Excerpt of Wanting Something More by Kathy Love

“I don’t know how you ever convinced me to do this,” Abby muttered.

Marty ignored her sister, mesmerized by the magical scene before her. The swaying shadows, the flashes of colored lights, the laughter and excited voices mingling over the flood of pulsating melodies. It was more than magical, it was thrilling.

Still, the laughter and music couldn’t drown out Abby’s exasperated sigh.

Marty glanced at her oldest sister.

Abby stood with her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Unrestrained disdain narrowed her eyes as she peered into the room. She obviously didn’t see one ounce of enchantment. But then again, Abby wouldn’t. She was far too serious to enjoy something as silly as a school dance.

But Marty knew it wasn’t silly. Not this dance. Not this night. This was a place where fantasies could come true. A place where her fantasies were going to come true. She knew it.

“You should have made Ellie come with you.” Abby stepped away from the cafeteria’s double doors as if she planned to walk back down the school hallway to the exit.

Abby knew full well that Marty had begged Ellie to come with her. Their shy middle sister had been Marty’s first choice because she believed in love at first sight and fairy tales. But Ellie had adamantly refused. She was much happier at home, lost in her romance novels, than in the real world.

Marty glanced back at the crowd swaying slowly around and around in tight circles and debated letting Abby leave. She couldn’t. She couldn’t do this alone. She was too nervous—too scared. Who knew facing happily ever after could be so frightening?

“Just stay for a few minutes,” she pleaded. “If it’s really that terrible, then we can go.”

Abby hesitated and nodded. “Okay, but I have no idea why this is so important to you.”

And Marty had no intention of telling her, either. Abby was just here for support. She didn’t need to know the details. She wouldn’t approve of Marty coming to meet a boy. But Nathaniel Peck was more than just a boy. Nathaniel was perfect. He was kind. He was a junior and he liked her.

Marty turned back to the school-cafeteria-turned disco, took a deep breath, and stepped through the double doors.

She tried to appear confident as she strode across the room. She didn’t even slouch like she normally did to try and disguise her height. Since she was almost six feet tall, it was futile anyway. But tonight, she didn’t feel embarrassed about her unusual stature. Nathaniel didn’t seem to mind, and he was the only one who really mattered.

She searched the room and easily located him. At 6' 4", he stood out strikingly. Of course his good looks didn’t hurt, either.

She watched him as he talked animatedly with a group of his friends. Someone must have said something amusing, because his beautiful, full lips parted into a wide smile.

Then, as though he could feel someone watching him, his eyes scanned the room until he found her. Their eyes locked for a moment, then he inclined his head just slightly in acknowledgment.

Marty’s heart raced, but she felt a twinge of disappointment. Why didn’t he come over? Was he as nervous as she was? Was he worried about what his friends would think about the two of them?

Marty continued to watch him, and as the minutes seemed to turn to hours, she wondered if he’d changed his mind. How could he? He was the one who’d been pursuing her. He’d been the one to strike up a conversation and had continued to do so every Tuesday and Thursday, fifth period, in the back of Mr. Malia’s notoriously lax study hall.

But if that hadn’t been enough, Nathaniel also kept showing up everywhere that she was. He always appeared in the library when she was there doing her computer assignments. He’d come to her art class to do extra work on the project he was doing in his regular art class. And one day, he’d even shown up outside her house when she’d been taking Old Miss Strout’s ancient and stinky poodle for a walk.

He’d shown her far too much interest to be uninterested now. Hadn’t he?

“Ack, I can’t stand him,” Abby said with such a sudden adamancy that Marty actually startled, thinking she was talking about Nathaniel.

“Who?” Marty asked, her eyes wide.

“Lionel Ritchie. He is so sappy.” Abby shuddered.

“Oh,” Marty said, still a little unnerved. If she was this worried about her sister’s reaction to Nathaniel, then maybe he had a right to be nervous, too.

“I’m going to go get a drink of water. You going to stay here?” Abby asked.

Marty nodded, relieved Abby was leaving her alone. Maybe she should have come here by herself.

After Abby left, she turned back to Nathaniel, just in time to see him crossing the dance floor, straight toward her.

“Hi there,” he said, stopping directly in front of her.

It was a strange sensation to have to tilt her head up to make eye contact.

“Hi,” she breathed, amazed as always by the beauty of his eyes: pale amber like honey in sunlight.

“I’m glad you decided to come.” Although he sounded a little stiff. He was nervous.

She smiled, putting all her feelings for him into that smile. “Me, too.”

“Do you want to dance?”

Marty hesitated. “I don’t really know how to.”

“Ah, it’s easy.” His hand captured hers, and she was amazed at how large his hand was.

He tugged her out into the middle of the dance floor, and again, she was struck by how impersonal he seemed. Not at all the guy who’d joked with her, flattered her.

He released her fingers, only to pull her firmly against him, and they began moving in an awkward circle to the pitchy voice of Cyndi Lauper.

After a couple of rotations, she chanced not concentrating on her feet and glanced up at him. He wasn’t looking at her, but focusing off the dance floor toward where all his friends stood.

“Is everything okay?”

He blinked down at her as if he were surprised to see her. “Sure. Just . . . thinking.”

“Are you worried about your friends? I mean, that they will think it’s weird we’re hanging out?”

Nathaniel glanced back over at his friends. “No. They understand the deal.”

Marty found his wording odd, as odd as his behavior. But when she peeked over at his group of friends, they all seemed to be watching them with pleased expressions on their faces.

“I am going to kiss you now.” His statement was so sudden, so unexpected that she halted to a standstill and gaped up at him.

“You are?” she finally managed.

“Yes,” Nathaniel said with flat determination. He leaned down, and Marty, even as shocked as she was, lifted her face toward him.

This wasn’t how she had pictured their first kiss. She’d thought they’d be alone, and it would just happen naturally as they sat talking and laughing. This seemed too quick, too public. But she wanted it. No matter where or how, she wanted to kiss Nathaniel Peck.

As soon as their lips met, Marty expected fireworks or bells, even a whistle—something. But instead, she only noticed that Nathaniel’s lips felt nothing like she’d imagined. They weren’t supple and warm, but taut and cool. And he was almost rough.

She moaned, uncomfortable with his aggressiveness, and pulled away.

“Nathaniel,” she breathed, regarding him with wide eyes.

He stared down at her, his eyes as hard and cold as his mouth. That mouth was now turned up in a mocking smile.

She frowned, totally baffled by his behavior. “Nathaniel?”

He didn’t speak, that almost cruel grin frozen on his face.

Then suddenly she heard them. The roars of laughter. The hoots. The hateful comments.

When she looked around, she realized that they were now surrounded by Nathaniel’s friends.