The Dust That Danced by A. Cavuto

Author:A. Cavuto [Cavuto, A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781637301425
Publisher: Ashley Cavuto
Published: 2021-04-19T09:17:28+00:00

Scene 23

What is it that your mother warns you when you prepare for a night out? “Nothing good happens after two a.m.,” I think it was?

Well, it was only twelve-thirty that night, but I think the idiom can make an exception.

With the rest of our midterms behind us, the plans for our Tuesday evening were taken to a vote, the result of which was almost unanimous: we would drink. (Any guesses as to who the lone supporter of a cozy night in was?)

My former drinking habits had gone down the toilet along with my career as the “life of the party.” (Hence my despicably low tolerance.)

And, such sweet sorrow, parting was not.

I realized that I preferred to remain lucid, in control. I preferred to be able to keep an eye on things. To keep an eye on them.

To keep an eye on her.

Besides, someone had to do it. Otherwise I, too, would have been sprinting around the quad that night, traveling in circles and reciting Keats at an above-average volume.

So, while Monica spun in circles to the first stanza of “Ode on a Grecian Urn,” and Josie tried to initiate a duel with a less than enthusiastic Meg, and Alice was busy taking a photograph of another bird that had landed on a nearby bench, I stood on the sidewalk, looking out for other observers while my dark overcoat did little to warm me in my sober state.

Their performances came to a halt when a bright white fissure formed along the sky, the ground beneath our feet vibrating with the thunder that accompanied it. Poetry was replaced by screams as the four of them raced down the quad to take cover. We would have made it back to the dorm, I think, had the rain not started falling as we passed the steps that led to the Dining Hall. Monica veered to the right and lunged under the arches, the others following her like ducklings.

I looked up at that third-floor window as I headed for the front doors, quickly skipping up the few steps on the way.

“Well,” Meg said with a giggle. “Did anyone know it was going to rain?”

“Zeus is far too fickle to listen to the weather report,” Monica said. She grabbed hold of the brick wall and leaned out from under the cover, letting her face become drenched until there was another flash and thunder rang out. “He’s angry,” she said, wiping her bangs away from her eyes.

Josie leaned against one of the doors, shivering. “I say we make a run for it.”

“Or,” Alice said, “we could just go upstairs.”

“Oh, Alice.” Monica came over and put her head on Alice’s shoulder. She sighed dramatically. “A lovely thought, but tell me, how would we get in?”

Alice lifted Monica’s head up gently and walked to the right, counting the doors as she passed them. When she reached the fourth one, she wrapped both her hands around the door handle and faced it head on. “Like this.” Bracing herself, she quickly pulled backward and a loud click was heard.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.