And Justin collected himself and leaned back in his seat and let himself slouch down in his seat until his head was where his back usually was and his shins were up against the dashboard.

They say the truth will set you free. And it had in this case.

Because Justin and Michelle felt free.

Free from hoping that one day they might love each other the way the world had told them they were supposed to love each other.

Free from trying to be what the world told them they were supposed to be.

And they could just be what they were. And what they wanted to be.

And they could love each other the way they knew how to love each other—as friends.

The closest of friends.

That’s how they were loving each other when they were sitting in the LeSabre in Aunt Belinda’s driveway on the night when all the extraordinary things did or didn’t happen.

“Whew!” whooped Michelle.

And she laughed. And Justin did, too.

They felt like they had just completed some great physical feat—or had surmounted an insurmountable obstacle—or had just survived a close call of some kind.

And Justin felt a strange lightness fill up his insides. It made him feel like he had a spotlight shining inside him. And like someone had taken a heavy backpack he had been carrying around—for as long as he could remember—and had started carrying it for him. And that backpack had been heavy with a secret—a secret that couldn’t be kept. Because it wasn’t a secret. It was a truth. And, while a secret has to be kept, a truth can’t be. Because when the truth is kept in, it can get heavy. Too heavy to bear. But when the truth is told, it can make the teller feel the lightness that Justin was feeling.

And that lightness can make a person feel like they can do just about anything.

Like go dancing at Country Swing. At the Rec Center. With their best friend.

Justin turned to Michelle. He was smiling. And he didn’t smile very often, so smiling didn’t quite suit him.

“What?” asked Michelle, creeped out by his weird smiling face.

“Wanna go dancing?”

Michelle looked over at Justin and said, “What?!?”

“They got Country Swing at the Rec Center. They had a sign up outside.”

“You saw that?”

“Yeah.”

“I almost asked you to go but thought you wouldn’t wanna, ’cause—I mean, you’re not home to go dancing.”

“I’m not. But Uncle Clair would be happy if we went. And danced. Like we used to.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.” Justin felt bold. “Let’s show ’em all how it’s done!”

Michelle laughed. Because they would show them all how it’s done.

“Unless you think you don’t have what it takes anymore,” teased Justin.

“Oh, I have what it takes. All you gotta do is follow me,” said Michelle.

“Are you disrespecting following?” countered Justin.

“I am! I have to do all the work, throwin’ you around.”