I felt stupid but then, Jerry came down. He looked like he had just taken a shower. I could tell because his hair was wet. He had on a blue shirt with its long sleeves rolled up to his elbows and he came directly to me and sat by me.

“Hi,” he said.

I smiled. “Jerry?” It came out as Yerry, but it was too late to take it back.

“My parents and my sister,” his chin pointed to Kathy, “call me Jeremy, my real name, but almost everybody else calls me Jerry. You can call me whatever is easier for you.”

Jeremy! Kathy’s brother—not her boyfriend.

“Why are you always so quiet?” he asked.

“¿Hablas español?” He made a 0 with his fingers. “Zero.”

“I have an accent.” That came out without warning.

“What are you talking about?” he said, almost yelling because the music was loud. “It’s cute!”

I turned and pretended to be interested in the dancers but all I could feel were his eyes on me. His eyes felt warm and they were full of hazel light as he looked at me. His glance was so powerful that it made my whole inside smile.

“Do you dance?” he asked.

Did a piano fall on me? Not only did I feel weight on my back, but his words sounded like scratchy music to my ears.

Why did he have to ask me that?

I had to say the truth, so I shook my head no.

He wiped his forehead with his fingers, and then sighed. “I don’t either.”

I put my hand on my heart and sighed, too.

We both laughed.

As if we were too shy to look at each other, we turned to watch the dancers.

But a few seconds later, he said, “This music is too loud to talk. Would you like to take a walk?”