"Follow the hallway down and through the next door. They'll figure out your backstage passes."

Seriously, why are all bouncers bald? Is it a requirement of that line of work? I made a note to myself to google it later.

"Backstage passes?" Brendan asked, looking straight ahead as we walked down the hall. "Cool."

Marianne greeted us on the other side of the door, looking surprised at Brendan. "I thought . . ."

"This is Brendan," I said quickly, hoping she wouldn't make a big deal about Jess not being there.

"Right. Nice to meet you."

"You too." Brendan shook her hand, staring in awe.

"You a fan of On the Rox, Brendan?"

"Yeah, I really love them."

"Have you even listened to them, Anna?" she teased.

"I have one hundred percent listened to them and they are GREAT."

"Can you name one of their songs?"

"Please," I scoffed. "I am not going to rise to this."

"So that's a no." She laughed. "I hope your knowledge is better than hers, Brendan."

"It definitely is," he replied a little too enthusiastically.

"Let's go through," Marianne instructed. "I think it's about to start. What drinks do you guys want? Lemonade or something?"

"Yes please." I nodded.

"Same," Brendan said. "I'll help you carry them."

"That's okay, you go on and I'll come join you guys. Just stay on this side and don't go too far into the crowd. It's busy and I'll never find you-especially since you don't have your phone, Anna."

Dog had helpfully stored my phone in the toilet bowl for safekeeping that morning. It meant that we had to stick rigidly to any meeting plans, but to tell the truth, I was enjoying the freedom from Dad checking up to see that I hadn't run off with someone from a boy band every ten minutes.

I followed Brendan through the doors and suddenly felt nervous as I realized it was just the two of us. I wasn't sure why. Maybe it was just strange being alone with Brendan. Usually we were surrounded by everyone else, so now that it was just me and the most popular boy in school, I really felt the pressure to say and do the right thing.

Or maybe I was just feeling uncomfortable because the thermal underwear had been brought up. The mere memory of it was enough to ruin a perfectly pleasant evening.

The main room was packed full of teenagers. Brendan and I did as we'd agreed and hung back away from the crowd so that Marianne would be able to find us. Brendan craned his neck over the mass. "Wow, this is really cool," he said, looking around him. "Thanks for bringing me, Anna."

"No problem." I smiled.

"I think they might start soon."

"Yeah, they're due on any minute."

"Let's get closer," he said, turning to me excitedly.

"Yeah, definitely, but let's wait for Marianne first."

"She might take forever at the bar; come on." He grabbed my hand and I blushed. It felt nice.

"I don't know-she might not be able to find us. I'd rather wait."

He looked at me and then let go of my hand, obviously disappointed. "Okay."

"We can go up to the front in a minute, as soon as she's back."

"Yeah." He nodded, watching as everyone crowded together toward the front. "Might be too packed in a minute."

I felt even more uncomfortable than before. Why couldn't I just have done what he asked and gone with him to the front? It was Brendan Dakers! Girls in my grade would do anything to go with him to a show and have him take their hand and lead them to the front of the stage. I tried to think of something to say to make up for it, but my brain just couldn't work fast enough. He made me too nervous.

"There you are." Marianne came up behind us, holding out the drinks. "It's so hard to make out who is who in here."

"Thanks." Brendan smiled as he took his drink from her.

"No worries. I think they're going on in a minute. Tom said they wouldn't be long."

"Whoa, are you talking about the lead singer, Tom Kyzer?" Brendan's eyes widened.

"Yeah, I was with him earlier backstage. It's so weird, he still gets nervous, even though he's performed hundreds of times."

"Really?" I asked. "That's kind of comforting to know that rock stars still get nervous. Does he have any cool rituals before he goes on stage? Like tennis players do before they play?"

Before she could answer, Brendan cut in. "Do you think we might be able to use our backstage passes too and go with you to meet the band? Later on, after the show?"

"Maybe." Marianne shrugged. "It depends on the time. We can't get back too late. Your parents would kill me."

"Mine don't care," Brendan hastily assured her. "It would be pretty cool if you introduced us."

"Well, if we have time," Marianne said, looking at me.

The lights suddenly flared up on the stage, and the band emerged to an eruption of screams from the crowd. Marianne and I started laughing at all the people at the front of the standing area, jumping up and down and reaching outward desperately toward the band. "That's why you want to be a rock star," Marianne yelled over the noise. "Imagine the feeling you would get."

"You would feel so awesome," Brendan shouted back.

They struck up the first song, and the three of us just stood there, bopping along as the rest of the audience went crazy.

"I think we should go to the front," Brendan said after a few minutes. "That's where all the action is."

"I'm not a fan of all that," Marianne admitted. "I get claustrophobic up there. But you guys go ahead."

