AT THE PROM
Jesse’s knuckles dripped blood
Onto the front steps of the school,
Made splotches on the pavement
Like Halloween ghosts.
At the prom,
Trav muttered a half-explanation,
But Jesse clammed right up.
On the way home from prom,
Honesty did a good job stuffing the car full of words;
I offered two-word sentences every now and then;
Jesse said nothing.
On the way home from prom,
Trav wore his fury on his face,
Caught my eye in the rear-view mirror a dozen times.
As Trav drove off with Honesty,
I told Jesse “Good night,” as I keyed my way into the building,
My voice sailing through the air with such a chill the glass could’ve frosted.
Jesse followed me inside,
Exhaled in a look-at-me kind of way.
I turned to find him checking his texts,
Rolled my eyes,
Wondered how for a while there,
I had thought this date was better than staying home alone.
“Elly, wait,” Jesse said.
I stopped,
Waited.
Jesse’s jaw worked,
His fists clenched.
“Travis wants you to meet him on the roof later.”
The words hurt him,
I could tell.
The flame of anger in his eyes spoke volumes.
I felt the same fury.
“Tell him no thanks.”
Jesse moved in front of me,
Raked his fingers through his hair.
“Don’t you get it?”
He studied my face,
Which must have looked completely blank.
“Oh, crap. You don’t.”
He sighed,
Tucked his phone in his pocket,
Which said,
This conversation is more important than anything else I have going on,
The biggest compliment he could give.
“Jesse?” I asked,
Pinned him with my gaze,
Tried to read the lie in his eyes that wasn’t there.
He looked away,
Fisted his hands.
“He likes you.”
“We’re best friends,” fell from my lips,
The way stars fall from the sky.
He said, “He wants more,”
With something strangled in his tone,
Like jealousy all tangled up with hurt.
Everything was so quiet, yet so loud.
I heard the gentle whirring of the overhead fans as if they were
Jet engines.
The classical music floating in the lobby sounded like
A rock concert.
Jesse’s breathing wisped in and out of his mouth softly,
But heavy enough to chafe my eardrums.
“More?”
The word scratched through my throat,
But I didn’t remember telling my brain to say it.
I identified the defeat in Jesse’s voice the same way I heard the hope in mine.
“You’re blind. Both of you, so blind.
You think I don’t see the way you watch him all the time?
You think he’s pissed because I punched the wall?”
He threw his hands into the air,
Releasing the pent-up anger,
Causing me to flinch away from him.
“Whatever. I’m done here.”
He turned,
Strode toward the elevator.
I watched him go,
Frozen to the spot,
Trying to process what he’d said.
He wants more.
He wants more?
I HITCHED UP MY SKIRT,
Ran toward Jesse as the elevator doors slithered open.
“Wait!”
I made it inside before the doors closed,
Adjusted my dress so I was covered.
“Spill it, Jess.”
Jesse studied at his ruined knuckles,
Said nothing.
“What’s the deal? I can make you bleed some more.”
He slid a look my direction,
A half-smile curving his lips,
But not touching his eyes.
“Prove it.”
Swallowing, I removed my heels.
“Okay, but I should warn you that I almost broke Trav’s nose once.”
I hesitated before cocking my fist back.
He grabbed my wrist before I could make contact,
Pulled me close,
Whispered, “Damn, girl. No wonder Trav has it bad for you.”
I yanked my hand away,
Shoved him in the chest.
“Shut up.”
Jesse grabbed me again,
This time harder,
His eyes wild,
His breath coming quick.
“I want—”
He pushed me against the wall,
And for one horrible moment,
I thought he’d hit me.
My heart pounded in my throat,
His hand felt so hot around my wrist,
His body too heavy against mine.
He
Jesse’s knuckles dripped blood
Onto the front steps of the school,
Made splotches on the pavement
Like Halloween ghosts.
At the prom,
Trav muttered a half-explanation,
But Jesse clammed right up.
On the way home from prom,
Honesty did a good job stuffing the car full of words;
I offered two-word sentences every now and then;
Jesse said nothing.
On the way home from prom,
Trav wore his fury on his face,
Caught my eye in the rear-view mirror a dozen times.
As Trav drove off with Honesty,
I told Jesse “Good night,” as I keyed my way into the building,
My voice sailing through the air with such a chill the glass could’ve frosted.
Jesse followed me inside,
Exhaled in a look-at-me kind of way.
I turned to find him checking his texts,
Rolled my eyes,
Wondered how for a while there,
I had thought this date was better than staying home alone.
“Elly, wait,” Jesse said.
I stopped,
Waited.
Jesse’s jaw worked,
His fists clenched.
“Travis wants you to meet him on the roof later.”
The words hurt him,
I could tell.
The flame of anger in his eyes spoke volumes.
I felt the same fury.
“Tell him no thanks.”
Jesse moved in front of me,
Raked his fingers through his hair.
“Don’t you get it?”
He studied my face,
Which must have looked completely blank.
“Oh, crap. You don’t.”
He sighed,
Tucked his phone in his pocket,
Which said,
This conversation is more important than anything else I have going on,
The biggest compliment he could give.
“Jesse?” I asked,
Pinned him with my gaze,
Tried to read the lie in his eyes that wasn’t there.
He looked away,
Fisted his hands.
“He likes you.”
“We’re best friends,” fell from my lips,
The way stars fall from the sky.
He said, “He wants more,”
With something strangled in his tone,
Like jealousy all tangled up with hurt.
Everything was so quiet, yet so loud.
I heard the gentle whirring of the overhead fans as if they were
Jet engines.
The classical music floating in the lobby sounded like
A rock concert.
Jesse’s breathing wisped in and out of his mouth softly,
But heavy enough to chafe my eardrums.
“More?”
The word scratched through my throat,
But I didn’t remember telling my brain to say it.
I identified the defeat in Jesse’s voice the same way I heard the hope in mine.
“You’re blind. Both of you, so blind.
You think I don’t see the way you watch him all the time?
You think he’s pissed because I punched the wall?”
He threw his hands into the air,
Releasing the pent-up anger,
Causing me to flinch away from him.
“Whatever. I’m done here.”
He turned,
Strode toward the elevator.
I watched him go,
Frozen to the spot,
Trying to process what he’d said.
He wants more.
He wants more?
I HITCHED UP MY SKIRT,
Ran toward Jesse as the elevator doors slithered open.
“Wait!”
I made it inside before the doors closed,
Adjusted my dress so I was covered.
“Spill it, Jess.”
Jesse studied at his ruined knuckles,
Said nothing.
“What’s the deal? I can make you bleed some more.”
He slid a look my direction,
A half-smile curving his lips,
But not touching his eyes.
“Prove it.”
Swallowing, I removed my heels.
“Okay, but I should warn you that I almost broke Trav’s nose once.”
I hesitated before cocking my fist back.
He grabbed my wrist before I could make contact,
Pulled me close,
Whispered, “Damn, girl. No wonder Trav has it bad for you.”
I yanked my hand away,
Shoved him in the chest.
“Shut up.”
Jesse grabbed me again,
This time harder,
His eyes wild,
His breath coming quick.
“I want—”
He pushed me against the wall,
And for one horrible moment,
I thought he’d hit me.
My heart pounded in my throat,
His hand felt so hot around my wrist,
His body too heavy against mine.
He
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