The Mars Project by Julie Steimle (i can read with my eyes shut TXT) 📕

Glancing that way, he shrugged. But he started dancing his way to the photo line instead. He danced rather funny to Zormna, funnier than she thought Brian and his friends danced anyway. No real rhythm and no real form. But she swallowed the remark, as it was rude to compare him to…well, Jeff. Besides, it was more amusing to watch.

“Hey Sam!” Someone called out from the line.

They both saw Adam. Adam stood with his date, who turned out to be the girl he had been with at the party. They were both waiting near the middle of the line.

With a buddy-buddy handshake, Sam greeted him, delivering hard pats on the back. They both joked about their outfits then laughed about their luck with girls.

“Man! Homecoming King! That’s cool.” Sam grinned ear to ear at Adam’s luck.

Adam shrugged, peeking at Zormna who was already making a thousand heads turn. “The party was a success after all.” With a nod to Zormna, he said, “And I have you to thank for it.”

“Good.” Zormna blushed, ducking her head as she avoided all the stares from those around them. “Because you won’t be getting such favors from me again.”

Nodding at that, Adam chuckled apologetically.

She and Sam went to the end of the line. There, they patiently stood together, though Sam rocked on his heels, beaming to himself as if he had everything he had ever wanted. Several boys passed, complimenting him on his date while eyeing Zormna up. Zormna pretended to enjoy the situation, which wasn’t altogether untrue though she really didn’t feel that comfortable in the dress. And the toes to her high heeled shoes were pinching together.

But seeing all the faces that she knew grinning back at her and Sam, the feeling of comradery, belonging, and even admiration surrounding her, there was an unexpected thrill running through her. And that only topped the thrill of the game she was really playing.

 People passed by and added to the line often enough that it moved much faster than they had expected. Each step they moved up the line, Zormna and Sam had to say hi to someone who out-of-the-blue wanted to talk to them. There were several boys from her classes that walked by with their dates, their eyes fixing on her as if hypnotized. Of course the girls with them glared immediately in accusation.

As usual, Zormna pretended not to notice them.

“Sam!” exclaimed Brian Henderson when he saw them. “When did you get here?” Then looking at Sam’s date, he stepped back, “Wow! Is that Zormna?”

Zormna rolled her eyes.

“Yes, that is Zormna,” she said with her usual annoyance.

“Yep, it is you.” Brian nodded and laughed though his cheeks were flushed. “No way did I ever think you could get more beautiful. But, wow!”

“Come on, we need to get in line for pictures.” Brian’s date immediately jerked on his arm, scowling like all the other girls, though Zormna didn’t recognize her from their classmates.

He happily let his date drag him away.  

Finally Zormna and Sam reached the front of the line. The photographer’s assistant waved them into to the gazebo looking mildly harried. The gazebo was flimsier than they had thought. The floor creaked when they stepped on it and the walls seemed to sway. The assistant automatically led them to the taped markers on the stage, making sure they were standing properly. Then he took a step back to look at them.

Closing an eye, he said, “She is very short. But sexy. Wow.”

Zormna’s green eyes narrowed toward slits at him. Had she been a Greek goddess, she would have cursed him with something really nasty. Maybe a donkey’s head. Since Mr. Humphries had assigned them to read Shakespeare plays, Zormna had decided to read up on all of them, just in case. And a donkey’s head seemed fitting for this man.

However, the photographer took no notice of what had been said and immediately moved Sam and Zormna so that they both stood on the left side and faced right. Then he adjusted Sam’s hold on her so that she stood in his arms, her back to him. He made Zormna leaning a smidgen backward into Sam.

Shivers ran up her arms. His arms around her in this protective, romantic pose did not feel right. And it most definitely did not give her the same comfort as it had when she was with Jeff. These arms were just a fraction away from a quick chokehold. Naturally, in the back of her mind, she wondered if the impression came was because the boy was working for the FBI.

“Smile!” the cameraman ordered.

Erasing her discomfort off her face, Zormna opened her eyes and widened her mouth in the practiced smile Jennifer had taught her when she had been training to be a cheerleader. Sam’s grin was a little dopier, sort of a euphoric grin. The camera light flashed.

“Next!”

Abruptly ushered off, the other assistant took them to their information table. Sam and Zormna both staggered down the steps a little since they were nearly blind. Zormna almost rubbed her eyes, but thought twice about it when she remembered the makeup Jennifer had put there. Instead, she continued to blink out the spots while Sam led her by the arm with a hand at the small of her back. The photographer’s aide handed them a small card to fill out so they could order their pictures. Sam grabbed it with a wink at her. “Double prints?”

She smirked. For this game, sure. But she doubted she wanted to keep a memento of his face if he really was FBI—except maybe to throw darts at.

Once that ordeal was over, Sam broke into his goofy dance again. Leading out a hand, he smiled at her. Zormna grinned, and took it. She was there to distract him and have fun after all.