"I don't know." I anxiously looked at the crowd of people throwing themselves around. "I think I prefer it here."

"Really?" Brendan looked at me desperately. Then his face brightened. "Tell you what . . . you guys stay here, and I'll head to the front and check it out. Then I can come back and get you if it's really good!"

"Okay," I said, a sinking feeling in my stomach as he winked at me and then confidently marched toward the front, pushing his way through.

"He seems nice," Marianne observed.

"Yeah, he is," I agreed.

I soon lost sight of him as the back of his head joined one of the many manically bobbing around at the front. After a while I felt too stupid to just stand there any longer and, with the knowledge that I was out of sight of the most popular boy in school, I began to dance.

Marianne grabbed my arm. "What in the WORLD are you doing?"

"Hello. I'm dancing?"

"That is not dancing," she shrieked through giggles. "I don't even know what that is."

"I'm just doing my thing." I waved my arms.

"What is that? The Octopus move?"

"That's right, it's the Octopus move." I continued to lead by example. Marianne joined in so that the two of us were standing by the side of the crowd, away from everyone else, doing the Octopus.

"Let me show you how it's done," Marianne said suddenly, moving away from me into some space. And boy did she show me how it is done.

Marianne Montaine has an array of dance moves up her sleeve: THE HEDGEHOG.

Put your hands up straight and flat and have them at just above head level. Then proceed to move them up and down away from you and then back toward you. As though they were the prickles of a hedgehog.

THE HIP MOVE.

This mostly involves a lot of thrusting in a non-elegant manner. Marianne's version also includes an intense facial expression as though you are thinking, Yes, commoners, watch me work.

SWAN-HAND.

You put your hand up like it's a swan beak, and then you bop it to the music.

THE EDWARDIAN.

A mixture between prancing and stepping but on the spot. Quite ballet-like. Point your toe and stick it out. Then repeat with the other leg. This move is much improved with your hands on your hips.

THE HEAD WIGGLE.

Self-explanatory. You wiggle your head a lot.

I was just getting the hang of the Edwardian when I noticed we were being watched.

"Hey!"

"Hey," Brendan replied, a funny look on his face. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, Marianne was just showing me some dance moves."

"I take no credit; your Octopus beats all of mine hands down." Marianne laughed. "Brendan, have you seen the Octopus?"

"Um. No, no, I haven't."

"Go on, show him!" Marianne urged enthusiastically.

Brendan raised his eyebrows.

"No, it's okay. How was the front?" I said quickly, trying to brush it off.

"So good, it's way better over there." Brendan glanced back longingly as On the Rox struck up another one of their hits and the crowd screamed in joy.

"Yeah but up there you can't dance properly." Marianne grinned, not getting my hint. "Come on, Anna." She turned to Brendan. "It's really funny."

"I bet," he replied warily.

I just stood there stiffly. I couldn't do the Octopus in front of Brendan Dakers. He might tell people at school, and they would laugh at me more than ever. I can't see Queen Bee ever being a fan.

"What's wrong?" Marianne asked, her forehead furrowed in confusion.

"I don't know; it's not that funny," I said, chewing the edge of my cup.

"It is!" Marianne squeezed my shoulder. "Brendan, tell her to do the Octopus. She can teach you. I've been trying to master it but I don't have her skills."

"You know, that's okay. I think I'll probably head back near the stage if you guys are going to stick around here?"

I flushed furiously, and Marianne looked slightly bewildered by his flat response.

"It's my favorite song," he added when neither of us said anything. He held out his hand. "Anna, are you coming?"

I looked at Brendan's outstretched hand and then at Marianne, and it hit me. I had been wrong all along and tonight had proved it. All the signs had been there. The fact that Brendan was desperate to dance with strangers over hanging out with me, how I couldn't think of anything to say, how nervous I felt when we were alone together. How he wasn't interested in my funny dance moves (although I could have forgiven that one in isolation).

I shook my head, suddenly desperate for him to leave us alone.

"No worries." He smiled at me briefly before disappearing back into the herd of On the Rox fans.

I knew now. I didn't like Brendan Dakers like I should have. I think I'd liked the idea of him more-and I think the feeling was pretty mutual.

"That was . . . weird," Marianne concluded. "Well, whatever. I'd much rather stay here dancing weirdly then hit up that crowd, right?"

"Marianne, I want to be at an On the Rox show with someone from school who I can do the Octopus move in front of and not feel embarrassed."

"Um. Okay." She looked puzzled at my outburst but clearly decided to just go along with it. "Who's that then?"

I sighed. "The same person I can tap dance in front of on the road outside school when we've only just met."

I decided to tell Jess the complete truth first thing at school the next day. She might be angry, but I knew she would understand if I was completely honest with her and admitted what an idiot I had been.