“Okay, so this is her house,” my dad said as he turned into a roundabout.

“Are you sure?” I squinted in the darkness. “The GPS said it was the house back there…”

“I can’t even see the numbers, Sonya. Why can’t you just call her?”

“Fine.” I snapped my phone open and dialed.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Elizabeth, um, where’s your house?”

“It’s the corner one…Here, I’ll step outside.”

“Okay thanks.” I snapped the phone shut. “Yeah, the GPS was right, it’s that house.”

At that moment, the lights went on and Elizabeth stepped out at the front door.

“Thanks Dad.” I opened the door and cringed as my flats hit the wet pavement. “I’ll see you later.”

“Okay. So wait, what am I doing?”

I resisted a sigh. “You’re picking me up and Elizabeth at Julie’s house and sending Elizabeth back home afterwards. I’ll call you.”

“Okay. Have fun honey!”

I crossed the street to Elizabeth’s house. “Hey.”

“Hey. You’re not afraid of dogs, are you?” Suddenly a German pointer came in front of her, sniffing at my feet.

“Nah. I get a mild allergy reaction, but I ate my allergy meds today.”

“Okay good. Come on in.”

I stepped into the foyer, stepping around papers and shoes. The dog climbed into a case that I just noticed.

“Sorry that it’s kinda messy. My brother and sister don’t clean up after each other.”

“I love your dress.”

“Thanks!” Elizabeth smoothed the polka-dot fabric. “And the best part it has pockets! I mean seriously, how many dresses do you find that have pockets?!” She grinned as she twirled around, letting the skirt flair up. She immediately went back to work, gathering stuff in her hands. “Anyway, what did you choose?”

I shrugged. “I just grabbed black separates I found in my closet that belonged to my sister, and put on this white sweater to fit the black and white theme.”

“I like the skirt though.” I looked down to see the gray flowers embroidered in black. Elizabeth stood up, tucking her wallet in her pocket. “Okay, I got my phone, a few dollars in case anything bad happens, and my ticket. Do you have yours?”

“Yup.” I took out the laminated index card shaped for her to see.

“Awesome. Mom!” She called into her kitchen. “We’re ready!”

“Okay.” Her mom walked out. I blinked. Elizabeth was the same image as her mom, except Elizabeth had long, curly hair while her mom had cropped, straight hair. “Well, you two ladies look fabulous tonight!”

“Thank you,” I said.

Elizabeth slipped her phone closed. “Okay mom, you remember what the plan is, right?”

“I send you to school, and then to Julie’s house when you call me, and Sonya’s dad is bring you back home,” her mother said as we stepped out of the door.

“Yup.” Elizabeth opened the door to a SUV and gestured. I stepped inside and she came on at the other side.

The school looked different at night. To me, it looked dark and forbidding. I hated dances-they were mostly showoff time for the “popular” crowd, cliques, and the wannabes. Not all people from those groups would come, of course, but those were mostly the affiliations everyone belonged to.

“I’m so glad I’m wearing flats,” I said as I stepped out of the car and thanked Elizabeth’s parents. “Can you imagine going to the school at such a dark time in heels?

Elizabeth nodded. “You can’t see the cracks and bumps on the sidewalk you need to avoid. And it’s pointless-you’re going to kick them off anyway when you enter the dance floor.”

I smiled. “You read my mind.”

As we walked in, we dropped off out stuff after Elizabeth learned from a friend that a stash was gathering behind a vending machine.

“Nice top!” Elizabeth said.

“Thanks.” I touched the unfamiliar halter strap. “It’s my cousin’s.”

By the time we got out onto the dance floor, our minds were straining to come up with things to talk about-especially good things.

“Look at those people.” I turned in the direction Elizabeth was looking. “They’re all wearing the same black, cocktail dress that slides up because it’s too short. How lame is that? They probably all got it from the same place on Ebay.”

I studied them. “They could have at least put a bit of white or something to make them different. I can barely tell who is who unless their hair is distinctive.”

She shook her head. “I’m very worried for the world this day.” The music went on and she scrunched up her nose.

I nudged her. “Do you know this song? Because I don’t.”

“Me either,” Elizabeth admitted. “I mean, I think I know most of the popular songs through the radio, but what is this?”

I listened to the beats and the rapping for a while. “I think it’s Justin Timberlake.”

“Ohhh, that makes sense. No offense, but he’s like so ten years ago, even if he’s still an icon.”

I started to move to the beat. “Come on, let’s get out to the center.”

“No.” Elizabeth stayed at the side of the room, behind a column. “It’s too embarrassing.”

As I looked around to see if anyone was watching, I saw the captains of the breakdancing club swaying to the beat with their girlfriends, who actually had kept their heels on. I nodded in approval. At least they had sense. Unlike the rest of the dance floor.

Do you know what grinding is? If you don’t, thank your lucky stars. If you do, I bet you know how much more awkward it is to see it than even people making out at your locker in the morning.

Well, unless you’re a grinder, I guess. I’m not judging but…

“Hey, Sonya.” Elizabeth poked me in the arm. “Wanna try those cookies?”

We stepped out of the dance room and into the reception area. I bit into one. “Oh my god,” I said after swallowing. “These are DELICIOUS.”

“Yeah.” Elizabeth looked at them sadly. “But it’s still not enough to convince me to stay.”

I tugged at her sleeve. “Should we leave then?”

Half an hour later, I ran the bell at Julie’s house.

“Hi guys!” She greeted us with a smile. “Come on in!”

After a round of apples to apples, we sat back munching away on ice cream.

“So, how was the dance?” Julie asked, biting off a corner of her ice cream sandwich.

Elizabeth made a face. “Horrible. Everyone dressed the same, the only dancing was grinding, and the music DJ had no taste. Was it like this at homecoming?”

We all nodded as the room fell into silence. I scooped the last bit of my sorbet into my mouth.

“So, Sonya, has the Onew thing been going?”

I sighed. “Jonghyun has been asking for days. I think I should just tell.”

Julie nodded. “Is it going well?”

“Well after the four notes, I’m almost out of hope.”

“Wait, what? I only heard about two.”

So I had to explain the other two notes. “And Jonghyun and all the others have seen them, even though I said it was for his eyes only,” I finished.

“Wow.”

The bell rang and I checked my phone. “That’s my dad. Thanks for hosting the anti-Sadie’s.”

“Thanks for coming!” Julie hollered as we stepped outside.

I shook my head as we drove off. Even if I had a loving boyfriend, give me an anti-dance party any day.