said, “Well…”
Jane was dancing with the dark-haired boy.
“I’m Mike Ingram.”
“I know. I’ve been in your chemistry class all year.”
The boy shook his head. “You couldn’t have been. I’d have noticed if you were.”
“I sit three seats behind you. You should turn around once in a while, Mike.”
“Gee, I really should!”
“Cut!” Another boy. “Hi. I know you, don’t I? Girls look so different at dances; you know, all fixed up and shiny.”
“I have the locker next to yours,” Jane told him, “You’ve never even said hello in the mornings. I don’t know whether I should dance with you or not.” But the lilt in her voice made it clear that she was teasing.
“Well, you never said hello either, then,” the boy retorted, “or I would have said hello back to you.”
“You’re forgiven,” Jane said, “and I’m ashamed of myself.”
Why, I never did speak to him, she thought. And I spent the whole year feeling hurt because he didn’t speak to me!
“Cut!” It was Kent again. “Hey, you might save me a dance.”
Jane laughed. “As many as you want.”
The music stopped.
“Intermission, I guess. Would you like some punch?”
“I’d love some.”
Kent seated her at a table and then stood looking at her for a moment. “You will be here when I come back, won’t you?”
She laughed again. “Of course.”
“I just want to be sure.” He reached over and touched her hand. “Nothing like this ever happened to me on a blind date before. When Kathy told me about you, I never thought you’d be like this.”
“Why?”
“Well, she said you were quiet and aloof, but a nice-enough kid. When a girl says that it usually means she can’t think of anything better to say.”
“May we join you?” It was Kathy and Ed.
Ed looked hard at Jane. “Golly,” he said, “Kathy’s right. You do seem different tonight.”
Jane looked at Kathy and her heart sank, for Kathy’s eyes were hard. On other blind dates Kathy had been sweet—almost too sweet—talking with Ed and the other boy and every now and then speaking gently to Jane, as though she were a child. But, on the other blind dates, Kathy had been the only pretty one. Jane had sat awkwardly apart, not knowing what to say and afraid to call attention to herself by saying anything at all. Never before had Jane’s date looked at her the way Kent was looking at her now—never had Ed’s eyes wandered from Kathy to focus on Jane. Before, Kathy had been a friend, but now suddenly she was a friend no longer.
“I have a cousin,” she said coldly, “who has an overbite like yours, Jane. The dentist thinks she should have braces, but she hates the thought of it. You’ve had braces for so many years—do they feel as awkward as they look?”
Jane started to answer, but no words came.
“The poor little thing has freckles, too,” Kathy continued. “It does seem a shame, doesn’t it? Some people have all the hard luck when it comes to looks.”
On any other night words as cruel as those would have shriveled Jane into a self-conscious heap, wordlessly fighting back tears. Now she found herself smiling. What did it matter how she had looked in the past?
“Oh, most girls have to go through these things,” she said as casually as possible. “We can’t all be blessed with your good looks, Kathy.”
Kathy’s eyes widened. She opened her mouth and closed it again. For once in her life she could think of nothing to say.
Kent broke the silence. “I’m getting punch,” he said. “Want to come, Ed?”
“Yes,” Ed said, “Good idea.” He got up to follow Kent and then turned back to Kathy. “If I’d been Jane,” he said quietly, “I wouldn’t have been that polite.” He turned abruptly away.
Kathy’s eyes were blazing. “What are you trying to do?” she demanded accusingly of Jane. “Break Ed and me up? This is the last blind date I’ll get for you.”
Looking at her, Jane felt a surge of pity. What an unhappy girl she is, she though in surprise. How unsure of herself she must be if she is afraid to ask anyone attractive to double with her! Why haven’t I noticed before? Aloud she said, “Don’t be silly, Kathy. You’re Ed’s girl, and he’s always been crazy about you.”
Kathy didn’t answer. Instead she turned her face sulkily away, and they sat in silence until the boys returned to the table.
“Here it is,” Kent said, setting down the glasses. “They call it punch, but I wouldn’t advise you to drink any of it—it tastes even worse than it looks.”
Jane glanced at the foamy, purple mixture and mimicked the look on his face.
“I think maybe I can survive without it then. How do you feel about it, Kathy?”
Kathy didn’t answer. Instead she turned pointedly to Ed and asked, “Shall we dance?”
Ed looked at her for a long moment—at the pretty, selfish face, at the pouting mouth, and then slowly he shook his head. “This time,” he said, “I’d like to dance with Jane. That is, if you and Kent don’t mind.”
“Of course not,” Kent agreed.
Ed took Jane’s arm and steered her out onto the dance floor. They danced for a while in silence. Then Ed said, “Until tonight I always thought Kathy was swell—she’s so cute and always seems to know the right thing to say. But seeing the way she’s treating you tonight, I’m not so sure. I never knew there was this other side to her.”
He sounded confused. Jane felt sorry for him.
“Kathy’s the same as always,” she told him. “Lots of girls forget themselves when the boy they’re interested in seems to—to—” She stopped and blushed.
“Seems to be getting interested in somebody else?” Ed finished for her. “Maybe she’s right. To tell you the truth, Janie, I wasn’t too keen on Kathy’s getting you as a date for Kent. I didn’t think you’d hit it off together. You’ve always seemed so quiet and serious and all tied up inside yourself. But tonight—I don’t know what the difference is exactly. You just seem to kind of sparkle.”
Jane was surprised. “Sparkle? You mean I look different, don’t you?”
Ed shook his head. “No, you look the same—very nice—but that’s not what I meant. It’s something else.”
“What?”
