A Beautiful Dark

okay? No situations I need to jump in and take care of?”
    I bit my lip. I was starting to realize, no matter how much I wished it wasn’t true, that we were growing up. There were some things that your best friends just couldn’t fix simply by being there for you. “Thanks,” I said, knocking him on the arm and giving him a smile. “I’m fine .”
    “If you say so,” he said, looking a little disappointed. “I was hoping for a fight or something. It’s been a while since I roughed someone up.”
    “Kindergarten?” I said.
    “Man, Tommy Evans didn’t know what hit him.”
    “Well, sorry to get in the way of your big plans.”
    “Listen, S,” he said, throwing his arm around me. “You’re like my sister. I just want to make sure you’re being careful. And if I need to whup some new-guy ass . . .”
    “Dan, you don’t have to—”
    “I’m just saying. I don’t like the way they look at you. Like you’re something to win or whatever.”
    “Dan, if I need someone to step in, you’ll be the first person I’ll call, okay?”
    He smiled, his shoulders relaxing. “I’ll hold you to it.”
    “I promise,” I said.
    A mic shrieked loudly, and we turned abruptly to the stage.
    Cassie finished tuning and looked out at us, smiling. She gripped the mic with both hands, her red hair blurring into the soft twinkle-lit room. Dan smiled, too, the corners of his eyes crinkling, as she started singing.
    She was amazing. The Mysterious Ellipses jammed behind her, and the crowd was totally into it.
    After a bit, she said, “This song is for my friends.” Cassie looked determined, like she was psyching herself up for something big. Behind her, Trey and Jonah put their instruments down and watched as Cassie picked up her acoustic guitar and took center stage.
    But then she started to play. And everything around us began to fade away.
    The strumming of the guitar filled the room, and Cassie’s voice rang out like a bell.
    I suddenly got the distinct impression that she wasn’t singing to her friends anymore—she was singing to one friend in particular. Dan stood next to me, nodding his head to the music.
    He was staring at Cassie, looking at her like he’d never really seen her before at all. Looking at her like he finally understood. His eyes widened, and I saw the corners of his mouth turn up slowly.
    As she sang, Cassie opened her eyes and looked out at the crowd. She found us. She found Dan.
    The way she looked at him just then made something in my heart sink. Cassie had liked Dan this entire time, and I hadn’t even realized it. I was a terrible friend.
    Ian sauntered over and punched Dan on the arm. “She’s amazing, dude.”
    Dan smiled. “She so is.”
    “She should make a CD or something.”
    “I’m sure she’s already thought of that.” Dan was grinning like I’d never seen before.
    Ian turned to us and motioned to the coffee bar. “You guys want anything? My treat.”
    “Ian, seriously, how are you not fired?”
    “I dunno, Skye, some people love me.” It felt like a deliberate jab, and suddenly I felt a little guilty. Cassie and Dan hadn’t been the only ones I’d been neglecting.
    “I’ll take a chai latte,” was all I said in response.
    Trey banged his drumsticks over his head as he counted out, “One, two, three, four,” and struck up another song, a faster one. Dan and I started dancing to it, jumping up and down and waving at Cassie, who beamed as she belted out the lyrics.
    Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Asher come in from outside, shaking off a light dusting of snow and looking around. I pretended not to see him and shook my head wildly, letting my hair fan out. Dan laughed. When I glanced up at Asher, he was watching us, looking moodier than I’d ever seen him. Ian came back with our drinks, and as I sipped my latte, I carefully turned back around. Asher was gone.
    Cassie began singing another song, this one a bit slower and softer than the others. Dan and Ian were watching the performance, paying little attention to me.
    “Want to dance?”
    I spun around so fast that my latte nearly spilled over the side of the mug. Devin was standing there, looking both unsure of himself and hopeful.
    “Uh . . .”
    “I’m sorry for being so impatient. I thought a dance might be a better way to say it.”
    “Sure. Okay.” I put my mug down on a low table and took his hand.
    Devin held me close, his hands on my waist while I placed mine on his shoulders.