Prom Theory by Ann LaBar

Author:Ann LaBar
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published: 2021-03-30T00:00:00+00:00

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Theo’s pole vaulting was awe inspiring. It was like dance. It took a level of coordination I was pretty sure, up to that point, I hadn’t imagined was possible.

Watching Theo catapult himself into the air, all the while twisting his body midflight and curving his back, gliding over the bar, was thrilling. By the time he landed and popped nimbly to his feet, I’d risen from my seat, shouting and applauding. My reaction was instinctual, its intensity brought on by the crowd’s reaction, I was certain. Theo as a person wasn’t all that impressive; he certainly didn’t spend much time developing his intellect. So I was surprised by how much I felt my heart racing and the excitement I was experiencing.

It seemed to be the perfect time to test his mirror neurons, since my attitude toward him, in that moment, was one of heightened admiration. I tapped Esther’s arm. “I’m going to go and congratulate him.”

Esther gave me a thumbs-up. “Good idea!”

I went down the bleachers and met him as he walked back to where the track team was gathered.

“Theo,” I called out to him.

At first he looked up and didn’t spot me, or he did and he didn’t know who I was right away, but I didn’t care. I walked quickly to him. “Theo, wow, I had no idea. That was perfect, it was… beautiful.” It was shocking to me how genuinely he had impressed me. Perhaps I should attend more track events. I obviously enjoyed them.

He laughed and then said, “That’s what all the girls say.”

I didn’t care that he might be sincere, that all the girls, in fact, said that. My heart rate was elevated, my cheeks were flushed, my hair was wind-tossed. The way he looked at me gave me goose bumps. How strange. Why would his attention trigger my pilomotor reflex? That particular reflex had always fascinated me. We no longer had thick enough body hair that the contraction of the tiny muscles that caused our hair to stand up straight made much sense. It didn’t make us warmer or even make us look bigger as a warning to potential attackers as it did for most other mammals. It was, in a sense, a wasted effort of the sympathetic nervous system. I wasn’t cold and didn’t feel threatened, so the goose bumps must mean I was excited. There was no doubt the event had been exciting, and most importantly, I had his attention. And I was reluctant to admit, for the first time he had mine.

Somewhere beneath the buzz of adrenaline and the oxytocin/endorphin rush, I also remembered there had been studies in just this—the bond that often forms between people during exciting or traumatic events. I needed to be around him during another exciting moment, and I was sure it would cement his growing interest. I knew it was working on me. Because to be honest, up to this point I hadn’t liked him as a person very much.

But at the moment, I was attracted to him, perhaps for the first time.

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