"The party is in the living room," yelled Bill over the music, and jerked his thumb toward the general direction of the noise. As the teenager walked past, Bill shook his head in disgust. The kid was probably only 14. Most everyone in the party was above 21. Bill knew he was to blame. It was his idea to set up a sign that said 'all invited' in big bright letters. Of course all the kids in town knew to stay away from any 'grown up' parties. All except for this one, it seemed. Bill caught up with the new kid, and led the kid away from the party, muttering "Few things you need to know."
"The people in the party are older than you, so I'd like it if you...just let them be. Second, there's a girl there, 15 years of age or so. You are by no means to touch her, dance with her, or hit on her. She is my sister. Not to be rude, but I can be a little paranoid when it comes to my sister and guys," Bill spoke rapidly, so as to mot miss the party. He looked as serious as possible.
The teenager squeaked something in reply, looking nervous. Bill merely grunted and walked back to the party. The teenager, somewhat shaken, followed Bill into the living room.
* * *
Bill was having a great time at the party. He had danced with a few girls, made sly, witty remarks that made him look cool and carefree. Now he was standing at a corner talking to Amy. Bill had a huge crush on Amy since they first started high school. Now that they were both studying in the same University, Bill felt he stood a chance with her.
Amy was a real beauty. She had large, light brown eyes, with shoulder length brown hair. She had a cute button nose, and a pair of luscious red lips. Her smile could dry a boy's mouth, and her dimples could send people over the moon. Her skin was milky white and unblemished. She stood over six feet tall, and moved like a river, swift, graceful.
Bill was mesmerized by the way her hair swayed with every turn of her head. He had just managed to muster enough courage to ask her for a dance, when he felt a slight tug on his sleeve. To his annoyance, he found the teenager staring at him. Bill, not wanting to look bad in front of Amy, asked the kid "Boy, how old are you?"
"15 sir," was the reply he got.
"Okay, what do you want," said Bill as nicely as possible. It did not work. An idiot could tell that the smile on Bill's face was forced, and he barely managed to keep his voice level.
"I want to know why is that lady over there sitting all by herself," squeaked the boy
"Maybe she's tired!" snapped Bill. How was he to know?
"I don't think so. I have not seen her do anything at all," insisted the boy.
"Look-" Bill stopped short. A sudden realization hit him like a brick. "Which lady?" he asked quietly.
"The lady in black, there at the far end," said the boy, gesturing towards a corner.
"Oh..." Bill said, thinking of what to say next, "She is sick, kid."
"Its not just any sickness, is it sir?" said the boy quietly. To Bill, the boy suddenly seemed a lot older.
"No, its not. It is a contagious skin disease. She only has a few more weeks left to live," said Bill, his tone softening. "it could have been cured if she had seen a doctor while the disease was at an early stage, but now..." he did not have to finish.
"So everyone just leaves her alone!?" said the kid, his voice rising. "She has a few more weeks to live, and she is spending it in a corner! The least you could do is talk to her! But I see you avoiding her just like everyone else!" the kid was shouting now, but no one could hear him over the speakers.
With that the kid turned around and ran towards the lady. Cursing vilely under his breath, Bill chased the kid, hoping that the hot blooded teenager would not be stupid enough to touch the lady.
The boy was fast. And he had the size advantage. He managed to dodge the dancing couples, leap over chairs etc. Bill...was not so graceful.
The boy reached the lady first. Without thinking, the boy threw his arms around the lady and hugged her. Bill arrived at the scene several moments too late. He stood rooted on the spot. The hug lasted a good 12 slow counts, then the lady broke the embrace.
"I don't think you know that I have a contagious skin disease, boy," said the lady in a quiet, sad voice.
"You do? Oh well, that makes the both of us now," replied the boy cheerfully.
"No, i don't think you get it. You could fall sick and...and...die," croaked the lady, her voice breaking.
"Well, the only thing left to do is to make the best out of it, then isn't there," said the boy. "May i have the pleasure of dancing with you?"
The woman stared at the teenager for sometime. Then she started sobbing, and the boy hugged her again. "Will you not have this dance with me?" asked the boy quietly.
