Studying Boys by Stephie Davis Page A

hanging.
    No one came up and bothered us. No one pointed at me like I stood out as being the only fourteen-year-old in the place.
    "How are you feeling?" Theo asked.
    "Okay."
    "Want to dance?"
    I looked at the floor. It was a slow song. "No."
    "Why not?" He moved to stand in front of me again, but he didn't take my hands or anything. "I won't try anything."
    "I just don't want to."
    "You ever slow danced with a guy before?"
    I lifted my chin. "None of your business."
    He shrugged, but there was that challenge thing blazing in his eyes again. "One dance."
    "Why?"
    "Education."
    I almost laughed. "What kind of a line is that? You use that on all your dates?" Not that we were on a date, or anything.
    "The Homework Club." He didn't acknowledge the date remark.
    I narrowed my eyes. He had my attention now. "What about it?"
    "You can't run it the way you want to."
    I lifted my chin. "Yes, I can."
    "I brought you here so you can see what else is out there. So you can see why your approach is too hardcore. My friends know how much fun a coed environment can really be. You need to play on that, instead of denying it."
    "Since when did you become a philosopher?"
    "Since you threatened to get me kicked off the lacrosse team. No way am I going to let that happen. And if the only way I'm going to get to play lacrosse is to get this club of yours to work, then that's what I'm going to do."
    "Oh." That's all tonight was about. His desire to keep playing lacrosse. Which was fine. The only reason I was here was for The Homework Club.
    So why did I feel so disappointed? I didn't even like him, remember?
    "So ..." He took my left hand. "In order for you to understand what changes need to be made, you have to see how the other side lives."
    I eyed him. "Sounds like another line to me."
    "I wouldn't waste a line on you."
    "What does that mean?" That I wasn't worth it? That he had so little interest in me that he wouldn't want to risk me to succumbing to his charms?
    He grinned. "Because you'd probably kick me in the nuts if I tried a cheap line on you."
    I burst out laughing at his response, and suddenly my tension went away. This was the Theo I knew. He would never hurt me. I might be a pain in his side, but I was his little sister's best friend, and that made me safe. "Probably," I teased. "You're a womanizing jerk."
    "See? I knew you'd give me grief." He grabbed my other hand and started walking backward, pulling me with him. "One dance. For research's sake."
    One dance. For The Homework Club. I took a deep breath. "Fine."
    A nice smile lit up his face, and he dropped one hand and turned to lead me out on the dance floor.
    Where his arms would soon be around me.

Chapter Eight
     
     
    By the time we got to the dance floor and all the older people around me were seriously getting it on, I had changed my mind. "Theo."
    "Yeah?" He turned toward me, put his arms around my waist, pulled me near him and started swaying to the music.
    I waited for him to make his move, to try to kiss me, to grab my butt, but he didn't. He just swayed to the music and spun me around a little bit. Huh. Was that it? He wasn't going to try to make out with me? I glanced around, but no one seemed to care about us. No one was looking at my attire and wrinkling their nose.
    "What is it, Frances?"
    "Nothing." I started to relax enough to put my arms around his neck and let him lead me around the floor. His body was brushing against mine, but not in a scary way. More like an intimate connection and comfort with each other. A couple times, I caught a whiff of his aftershave, and it smelled amazing.
    This was okay, dancing with Theo. I kind of liked it, actually. In an impersonal way, of course. Not that I was particularly liking the fact it was Theo, just the dancing. Just having a guy's arms around me.
    "Relax," he whispered against my ear, his breath warm on my cheek and sending goosebumps down my neck.
    "Sure." I sort of looked around again, and I saw that for the couples