I have never forgotten that sentence.
She danced with me in the middle of the floor, not tucked away at the edge.
At the end of the night, Uncle Ray drove us back to Charlotte's house. Before she went inside, she held my hand under the porch light and said, "I had a really great night. Thank you!"
I laughed softly. "I should be thanking you."
She shook her head. "I asked because I wanted to be there with you."
On the drive home, Uncle Ray gave me a sideways look. "So… you asking her out, or are you just planning to blink for the rest of your life?"
"She's just a friend," I said.
He snorted. "Sure, she is!"
"I asked because I wanted to be there with you."
***
Graduation came fast after that.
Charlotte left for the city with her widowed mother and brother to chase modeling. I left town for college overseas, rebuilt my body, built my confidence, and eventually built a tech company that made me wealthier than the 17-year-old version of me could've imagined.
