“
The orchestra’s still playing a waltz, and Evan says to me:
“Violet, do you want to dance?”
I know he’s pitched it so Luca can hear; I see Luca’s shoulders stiffen. Because of course, I’m looking at him, not at Evan.
“I’m a bit knackered from all that running around,” I lie. “Another time.”
And I smile up at Evan, because he’s really nice, and because he likes me, and because I have to stop obsessing about Luca, about how much I would like it to be Luca asking me to dance…
“Stu?” Andi says to him wistfully. “Just this once?”
“Oh, Ev!” Stu says to his friend reproachfully. “You had to go ask a girl to dance! Now you’ve dropped me in it!”
“Sorry, dude,” Evan says, not sounding remotely remorseful.
“Stu,” Andi wails to her boyfriend. “It’s so romantic…”
“Jeez, Andi,” Stu says, wrapping his arm around her. “You know guys only dance with chicks to get--uh, to get to know them. Once you’ve, uh, got to know them, you don’t need to dance anymore. Right, Ev?”
Evan falls back, and Stu emits an “Oof” that sounds as if Evan’s smacked him on the head.
“Dropped you in it right back, buddy!” Stu says cheerfully.
”
”