she’d be coming without her dad’s permission, and so to keep it secret, we shouldn’t even walk in together.”

  “I get it,” said Juan. “It’s all clear to me. You’re using me. That’s cool.”

  “No, man, it’s not like that. I’m just, you know, kind of—well, I’ve never gone to a dance with a girl, so I’ve got no idea how—”

  “Joey, dude, I got it. Say no more. I said it was cool. I got your back. Oh, check it out,” he said and pointed toward the gym doors.

  Mr. Flores had pushed the doors open finally and was calling for the students to have their cash ready by the time they got to him: “Seven dollars per person, or ten dollars per couple to come in and boogie all night long. No checks, no credit cards; just cash money.” He yelled like he was selling newspapers on the street corner.

  Joey heard one of the cheerleaders say, “Who says ‘boogie’ anymore?” Her date answered, picking at his nose, “Yeah, and what’s ‘boogie’ mean, anyway?”

  People around them laughed. Joey didn’t. He was holding back a little, waiting to see if Marlen was in the car that was just pulling up to the curb. No such luck.

  Juan shoved Joey forward, and then said, loud enough for Mr. Flores to hear, “Hey, Sir, what if Joey and I go in together? Would we pay only ten bucks?”

  “Only if you two are a couple and dance at least one slow song,” answered Mr. Flores. That made people close by laugh.

  “I’ll pay to see that myself,” said one of the football players. “I knew you two were more than friends.” He giggled his stupid giggle, and repeated himself to his date and his fo
otball buddies, who snorted laughter. If Joey had been on his game, he would’ve said, “Whatever, jockstrap. We don’t go around patting each other on the butts like you boys do.” Except he was off his game. That’s how miserable he was at not seeing Marlen yet. And soon enough he’d be inside, and they’d all know he wasn’t here with Juan but with Marlen, the finest girl in all of Nellie Schunior Middle School. So it didn’t really matter what jockstrap had just said.

  Then jockstrap added, “Hey, are you two taking a couples picture? That’d be funny. Wouldn’t it be?” he said to his pals.

  “Yeah, hilarious,” said Juan. “Take it on the road, why don’t you?” Juan forked over his seven, then Joey handed his seven to Mr. Flores. “What a jerk, that guy,” Juan said to Joey. “Don’t you think?”

  In truth, Joey couldn’t care less about the others poking fun like they were. He was all head over heels for Marlen, but there’d been no sight of her yet and he was beginning to lose hope. Maybe she’d stood up to her dad, and he’d not let her come? He didn’t even want to imagine what her dad could’ve done if he’d gotten really mad at her.

  Walking in, Joey noticed Juan nodding thoughtfully. “What’s up?”

  “Well, bro, it makes sense to me now. I hadn’t put two and two together until just now, about a rumor I heard about your girl. Now, though, knowing what I know, it makes all the sense in the world.”

  “What does? What rumor?”

  Before he got an answer from Juan, Joey looked across the gym floor, and who was that he spotted sitting by herself halfway up on the bleachers but Marlen? How’d she get past me? he wondered. He stopped dead and Juan had to pull up short or run into him.

  “What’s wrong with you?” Juan asked.

  Joey was staring intently across an ocean of basketball court. “Nothing. I mean . . . ” He looked in the general vicinity of where Marlen was sitting.

  “Get a load of that, man. You worried over nothing. The rumor must’ve been true, then?”

  “Wow,” said Joey, “I can’t believe Marlen’s dad let her come to the dance. He never lets her out of that house. Or, she snuck out like she said she would. Wait, that’s the second time you’ve said something about a rumor. What’s it about?” asked Joey.

  “Oh, I’ll tell you later. But will you look at her? Your lady’s looking real fine tonight,” said Juan. “Just check her out with her hair all nice and her face made up. That’s fine with a capital H-O-T!”

  “Hey, man, you don’t have to talk about her like that.”

  “I can’t help it, Joey, just look at her. If you weren’t my best friend, and if you weren’t all goofy over her, well, I’d be calling dibs on her. She’s hot, I tell you!”

  “And I’m telling you, Juan, don’t talk about her like that no more. She’s a good girl.”

  “I get it. Say no more. You’re really all into her, aren’t you? Dare I call it love?”

  Joey glared at Juan.

  “Sure, man, sure. That’s cool. All you had to do was tell me you’ve got your heart set on her for real. I got you—she’s not just a passing fad.” Juan slapped Joey on the back. “Hey, I’m gonna get a soda. You want one?”

  “No, that’s okay. Thanks,” said Joey. “Hey, about the rumor?”

  “Never mind about that. She’s here, and you’re here. Listen, I’m gonna scope out the scene, see what I can see. I’ll meet up with you two in a few, that is, if I don’t find my own date first. And, so people will stop bugging me about us dancing tonight, get that girl on the floor pronto. They see you on the floor with her, they’ll eat their words.” Juan left, strutting down the floor toward the concession stand.

  Joey, hidden in the shadows of the nearside bleachers, wondered if he could be as smooth as his best friend. He decided cool wasn’t possible for him; he couldn’t just stroll up to this fine-fine girl, no matter they were here together, and strike up a conversation off the cuff, so he took a seat on the bleachers opposite Marlen. She hadn’t spotted him yet. In spite of her being his date tonight, he still had to talk himself into asking Marlen for one dance. The music had started up and couples slowly but surely made their way onto the floor. The lights were low, with the occasional strobe going off and shining bright in people’s eyes.