The lady broke the hug and whispered a single word, "Yes."
A smile lit the boy's face as he and the lady moved to the dance floor. The crowd parted to let them pass. The two of them danced to a slow-ish song, and they were the only ones on the dance floor. As they danced, all those in the living room applauded. There was a huge smile on the lady's face, as she twirled her worries away.
Bill could not take it anymore. He turned around, dropped into the nearest couch, and wept his heart out. For the first time in a very long time, Bill cried.
At the end of the day, there wasn't a single dry eye in the house.
Bill was having a great time at the party. He had danced with a few girls, made sly, witty remarks that made him look cool and carefree. Now he was standing at a corner talking to Amy. Bill had a huge crush on Amy since they first started high school. Now that they were both studying in the same University, Bill felt he stood a chance with her.
Amy was a real beauty. She had large, light brown eyes, with shoulder length brown hair. She had a cute button nose, and a pair of luscious red lips. Her smile could dry a boy's mouth, and her dimples could send people over the moon. Her skin was milky white and unblemished. She stood over six feet tall, and moved like a river, swift, graceful.
Bill was mesmerized by the way her hair swayed with every turn of her head. He had just managed to muster enough courage to ask her for a dance, when he felt a slight tug on his sleeve. To his annoyance, he found the teenager staring at him. Bill, not wanting to look bad in front of Amy, asked the kid "Boy, how old are you?"
"15 sir," was the reply he got.
"Okay, what do you want," said Bill as nicely as possible. It did not work. An idiot could tell that the smile on Bill's face was forced, and he barely managed to keep his voice level.
"I want to know why is that lady over there sitting all by herself," squeaked the boy
"Maybe she's tired!" snapped Bill. How was he to know?
"I don't think so. I have not seen her do anything at all," insisted the boy.
"Look-" Bill stopped short. A sudden realization hit him like a brick. "Which lady?" he asked quietly.
"The lady in black, there at the far end," said the boy, gesturing towards a corner.
"Oh..." Bill said, thinking of what to say next, "She is sick, kid."
"Its not just any sickness, is it sir?" said the boy quietly. To Bill, the boy suddenly seemed a lot older.
"No, its not. It is a contagious skin disease. She only has a few more weeks left to live," said Bill, his tone softening. "it could have been cured if she had seen a doctor while the disease was at an early stage, but now..." he did not have to finish.
"So everyone just leaves her alone!?" said the kid, his voice rising. "She has a few more weeks to live, and she is spending it in a corner! The least you could do is talk to her! But I see you avoiding her just like everyone else!" the kid was shouting now, but no one could hear him over the speakers.
With that the kid turned around and ran towards the lady. Cursing vilely under his breath, Bill chased the kid, hoping that the hot blooded teenager would not be stupid enough to touch the lady.
The boy was fast. And he had the size advantage. He managed to dodge the dancing couples, leap over chairs etc. Bill...was not so graceful.
The boy reached the lady first. Without thinking, the boy threw his arms around the lady and hugged her. Bill arrived at the scene several moments too late. He stood rooted on the spot. The hug lasted a good 12 slow counts, then the lady broke the embrace.
"I don't think you know that I have a contagious skin disease, boy," said the lady in a quiet, sad voice.
"You do? Oh well, that makes the both of us now," replied the boy cheerfully.
"No, i don't think you get it. You could fall sick and...and...die," croaked the lady, her voice breaking.
"Well, the only thing left to do is to make the best out of it, then isn't there," said the boy. "May i have the pleasure of dancing with you?"
The woman stared at the teenager for sometime. Then she started sobbing, and the boy hugged her again. "Will you not have this dance with me?" asked the boy quietly.
The lady broke the hug and whispered a single word, "Yes."
A smile lit the boy's face as he and the lady moved to the dance floor. The crowd parted to let them pass. The two of them danced to a slow-ish song, and they were the only ones on the dance floor. As they danced, all those in the living room applauded. There was a huge smile on the lady's face, as she twirled her worries away.
Bill could not take it anymore. He turned around, dropped into the nearest couch, and wept his heart out. For the first time in a very long time, Bill cried.
At the end of the day, there wasn't a single dry eye in the house.
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