"Who are you going with this year?" Jason asked me with a smile.
Neil and Honey were sitting across the table talking sweet nothings in each others ears.
Carly was sitting next to me talking with Jason.
I took a sip of my smoothie, took the straw out of my mouth and turned my gaze from Honey and Neil to Jason. "I am not coming."
"Nobody asked you yet?" Carly mocked me.
I didn't know what to say. After last year I was paranoid to be near Honey and Neil. I stayed away from them as much as possible.
Somehow, Simon, Honey and Neil's 8 months old son had not let me be alone in the group of friends.
Carly had a crush on Jason. That left me alone with the kid as their parents went around having fun. Not that I minded to be with the baby, within such a short period the baby had his charm on me. I was his godmother.
"No, it's not like that. I'll stay with Simon."
"Now that excuse isn't gonna work Lia lady." Neil said as Honey smiled widely at me.
"Yeah, we aren't gonna let you babysit while we are having fun at school." Honey added.
"You can come with Simon as your partner" Carly joked as she elbowed me on the side of my stomach.
I had really no idea what to say. I didn't wanted to be a part of any crowd, literally. Specially with Simon around.
I couldn't still control my powers properly. I felt sick as the idea of no one wanting to go with me to dance crawled up my head. I wasn't so popular like my friends were and I liked to keep it that way. But I felt a little lonely to know that no one would notice me. I felt unwanted most of the time.
Carly's mocking wasn't making me feel any better even though she was just joking. She was right about no one asking me for the dance.
Jason's warm hand reached across and held my hand gently which was resting on the table. With the understanding look in his eyes he said,"You know, it's not a bad idea at all. Simon seems to love your company too. You can come to dance with Simon."
"Yeah, and that way he'll be looked after too, and you'll have fun" Carly said with the first genuine smile she gave in this conversation.
"If it's okay with you?" Neil added.
I gave up arguing about it. How bad could it be anyway?
"Ok, so that's settled I guess"
The conversation changed from one topic to another. No one thought a thing about it after I agreed to come. But I couldn't keep it off my mind the entire day. The school dance was after a week.