“Well look at you,” he said in a high voice as if puberty had decided to take it all back.
Eric spun Helen around. “Isn’t she gorgeous?” She exuded that Helen look of ‘whatever’ but only to conceal how much the compliment pleased her. Everyone was staring at her much like the first auctioneering match, but this was different. She felt beautiful, not trashy. She was earning the adoration through purer means. That night she was a ripe fruit at the top of the tree that one would need a ladder and some bravery to get to. Marvin awkwardly leaned in to hug or rather just grab Helen. He needed to feel her on his hands, skin on skin.
“Dance with me.” Marvin blurted out. Helen did not recoil as he slipped his arm around her. She was caught up in the moment, in the attention from an actual grown m
