Tales of an Alien Invader by Michelle Brown

Author:Michelle Brown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction
Publisher: Pants On Fire Press
Published: 2014-09-24T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

“It’ll be fun. You’ll see,” Ned reassures me as we walk into the dimly lit gym. Warily eyeing the blue and white paper streamers that hang above me, I come to the conclusion that Ned and I must have different definitions on what qualifies as fun. Other students are entering in groups, talking excitedly and looking around. School ended two hours ago, so Ned, Izzy, and I hung out at my house until it was time to come back. Izzy agreed to come with us in a bemused sort of way, saying something about how it was amusing to watch, in her words, “idiots pretend they know how to dance.”

It’s now twenty minutes since the dance started, and although the room has filled up quite a bit, one fact is glaringly obvious, not to mention confusing, to me.

No one is dancing.

Instead, groups of guys are horsing around by the back wall; one of them even managed to get a hold of a basketball, and they are dribbling and passing it around to one another. The girls, on the other hand, are either standing by or sitting at the tables. Occasionally, a group will look at the boys along the wall longingly, or even shout something at one of them. The dance floor remains empty though, and I begin to wonder what exactly it is we came for.

“Isn’t this supposed to be a dance?” I ask Ned, confused.

He nods and leads us over to a long table draped in white and set up with punch and cookies. Enthusiastically stuffing a cookie into his mouth, he turns to me. “Yeah, it is,” he responds with his mouth full. Seeing my confusion, he continues, “Oh yeah, you’ve never been to one of these before. This is what they’re like.”

“But isn’t the whole point of a dance to, you know, dance?”

“People will eventually. First, groups of girls usually get up and start dancing with each other. Then a slow song will come on and a few couples will dance. By the end, everybody just sort of dances with each other in groups. Of course, some people just sit or stand the entire time. You don’t have to dance; it’s not a requirement or anything. I usually don’t.” A look of concern suddenly washes over his expression, and he looks at Izzy like she might drag him onto the dance floor at any moment. Izzy returns his look with one of disdain and exasperation.

“I usually don’t come to these things, but when I do, I definitely don’t dance,” she says firmly, pouring herself a glass of punch and taking a small sip.

Though still baffled by this bizarre social custom, I feel a sense of relief that I won’t actually need to dance. I had spent all of last night researching various dancing videos on the Internet with increasing alarm. Some of the people in the videos had been able to bend their bodies in positions that I’m quite sure my human body is not capable of.

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