  Joey stood, started walking across the gym, then spun back to his seat because he felt he still needed to work out his approach. What could he say? “Hey, Marlen, you look like an angel tonight. God must be missing you.” Yeah, that sounded debonair. Then he’d pop the question: “So, you want to dance?” he actually whispered. No, that won’t work, he thought. Too slick. That’s something Juan can get away with saying, not me. “What about, ‘Marlen, I look into your eyes and I’m on cloud nine. Would you like to dance?’” Better, but no go. I’ll just stumble over the words and make a fool of myself. Keep it simple. I’ll just go up to her and ask her outright. It’s got to be that easy: “Marlen, it would be my honor if you would dance with me.” Perfect. To the point. Direct. Just like he’d learned in his public speaking class. He’d stand on the balls of his feet, bend his knees slightly. Showing confidence even though his stomach would be all a-jitter.

  He started to get up, then he saw Juan walking back with a girl, Noelia, who was laughing and showing all her braces, so Joey decided to postpone his walk across the court.

  “Joey, you still here? What’s up with that? You should be over there getting it started, if you know what I mean. But since you’re here, you interested in the rumor about Marlen, still? I’d heard some stuff earlier in the day like I said, but nothing specific. Noelia here has the real scoop, don’t you?”

  Noelia nodded and took a sip from Juan’s drink.

  “So what is it? Are you going to tell me, or are you going to drown in that Coke?” Joey asked.

  “Go ahead, tell him, Noelia.”

  “Well, first, Joey, no one likes a sarcastic punk,” she said. “Two, here’s the skinny on Marlen: I heard at school today from a friend of hers—you know Carmen, right?—well, Carmen said that Marlen had told her parents last night that if they didn’t give her permission to come to the dance, that she would run away from home and come to the dance anyway. Her dad slapped her and said he was not going to allow any daughter of his to go to a dance at her age. That she was not going to turn into one of those women. That she would not shame him wearing a fancy dress, wearing make-up like a loose woman, then dance with all of those boys with grubby hands and dirty minds. She looked at her dad without flinching and said, ‘If that’s what you think of me, Papi, then I feel I can do nothing to change your opinion. So I will go to the dance, and you can think of me what you will.’ He was about to slap her again, but her mother fainted, and her dad had to take care of her. When everyone had gone to bed that night, Marlen snuck out of the house and stayed with Carmen.”

  “Isn’t that the coolest thing you’ve ever heard? And you said she was a good girl. She’s a hottie, I’m telling you. With a spirit like that, you might want to rethink this whole being in love with her business. She just might take charge of you and treat you like a rag doll. And you’re here with her, man. Cool.”

  “Oh, you’re her date? Sorry, then,” said Noelia.

  “Sorry why? She’s hot, he’s got the goods. A regular Cassanova if he’d only let loose a bit. What’s to be sorry for?”

  Noelia shook her head. “Shut up a second, Juan. This is serious.”

  “I don’t know if I should tell you, Joey, but, well . . . ”

  “Spit it out, girl. I want to dance,” said Juan.

  She rolled her eyes at him.

  Joey said, “What is it, Noelia? What else did you hear? Is she okay?”

  “Depends on how you define okay.” She thought a moment, then said, “This I heard directly from Marlen. What I’m gonna tell you’s gonna hurt, but better you hear it now than next week. She was in homeroom yesterday and told her stupid friends that no one better had asked her to the dance, so she was stuck with, I guess, you. Only she didn�
�t mention you by name. Instead, she called you ‘that wimp, pimply-faced pobrecito.’ Sorry to be the one to tell you all this. When I was buying some nachos just now, I heard this guy asking for her. I don’t think he’s a student here, though. I don’t think he’s even from La Joya. I haven’t seen him around anyway. Maybe he’s somebody’s cousin or something, and he was dressed old school like my dad in pictures of him back in high school, but this guy looked real fine in a black, double-breasted suit, and the shiniest Stacy Adams I’ve ever seen, a silver chain hanging from waist to cuff and back, and the smoothest fedora. What my dad would call old school solid.”

  Juan put his hand on Joey’s shoulder and said, “Wow, dude. That’s heavy. What a witch. But maybe Noelia heard wrong. Right, Noelia?”

  “Maybe, but I’m pretty sure I heard what I heard.”

  “Yeah, but you might have heard wrong, right?”

  Noelia nodded half-heartedly. “Sure, whatever. Are we dancing or what?”

  “We will, but in a sec. Listen man, you’ve gotta think positive. Turn that frown upside-down, Joey. Remember, she’s here with you. That’s gotta count for something. So you got some competition for her attention? Take advantage of the moment, man. You need to get to work right now, or else this guy’s going to take her away from you. Love ain’t easy. You’ve got to prove to her you’re not some skinny punk with a face loaded with about-to-burst pimples, man. And she’s one flower ready to be plucked, if you know what I mean. He, he, he. So, get to work.”

  “Shut up, man. Was he really that cool-looking, Noelia?”

  The girl nodded, pulling Juan by the arm. “Sizzling! Sorry. But, really and truly, my eyes literally burned when I looked at him. I had to turn away. Come on, Juan, you said you’d dance with me if I came and told Joey what I’d heard and seen.” They walked out to the dance floor and wrapped their arms around one another and slow danced.