She glanced around.
“They're all staring at us,” she said.
“I know.”
“You'll never live this down. Your students—”
“I know.”
She paused, remembering. Raccoons and possums and bears. “I'm going to
kill Carol.”
“Oh, don't blame her. It was my idea.”
“Then I'm going to kill you.” But she couldn't stop smiling.
“Not until we're done dancing. It's homecoming, remember?”
The music played on, the multicolored light from the disco ball passing sleepy stars through their hair. She watched them spin away across the floor, like scattered pieces of colored glass.
The dance floor had cleared. It was just them now.
“So, I was thinking,” Peter said as they turned.
“Yes?”
“I was thinking, maybe we're not as far apart from each other as we think.”
She squeezed his hand, the heat from his chest warming her. “I don't see how
we could get much closer.”
“No, I mean, maybe it's like…a…what do you call it when two words sound
the same but have two different meanings? Like 'deer' the animal and 'dear' that
you start a letter with?”
“Homonyms?”
“Right. Like a homonym. There's chemistry, and then there's chemistry.”
“But…those are still just the same word.”
Peter scowled. “Okay, so Mrs. Harper's English Comp class was a long time
ago. My point is chemistry can be chemicals and reactions and so forth but…”
He took her hand. “It can also mean something intangible between two people.”
“So. What's between us?”
“Right now, your extremely attractive business dress and this itchy tuxedo.”
“No, Mr. Tangible, what's between us?”
He didn't say anything for a moment. “Nothing that we shouldn't have
already put behind us.”
A new song started. Another slow one. They were almost intertwined now.
“Peter, I don't want you to take that Chicago job. They need you here. It's where you belong.” She waited, breathless.
“I've come to the same conclusion myself.” His face moved closer. “Besides,
it would still be too far away from you.”
Kate's chest pounded. “Really?” They'd stopped moving. She lifted up
slightly on her toes. “So…how far away do you want to be?”
“This far.” Peter pulled her close, cupped her face, and kissed her.
The students and teachers cheered. Carol and Lucius cheered. She thought maybe even the stupid stars and birds and crickets cheered.
“Peter?” His arms were still wrapped around her. It was definitely a
