Donny Coil: Helix

Chapter 10 - The Dark Dance

Leina opened the door and forced Donny inside by thrusting him through. Teens and young adults crowded together in the center of the room, flailing their arms in the air and hopping up and down in front of the stage. Strobe lights flickered the darkened room. Donny didn't even like the music they played. The annoying electronic square synth, countering a female voice, blooped in a high pitched sound that was not enjoyable.

He was wearing a white buttoned down shirt and light blue jeans. His black hair was surprisingly slit back. It wasn't him at all. The odd void around him was just expanded even further, wearing the clothes that wasn't even picked to his liking. Black was the thing he liked to wear and he felt completely empty without it.

Leina skimmed the room to find Melissa, who was by the snack tables arranged in a wide U-shape next to the hangout tables along the left wall. Melissa was alone, eating a glass of ice cream. "There's Melissa, by the snack tables," Leina pointed. "Just go over to her and ask her if she wants to dance, okay?"

"What if she doesn't want to?" Donny asked.

"Then ask her if she wants to hangout. I'll be over by the hangout tables waiting for Markus. If it doesn't work out then we'll find another one for you, kay?"

Donny nodded and Leina left to head over to the tables. Wandering over to the corner of the room so he could spot Melissa from a distance, hope was all he could rely on. Melissa just leaned against the table eating her fancy ice cream, focusing her eyes on it with every bite. Donny saw her wearing a backless gray tank top along with blue jeans, very casual, except the hint of decor on her tank top.

He took a deep breath in and gave another shot at it. Leina watched as he finally approached Melissa.

"H-Hey Melissa," said Donny, trembling his arms and playing with his fingers. Melissa didn't hear over the loud music and voices of various people talking amongst themselves. She just kept eating and watched the crowd. He spoke again, only a bit louder, sounding like he wanted to ask a question rather than greet her, "Hey Melissa." 

"Yeah?" she turned her head.

"Um..." Donny couldn't think of what he wanted to say, so while waiting, Melissa took another bite of her ice cream. He couldn't help but stutter before he could start a sentence, "D-Do you want to dance with me?"

"Oh, no." She took another bite of her ice cream and talked with a mouth full. "I only come here for the deserts and to hangout."

"Oh, okay." He lowered his head as she kept eating, trying so hard to envision what to say next. Donny leaned against the table with her. "Do you mind if I hangout with you?"

"I guess not." At least eating ice cream kept her doing something besides talking with him, so she wasn't completely bored.

Frozen as he was, he could not talk. He was nervous but he did feel a bit better than last time. Melissa wasn't exactly helping him move any conversation along so Donny was sort of stuck. "So...what do you like to do for fun?"

"I don't know, hangout with friends, talk," Melissa answered.

"That's cool," Donny replied.

She smiled, and pointed to the other side of the room, trying to be nice, "I'm going to go over there."

"Alright."

Melissa strolled over to the other side of the room, only to find Donny following her. She kept her same pose, leaning against the side of the table, enjoying her desert. Donny only stood beside her, playing with the blue table cloth. "So where's your friends?" he asked, looking downward.

She sighed, "One came with a date, I don't know where the other one is."

"So why are you hanging out alone then?" he lifted his head.