Free The Opposite of Invisible by Liz Gallagher Page B

work in this specific environment.
    I hop from one foot to the other, trying to imagine how a witch would get down and boogie. It helps that Simon only takes his hands off me for short stints as he turns in circles.
    He does that thing I’ve seen in music videos, where the guy bends his knees and, like, works his way up the girl’s body with his head two inches from her. I try not to look too stiff.
    The DJ switches to a slow song, something about moonlight. For the first time, Simon seems awkward. He’s bendinghis head next to mine, his Nikes only millimeters from my Pumas, his middle somehow not there.
    It takes me a minute to realize that he’s all bent on purpose. He’s energized. In that particular male way.
    Under my makeup, I’m sure my face is as pink as Vanessa’s dress.
    I move my hands to Simon’s waist. I pull his body closer to mine. He lets out a sound between a squeak and a moan.
    This is a movie. I am not really doing this.
    I’d almost believe that this is not real, because it’s so surreal, me and Simon. Right in the middle of the crowd. But this feels too good. He bends his head so our foreheads touch. I feel like I could fly.
    I put my mouth to his neck, leave it there, a twitch away from kissing.
    He puts his hand on the back of my head, works his fingers through my hair.
    The song fades out. Were Vanessa and Jewel watching us?
    “Hey, hey,” says the DJ, “are you ready to crown one lucky lady your queen?”
    People do little whistles and whoops.
    “I said, are you ready?”
    Oh, God. School spirit. People roar, so easily excited. Simon grins at me. He doesn’t know how totally turned off I am by mob mentality.
    “That’s more like it! Drumroll, please,” yells the DJ. Feet stamp all over the Bath, creating a thunder.
    “And the moment has arrived,” he continues. “You’ve voted for your favorite costumes and here they are …”
    A whispering ripple moves through the crowd.
    “Your king, Nicolai Gregory!”
    Nicolai walks up to the DJ stand, grinning and waving like the President. It’s hilarious.
    The DJ continues, “And your queen …”
    Simon squeezes my hand.
    “… Vanessa Almond!”
    Vanessa joins Nicolai. She stands still, her head lolling to one side, her eyes as blank as possible, playing dead.
    Their crowns are cardboard covered with foil. Not nearly as cool as the one Vanessa made.
    “All right, you two,” says the DJ. “Let’s see what a royal dance looks like!”
    There’s no spotlight in the gym, of course, but if there were, this would be the moment when it would shine on Nicolai and Vanessa, as the crowd opens a space for its nobility, then would pan to Jewel across the room as he puts on a smile. He’s the date of the queen.
    When he’s really happy, he doesn’t smile. He smirks.
    Nicolai and Vanessa sashay around, high drama. If this were the prom, they wouldn’t have won. But it’s Halloween and they are definitely the strangest pair in school.
    The crowd has opened a large circle for them, all eyes on their played-up waltz. The dance only lasts a minute, until Jewel elbows his way through the crowd and enters the circle.
    He taps Nicolai on the shoulder, something you’d seein an old movie. He doesn’t, however, ask if he may cut in. He just presses Nicolai out of the way, gently, Nicolai obeying. Then Jewel lays a big kiss on Vanessa.
    The crowd, needless to say, goes wild.
    Some girl behind me asks her friend, “Who’s that cute guy?”
    Someone tells her, “I always thought that guy was into guys. He’s so
artistic.”
    I grab Simon and kiss him.
    The girl behind me says, “Wait. Who’s she?”
    The school might have something to talk about on Monday.
      Simon walks me up to my door. “Let’s talk,” he says, and we sit on the porch swing.
    I seriously don’t think my brain can handle some big talk right now.
    I sit and look at him.
    “I just want to say,” he says, “that I had a great time tonight.”
    He’s got that dimple