The DJ played a wide variety of songs, mostly sticking with the popular songs and the favorite slow songs. The dance floor was full. Zormna didn’t spot Jeff at the dance at all until after the first half hour. When she did, she saw Joy Henderson on his arm, practically glowing. In fact, Joy was blushing with the largest grin on her face, earnestly happy. With Jeff, she looked adorable, wearing a vivid sleeveless red dress that had thick straps and a skirt that fell to her knees. Giddy like. And why shouldn’t she be? Zormna asked herself when she saw Jeff stroll into the gym with a perusing gaze on the crowd—which she was sure he was doing to look for her like he promised. He was standing tall, his midnight hair brushed sleek from his deep, deep eyes, his shoulders squared under his white shirt and suit coat that he casually wore open with a tie slightly loose around his neck. He was the coolest guy in the room, and the girls were doing double takes just to look at him. And better than that, Zormna saw how well he took care of Joy, gentle and polite. Any girl would be safe with him, and he would make sure they had fun.

But then a quick chill went down Zormna’s spine as she could see how much Joy was blushing—and it wasn’t from being at the dance either. Joy kept to Jeff’s side, and she laughed a lot. Zormna only hoped Joy did not read into this date more than what was going on. Zormna understood how Jeff didn’t want his life to get complicated, which is what romantic entanglements usually did—even if not especially the one-sided ones.

Sam lifted his head when he saw the pair dancing together not far off. He waved with a grin. Only Zormna noticed Jeff’s careful glances at her to make sure she was ok. Zormna nodded and let him know she was fine.

After dancing for a while, Sam maneuvered Zormna to the small buffet on the far side of the gym. Both of them plucked up plates, though Sam watched Zormna collect more than just a sampling of food from the buffet. He was about to say something about it, but another girl beat him to it.

“You’ll get fat from eating all that.”

Zormna merely snorted as she tucked three eggrolls next to her buffalo wings and grapes, opposite the finger sandwiches and the crackers.

The girl gave Zormna a dirty look and stomped away. After that, Sam looked like he thought it unwise to bring it up.

Leaving the buffet, they searched for an open table where they could sit. Passing through several groups, they found their friends sitting together as usual, right on the edge of the dance floor. Mark waved them over.

“Hey, Zormna! Sam! Over here!”

Zormna grinned, lengthening her stride. Sitting next to Mark was Stacey Price. Clearly she was his date, though Zormna noticed that she was irritated at Mark for something. Zormna didn’t find out exactly until she and Sam sat with them. Stacey’s plate was cleared, but Mark was chowing down with still a long way to go, ten times more piled than Zormna’s.

“Hi, Zormna,” Stacey said as Zormna picked up a finger sandwich. “How’s the dance?” She glanced at Mark sullenly.

Mark bit into another buffalo wing.

“It is good so far.” Zormna chuckled, taking a bite. “Did you get your pictures yet?”

Nodding and rolling her eyes, Stacey said, “Yes, thank heaven. At least I’ll have that.”

Zormna smiled, chewing politely.

Then Brian joined the group with his date. And soon Jonathan and Kevin and Jennifer found their table. All of them were driven by hunger.

“Where is Jeff?” Brian asked, glancing back toward the dance floor.

Mark looked around. And soon everyone else glanced about as if it was the question of the century. 

Zormna merely pointed to the dance floor. “He’s dancing.”

Stacey scowled, turning her eyes back to Mark. “Well, at least Joy gets to have some fun.”

Brian gazed to the dance floor also, though his eyes were turned down with a sliver of concern, not something Zormna had expected. But then Jeff had taken out his little sister, and Zormna knew Brian was aware of Joy’s crush. Zormna figured he was thinking somewhat the same words as Stacey, though with different meaning. He then leaned toward Zormna.

“He see you yet?” Brian asked her with a glance back at the dance floor.

Zormna shrugged, taking another bite out of her sandwich. “In passing.”

He shook his head then said with a sigh, “He’s probably the only guy who isn’t affected.”

“What?” Brian’s date snapped, her eyes narrowing back on Zormna though she looked like she wanted to pinch Brian hard. 

Immediately embarrassed, he replied, “Nothing.”

Brian’s date shot Zormna a dirty glare and pulled on Brian’s arm. “Come on, Brian, let’s dance some more.”

He shrugged, though Brian glanced over at the food. “Let’s get something to eat first. I’m famished.”

His date rolled her eyes but let him drag her over to the food table instead.

And the dance went on—as smooth as most Pennington functions ran. Most danced and talked together the entire night, though some clusters went off to go bowling in their tuxes and gowns. The gang that usually gathered around the wrestlers of Pennington High eventually chatted around the table with Jeff and Joy until late. There was no change in mood, even when couples stepped off to dance, then return for a break. Laughter accompanied their lighthearted thoughts, even near the end. Jeff and Joy went back to dancing. Though as the crowd thinned at eleven, many still danced. But Zormna was showing signs of exhaustion. 

As they stepped off the dance floor, Sam leaned near her and said with a smile, pulling her a little closer, “Let’s go for a ride. I want to show you something.”

Glancing at the clock, Zormna nodded. It was her job to entertain Sam until the time was right, and Jeff hadn’t given her the signal just yet.

“All right,” she replied.

She glanced back at Jeff, but he seemed busy joking in a crowd of friends while Joy was in the bathroom.

Thinking, she turned to Sam. “Can I just use the restroom before