Chapter 2
Todd watched Charlie as he and Mr. Overstreet shared their third dance of the night with a small smile on his face, which quickly vanished when he saw Mrs. Perry, gossiping with a group of ladies, who all turned to look at him. They were, no doubt, talking about how rude he must have seemed earlier. He then saw Mr. Perrys sister and one of her friends skipping around and giggling, with Mr. Perry and Mr. Meeks watching them. Mr. Perry looked up at Todd, as if he had sensed his gaze, and smiled at him, which prompted Todd to immediately look away.
Charlie and Mr. Overstreet were finishing up their dance, when Charlie took Mr. Overstreet's hand and directed him over to Chris, who was holding a glass of punch. Todd then saw Mrs. Perry smile and lean over to whisper something in her friends ear. Soon the music for another dance started, and Charlie lead Mr. Overstreet onto the floor, lining up to join the dance. Todd walked behind the lines to get a clearer view, passing Mr. Meeks, who had just left Mr. Perry, no doubt to talk to his father.
Once the dance was over, Todd saw Charlie leave Mr. Overstreet and come up to him.
“Come, Todd, you must join one dance,” He ordered, tugging on his arm, “You must! Standing in the corner like you are doing is not going to win over anyone. You would be much better at dancing. Let's find you a partner,”
Todd rolled his eyes
“I certainly shall not. I refuse to make a spectacle of myself, especially here,” He looked away, and saw Chris dancing with Miss. Perry. “My cousin is currently engaged, she is not able to dance with me at present. You know it would be torture for me to dance with anyone else,”
Charlie laughed loudly
“Jesus Todd, it's a wonder you have any friends at all. Come, we can find someone for you. I’ve never seen more beautiful people in my life,”
Todd watched Charlie's eyes rest on Mr. Overtstreet for the hundredth time that night. Then he knew how he could get
out of the conversation
“Charlie, if it has not escaped your notice, you have been dancing with the only pleasant person in this room,” Todd stated.
At this, his eyes lit up
“Todd, he is the most handsome man I have ever laid eyes upon. Not to mention how sweet he is,”
Then Charlie raised an eyebrow at this, smirking. He nodded to Todds left, where a few feet away sat Mr. Perry watching
the dance, but no longer smiling.
“Look, there is his cousin. He seems just your type. I at least say he is certainly not awful to look at, far from it,”
Todd's insides churned as he looked at him. Quickly he looked back at Charlie and said
“He is tolerable, I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me,” In a lower voice he muttered, “Now, Charlie, I am not in a mood to consider anyone beyond tolerable. Go back to your partner, you’re wasting your time with me. And have fun,”
Charlie smiled softly and squeezed Todd's arm, looking back at Mr. Overstreet, who was sitting down with a plate of food now.
“I will,” And with that he walked off, sitting down next to Mr. Overstreet and taking a small pastry off his plate, to which Mr. Overstreet responded with a small smile.
Mr. Perry then walked past him. He smiled and nodded, but looked very forlorn. Todd watched him as he left, wondering what had happened. He then saw Mr. Perry join Mr. Meeks, and whisper something to him, while he looked back at Todd. Then Mr. Meeks look at him, and they both started laughing. Todd felt a familiar feeling of anxiety bubble up into his stomach, and he looked away before he threw up.
“Did Mr. Perry hear me?” Todd thought.
By then Chris had finished her dance with Miss. Perry and came over to watch the rest of the ball with Todd, her eyes bright and cheeks flushed. She was smiling happily as she said
“Come, cousin, You have been standing in this corner for too long glaring at anyone who looks your way. Have a dance,”
Todd looked at her suspiciously.
“Has Charlie put you up to this?” He asked.
Chris scoffed, then started laughing.
“No, he hasn’t. But you have to realise that if I am the second person asking you to have fun you might not look exactly amiable? How will you make friends then?”
“I have friends,” Todd spluttered. Chris shot him an unimpressed look.
“If you take away the people related to you, the only friend you seem to have is Charlie,”
At this Todd looked down, muttering a quiet “Whatever,”. When he looked back up again he saw Charlie dancing with Mr. Overstreet yet again.
“Really,” Todd thought, “How could someone dance so much in one evening and still have enough energy for
conversation,”
When he told Chris his thoughts she laughed
“Todd, when are you going to understand? Once you have found someone who interests you, and makes you feel as if you are floating when you talk to them, it's quite simple,” She looked over at someone as she said this, and when Todd followed her gaze, realised it was the direction of Miss. Perry. He raised an eyebrow at her when she looked back.
“And do you think you have found this ‘someone’?” He asked. Chris turned red and looked away
“I don’t know. She seems nice, but I don’t think I know her enough to feel like that. Does that make sense?” She looked at Todd, nervously
“I think that makes perfect sense. Just think about how you have managed to find a friend here,” Todd replied, looking straight ahead. Chris brightened up at that.
“Yes, I made a friend. Hopefully a very good one,” She muttered.
Once Charlie had finished his dance, he bowed to Mr. Overstreet and went over to Chris and Todd.
“What, did you call a meeting and forget to invite me?” He laughed.
“We would have asked you to come, but sadly, you were occupied with other things,” Todd replied, sarcastically, nodding in the direction of Mr. Overstreet,” Charlie flung his head back at this and Chris giggled.
“Anyways, it's almost three in the morning, and I’m knackered. What do you say we say our goodbyes and head home?” Charlie asked. Chris nodded her head, and Todd sighed in relief. They walked off to express their thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Meeks, then Charlie and Chris walked in the direction of the Perry Family, with Todd trailing behind them, trying his best to hide.
“Well, we thought we would be heading off by now, but it was lovely to meet you and your family ma’am,” Charlie smiled and bowed, then bowed to Mr. Overstreet.
“I am glad to have met you tonight Mr. Overstreet. I hope to see you again,”
Mr. Overstreet bowed and replied
“I should very much look forward to that,” in a quiet voice, then went to stand behind Mr. Perry. Chris and Ginny had also finished saying their goodbyes, when Mrs. Perry said
“Well it was lovely to meet you all. I do hope you all enjoyed yourselves, and that we shall see you again soon,” She smiled at each of them, though her smile became strained when she spotted Todd. At this, he averted his eyes from her, and out of the corner of his eye, saw Mr. Perry watching him. Strange…